With a little more than a week to go before
the start of Women in Aviation International’s 28th Annual Conference, all
systems are go for an exciting and action-filled event.
This year’s conference is scheduled for March
2-4, 2017, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
“Every conference, we like to highlight our
various activities ranging from our keynote speakers to our special luncheon and
banquet events, in addition to dozens of education sessions,” says WAI President
Dr. Peggy Chabrian.
“This year we’ve organized our education sessions by relevant subject tracks to
make it easier for our attendees of varying interests to plan their time and get
the most information they can during the WAI Conference.”
Since safety is the goal of all aviation
operations, a new education session this year is “A Conversation on Safety
Culture” which includes a panel discussion featuring Greg Feith, former NTSB
member and current NBC safety analyst; Duane Futch, former head of Walmart’s
flight department; and Wally Funk, who is not only one of the Mercury 13, but
the first female air safety investigator for the NTSB, and the first female FAA
safety inspector. The three experts will lead a discussion on cockpit resource
management, as well as on compliance and governance issues faced by pilots and
flight departments.
The 2017 conference has reached out beyond WAI
membership to the greater Orlando community with two events open to the public.
Individuals interested in learning to fly may
attend a free roundtable discussion with John and Martha King and area certified
flight instructors. This event is scheduled for Saturday, March 4 from 10:30 am
to 12:15 pm at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. There is no cost for this
session, and online registration is easy at
https://www.wai.org/explore-excitement-flying.
Those individuals who participate will have access to WAI’s exhibit hall and be
entered into a drawing for a $500 flight training scholarship. |
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Girls in Aviation Day Orlando, also scheduled
for Saturday, is an ongoing program to interest girls ages 8 to 17 in the
lifestyle and career advantages in the aviation industry. This all-day event,
also held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, includes many fun, hands-on
activities, including three activity stations staffed by the Association of
Women in Aviation Maintenance, a career panel discussion featuring fixed- and
rotary-wing pilots, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, air traffic
controllers, and representatives from airports, drone operations, military, and
special guest Dr. Yvonne Cagle, a NASA astronaut and flight surgeon. The
luncheon speaker is World Aerobatic Champion Patty Wagstaff. With participants
from Orlando area schools, Girl Scout troops and the Orange County (Florida)
Parks and Recreation Department, a capacity crowd is expected, so advanced
registration at
https://www.wai.org/girls-aviation-day-orlando
is recommended.
The cost to participate in Girls
in Aviation Day Orlando is $10 a girl (which includes lunch). Girls must be
accompanied by an adult. Chaperones and parents are invited to take part in
lunch for $10 per person.
2017 Conference Program
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