Helicopters took to the sky the Abbotsford Airport on Sunday, as young women from around the Lower Mainland took their first flight as part of The Sky’s No Limit – Girls Fly Too! event.
Langley plane and helicopter pilot Kirsten Brazier created this outreach two-day event in 2012 to encourage more females to think of a career in aviation and aerospace.
Glenda Ouellette was at the event with her niece, Bryanna Abbott. Oullette said she previously volunteered with the event and found it very inspiring.
“I think it’s marvelous.”
Ouellette said her son is an air cadet who has learned to fly gliders and she wanted to show her niece the aircrafts. Abbott also went on a helicopter flight and flew a simulation of a water bomber aircraft, said Oullette.
Abbot said the experience was fun and she liked to see everything from above.
Women of all ages were at the airport taking in free flights, as well as trying hands-on aerospace activities, and looking at aircraft with civilian and non-civilian pilots.
Many organizations were at the event to provide information about aviation and aerospace, including Cascade, Conair, Boeing, Pacific Sky Aviation, the Canadian Forces and Cadets.
One of the attractions of the event is the free flights for female first-time fliers. The entire event is free.
The annual event honours Women of Aviation Worldwide Week and International Women's Day, which is on March 8.
Out of 24,505 professional pilots in Canada, only 1,356 of them are women.
Out of 19,601 aircraft engineers, only 560 of them are women. Less than three per cent of the technical positions in the Royal Canadian Air Force, such as pilot or maintenance technician, are held by women.
The event is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.