OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Women in aviation took center stage at EAA AirVenture's WomenVenture event Wednesday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where pilots, volunteers, and military aviators gathered to celebrate and inspire the next generation of female flyers.
Among the organizations represented was the Ninety-Nines, founded in 1929 with Amelia Earhart as its first president. Volunteer Joelle Petersen praised a NASA flight director who spoke to women in aviation about the importance of WomenVenture.
"There were people of all ages attending that, including people from high school up to who knows what. And it is about being able to role model with people that are like you, and hence that's the importance of highlighting this women venture," Petersen said.
Commercial pilot Kayla Fairchild said events like WomenVenture are critical for inspiring the next generation of female aviators.
"It's really important to just represent the 7% of aviation being female pilots," Fairchild said.
Fairchild also recommended women pilots find a mentor at a local EAA chapter near them.
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Sgt. 1st Class Emily Cash spoke about her experience flying military aircraft and offered advice to women looking to do the same.
"Your perception of what your capabilities are and what your potential is, you're never going to see yourself. It's going to be seen by the people around you and they're going to tell you, hey, you have more potential than where you think you're at," Cash said.
Also on Wednesday, the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic team performed at AirVenture. The Red Arrows are scheduled to perform again Thursday, along with the U.S. Army's Golden Knights.
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