At least 1,800 people gathered at Flying Cloud Airport on September 19th – not to engage the Twin Cities’ primary reliever airport’s vital services, but to discover the myriad opportunities awaiting aviation professionals there and everywhere else.
“This year’s Girls in Aviation Day had the highest attendance to date!” proclaimed Kelli Yue, vice president of Stars of the North – the Minnesota division of Women in Aviation International, which indiscriminately encourages children to get excited about careers in aviation and aerospace.
“More than 50 businesses and organizations – including several major airlines, AV8 and other local flight schools, and the Twin Cities’ own Metropolitan Airports Commission – participated by handing out swag and showcasing everything they do. Kids were invited to enter the interiors and cockpits of over a dozen different planes, such as an Aviat Husky tailwheel and a massive Bombardier Challenger long-range business jet. We also offered nine different STEM activities, from designing your own airport to operating a realistic flight simulator.
“This was our 12th Girls in Aviation Day. It’s always a super joyful and positive occasion, but it’s becoming even better with each passing year. We’re now welcoming more and more grown-up attendees who owe their current careers to the initial exposure to aviation they received at past years’ events. They’re living proof that we’re accomplishing our goal!”
Did you miss this year’s Girls in Aviation Day? Don’t go into a tailspin over it. Just visit StarsOfTheNorth.org this summer to see when the next date will land!