Women of Aviation Worldwide Week

Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week {WOAW} is a global aviation awareness week for girls of all ages observed to mark the anniversary of the world's first female pilot licence (March 8, 1910). The week is a call to address gender imbalance in the air and space industry. It is not country or group specific

Since March 2010, Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week's activities have been organized in 52 countries on 5 continents. 420,000 women and girls attended the Week's local hands-on activities. 69,768 women and girls experienced their first flight in a small aircraft in response to the Week's Fly It Forward® call to action.

History In January 2010, Mireille Goyer, an airline-rated pilot and aviation educator, launched an international grassroots initiative to celebrate the centennial of the first female pilot license worldwide earned by Raymonde de Laroche on March 8, 1910.

Her Fly It Forward® call to action encouraged pilots from around the world to introduce record numbers of girls of any age to aviation during, what was then dubbed, "Women Pilots' Week". In 2011, the one-time celebration evolved into the annual "Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week".NBAA – A Week That Supports Women in Aviation Around the GlobeAOPA – Opening Skies to WomenThe Arlington Times – Arlington Airport aims to grow the ranks of 'Women Of Aviation' March 10 & 11Air Force District of Washington – Joint Base Andrew's Women 'Fly it Forward' during Women of Aviation Worldwide Week

By addressing the female population's lack of exposure to aviation activities, Goyer's Fly It Forward® initiative aims to fulfill the dream of the pioneering women pilots of 1910, namely to see women participate in all aspects of aviation.AOPA – Creator of International Women's Aviation Event HonoredWings Magazine – Aviation pioneer Mireille Goyer wins multiple awards

On September 10, 2012, Mireille Goyer founded the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide (iWOAW), a not-for-profit global industry alliance. It organizes The Week's various contests and tracks The Week's activities in addition to managing other initiatives that facilitate women's integration in the industry around the year. Led by a gender-balanced, all-volunteer, Board of Directors, iWOAW's mission is to foster gender balance in the air and space industry through outreach, education, and advocacy.AvWeb – Women get organized

Activities and observances

Female-centric activities take place at airports and aerodromes around the world as well as in museums and aerospace businesses. Special commemoration flights are often conducted.Q2KTVQ – Women’s Aviation Week touches down in BillingsBillings Gazette – Women, girls get up-close look at aviationNorthern News – Girls Fly TooKTVB – Pilots 'Fly It Forward' at Gowen Field

iWOAW organizes multiple challenges and contests during the week. The best known challenge, Fly It Forward®, rewards top performers with awards including "Most Female Friendly Airport Worldwide", "Most Female Friendly Community Worldwide", "Most Female Friendly Corporation Worldwide", "Most Dedicated Female Pilot Worldwide", and "Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide".AvWeb – Frederick Tops Female Flight DriveAvWeb – Female-pilot-friendly Yellowknife

Theme Each year, a theme based on a global historical female breakthrough in the air and space industry highlights a specific sector of the industry.Female helicopter pilots celebratedHeadcorn airfield to celebrate 100 years of women pilotsITV – Harriet Quimby's Flight AnniversaryBBC – Caroline Feraday reports on the centennial of Harriet Quimby’s flight

List of themes (2010–2018) 2010 – 100 years of licensed female pilots (world's first female pilot license – Raymonde de Laroche, France) 2011 – 100 years of female air racers (world first women to enter an air race – Hélène Dutrieu, Belgium 2012 – 100 years of female seaplane pilots (world's first seaplane pilot – Hélène Dutrieu, Belgium) 2013 – 50 years of women in space (world's first female astronaut – Valentina Tereshkova, Russia) 2014 – 100 years of female aerobatic pilots (world's first female aerobatic pilot – Lydia Zvereva, Russia) 2015 – 100 years of female pilots in combat (world's first woman to fly in combat – Marie Marvingt, France) 2016 – 60 years of female bush pilots (world's first female bush pilot – Ada Rogato, Brazil) 2017 – 80 years of female helicopter pilots (world's first female helicopter pilot – Hanna Reitsch, Germany) 2018 - 65 years of supersonic women (world's first woman to fly at the speed of sound - Jacqueline Cochran, USA)

List of Fly It Forward® Award Winners Year Most Female Pilot FriendlyAirport Worldwide Most Dedicated Female Pilot Worldwide Most Supportive Male Pilot Worldwide2010WinnerOshawa, ON Amanda Sargent, Renton, WA Andrei Floroiu, New York, NY First FinalistRenton, WA Allie Dunnington, Bristol Peter Morton, Renton, WA Second FinalistKpong Field Lesley Page, Oshawa, ON Dick Smith, Renton, WA 20112011 Winners AnnouncedWinnerFrederick, MD Dianna Stanger, Port Lavaca, TX Leith Barnhill, Arlington, WA First FinalistArlington, WA Lin Caywood, Frederick, MD Doug Raine, Oshawa, ON Second FinalistPort Lavaca, TX Lesley Page, Oshawa, ON Hubert Wren, Peterborough, ON 20122012 Winners AnnouncedWinnerYellowknife, NT Kirsten Brazier, Yellowknife, NT Derrick Robinson, Yellowknife, NT First FinalistFrederick, MD Megan Tyler, Yellowknife, NT Robert Ferlisi, Yellowknife, NT Second FinalistPeterborough, ON Lesley Page, Oshawa, ON Hubert Wren, Peterborough, ON Ron Haslam Peterborough, ON 20132013 Winners AnnouncedWinnerSt Andrews, Winnipeg, MB, Kirsten Brazier, Yellowknife, NT Frank Roberts, St Andrews, Winnipeg, MB, First FinalistYellowknife, NT, Megan Tyler, Yellowknife, NT Geoff Furniss, Yellowknife, NT Second FinalistWaterloo, ON, Dianna Stanger, Victoria, TX Glen Sibbeston, Yellowknife, NT, 20142014 Winners AnnouncedWinnerLangley, BC, Dianna Stanger, Olivia, TX Frank Walcher, Parksville, BC, | Tom Keane, Victoria, TX, First FinalistVictoria, TX, Diana Jemson, Strathalbyn, SA George Tecklenborg, Abbotsford, BC Second FinalistLachute, QC, Marguerite Varin, Lachute, QC Euan Harrison, Caloundra, QLD, 20152015 Winners AnnouncedWinnerAlbuquerque, NM, Dianna Stanger, Olivia, TX Luc Bougie, Mascouche, QC, | Matt Norgrove, Bathurst, NSW, First FinalistLachute, QC, Ramona Cox, Torrance, CA David Carroll | Gary Penglis Bathurst, NSW, Second FinalistSaint Andrews, MB, Diana Jemson, Strathalbyn, SA Bryan Clements | Chris Stott | Nick Wills Bathurst, NSW, 20162016 winners announcedWinnerEdinburg, TX, Dianna Stanger, Olivia, TX Yves Barbeau, Lachute, QC, First FinalistLachute, QC, Yasmina Platt, Houston, TX Hubert Wren, Peterborough, ON, Second FinalistPeterborough, ON, Ingrid Kutzner, Peterborough, ON Ron Haslam, Peterborough, ON, 20172017 Winners announcedWinnerAlbuquerque, NM, Dianna Stanger, Olivia, TX Sylvain Cantan, Bozas, Ardèche, First FinalistLachute, QC, Bobbie Lind, Albuquerque, NM, Yves Barbeau, Lachute, QC, Second FinalistBrampton, ON, Susan Larson, Albuquerque, NM, Bernard Chirol, Étables, Ardèche,

References

External links Women of Aviation Worldwide Week website Institute for Women of Aviation Worldwide Week website