Last week I attended my first ever Women in Aviation International (WAI) annual conference. WAI reports more than 4,500 registered attendees and a hall full of exhibitors. This year marked the 25th annual conference for WAI. What struck me was the job-fair feeling in the exhibit hall with hundreds if not more pilot job seekers in attendance. I heard the interview lines began in the early hours of the morning with pilots seeking an initial interview with most major and many regional airlines in the U.S. present. And they were not just women pilots either. It appeared many if not most were male pilots. Other prominent groups were the women and men from the armed forces – pilots and non-pilots alike, as well as aviation schools and universities.
Much of my time was spent meeting with the fine members of the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM). During an evening AWAM networking event, I was impressed with the positive energy and camaraderie in the room. Young women beginning their aviation maintenance career, active maintenance professionals, along with retirees having spent their career in the industry, all sharing a common goal and interest. And of course there were men in the group.
If you have daughters, granddaughters, wives and female friends, interested in becoming part of women aviation groups introduce them to organizations like WAI and AWAM.
Ron
