Thank you, United Airlines, for being the host of Girls In Aviation Day 2017 in the Bay Area
By Ana Urbe Ruiz and Denise Donegan Empowering women in many different areas of the aviation industry is key for the future of the industry.Under the leadership of Marilyn Adkins, Sr. Production Controller Technical Operations, and Kim Pritchard, Sr. Mgr. Technical Talent Acquisition Tech. Operations, Girls in Aviation Day, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017 was a real success. Women In Aviation International - San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, with Co-President Ana Urbe Ruiz, joined them on Saturday to celebrate the day.Girls had the opportunity to listen to the needs of the industry on the mechanical side, as well as on the operation’s and the pilot’s sides. They had the chance to ask questions on how and why the professional women took the path of becoming mechanics and pilots, which
are the most recognized places that young people relate aviation with. They did not realize the world of aviation includes the people on the ramp, the baggage handlers, the operations that prepares the flight plans for the planes, the person who looks at the weather, the amount of fuel that is required to have on board, and being able to see that this world has many faces and places where they can excel and grow in a career.When talking to one of the women captains, and asking her when she realize she wanted to be a pilot, they heard this: “I was 14 when on the top of the stairs at home I saw outside… look up to the ski… and knew that was where I wanted to be…” We all have different stories of why we want to be part of the industry. Kim mentioned that she loved pulling things apart, starting 
with her dirt bike, and then she was at the maintenance side of United fixing engines on Boeing 737s.Empowering women to be what they can be is key. This day was about showing them the ropes, tapping into their curiosity and giving them a view of what their future can look like if they set their minds to it. It is also necessary to understand that sometimes we can add to the knowledge we acquire and in the middle of the career path, when for some reason or another, things change, and that is okay too. Find your passion and run with it… look around, ask questions, be involved, look for a mentor, and some guidance. The sky is not the limit. Welcome to the aviation world!Let your intuition be your guide as you reach for new heights!
are the most recognized places that young people relate aviation with. They did not realize the world of aviation includes the people on the ramp, the baggage handlers, the operations that prepares the flight plans for the planes, the person who looks at the weather, the amount of fuel that is required to have on board, and being able to see that this world has many faces and places where they can excel and grow in a career.When talking to one of the women captains, and asking her when she realize she wanted to be a pilot, they heard this: “I was 14 when on the top of the stairs at home I saw outside… look up to the ski… and knew that was where I wanted to be…” We all have different stories of why we want to be part of the industry. Kim mentioned that she loved pulling things apart, starting with her dirt bike, and then she was at the maintenance side of United fixing engines on Boeing 737s.Empowering women to be what they can be is key. This day was about showing them the ropes, tapping into their curiosity and giving them a view of what their future can look like if they set their minds to it. It is also necessary to understand that sometimes we can add to the knowledge we acquire and in the middle of the career path, when for some reason or another, things change, and that is okay too. Find your passion and run with it… look around, ask questions, be involved, look for a mentor, and some guidance. The sky is not the limit. Welcome to the aviation world!Let your intuition be your guide as you reach for new heights! 