 | |
| Founded | 1990 (Incorporated 1994) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Dr. Peggy Chabrian |
| Type | Professional Association |
| Website | www |
Women in Aviation International (WAI) is an organization dedicated to increasing the number of women involved in all aspects of aviation and aerospace. As an international nonprofit organization, WAI provides networking, education, mentoring, and scholarship opportunities for women and men in careers in aviation and aerospace.
WAI publishes a magazine called Aviation for Women which has six issues per year. [1] [2] WAI also sponsors scholarships for members of WAI. [3]
Dean of academic support at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Peggy Baty Chabrian, had experienced problems recruiting and retaining female aviation students. [4] In order to attract more women, she suggested creating a seminar and invited Moya Lear, Jeana Yeager, Shannon Lucid and Bobbi Trout to speak at the first annual conference in 1990. [4] From that conference, an informal organization was created. [5]
WAI was incorporated in 1994. [6] As the founder of the WAI Conference, Chabrian was named the first full-time president and CEO of the organization in 1996 by the board of directors. [7] [8] By 1998, the group had 3,000 members, [5] and as of September 2023, membership numbered over 17,000 worldwide.
WAI sponsored the first Arab Women in Aviation show at the Dubai International Convention Center in May 2016. [9]
Each year the organization hosts an annual conference, which has grown from 150 participants in 1990 to approximately 4,500 in 2023. Men are also able to join Women in Aviation International and make up approximately 20% of the membership.
The conference includes educational workshops, networking opportunities with various aspects of the aviation industry, scholarship awards and the annual WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
In 1996, Robin Lamar and Marcia Buckingham sponsored an organizational meeting for aviation and mechanics at the WAI annual conference, leading to the formation of a new group, called the Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance. [10]
The organization hosted the 35th Annual Women in Aviation Conference in Orlando, FL, March 21–23, 2024. [11]
In 2015, WAI launched Girls in Aviation Day observed on last Saturday of the month of September. [12] The day is intended to interest girls, ages 8 to 17, in aviation careers. [13] A Girl Scout patch was designed for the 2016 Girls in Aviation Day which would be given out to scouts who took part in the day's activities. [14]
The Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame was established in 1992. Its purpose is to honor women who make significant contributions as record setters, pioneers, or innovators in the aviation and aerospace industries. WAI solicits nominations from throughout the aviation industry each year for the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame. [15] Inductees are chosen from the nominations by a committee, "with special consideration given to individuals who have helped other women become successful in aviation or opened doors of opportunity for other women." [16]
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapters worldwide. It hosts the largest aviation gathering of its kind in the world, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA), commonly referred to as simply Girl Scouts, is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, a year after she had met Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting.
Alpha Phi Omega (ΑΦΩ), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a coeducational service fraternity. It is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,000 students, and over 500,000 alumni members. There are also 250 chapters in the Philippines, one in Australia and one in Canada. The 500,000th member was initiated in the Rho Pi chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at the University of California, San Diego.
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences. In 2015, it had more than 30,000 members among aerospace professionals worldwide.
The Ninety-Nines: International Organization of Women Pilots, also known as The 99s, is an international organization that provides networking, mentoring, and flight scholarship opportunities to recreational and professional female pilots. Founded in 1929, the Ninety-Nines has 153 chapters and 27 regional 'sections' across the globe as of 2022, including a 'virtual' chapter, Ambassador 99s, which meets online for those who are too busy or mobile to be in one region for long.
The Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit charity focused on female involvement in sports. Founded in 1974 by tennis player Billie Jean King and initially supported by Olympic athletes Donna de Varona and Suzy Chaffee, its stated mission statement is "To advance the lives of girls and women through sports and physical activity."
Zonta International is an international service organization with the mission of Building a Better World for Women and Girls, in support of Sustainable Development Goal 5.
The Art Directors Guild is a labor union and local of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) representing 3,278 motion picture and television professionals in the United States and Canada.
Learning for Life (LFL) is a United States school and work-site based youth program that is an affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America. It utilizes programs designed for schools and community-based organizations that are designed to prepare youth for the complexities of contemporary society and to enhance their self-confidence, motivation, and self-esteem, and for careers.
The Air Cadet League of Canada is a volunteer organization that provides financial support and oversight to the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. The Air Cadet League owns all of the aircraft used in the Air Cadet Gliding Program. The League is organized into three levels: the National, the Provincial, and the local level, each of which is responsible for different areas of the League.
NCSL International (NCSLI) is a global, non-profit organization whose membership is open to any organization with an interest in metrology and its application in research, development, education, and commerce.
Thomas Paul Poberezny was an American aerobatic world champion aviator, as well as chairman of the annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Fly-In and Convention from 1977 to 2011 and president of EAA from 1989 to 2010, presiding over a time period of expansive growth for the organization and convention. He succeeded his father, Paul Poberezny, who founded them in 1953.
The Wisconsin Library Association (WLA), is a Wisconsin, United States non-profit, professional membership organization which has existed since 1891. WLA represents nearly 2000 members statewide --- primarily librarians and library staff from school, public, academic, and special libraries, in addition to students, trustees and library Friends. Because of its broad membership base, WLA is concerned with the needs of all types of libraries in the state. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, WLA is a chapter of the American Library Association.
Willa Beatrice Brown was an American aviator, lobbyist, teacher, and civil rights activist. She was the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license in the United States, the first African American woman to run for the United States Congress, first African American officer in the Civil Air Patrol, and first woman in the U.S. to have both a pilot's license and an aircraft mechanic's license.
Bradley D. Tilden is an American business executive. He is the retired chairman of Alaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. Before becoming the company's CEO in 2012, Tilden served as Alaska Airlines' president, and before that as Alaska Air Group's chief financial officer. He is a commercial pilot and holds multi-engine and instrument ratings.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is the industry trade association representing general aviation aircraft manufacturers and related enterprises, chiefly in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with an office in Brussels, Belgium.
Youth organizations in the United States are of many different types. The largest is the government run 4-H program, followed by the federally chartered but private Scouting movement groups: the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). Another somewhat smaller but co-ed Scouting derived group is Camp Fire. Other youth groups are religious youth ministries such as the evangelical Christian Awana, Seventh-day Adventist Pathfinders, and Assemblies of God Royal Rangers.
The Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame was established in 1992 by Women in Aviation International to honor and recognize women who have made significant contributions in aviation. Its purpose is to honor women who have made significant contributions as record setters, pioneers, or innovators in the aviation and aerospace industries. WAI solicits nominations from throughout the aviation industry each year for the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame. Inductees are chosen from the nominations by a committee, "with special consideration given to individuals who have helped other women become successful in aviation or opened doors of opportunity for other women." Women are inducted to the hall of fame at the conclusion of the WAI annual conference.
Nelda Lee was a Boeing design and flight test engineer. Lee was the first woman to log one and a half hours of flight time in the F-15 eagle. She has been “recognized as a trailblazer in aerospace engineering and aviation”.
Galina Gavrilovna Korchuganova was a Soviet test pilot and aerobatics champion. After graduating from studies in aviation technology in 1959, Korchuganova made a name for herself as a pilot in aerobatics competitions, becoming the first women's world aerobatics champion in 1966. She subsequently trained as a test pilot, going on to set 42 world flight records and flying more than 20 types of aircraft. By the end of her flight career in 1984, she had accumulated more than 4,000 hours of flight time, including 1,500 hours as a test pilot.