Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Serving Midwest Aviation Since 1960
Stars of the North WAI chapter, AirSpace Minnesota gather at Holman Field
Minnesota held the largest gathering of all worldwide events celebrating Girls International Aviation Day September 26, 2015. Over 1,000 attendees gathered at holman Field, Downtown St. Paul Airport, organized by Stars of the North, the Minnesota Chapter of Women in Aviation, and AirSpace Minnesota. The crowd donned aviator glasses, supplied by AirSpace Minnesota, and gathered in front of Julie Clark's T-34 for this photo.
Elizabeth Bierman, Honeywell Engineer, Dr. Sandy Magnus, Astronaut, Engineer, Elizabeth "Betty" Strohfus, WWII Air Force Pilot, Anne Billingsley Kerr, Author/Historian, Barb Wiley, Airline Captain, educator, Julie Clark, Aerobatics Pilot conduct a panel discussion during Global Girls Aviation Day at the Downtown St. Paul Airport.
Anna (16), Emily (16), Julie Clark (aerobatics pilot, past commercial airline captain), Liaya (10), Margo Kenedy (mom), Nashya (10), Lily (10) buddy up with Clark's T-34 in the background.
It's not every 2-year-old boy who gets to accompany his mother when she shows off the Black Hawk Helicopter she flies, but for Wesley Klug and his mom Chara, it is all in a good day's work. CW3 Chara Klug is a member of the Minnesota Army National Guard who protect and serve us. Salute!
Civil Air Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Paul Prior flew to the Girls International Aviation Day celebration at the Downtown St. Paul Airport at Holman Field with this 1986 Cessna 172P fixed wing, single engine aircraft.
Valley Middle School students Emily (12), Hannah (12), Ruby (12), and Maya (12), proudly doffing pilot hats for a photo op.
Panyia Ly and daughter Sydney (10), student of Farnsworth, with the 153-foot Boeing 727-200B Learning Jet, an aviation learning lab for students in grades K-12 in the background.
Mary Semlak, Larissa Fildes & Rochelle Johnson enjoyed the unveiling of the new Pathways Poster, designed by JETPUBs for AirSpace Minnesota. the Pathways Poster will be distributed to all Minnesota schools and youth groups to promote participation in aviation.
Emma (16) and her father Chris Reichl engage in conversation with Delta Air Lines Captain James Maxwell. Emma soloed in a Cessna 150 for her 16th birthday. Plans for her future include flying for Delta Air Lines.
Girls International Aviation Day was celebrated worldwide. The September 26 event at Downtown St. Paul Airport's Holman Field was the largest gathering of all those held. Stars of the North, the Minnesota Chapter of Women in Aviation, and AirSpace Minnesota organized the gathering. Attendance was estimated at 1,000.
Resources were available at booths in the hangar representing colleges, flight schools, and aviation related businesses.
Young Eagle rides were given to 213 girls.
Attendees were given the opportunity to meet with a star-studded lineup of women who paved the way for women in Aviation. (See photo to the right.)
In a combined panel discussion/question and answer period, these high achieving women made the following inspirational comments to their audience of young listeners.
Anne Billingsley Kerr, "Don't be afraid to take risks. I've made mistakes but I've learned from them."
Julie Clark, "Don't let other people get you off track. If you can dream it, you can do it."
Barb Wiley, quoting her father's advice, "Do what you have to do to follow your dream."
Elizabeth Bierman, "You don't have to be a genius. You have to study hard and work hard."
Elizabeth Strohfus, "I want to die with my shoes on and my mouth open."
What was the high point of your career?
Dr. Sandy Magnus, "I have to say it. Being off the planet, looking down at it. It's beautiful."
Each of the women on the panel and many young girls in the audience agreed upon a comment made passionately by Elizabeth Strohfus.
"I just know I was born to fly."
Next year's Girls International Aviation Day is set for September 24.
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