A B.C. pilot will once again spearhead an outreach event with the aim to inspire women to explore aviation and aerospace.
Kirsten Brazier will return to lead The Sky's No Limit – Girls Fly Too event held at Abbotsford Airport March 7-8 for the Women of Aviation Worldwide Week and International Women's Day.
Free flights will be offered to females who have not flown in a small aircraft before and participants can try their hand at many aviation and aerospace activities.
According to a news release, out of 24,505 professional pilots in Canada, only 1,356 of them are women and out of 19,601 aircraft engineers, only 560 of them are women. Less than 3 per cent of the technical positions in the Royal Canadian Air Force, such as pilot or maintenance technician, are held by women.
“It would be easy to conclude that women are unwelcome in these fields. Instead, studies have shown that a common perception persists that aviation and aerospace careers are reserved for men,” Brazier said in the release. “Since society observes mostly men employed in these fields, this perception is reinforced.”
The event is about education as much as it is about inspiring girls and women. Everyone - male and female alike - is encouraged to participate or volunteer at the event.
For more information on the free event, visit www.girlsfly2.ca