Local Girl Scouts Take to the Sky in a Centennial Celebration
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Updated: 9:16 PM Mar 9, 2010
Local Girl Scouts Take to the Sky in a Centennial Celebration
March 8, 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the first woman becoming a licensed pilot. Local female pilots used the historic anniversary to observe the tremendous strides of women in the aviation field, as well as pass that pioneering spirit to a new generation.
Posted: 8:04 AM Mar 9, 2010
Reporter: Alexandra Hill
Email Address: alexandra.hill@wjhg.com
Women In Aviation
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Mary Sittman has been flying planes since she was sixteen-years-old.

"In my family, you learn to walk, you learn to drive, you learn to fly, and not necessarily in that order,” said Sittman

Flying is a hobby that to this day is mostly dominated by men. Over the years Sittman has dealt with her share of gender stereotypes.

"They were afraid that women might act weird in the cockpit or weren't strong enough, so women didn't fly commercially,” recalled Sittman.

One hundred years ago, they actually didn't fly at all. That changed on March 8th, 1910, when the first woman earned her wings.

A century later, women are still taking to the skies.

"Really my goal was just to get my license before my husband, and I did it,” exclaimed Leah Dunn, who became a licensed pilot over the weekend.

"I started my training when I was 57. I’ve had my private license now for a little while and I just got my instrument rating this past Saturday,” said Linda Artman, a career flight attendant.

"Now there are lots of opportunities for women in aviation and I think it's something girls, unless they grew up like I did in an aviation family, aren't aware of that opportunity,” said Sittman.

Women pilots still only represent six-percent of the present pilot population worldwide.

So, in an effort to encourage female youngsters to get into aviation, female pilots took the girls up, up and away Monday afternoon.

Once the flight landed, the girls realized even the sky is within reach.

We used to not be able to do anything and now we can do basically anything we want to,” said Juliet Thompson, a 17-year-old girl scout.

And who knows maybe we even have some future female pilots on our hands.

“I've thought about it before. Like ‘oh that sounds fun.’ But now, being up here, it really does sound fun,” said Kyle Marie, a 17-year old girl scout from Rutherford High School.

The women-in-flight education program took place worldwide on Monday, with female pilots in several countries attempting to set a record for most females introduced to flying in a single day.
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