Education Sessions

Often overlooked in career advice is the importance of first building our own core strength, so (just as in fitness) we have the ability, strength, and resilience to recognize and navigate pressures and challenges more effectively. In this session, Aviation for Women columnist Lane Wallace will lay out some of the personal and career challenges women in aviation face, and how building our core strength can help us survive and succeed in that environment. She will also provide tools, resources, and steps women can take to start building, enhancing, and applying that core strength in their careers and lives.

Air Traffic Control can be mysterious or even intimidating to some aviators. We will discuss an overview of how the entire air traffic system operates and then focus on how delays are managed in the system. No matter the type of flying you do, there will be tips to help you operate smoothly in the national airspace system. You’ll even learn how to check for ATC traffic management initiatives from your phone! Come and chat with an air traffic controller as you learn the tricks of how to best communicate and ways to increase your safety as you fly in the national airspace system.

Ownership of airspace has long been a controversial issue. Indeed, the rights of property owners to control the airspace above them has a storied past. Importantly, the advent of novel aviation technologies—such as drones and eVTOLs—is creating an industry ripe for new airspace conflicts. This presentation explores the history of airspace controversies and burgeoning new airspace issues. It’s paramount for industry stakeholders to understand issues affecting low-altitude airspace operations and the history of these controversies. This presentation provides that historical context: A story beginning with an ancient doctrine, continuing with a chicken farm, and finally to tomorrow’s airspace policy challenges.

Without communication, we’d have a hard time getting things done. Whether it’s in person, online, by email, or over the phone, it’s all part of the same set of skills. Communication plays an essential role in both our professional and personal life. The trick is to know how to communicate with others, to embrace and leverage differences to create an advantage. Whether you were influenced by the Beatles, the invention of the computer, MTV, the rise of social media, or virtual reality – this session will increase generational intelligence and leverage communication differences to your advantage.

The post-pandemic ramp-up has exposed some toxic elements within the aviation ecosystem. This presentation aims to bring awareness to the interconnectivity of the aviation ecosystem focusing on the human factors that will support the development of a sustainable aviation ecosystem. There will be three areas of focus. Beyond CRM: fully integrated resource management by examining the Luton Airport Stack. Complementary competency-based training across disapplies comprising the aviation ecosystem. Expanding peer support programs to fully support the whole of the aviation ecosystem.

How do you train someone to fail? You train them to become an Aircraft Mechanic – GOOD Aircraft Mechanics train themselves to fail, fail fast, fail often, fail, and learn. But how do you prepare yourself to be open to failure yet not quit? And how do you develop that mindset? As the industry changes and we see this unprecedented need for Aircraft Technicians, we must talk to them about “tenacity and persistence.” Aircraft Mechanics with 20 years of experience do not grow on trees. They are made! They are a collection of failures and lessons learned.

Easily earn your way into Legacy Leadership, reaching your full potential and purpose. Legacy leaders are not your turn-and-burn or run-of-the-mill leaders. These are people who know the impact they make. On fire with passion from within. They know when to act, listen, and walk away. They know when to implement, pivot, and foster. Always confident and humble. It’s a true masterpiece we all can see and appreciate. This doesn’t happen by chance. Legacy Leaders take the time to design their legacy. Will you?

‘Fatigue’ - Extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion. Mental fatigue is usually the result of prolonged stress. Long-term stress can be brought on by a variety of factors, including a challenging life event, a demanding job, or procrastination. Fatigue is a significant problem in the aviation industry as it affects the health and safety of both the employee and his/her colleagues. A full understanding of the circadian biologic clock, dynamics of transient and cumulative sleep loss, and recovery is required for the effective management of workplace fatigue.

We don’t often talk about “Family Planning,” but it is an important conversation to have if you want a family someday and want to be successful in your career. Military aviation is a high-risk activity even on the most beautiful fly days, but there are hidden risks that you may not be aware of. Military service members are 2-3 times more likely to suffer from infertility than their civilian counterparts, and aircrew is one of the highest-risk populations for infertility. The good news is that there are options, but you must be proactive.

Are you looking for a career in aviation? Not sure what your options are? Come hear about some of the amazing jobs in Tech Ops that you may not be aware of. Be a part of a rare opportunity to speak with some of the women from Southwest Airlines that have excelled in some of these career paths. Learn what their jobs are really like and if they would have done anything differently. Listen to some of the obstacles they have had to overcome and let them inspire and teach you how to go about a successful career in aviation.

WAI members represent a variety of aviation careers, including pilots, maintainers, air traffic controllers, and aircraft manufacturers, as well as those looking to enter the industry. New entrants, as well as those looking to pivot to a new aviation-focused role, may not have a clear understanding of the intersection of their skillsets and qualifications with aviation-related careers. This presentation will highlight the full spectrum of career opportunities within the aviation community, including private industry, the public sector, and academia. In addition, we will discuss the application of skills that are industry independent and highlight transferable skills critical throughout the aviation industry.

This educational session is for pilots & future aviators. We explore Mental Health & Wellness examining how the FAA interprets help. Learn how help is available, and how to ask for help in a way that won't impact your license and well-being. We will explore what is acceptable and what pitfalls professionals can cause. We will touch base on how to choose a qualified professional within the current system. We will explore the dynamics of taking psychotropic drugs for mental wellness and the FAA.

Whether in-person or virtual, networking is a critical tool for building visibility, credibility, and awareness for your work, yet many leaders don't represent themselves or their organizations effectively, causing participants to feel left out, invisible, or not one of the "cool kids. “This workshop covers the principles of talking to strangers, building relationships and partnerships, providing value to everyone you meet, and making everyone feel included. The workshop is interactive, with audience engagement activities, discussion, and exercises, as well as speed networking to immediately implement what they've learned. Make networking your friend! Create value, human connection, and meaningful relationships.

By navigating through complex situations, which need to be solved immediately, we can sharpen our minds and empower us to do more. Oftentimes we turn down difficult assignments for fear of failure, denying ourselves the refinement and exhilaration that comes with performing under pressure. When we recognize and act on the challenging opportunities which allow us to make powerful decisions, we propel our professional self further than we ever thought possible. Employing the following essential elements will ensure long-term growth and professional development: define what you're solving for, assess your resources and embrace failure.

The likelihood a person doesn’t have a single neurodivergent condition is rare, and you may never know because we don’t talk about it. Culture has been conditioned to treat mental health as a fault or abnormality when it’s common as brown hair and freckles. The discussion addresses the stereotypes of common mental health challenges (dyslexia, depression, ADHD,…) and how we can understand, appreciate, and alleviate our misperceptions to embrace the strength of diversity. Learners will hear common traits and tales of mental health, understand the stereotypes, and learn how to leverage and manage them to promote personal and professional success.

During this workshop, we will help provide some insightful ideas and practical ways to use your sphere of influence to help increase retention in your team! We will explore key reasons why employees stay at their jobs and employers. Next, we will help you to discover areas under your control that you can leverage to help make potential improvements to increase retention.

The aviation industry has been a key driver in creating the globally connected world we see today. For over 100 years airplanes have shaped how we travel, how we trade, and how we see the world, and it all started by looking to nature for inspiration. That is biomimicry at work. The question I want to pose today is, how can we continue to find inspiration from nature to innovate within the aviation industry? The world around us is full of inspiration and solutions to our design challenges, we just have to understand how to leverage that learning.

The human brain is powerful, yet fallible, and it is subject to many perception errors and processing barriers that can result in sub-par, and even dangerous, human decisions or actions. Improving these aspects of human performance begins with an understanding of how the brain perceives, processes, and evaluates information, and the associated situations where errors are common. Learning preventative and mitigation strategies allows aviation and aerospace students and professionals to improve their ability to accurately process information, evaluate their situations, make timely and accurate decisions, effectively communicate, and become better students and leaders.

When I say Zeppelin, what do you think? A rock band? Correct! The "Hindenburg" tragically going down in flames? Correct! But there is so much more! Learn how these amazing aircraft came to take the skies. They played an important role in the history of aviation and are nearly forgotten today.

Women are the numerical minority in the aviation industry, and this could potentially lead to feelings of alienation, frustration, and disconnectedness. But what can be done to address these feelings? During this session, we will review demographic data for the aviation industry, discuss the impact of women in Technical Operations and share proven examples of ways to engage women in the workplace.

In 1993 the combat exclusion for women in aviation was finally lifted. Despite various services, chiefs testifying before congress that they would "rather fly with a less qualified man than a woman," the bill was signed into law. While there have been relatively few women to enjoy the speed, power, and lethality of a fighter cockpit, many women have flown into the battlefield to defend our country and our freedoms. Hear some of the stories direct from women who have flown into harm's way and the impact they've made on combat aviation.

Aviation is an amazing industry with a wide variety of career opportunities including flying and non-flying positions. Join a panel of Cirrus Aircraft professionals as they share their career journeys and provide suggestions for attaining your career goals. Panelists will represent pilots and non-pilots from various teams within Cirrus Aircraft including sales, marketing, engineering, flight training, and more. You will learn about flying and non-flying opportunities and how these talented professionals have approached their careers in multiple different positions both within and outside of Cirrus Aircraft.

This session will explore the many non-pilot aircrew positions in the military for both officers and enlisted. Panel members from all services will represent many of these career specialties and share their experiences and insight. Emphasis will be placed on how to enter and qualify for these positions, what the missions entail, lifestyles, and how a career would progress.

This panel will focus on the reasons why diversity in your environment is a strength that should be utilized to develop more productive and innovative teams. Our panel will consist of professionals from Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney and other industry leaders with different cultural and professional backgrounds. We will start our panel with the panel members defining what they mean by diversity and providing examples of instances where diversity has been a strength to their teams. We will also discuss a few things that we should all be cognizant of when it comes to working with diverse teams.

There is an incredible array of job opportunities at airports. Hear from three women who work at airports and the paths that led them to their current positions. The panelists—at different stages in their careers, working at general aviation, cargo, and commercial airports—will provide insight into how their work in aviation is evolving, and how they are innovating to create the airports of tomorrow. Led by Katie Franco of Aviatrix Communications, a communications firm that works exclusively with aviation clients, the conversation will be lively, illuminating, and capture the passion that these women have to lead their airports every day.

Now is a great time to become an airline pilot! Whether you’re just starting out, interested in transitioning from the military, or want to move to a major airline, there’s no “one size fits all” approach to a piloting career and it can be a daunting process to navigate. This panel will give you an opportunity to connect with airline pilots who’ve been there and can give advice on your next steps. Also learn about scholarship opportunities, mentoring programs, what airlines are looking for, and how you can stand out from the crowd.

Today we find ourselves in an industry beset by challenges – supply chain shortages, unhappy customers, and outdated processes and technology that needs to be transformed. In this class, learn the basic principles of LEAN – a systematic approach to problem-solving and systems thinking which enables the identification of improvements that will change the way your team, business unit, and company delivers value. This session puts our knowledge into action as teams tasked to find the best way to build a production system for an airplane. In a fast-paced, simulated environment, can your team deliver as the pressure increases?

Sponsored by Gulfstream

The path to an aviation career presents many challenges and obstacles, and it can be especially difficult when financial barriers impede someone from achieving their aviation goals. Learn from the Air Line Pilots Association members how scholarships can help break down these financial barriers and achieve your aviation dreams. This educational session will feature leaders from organizations who share their experiences and provide best practices to land an aviation scholarship successfully.

Aviation is more than people realize. It takes a massive team to get a plane into the sky and keep the crew and passengers safe. There are many professions in aviation, not just the ones at the top of mind. It takes supply chain, sales, interior specialists, engineers, certification professionals, customer service, program managers, production specialists, and many more. I would like to introduce as many of these professions as I can to a great group of WAI. Women are needed in all facets of aviation; I want to show them what is out there.

The panel will be an interactive session between the moderator, panelists, and the audience. Through a series of guided questions, panelists will discuss the following topics:• What pathway led each panelist to their current career?• What is their quality of life and work/family balance?• What is their level of job satisfaction?• What is a typical day on their job like?• What are the pros/cons of working in business aviation?• What are some influential mentors/colleagues who helped them along their path? The session will conclude with and Q&A, and an overview of available resources

Women tend to assume the responsibility of caretaker. Societal pressures and expectations of what is “normal” often make it appear that a woman must choose between a nurturing and caretaker role or a career. But do your career goals and ambitions need to take a backseat? Understanding resources, navigating challenges, and developing a support system to fit your unique situation are fundamental to maintaining your connection to with your spouse, partner, children, and extended family. Hear the experiences of four women that work in different areas of aviation and how they adapted the traditional roles to fit their personal situations.

Aviation is an evolving industry, and we must embrace the opportunity to build an inclusive and equitable workplace. In this session, we will identify the benefits of DEI in aviation, discuss impactful cross-collaborative efforts, and explore methods to intentionally build a diverse team to meet the needs of those in your span of care.

STRESS BEGINS IN THE BRAIN…Stressful events trigger the amygdala to send distress signals to the hypothalamus which communicates through the nervous system to summon the energy to fight or flee. The good news is we have the ability to control our thoughts. Unfortunately, our fears, attitudes, and expectations have become ingrained, and it takes effort to change them. This session focuses on strategies to manage internal stressors and ways to view stress more positively. It is not the load that breaks you down, but the way you carry it. Reset your mindset to the word stress and change your life.

A panel composed of USAF Lieutenant General Stayce Harris, Maj Theresa Claiborne, Col Merryl Tengesdal, USN Cmdr. Brenda Robinson, USCG Capt Jeanine Mazes, USA LtCol Marcella Hayes Ng, NC NG Capt Lindsay Jefferies Jones. These aviation pioneers, and the first Black women military pilots, will share true stories of their journeys into flying; the obstacles they overcame to be military pilots, and their advice and inspiration to young women pilots.

In 1942 the country was reeling from an attack on Pearl Harbor and pilots were in short supply. Between November 1942 and December 1944, 1,074 women were trained to fly first in Houston and later at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX. Nancy Love and Jacqueline Cochran founded the two programs (Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron and Women’s Flying Training Detachment) that became the WASP. Altogether. 1102 women served in flying for America and 38 lost their lives. Remember the legacy of the WASP through favorite video recordings of these amazing women introduced by those who benefitted from their service.