A throng of women in purple T-shirts arrived at Boeing Plaza on Thursday, July 30, ready to proclaim to everyone at EAA AirVenture that they love aviation.
The massive group photo of women pilots at AirVenture has become a traditional part of WomenVenture, a day of events coordinated by Women in Aviation International, The International Association of Women Pilots, and the Experimental Aircraft Association.
“To be a part of this group of women pilots is amazing,” said Deb Marshall of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Marshall, a student pilot, was at AirVenture with her daughter, Halle Shopperly, and Amelia Brennan, both student pilots as well.
Marshall said she was gratified to bring her daughter to AirVenture, particularly since Halle is a third-generation pilot. “It’s a real inspiration,” she said. Both are pre-solo students who fly a Cessna 172; Brennan is learning to fly a Mooney.
WAI President Peggy Chabrian reminded WomenVenture participants that WAI’s twenty-sixth annual conference will be held March 5 through 7, 2015, in Dallas, Texas. WAI’s scholarship program offers 91 scholarships totaling $517,000. A brand-new scholarship from Thrush Aircraft Co. focuses on training for agricultural spray pilots. The deadline to apply for any of the scholarships is Nov. 16, 2014. For more information, see the website.