The Air Line Pilots Association will host a reception for aspiring airline pilots as part of this year’s 10th anniversary WomenVenture week at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Slated for Friday, July 28, 2017, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, the reception has as its goal to have young pilots hear the experiences of active pilots for the major carriers ALPA represents and have their questions about a career as an airline pilot answered by those who have chosen it as a career.
The reception will be held on site at the EAA Partner Resource Center with light refreshments served. Although the ALPA reception is free, an admission ticket is required which may be picked up at ALPA’s Booth C-11 at the Education and Career Center at EAA’s Aviation Gateway Park.
“ALPA has a long history of reaching out and connecting with the next generation of pilots. Explaining to girls that aviation isn’t just for boys is a big part of reaching the next generation of pilots,” says Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA president. “Through unique outreach efforts like WomenVenture, we hope to leave a lasting impression on these young pilots so when they start thinking about their future careers, they have tangible access to professional pilots working today.”
ALPA’s reception is part of WomenVenture’s weeklong 10th anniversary celebration which kicks off on Monday, July 24, 2017, AirVenture’s opening day, with an all-new WomenVenture event, the WomenVenture Social. This gathering will be held in Forum Building 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. WomenVenture concludes with a showing of Hidden Figures, the feature film about a team of female African-American mathematicians who served a vital role at NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. The film will be shown at the EAA Fly-In Theater on Friday, July 28 at 8:30 p.m.
One other event has been added to the busy agenda of WomenVenture week. On Thursday, July 27 at 2:30 p.m., Beyond the Powder will be shown in the Vette Theater, presented by Kara and Adam White of Hemlock Films. Beyond the Powder is a documentary which follows the 2014 Air Race Classic racers as they make their way across the country while the film makers interweave the story of the original women’s air race of 1929, sometimes known as the Powder Puff Derby.
“ALPA’s reception will be the highlight of WomenVenture for many whose singular career goal it is to fly for a major carrier,” says WAI President Dr. Peggy Chabrian. “This ALPA event makes it possible for aspiring airline pilots to learn more about an airline career and ask real-world questions of working airline pilots in a relaxed and casual atmosphere.”