Nearly 200 Non-Pilot Women Got A Taste Of Flight

Pilots and volunteers from all over the greater Washington, DC area gathered at Fredrick Municipal Airport in Fredrick, MD last weekend to let women experience aviation from the cockpit of an aircraft.

At the end of the day, about 185 women had taken a flight in one of the nearly two dozen aircraft, including a helicopter, flying with pilots who had donated their time and their machines.

The event was part of "Women in Aviation Week," a worldwide effort to introduce women to aviation. Event organizer Victoria Neuville told ANN that the "Fly it Forward" event was first conceived by Mireille Goyer, who founded this grass roots movement "Women of Aviation World Wide Week" to support women introducing other women to aviation. "The event was a great success, every participant and volunteer was flying," said Neuville. "I have never had so much encouragement and support organizing an event, the aviation community is really tight knit and didn't think twice about volunteering for a good cause."

On her blog, Neuville said the oldest participant in the event was in her 70's, and the youngest about 6 months old. She said "Women Fly it Forward" was such a success that she has plans to organize the event next year as well.

FMI: www.toriaflies.blogspot.com/