There aren’t many girls who dream of becoming a pilot, astronaut or aeronautical engineer when they grow up. In fact, of 25,000 professional pilots in Canada, less than 6% are women. Just 2% of aircraft engineers are women.
But Captain Kirsten Brazier, a pilot from British Columbia, wants to change that. She’s the organizer of an epic event designed to get girls excited about the fields of aviation, aerospace and more.
The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too
This free event is a fun-filled day of inspiration and learning for females of all ages and their families and takes place on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6 at Abbotsford International Airport. Plus, it’s a wonderful way to celebrate International Day of the Girl.
The whole family is invited to discover some of the exciting careers that science, technology, engineering and math—the STEM subjects—can lead to. There will be lots of hands-on exploration in the fields of aviation, aerospace, marine and defence.
Here are a few of the highlights of this unique event:
Free helicopter flights for girls
There’s nothing like the feeling of soaring through the air to generate excitement about aviation. Throughout the weekend, a number of helicopters will be taking to the skies, giving free flights to first-time female fliers. The flights are reserved for girls and women of any age who haven’t flown in a small aircraft before.
Seats for the flights will be available at the event, as well as released online in batches in the weeks before the event. For details on how to participate, visit the website: girlsfly2.ca/events
Cool aircraft and equipment to explore
While the free flights are designed to draw girls to the airport, most of the day’s happenings are on the ground. The tarmac will be filled with an incredible variety of aircraft, tactical vehicles and other equipment provided by the air force, navy, army, coast guard, police, search and rescue and other organizations.
Flight crews and other personnel will be on hand to answer questions and facilitate exploration each day. You’ll be able to walk along the tarmac, climb on board different aircraft and vehicles, and get an up-close glimpse at how the equipment is used and operated. There will be plenty of exhibits, demonstrations and hands-on activities as well. Bring your camera for selfies!
Meet and greet with an astronaut
What better way to encourage children to aim for the stars than to introduce them to someone who’s flown in outer space?
NASA astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper will be one of many trailblazers in attendance throughout the weekend. She’ll be on hand to answer questions, pose for photographs, and chat about her amazing experiences. Stefanyshyn-Piper began her career as a diver fixing ships underwater. During her 13 years with NASA, she’s flown on space shuttles, worked on the International Space Station and completed five spacewalks.
Eye-opening experiences
“The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too” is all about opening the door wide to new possibilities.
One of the reasons girls may not be choosing these high technology fields is that they haven’t had an opportunity to learn about them. It’s hoped that by giving them a chance to get close to the aircraft, chat with the crews who operate them and make personal connections with women working in these roles, they’ll be excited and inspired to find out more.
Bring the whole family to this uplifting event and show the girls in your world that careers as pilots, engineers and other leaders in the STEM fields are easily within their reach.
The Details
What: The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too
When: October 5-6, 2019, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
Where: Abbotsford International Airport
Cost: Free
Tagged under: events,Vancouver,events in Vancouver
Category: events
