The Women in Aviation International Greater Oklahoma City Metro Chapter in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics collaborated with multiple entities including AAR Corporation, the Will Rogers World Airport, the 137th Special Operations Wing, the Air and Space Forces Association of Oklahoma, Boeing, Sooner Flight Academy, Logic Aviation Services, Piedmont Airlines, and the Oklahoma Finance Authority to host the first ever Girls in Aviation day in central Oklahoma. The day began at AAR’s Hangar #2, located at the company’s Maintenance Base facility in Oklahoma City. The Girls in Aviation Day event focused on introducing young girls to the exciting fields of aviation, aerospace, and aeronautics, educating them on career opportunities, and bringing awareness to the many diverse fields within the industry.
Historical Hangar #2 hosted over 600 girls for the Central Oklahoma Girls in Aviation Day which took place on September 23rd. The opening session “rally” for the girls included speakers such as the Commissioner of Labor Leslie Osborn, State Senator Paul Rosino, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics Grayson Ardies, Director Jeff Mulder with Will Rogers World Airport, and Jennifer Wong with Boeing. Lt. Col. (ret) Deirdre Gurry served as the celebrity emcee.
Worldwide, more than 16,000 girls, ages 8–17, experienced the fun and inspiration of WAI’s 9th Annual Girls in Aviation Day in their local communities through unique events hosted by WAI chapters and corporate members. In 2022, over 120 events were held at airports, FBOs, museums, and hangars in 19 countries across the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Girls were introduced to career and lifestyle possibilities in aviation and aerospace through meeting female role models, high school student aviation curriculum panels, and exploring airplanes and learning about the Will Rogers World Airport. Fun and educational activities were presented ranging from building balsa wood planes, learning about aircraft engines and avionics, and exploring military aviation careers. The girls also engaged in hands-on learning about aviation including piloting, aircraft maintenance, the physics of flight, flight safety, aviation medicine, military aviation, and air traffic control.
“More than 600 Central Oklahoma-area girls attended the inaugural event and had the opportunity to hear from aviation leaders,” said WAI Oklahoma City President, Young Chappell, a Boeing aerospace engineer. Chappell was one of the key champions for the event supported by the WAI Oklahoma City members, 137th Special Operations Wing airmen, AAR Corporation, and Boeing volunteers. “We were so excited about this opportunity to give back to the community,” she said.
Paula Kedy, Aero Education Coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics, leads the charge for the agency’s aerospace education initiatives across the state, including the AOPA “You Can Fly” program and Choose aerospace maintenance curriculum. Kedy is responsible for integrating these programs and other meaningful STEM opportunities for students and educators. “Oklahoma is already focusing on aviation in high schools, career techs, and colleges, so we were very excited to support this special event to inspire young girls to seek out programs available to them through secondary and post-secondary education.”
Women in Aviation International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests. We provide educational, networking, and volunteer activities for our members throughout the year.
“We were extremely pleased with the student turnout and results of this inaugural event in Oklahoma City. Tulsa has hosted similar events like this in the past, and we look forward as an agency to continue to foster events like this throughout the state to continue to grow the aerospace and aviation workforce,” said Ardies.
Other exhibitors included the 349th Recruiting Squadron, the FAA Monroney Center, Oklahoma Aviation, EAA Chapters of Central Oklahoma, Oklahoma Chapter of Ninety-Nines, Oklahoma Air National Guard, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Oklahoma State University Flying Aggies, University of Oklahoma Aviation Program, Pratt & Whitney, Spartan College, and Metro Technology Center.
