EAA and WAI Mark 15 Years of WomenVenture

Celebrating Be Bold at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022

July 7, 2022 – For the 15th year, women attending EAA AirVenture will enjoy a show within a show as a host of WomenVenture activities take place. EAA WomenVenture is an annual celebration of women from all facets of the aviation community with this year’s event celebrating what it means to be bold in aviation.   

Activities are scheduled during the week of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (July 25-August 1) to provide women the opportunity to connect with other women who love aviation and build camaraderie within the EAA and WAI communities. New this year at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is a dedicated space for those looking to support women in aviation, the EAA WomenVenture Center. Located in Aviation Gateway Park, the EAA WomenVenture Center will feature exhibitors, including Women in Aviation International (WAI), and networking events to provide resources for women currently in aviation fields or seeking to be a part of the industry.

WAI’s Connect Breakfast, sponsored by Avemco, United Airlines, and Virginia Department of Aviation takes place on Wednesday, July 27, starting at 8 a.m., and is held at the Paul H. Poberezny Conference Center (PHP Tent). This event features Dr. Anita Sengupta, aerospace engineer and Hydroplane Ltd. CEO and founder, and Emily Herron, aircraft owner and Madisonville Regional Airport manager, who will share their different aviation experiences and perspectives filled with traditions and innovations.

Tickets for the WAI Connect Breakfast may be purchased online for $17 each until July 24 (purchase tickets at https://www.wai.org/events/wai-connect-breakfast) and $20 onsite, as space permits, at the WAI booth, Hangar B-2041. Early registration is encouraged.

Similar to prior years, a free limited-edition EAA WomenVenture T-shirt is available to all women (while supplies last). You must register for your complimentary T-shirt by Friday, July 22 at 12 p.m. Central Time to ensure that you receive your requested size. T-shirt pick up will begin on Monday morning at 8 a.m. at the new EAA WomenVenture Center. (Register for your free T-shirt at www.EAA.org/womenventure.)

Meet on Boeing Plaza at 11 a.m. for the traditional group photo to capture and celebrate the women within this program, and wear your WomenVenture 15th anniversary T-shirt, designed by pilot Christy Holy.

A WomenVenture Power Lunch will take place at Theater in the Woods, starting at 11:30 a.m. where the first female pilot and commander of an American spacecraft will present. Col. Eileen Collins was named “one of America’s most admired women” by Keppler Speakers for her achievements at NASA that spearheaded groundbreaking progress for women in aviation. Tickets are $5 each and includes lunch. Registration is required at EAA.org/WomenVenture.

WomenVenture Wednesday concludes with an evening program starting at 6:30 p.m., also at Theater in the Woods. The theme is Unusual Attitudes, featuring a panel of women in aerobatic flying who will discuss how this form of flying has elevated their skills. The panel includes Vanessa Christie, Patty Wagstaff, Julie Clark, Susan Bell, Debbie Rihn-Harvey, Melanie Astles, Vicky Benzing, and Jessy Panzer.