Women Venture Photo Shoot And Other Events on Friday, August 2nd

By Maxine Scheer

On Friday morning, August 2nd, from 8am to 9am, Women in Aviation International (WAI) holds its annual AirVenture breakfast at the EAA Nature Center.  Tickets can be purchased at the WAI exhibit in Hangar B.

Women Venture, a collaboration between WAI, EAA and the Ninety-Nines, is next on the agenda for Friday. At the WAI Press Conference today at AirVenture 2013, EAA's Elissa Lines welcomed WAI and described the history of the Women Venture event, started in 2008 as a group photo shoot for women pilots.  Dr. Peggy Chabrian, President of WAI, invited women involved in any aspect of aviation to participate.  Women pilots and student pilots are welcomed to sign the log book, located at the WAI Exhibit in Hangar B, and get a t-shirt to wear at a group photo shoot at 10:30am, Friday, August 2nd, in Phillips 66 Plaza.  As of Thursday, August 1, 2013, at about 10am, there were over 1,200 signatures in the Women Venture logbook.

Following the photo shoot, there is an EAA/Women Venture Power Lunch at Theatre in the Woods. Featured speakers include Sherry Carbary, vice president of Boeing Flight Service; Z. Nagin Cox, a member of NASA's Mission Operations Flight Team and Mars Science Laboratory; and Maj. Caroline Jensen of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Cost is just 5 dollars.

Also honored at Friday's events are 75 high school girls participating in Women Soar You Soar.  The unique program introduced the girls to 25 women mentors during AirVenture 2013, from engineers to fighter pilots, working in a variety of aviation and aerospace fields.  Applicants were reviewed earlier this year and those selected are enjoying a four-day event filled with career exploration, discovery, inspiration, and fun.  Activities include flight simulation, workshops, wing rib assembly, mentor sessions, career exploration, and more.

FMI: www.wai.org, www.airventure.org/attractions/womenventure.html, www.airventure.org/attractions/women_soar.html