ANN E-I-C Note: By the time that you read
this, ANN and Aero-TV personnel will be on their way to Reno, NV,
for the 22nd Annual Women In Aviation Conference... we are looking
forward to this year's event more than ever since we will be
announcing the two winners of the first scholarships we will be
offering
in memory of Vicki and we're THRILLED with the
two women who impressed us so much that we decided they were tops
on our list. While we develop new content at this year's event,
enjoy a look back at last year's events and topics, and be
ready for a number of exciting new programs from WAI2011!
On February 25th through February 27th, 2010, the Women in
Aviation International organization held their 21st annual
conference; over 3,000 women and men gathered at Disney's Coronado
Springs Resort to celebrate the 2010 WAI Conference theme,
"Aviation – It's a Small World." Developed in 1990, Women in
Aviation, International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
the encouragement and advancement of women throughout aviation
career sectors and interests.
WAI's year-round assistance provides networking, education,
mentoring, and scholarship opportunities for all who seek careers
in the aviation and aerospace industries, both women and men.
Additionally, WAI strives to promote public education on historical
contributions of women within the aviation industry. Looking
towards the future, WAI remains fiercely dedicated to the further
advancement of women in aviation.
The organization's 8,000+ membership includes a wide-range of
industry representatives including astronauts, corporate pilots,
maintenance technicians, air traffic controllers, flight
attendants, air show performers, educators and students; through
this extensive international membership network, WAI offers a
diverse base for both personal and career development
opportunities, particularly for women within the industry.
In an effort to optimize these networking opportunities, Women
in Aviation, International began annual WAI conferences, holding
the first gathering in 1990. Now, over twenty years later, the WAI
conferences remain a crucial hub for both career advancement and
education. Each year, WAI conference attendees partake in general
information sessions, seminars, and educational forums. Visitors
are able to receive face-to-face interaction with more than 200
industry representatives offering both employment and educational
opportunities. In celebration, Aero-TV spoke with some of the
nearly 3,000 conference attendees to get their perspectives on the
advancement of women in aviation and how the WAI organization
continues to support that advancement. In the first part of the
three-part series, conference attendees discussed why they chose a
career in aviation.