OBAP South Florida President Dr. Sheila Chamberlain, Silver Airways’ Pilot Julie Wang Among Those Recognized

Operation SAFEE Flight (Showcasing Aviation for Empowering Education), whose goal is to introduce as many youth, young adults and members of our community to the huge impact that aviation has in South Florida, honored inspiring South Florida women aviation pioneers at the recent South Florida Air Expo.

The South Florida Air Expo is a free family fun day that took place at Signature Flight Support at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport on Saturday, April 27, 2019, showcasing the many exciting opportunities of flying in South Florida, including planes, simulators, displays and discovery flights with certified flight instructors, as well as briefings by pilots, aviation enthusiasts, air traffic controllers, flight schools, technicians and other members of the aviation industry.

“Our motto for what SAFEE is striving to accomplish is to prepare our youth to launch into skies that have no limits,” said SAFEE Flight Founder and Director Darrell Roberts. “This was our 8th annual SFLA Aviation Expo, and our plan is to encourage youth to be inspired by these great women aviators and also understand that aviation offers them career opportunities that truly have no limits. Industry partners have joined with SAFEE to make it possible for the youth to fulfill their future goals.”

“In the skies and on the ground, there is no limit to the possibilities and opportunities available to women in aviation,” said Silver Airways CEO Steve Rossum. “It is truly an honor for us to have a pilot of Julie’s caliber flying for Silver Airways and inspiring future generations of women to pursue careers in aviation. Julie’s passion for flying and her achievements are a tremendous asset to our flight operations team, and she is an excellent flight instructor and leader for the Silver Airways team and our customers.”

The honorees include:

Dr. Sheila L. Chamberlain – First U.S. Army African American Woman Combat Intelligence Aviator and President of OBAP South Florida
Captain Julie Wang of Silver Airways – First Asian Woman to Fly a Global Circumnavigation
Captain Maria Ziadie Haddad of Atlas Air – First Commercial Female Pilot Hired by Air Jamaica
Lieutenant Ronnie Russell of U.S. Coast Guard – First African American Awarded Coast Guard Air Medal for Operational Response to Hurricane Harvey

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) had the opportunity to chat with the four women aviators recognized by SAFEE Flight about what sparked their interest in aviation, their achievements and advice they have for future female aviators.

(Image provided with Silver Airways news release. Pictured [L-R] Captain Maria Ziadie-Haddad (747 Captain Atlas Air), Captain Julie Wang (Silver Airways), Dr. Sheila Chamberlain (Retired U.S. Army))

FMI: www.obap.org
www.silverairways.com