PRESIDENT’S
MESSAGE
bEtty huck
Dear WAI Members:
What Women in Aviation,
International does best is
facilitate networking and
collaboration. This is true
whether you are a corporate
or individual member. For
many years we have had formal or informal agreements
and programs with organizations including Women in
Corporate Aviation, Association of Women in Aviation
dR. pEggy
chAbRiAn
The kick-off event for this year’s WomenVenture program (at
the end of July) will be a panel of female astronauts during the
Theater in the Woods program at AirVenture in Oshkosh. The
following morning we will again have a WAI Celebrity breakfast
at the EAA Nature Center (come meet your astronaut here!).
Right after the breakfast we will convene on AeroShell Square
for another photo of women pilots at the AirVenture show.
Coming up this autumn we will expand our role in the annual
WAI Regional European Conference, coordinated the last several years by Michelle Basenessi, an Italian member of WAI,
along with WAI board member Jane Middleton, of London,
England. This year’s event is November 5-6 in Surrey, England.
See more detailed information about this European event in
Airmail. We thank Michelle, Jane, and their committees for the
work they are doing to help make this event come to be.
Look for the Women’s Wing during AOPA’s Aviation Summit,
November 11-13 in Long Beach, California, inside of the Exhibit Hall—making it easily accessible to attendees. It will be
a great place to meet other women attending the event and is
intended to encourage more women to learn to fly. A Women
in Aviation panel includes invitations to WASP Bee Haydu, air
show performer Patty Wagstaff, a female astronaut and woman
military pilot. More details will be available in our next issue.
Our collaborative efforts are paying off with increased member participation and visibility at aviation events, which also
serves to encourage new individuals to join. These new WAI
members, mixing with our most constant and faithful members, bring fresh vitality and energy to our efforts to reach out
and help make a difference for those who desire to be included
in the worlds of aviation and aerospace. So come out and see
us at any of these events. We will be watching for you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Peggy Baty Chabrian, President
insidE this issuE
photo by cARol holwEg ER
chicAgo lEAding EdgE chAptER
Chicago Leading Edge chapter VP Bette
Lawrence-Water speaks as a part of
National Women’s History Month. Page 8
What’s casting that incredible shadow?
It’s a bird—no, a plane—no, a blimp?
Not even that! Page16
couRtEsy o F FEdEx ExpREss
FedEx Express donated a Boeing 727 last
year. This year they have an engine for
some deserving program. Page 28
