Press Releases

WAI Founder Dr. Peggy Chabrian Is 2020 Cliff Henderson Trophy Recipient

2020-01-31 (All day)

NAA to award trophy at 31 st International Women in Aviation Conference

Women in Aviation International is pleased to announce the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) has selected Dr. Peggy Chabrian, founder of Women in Aviation International, as the recipient of the 2020 Cliff Henderson Trophy. The Henderson Trophy, which is in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, was established in 1960 to honor the creator and Managing Director of the world-renowned National Air Races from 1928-1939. His work stimulated a generation’s interest in aviation and challenged the state of the art in aviation development.

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Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, Confirmed as Speaker for WAI 2020 Conference

2020-01-13 (All day)

Already impressive speaker roster augmented for 31 st Annual WAI Conference

U.S. Air Force Secretary, Barbara Barrett has been confirmed as a speaker for the 31 st Annual Women in Aviation International Conference, augmenting an already stellar roster of speakers. Secretary Barrett joins Stephanie Chung, JetSuite president; Col. Eileen Collins, NASA astronaut; Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, U.S. Air Force; and Joan Robinson-Berry, Boeing Global Services vice president & chief engineer, as keynote speakers for the March 5-7, 2020, Conference at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

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WAI Announces 2020 Pioneer Hall of Fame Inductees

2019-12-12 (All day)

Women in Aviation International (WAI) has selected the 2020 inductees for its International Pioneer Hall of Fame. These women will be honored at the 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, which will be held March 5-7, 2020, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, March 7, 2020, prior to the conference’s closing Celebration Dinner.

The 2020 Pioneer Hall of Fame inductees are: Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, Patricia "Patty" Jean Wagner, and the U.S. Army's First Women Rotary Wing Aviators.

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WAI Announces the Pat Luebke Memorial Scholarship

2019-11-26 (All day)

Donations will be used to fund members’ personal development in aviation

Patricia Luebke, WAI 1954 and a regular and longtime contributor to Aviation for Women and Aviation for Girls magazines, passed away on November 22, 2019, after a brief illness. Pat was a proud member of Women in Aviation International and was the creative force behind many of the organization’s key programs and events including Take Your Daughter to Conference, which became Girls in Aviation Day; the annual female group photo at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh; a WAI time capsule for our 25-year anniversary; the conference Daily newsletters, the Annual Fund Pioneer Hall of Fame tote bag; and the Honor The WASP event on Memorial Day weekend.

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Inspiring Speakers Slated for WAI’s 31st Conference in 2020

2019-11-26 (All day)

Speakers confirmed for Orlando

Women in Aviation International members and conference attendees will no doubt be engaged, inspired and informed by the stellar roster of speakers scheduled for the 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, March 5-7, 2020, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The 2020 roster of speakers includes:

Stephanie Chung, JetSuite president Lt. Col. Eileen Collins, NASA astronaut Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, U.S. Air Force Joan Robinson-Berry, Boeing Global Services vice president & chief engineer
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Deadline to Apply for WAI Scholarships Here

2019-11-06 (All day)

November 12 is the cut-off date for over $630,000 in awards

Thousands of dollars in scholarships will be awarded at WAI’s 31st Annual International Women in Aviation Conference, and the time to apply is now. To qualify for a scholarship, the applicant must be a current WAI member and submit the application by November 12, 2019.

More than 100 individual scholarships are available in areas ranging from aerospace to engineering, from maintenance to flight training. Many type ratings are available. As in past years, scholarships are not just for young people or students. A variety of scholarships are targeted for people in mid-career or even retirement.

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Girls in Aviation Day 2019 Reaches 20,000 Attendees

2019-10-07 (All day)

Massive recruitment effort to ensure aviation’s

next generation workforce

With 118 individual events presented worldwide, Women in Aviation International’s October 5 Girls in Aviation Day 2019 reached approximately 20,000 attendees. Truly an international event, Girls in Aviation Day was celebrated not just in the United States but in 17 other countries in Canada and Australia as well as countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe. Girls were introduced to the career and lifestyle possibilities in aviation and aerospace through meeting role models, career panels, exploring airplanes and airports, and a host of hands-on, fun activities ranging from a sectional chart treasure hunt to making jewelry using A&P tools.

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Meet Southwest Airlines Hero Pilot Tammie Jo Shults

2019-10-01 (All day)

Meet and Greet Tammie Jo at her October 10 book launch

The Capital Region Chapter of Women in Aviation International (WAI) is hosting a book launch for Tammie Jo Shults’ book, Nerves of Steel . The event will be held at The Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, October 10, 2019, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

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Aviation Community Enthusiastically Participates WAI’s October 5 Girls in Aviation Day

2019-10-01 (All day)

“It takes a village…” to introduce aviation careers to thousands of girls worldwide

Participation in Girls in Aviation Day has spread far beyond the vision of the event five years ago as airports, FBOs, museums, universities and corporate members have joined WAI Chapters and Corporate Members to help spread the word that aviation and aerospace offer a rich variety of career choices for young women. Girls in Aviation Day is October 5, 2019, and will be celebrated worldwide.

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WAI Chapters Get an Early Start on Girls in Aviation Day 2019

2019-09-03 (All day)

Six Girls in Aviation Day Events Planned for September

Six Girls in Aviation Day events in September will kick off the Girls in Aviation Day worldwide outreach, planned for October 5, 2019.

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Benefits of a WAI Membership

WAI members seek to inspire and stand for encouragement, continued education, and a whole lot of fun! If you’re a lover of all things aviation and aerospace, and enjoy sharing your passion with others, we’d love to have you! Membership includes job search opportunities, scholarship opportunities, access to mentors in your industry, and much more.

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