Upcoming Event!
Top Gun Maverick!
We've been waiting 36 years for this film! Do you know the original Top Gun was released in 1986?
Finally the film is in theaters and we are getting a special showing!
When: Saturday, May 28, 2022
Time: 6:00-8:30pm
Location: Studio Movie Grill, 7718 113th Street North, Seminole, FL
Details:
WAI/WAI Tampa Bay Chapter
members plus 1 guest
Tampa Bay Aviation employees and students.
Please note: memberships in WAI and WAITB both must be current to attend.
We thank Tampa Bay Aviation Flight School Manager Flint Crump for funding this event. Learn more about Tampa Bay Aviation here.
For information about the Studio Movie Grill, click here.
Can't wait to see the movie? Check out this trailer: Top Gun Maverick.
Click here to pay your WAI dues. Click here to pay your WAI-Tampa Bay Chapter dues.
Please RSVP using this Eventbrite Link.
|
|
April Event
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAA hosted our group at Tampa Executive Airport with a discussion of how they fly into storms to collect data with crew that includes a meteorologist. The meteorologist interprets the data and immediately sends it to the National Weather Service Center. From there it is distributed directly to your local meteorologist and news stations. We learned how to become a NOAA pilot and about many opportunities with NOAA.
There is so much more to learn from our NOAA tours. We thank them for this opportunity and look forward to offering more opportunities for you to explore with NOAA.
To learn more about NOAA in our state, visit their web page here.
NOAA Lockheed WP-3D Orion, "Kermit" departing Tampa.
|
|
GIAD: Please help if you can
Our annual Girls in Aviation Day event is fast approaching and there is a lot of work and planning that goes into making this day our biggest day of the year. We could use your help on a GIAD planning committee.
Mariah Blackmon is our GIAD Committee Project Manager and did the bulk of the work last year. In order to share the load, we need additional members to support her during the planning of the event. Here is some of what it takes to organize the event:
Community outreach and securing sponsors, bring in aircraft, organizing where aircraft/vendors will be located on the ramp and in the hangar, sponsor 501c3 forms and fund collection, organizing volunteers, managing emails and social media, coordinating thank you swag and swag in general, coordination with the WAI GIAD committee, coordinating ZOOM meetings for the organizational process. This is not an all inclusive list.
If you can help, please do. Contact Mariah at waitampabay@gmail.com to join the committee.
Thank you.
|
|
Member Corner
This month, I’m writing about myself. It occurred to me that I have been trying to get our members to share their stories but was, for some reason, too humble to share my own. How can I expect others to follow if I don’t lead by my own example?
What my own story will express is how there is no one defined path to the destination of your goal. When I was in high school in the early 80’s all I knew was that I was going to leave that small Wisconsin town and that I wanted to travel the world. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up.
Soon enough high school graduation approached and I was somehow supposed to pick a career. Guidance counselors had nothing better than accounting to offer as a good fit for me. I tried that and hated it. One day a postcard from a small central Florida school called Southeastern Academy arrived in the mail. They offered travel industry training, including basic SABRE, hotel, car rental, cruise line booking and industry knowledge. It sounded like a good way to do some traveling so I signed up and completed the course. Sometime during this time I was quoted as saying “I’d never really want to be a flight attendant”.
So I launched myself into the work of travel agent which led me to Germany where I worked for American Airlines at SATO (Scheduled Airlines Ticket Office) Ramstein Air Force Base. This is where I experienced my first military airshow. It is still my favorite style of airshow. I spoke with the crews at the static displays and they answered all sorts of questions. Many of these men and women visited me at SATO to schedule their flights home.
After 4 years, it was time to return to the States and finish college, which I did, attaining a degree in German with Business Administration minor. Then I became a flight attendant for American Trans Air. Never say never. During my early times with ATA, I was quoted as saying “I’d never want to be an airline Captain, that’s too much responsibility.” It was one day over the Indian Ocean on a B-757 that I went “up front” to check on the crew and saw the most spectacular towering cumulonimbus clouds ever in my life. I had been taking private pilot lessons by this time but this cemented my desire to make flying a career. Plus, the money is way better up front than in the back! I was 32 at the time and still traveling!
Photo: ca 1995, ATA L-1011. Trying on the hat and seat to see if they fit.
That's what got me on the path to my eventual goal: Jet Captain by age 40! Again, never say never! With complete commitment, determination, love and support of my family and friends, along with the motto “failure is not an option,” I achieved that goal in spring of 2005 with Airtran Airways when I upgraded on the B-717. Today I fly left seat on all of Southwest Airlines’ B-737s.
Two of the best decisions I have ever made were moving to Germany and learning to fly. When opportunities present themselves, always ask yourself “how will I make this the best possible experience?” then GO FOR IT!
At this point, the sun is beginning to set on my amazing career and I’m looking forward to more of the rewarding experiences I’ve had since becoming a member/officer with Women in Aviation International, Tampa Bay Chapter.
By sharing our stories we are able to inspire others to pursue their dreams, whatever they may be.
We would love to hear how you are reaching your goals. Please send your story to me at waitampabay@gmail.com
Thank you!
Yvonne Wibben
Captain, B-737, Southwest Airlines
WAI-Tampa Bay Chapter, Secretary
|
|
News you can use
We are in the planning stages of our annual Girls in Aviation Day Event which takes place on September 24, 2022 at Sheltair Tampa. If you have interest in being a sponsor at this event, please email waitampabay@gmail.com for more information.
There are a number of aviation related events available in our community, some are listed below. Be sure to check each e-blast as this list is updated regularly.
If you have an event you'd like us to make available to our members, please send details of the event to waitampabay@gmail.com and we will add it to the next e-blast. Please allow enough lead time for best participation.
Volunteer opportunities exist in many ways in the aviation community. Some upcoming opportunities include events with Sun n Fun Aerospace Expo, Young Eagles, Girls in Aviation Day, and many more. Click the links to learn more. If your organization would like to recruit volunteers, please contact waitampabay@gmail.com
Looking for a good read? Check out www.aviatrixbookreview.com or on Facebook, Aviatrix Book Club.
|
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter Upcoming Events
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter June Event
National Aviation Academy tour!
Saturday, June 18, 2022
10:00-11:30am
6225 Ulmerton Rd, Clearwater, FL 33760
Do not miss this opportunity to tour the National Aviation Academy! You will have the opportunity to meet members of the admissions team as well as NAA student organization members.
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter July Event
Girls in Aviation Day Planning Event
10:00am-12:00pm
Zoom Meeting
Planning Event for Girls in Aviation Day 2022 hosted by Sheltair Tampa!
Click here for the Zoom link address.
Meeting ID: 898 8108 0482
Passcode: GIAD22
If you have interest in supporting/donating/sponsoring/volunteering for this event, please contact waitampabay@gmail.com
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter August Event
Girls in Aviation Day Planning Event
Saturday, August 27, 2022
10:00am-12:00pm
Zoom Meeting
Planning event for Girls in Aviation Day 2022 hosted by Sheltair Tampa!.
Click here for the Zoom link address.
Meeting ID: 898 8108 0482
Passcode: GIAD22
If you have interest in supporting/donating/sponsoring/volunteering for this event, please contact waitampabay@gmail.com
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter September Event
Girls In Aviation Day!
Hosted by Sheltair Tampa!
Mark your calendars!
September 24, 2022
The Aviation for Girls App is available here.
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter October Event
Learn about Drones!
Details coming soon!
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter November Event
Saturday, November 19, 2022
9am-11am
Painting with a Twist!
2527 Central Ave
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
Christmas is just around the corner! Your interpretation of the selected image is the perfect gift for the aviation enthusiast in your life. No creative or artistic skills needed! Just bring your favorite beverage and a snack and together we'll learn how to paint!
For details and to sign up for the event: Painting with a Twist
The fee for this event is $40 of which Painting With a Twist will return $10 to our chapter.
|
|
WAI Tampa Bay Chapter December Event
Annual Cookie Exchange with first Annual Toy Drive/Fundraiser
Plan ahead to attend this fun event. This year we'll collect gifts for a local "Angel Tree" to support a family in need of a little help this holiday season.
Details coming soon!
|
|
|
Upcoming Aviation Related Events
|
|
Up, Up, & Away Balloon Festival
May 6-May 8, 2022
Lakeland Linder International Airport
Event by Civil Air Patrol Group 3 - Florida Wing
For more information: Civil Air Patrol, Florida Wing HQ
|
|
Young Eagles Rally
EAA Chapter 282 of Clearwater
Saturday, May 7. 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Clearwater Air Park
EAA Chapter 282 is a proud participant in the Young Eagles program and to date has flown over 1,000 young boys and girls and we look forward to many more flights in the future.
If you have an airplane and would like to participate in flying young people during the Rally, please contact Dave Harvey.
Pre-registration is required.
Click here for more Young Eagles Rally Information: Young Eagle Rally Information
For more information: Dave Harvey at dharvey781@aol.com
|
|
Air Race Classic
June 21-24, 2022
The Air Race Classic is the epicenter of women's air racing. Pilots range in age from 17 to 90 years old. They come from a wide variety of backgrounds including students, teachers, doctors, airline pilots, business owners, professionals and air traffic controllers. Race Teams, consisting of at least two women pilots, must fly VFR during daylight hours only and are given four days to make flybys at each enroute timing point and then land at the terminus. The race route changes each year, approximately 2,400 statute miles in length with 8 or 9 timing points, starting at Lakeland Linder International Airport on June 21. Come out and support the pilots as they take to the skies and challenge both their aircraft and skills!
Air Race Classic to learn more.
|
|
Women in Aviation Tampa Bay Chapter Members:
Member fees help to cover chapter dues and fees necessary to maintain Chapter status with WAI. They keep our chapter web-site active and support basic expenses.
If you’re looking to become an active chapter member or if you need to pay your $20 annual chapter dues, you can do so online at waitb.org, at the next in-person meeting you attend, or by mailing your payment to our address below. Also, we will have Women in Aviation Tampa Bay Chapter patches, coasters, and mousepads for sale ($10 each) at our upcoming in-person meetings. We accept payment via PayPal ( paypal.me/waitampabay), Square, check (WAI Tampa Bay), cash.
Tax deductible donations are also welcomed and can be mailed to the address below. If you have a specific request for the use of the funds, please include a letter stating your intention. Donations help support activities such as GIAD, and new member intro packets. Women in Aviation Tampa Bay Chapter is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests. Contact any officer for more information, waitampabay@gmail.com
You can join Women in Aviation International (WAI) or renew your WAI membership, wai.org.
Blue Skies and Tailwinds,
Yvonne Wibben, Secretary
Women in Aviation Tampa Bay Chapter
waitampabay@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
|
