Sheltair, a leading aviation services and real estate company, proudly partnered with local Women In Aviation International (WAI) chapters to host and sponsor Girls In Aviation Day (GIAD) events across its network of FBOs on September 21st, inspiring and empowering today's youth to pursue careers in aviation. This momentous occasion marks the fourth consecutive year that the family-owned aviation company opened its doors to nearly 5,000 guests, a 67% increase from the previous year, on this internationally celebrated day.
"We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to host Girls In Aviation Day events at our locations and to play a role in inspiring the next generation of aviators," said Lisa Holland, President and CEO at Sheltair. "It takes a village, and I'm extremely proud of our team banding together with WAI to help foster an environment where our youth can discover their passion for aviation; we hope to contribute to a more diverse and vibrant future for the industry."
As WAI Tampa Bay Chapter President Mariah Blackmon explains, Girls In Aviation Day is designed to expose youth to all the opportunities aviation has to offer. "This event is so important to show our youth that there are far more opportunities available in this industry than they may even know exist," Blackmon continues. "People don't have opportunities until someone shows them, and that's our goal. I didn't have these opportunities when I was young, so that's my main motivation in helping this next generation of youth. Four years ago, I came to Sheltair asking if Women In Aviation Tampa Bay could host GIAD, and right away, they were on board with the idea. They provided us with the hangar space and many resources that helped expand this event from 10 vendors and 100 guests to 50+ vendors and over 1,000 attendees! We surely couldn't have seen such success without our Sheltair team. We look forward to continuing the legacy of throwing such an amazing event at Sheltair Tampa!"
The GIAD events, held at multiple Sheltair facilities across Florida, Georgia, and Colorado, provided hands-on learning experiences and mentorship opportunities for young people interested in aviation. Participants had the chance to interact with aviation professionals, tour aircraft, and engage in educational activities designed to spark their interest in aviation and aerospace. This year, Sheltair also partnered with Aviation Influence Inc., a nonprofit organization aiming to serve our young people in discovering STEM and aviation through outreach, who donated three discovery flights to the GIAD events at BJC, DAB, and TPA.
“Sometimes simply a discovery flight is the difference between a young person thinking of a future in aviation and making the decision to embark on their own aviation journey,” states Lyndse F. Costabile, Aviation Influence Inc. Founding Member and Board of Directors. “At Aviation Influence, we make it our priority to safely put young people at the controls of an aircraft with a seasoned flight instructor so that they can be ‘Inspired Through Discovery’! We’re so grateful to an industry willing to step up for a new generation of STEM and aviation professionals, as well as our shared interest and collaborations with organizations like Women in Aviation International. We’re proud to continue supporting GIAD each year and grateful to Sheltair Aviation for hosting this event at many of their FBO locations.”
Sheltair's support for Girls In Aviation Day is not a one-time effort but a part of its broader corporate responsibility initiatives. The company eagerly looks forward to continuing its participation in events that encourage the local communities to pursue their dreams in the field of aviation, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to promoting education and career opportunities in aviation.
