Women in Aviation International (WAI) is anticipating that its ninth-annual Girls in Aviation Day (GIAD) will draw some 30,000 girls between the ages of eight and 18 to events held on Saturday throughout the globe. Hosted by WAI chapters and corporate members, GIAD will encompass more than 150 events at airports, FBOs, museums, and hangars in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
In addition, WAI will offer virtual resources, activities, information, and instructional videos through its free Aviation for Girls app.
GIAD attendees will learn about possible aviation and aerospace careers, meet with female role models, explore airplanes and airports, and participate in an array of hands-on, fun, and educational activities such as sectional chart scavenger hunts, Moon and Mars research sites exploration, and engines and avionics discovery with maintenance technicians.
Career panels are planned throughout the various events. Participants will also receive GIAD backpacks filled with activity kits, in addition to the recently published booklet, The Sky is Unlimited: Careers in Aviation and Aerospace.
“We know Girls in Aviation Day has been instrumental in introducing opportunities in aviation and STEM to thousands of participants all around the world,” said WAI interim CEO Stephanie Kenyon. She added that the organization continues to build on these initiatives to expose young people to opportunities.
“Thanks to the generous support of our partners, Women in Aviation International has significantly expanded this one-day event to reach girls interested in aviation and aerospace year-round through our Aviation for Girls program,” Kenyon said. In addition, WAI has launched a free junior membership for youth to enable them to tap into the program's benefits and resources, including applying for up to three WAI scholarships.