The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! Aviation, Aerospace, Marine & Defence Outreach Event In celebration of the week of International Women s Day, and past, present and future women in Aviation, Aerospace, Marine and Defence March 12 13, 2016 9:00 am 5:30 pm Abbotsford International Airport, Abbotsford, BC The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 1 of 11
SUMMARY 3 A BC Event for Many Communities 4 Why 5 Highlights 8 Treasure Map 9 Press 10 Event Schedule 11 Organizer and Contact Information The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 2 of 11
A BC EVENT FOR MANY COMMUNITIES Join us on March 12 13, 2016 at the Abbotsford International Airport in BC as we again make world history as the largest single outreach event of its kind. Over 15,000 participants of all ages from many communities around BC and beyond are expected. Families welcome! Our annual events in celebration of the week of International Women s Day change lives. Females of all ages and their families gather from far and wide for a truly unique mission of discovery. Our events are fun, hands on and completely free to ensure no barriers to participation. One of the unique attractions at our events are the free flights for female first time fliers. The first flight experience is so incredibly amazing that we just have to share it! It s often the catalyst that is needed to inspire interest in aviation, aerospace, marine and defence. Opportunities are endless. Civilian and non civilian VIPs are on hand to meet with participants and a variety of cool aircraft and equipment is available for all to explore. Hands on displays and fun activities are provided by industry and education partners for a tactile learning experience. The event is open to the public with no registration required to attend. However advanced registration is required for eligible females to fly. Visit www.girlsfly2.ca for more information and event updates. The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 3 of 11
WHY Despite the best recruiting and retention efforts of many, the number of women in technical and top executive/command areas in aviation, aerospace, marine and defence remains appallingly low. For example, out of 24,505 professional pilots in Canada, only 1356 of them are women. Out of 19,601 aircraft engineers, only 560 of them are women. Less than 3% of the technical/top command positions in the Canadian Forces are women. From the numbers it would be tempting to conclude that women are either uninterested or unwelcome in these fields. Instead, studies have shown that a common perception persists that aviation, aerospace, marine and defence are industries reserved for men. From an early age, male and female alike are affected by this perception message, which is continually reinforced by observation (lack of change), media, social media and advertising. To capture the interest and attention of the missing female demographic a more engaged and hands on approach is needed. The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! employs this approach on a grand scale with our unprecedented free annual outreach events. Our events change lives! From shop floor to top floor, we re inspiring future leaders! Kirsten Brazier, Founder Join us March 12 13, 2016 at the Abbotsford International Airport and help inspire future leaders. The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 4 of 11
HIGHLIGHTS Free Flights for Female First Time Fliers Introductory flights for female first time fliers of any age are one of the event highlights. Flights are approximately 10 15 minutes and are generally planned so as to provide an aerial view of the Abbotsford International Airport and scenic views surrounding the City of Abbotsford. Flight time and routes will vary based on aircraft type, operational considerations, airport traffic and prevailing winds. Flights are reserved for eligible girls and women only those who have not flown in small aircraft before (airline flights excepted). Advance registration and a signed consent/waiver are required. www.girlsfly2.ca The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 5 of 11
Notable VIPs and Hands On Educational Activities Open to everyone. Participants meet notable VIPs such as NASA Astronaut and US Navy Helicopter Pilot (Ret) Wendy Lawrence Flight simulator fun Industry and education partners are eager to introduce participants to many new career possibilites The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 6 of 11
Interactive Flight Line Static Display of Aircraft and Tactical Vehicles A variety of civilian and non civilian aircraft, tactical vehicles and ground displays will be available to explore. Flight crews and vehicle operators will be on hand with their equipment between 9:00 am to 5:30 pm each day to answer participant questions and facilitate exploration. Photo/video opportunities abound and the entire family is encouraged to participate in this unique opportunity for an inside look into the various aspects of aviation, aerospace, marine and defence. Open to everyone. The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 7 of 11
TREASURE MAP NEW for 2016!!!! This year we ve added a new feature to enhance partner visibility and further engage participants. Booth level partners will be highlighted as a feature to visit on the map. Participants that complete the entire treasure map itinerary will be eligible to win a prize. Due to printing lead times, partners who wish to be included on the treasure map must commit financially no later than February 22, 2016 to ensure inclusion on the treasure map. The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 8 of 11
PRESS Our events are well covered by local, national and international print, radio and TV media (pre, during and post event coverage). All aspects of the event are photographed and videoed for post event publication and promotion in various media. The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 9 of 11
EVENT SCHEDULE* *Note: Times subject to change for operational considerations. March 12, 2016 07:00: Flight crew and volunteer check in and pre event brief 09:00: Static display on taxiway open to the audience 09:00: Commencement of free introductory flights for eligible female first time fliers 10:00: Highlight activity 11:00: Opening ceremonies followed by press conference (Platinum and Gold Partner speeches) 14:00: Highlight activity 17:30: Static display closed March 13, 2016 07:30: Flight crew and volunteer check in and pre event brief 09:00: Static display on taxiway open to the audience 09:00: Commencement of free introductory flights for eligible female first time fliers 10:00: Highlight activity 14:00: Highlight activity 17:30: Static display closed 17:30: Event closes The Honorable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia at The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 2015 The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 10 of 11
ORGANIZER The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! annual events are part of an outreach initiative founded by BC pilot Kirsten Brazier in 2012. Events organized by The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! have set three world precedents and won international recognition and awards. Past Success: In 2012, The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! took place at the Yellowknife Airport Yellowknife, NT and set a world precedent as the largest single outreach event of its kind. 1,500 people participated and 421 females were introduced to flight in a small aircraft. In 2013, 2,300 participated at the Yellowknife Airport and 634 girls and women were introduced to flight. In 2014, the event was held at the Langley Regional Airport, Langley BC and again set a world precedent. Over 6,000 participated and 1,310 females were introduced to flight. In 2015, the event was held at the Abbotsford International Airport, Abbotsford, BC and yet again set a world precedent. Over 9,800 participated and 1,741 females were introduced to flight. To date our unique hands on outreach events have directly touched the lives of over 20,300 people and 4,106 females of all ages have experienced the magic of first flight in a small aircraft. Our events, including the free flights are always free to ensure there are no barriers to participation thanks to the support of industry and community partners. Brazier is a professional pilot from the Lower Mainland, BC and she holds Airline Transport Ratings for both Aeroplanes and Helicopters. With over 20 years of flying experience, Brazier has enjoyed a diverse career flying across Canada, US and the Caribbean on wheels, floats, skis and skids as well as two crew operations in both aeroplanes and helicopters. Contact information: Kirsten Brazier (604) 210 4033 voice (877) 728 4033 voice mail/fax kirsten@girlsfly2.ca www.girlsfly2.ca The Sky s No Limit Girls Fly Too! 11 of 11