Women in Aviation Chapter Organizes in Tupelo
Her father is a pilot, her husband is a pilot, and her son is a pilot, so it's quite natural that Leslie Pearman can take to the skies as well.
Pearman's love of aviation extends beyond her family, however, and she wants to share her passion with others.
She and some friends recently organized a Women in Aviation chapter for Tupelo. It's the first of its kind for the city.
"We've been wanting something to encourage young women in the area — anybody, really — to learn about aviation," she said. "It's open to anybody, and it's great at networking."
The chapter falls under the umbrella of Women in Aviation International, a nonprofit organization "dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests."
Despite its name, men also are welcome to join. WAI's membership includes astronauts, corporate and airline pilots, maintenance technicians, engineers, air traffic controllers, business owners, educators, journalists, flight attendants, high school and university students, air show performers, airport managers and many others.
"Basically it's open to anyone who has anything to do with aviation or is interested in aviation," said Elizabeth Chavez. "It's more aimed toward females because only about 7% of the aviation industry is female."
Tupelo Regional Airport executive director Joe Wheeler is a member. He fully supports the formation of a chapter in Tupelo.
"The airport is now a corporate member, and I was a member when I was a member at Delta State," he said. "I've been a big supporter of it, and there's definitely a need for more women in aviation."
The group will meet Tuesday at 5:15 p.m. in the conference room at the fixed-base operator, Tupelo Aviation. Meetings will be held every first Tuesday of every month.
Pearson hopes to see the chapter grow quickly.
"We want to get more interest generally in the airport from people around the area," she said.
The airport not only serves commercial passengers but also serves general aviation. It also serves the needs of the military and nearby schools and universities.
"We want to spread the knowledge about aviation," Chavez said. "We have a Girls in Aviation event every year, and we want to have more events every year to spark interest in the airport and aviation in general."
This year's event will be held Sept. 25.
There is growing interest in aviation, as flying lessons are a hot ticket at the moment. Pat Miller, whose husband offers lessons, said training has grown in Tupelo "more than in a long time."
"We need more pilots and instructors," Chavez said. "The interest is there. I have people who call me several times a week calling for flying lessons ... when you have local people who learn to fly those are the pilots that become the corporate pilots down the road and who sustain the local airports. It's something that's passed down,"
Said Pearman, " Tupelo parents can literally send their kids to anywhere in the world through aviation."
"And people don' have to go off to learn to fly — they can learn here in Tupelo" Miller said.
JoLynn Wheeler — Joe's wife — said the aviation industry is special. She hopes to see the family grow.
"Women in Aviation are some of the most dynamic and capable people I've ever met, and I look forward to learning a lot from them," she said.
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