Events

Free Event Encourages Girls and Women to Explore the Aviation Industry

Girls Discover Aviation in Lachute is a unique event designed to spark women and girls’ interest in the aviation industry by taking them up in the air to experience the joy of flight first-hand and giving them an interactive introduction to the aviation industry.

Each year, the week’s theme highlights some of the outstanding accomplishments by women in the industry. The 2015 theme “Serving with honor: 100 years of female pilots in combat” highlights the anniversary of Marie Marvingt’s exploit as the first female pilot to fly combat missions, in 1915. She was awarded the Croix de Guerre (War Cross) in recognition of her heroism in the aerial bombing of a German military base in Metz. After the war, she dedicated the rest of her life to the development of aeromedical evacuation. She is recognized worldwide as the “mother” of this field. Holding 34 medals, she is the most decorated woman in the world. Upon turning 80, she added one more notch to her aviation achievements, obtaining her helicopter pilot license.

In celebration of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week, Girls Discover Aviation is a free event being held at Lachute Airport at 6 Ader St. on Saturday, March 7. From 9AM to 5:00PM, women and girls of all ages who have never flown in a small aircraft will enjoy free flights on light aircraft and helicopters, as well as exclusive visits at local aviation facilities like the Bell Helicopter factory and the Mirabel Tower. To celebrate all women in the military, our volunteer pilots will fly-it forward by giving a free flight to all female military personnel and their daughters.

From 12:00 to 1:00 PM, women from the Canadian Royal Air Force, who have succeeded in unconventional careers, will give talks about their experiences, inspiring all girls and women to pursue success in any field of their choosing in Canada. A Press conference will be held at 11:30.

The entire community (guys too!) will have a chance explore aircraft on site, meet the flight crews, and enjoy educational aeronautic activities.

“The goal,” says organizer Marguerite Varin, “is to encourage women to think about choosing more lucrative careers in an industry traditionally favored by men.”

“Studies show that one of the major barriers to more women getting involved in aviation and aerospace is the perception that these industries are reserved for men, so they don’t even consider it,” Varin says. “We want girls and women to realize that they are well suited for careers as pilots, air traffic controllers, mechanics, or aeronautical engineers.”

Women of Aviation Worldwide Week aims to awaken women and girls’ interest in aviation by celebrating women’s contributions to the air and space industry, promoting the opportunities available to them, and welcoming them at airports around the world.

At Lachute Airport, that means giving first-time female flyers a chance to go up in a helicopter or an airplane. Advance registration is required, and those who have previously been on airline flights are eligible.
Register now at womenofaviationweek.org/rsvp/lachute2015.

“Quebec is Canada’s aviation center of gravity and it has a great need for qualified aeronautic employees,” says Mireille Goyer, an airline transport rated pilot and the founder of the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide. “Searching for talent within only half of the population is very limiting. We hope that events such as the Lachute event will begin to broaden the talent pool and fuel growth.”

Background:

• During the last few decades, while the percentage of female doctors, lawyers, and business executives has skyrocketed, the percentage of women involved in the sectors of the air and space industry traditionally dominated by men remains low and mostly unchanged.
  • Less than 2% of aircraft maintenance engineers are women.
  • Less than 6% of commercial pilots are women.
  • Less than 3% of the Royal Canadian Air Force are women.
  • Less than 10% of aerospace engineers are women.
  • International Women's Day has been celebrated since 1911, but for women in the air and space industry, this date has an even earlier significance: it is the anniversary of the first licensed female pilot worldwide in 1910.
    • Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week is a global outreach initiative organized by the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide that promotes the advancement of women in the air and space technical industries.
    • The Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide (iWOAW) is a not-for-profit consortium of businesses and organizations from around the world whose mission is to foster gender balance in the air and space industry through outreach, education, and advocacy.
    • For full details about Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, please visit www.WomenOfAviationWeek.org
    • For information about the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, please visit www.iWOAW.org

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Marguerite Varin, Organizer Girls Discover Aviation – Lachute, 450-562-7574 / 514-779-7574