Sophie Conlon
HUNDREDS of pilots from across Australia have gathered in Mount Gambier/Berrin to celebrate diversity in the aviation industry.
They flew in for the Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA) annual conference, which ran from Wednesday, March 22, to Sunday, March 26.
Association spokesperson Skye Talbot said the five day event brought about 130 women to the region and AWPA was there to help empower women in aviation.
Capt Talbot said the association began in 1950 to foster relationships and unity among women pilots and those values still stood strong today.
“They wanted to assist women to undertake flying, so we do offer a lot of scholarships to develop interest in aviation, especially in women, and assist development in general within the aviation industry and getting more women involved and interested,” she said.
She said the scholarships helped women further their education in flying and were one of the main ways the association offered support.
“That’s probably our biggest focus, to get more women interested in aviation, and to fund them – because it can be quite expensive to take this up as a hobby or career,” she said.
With about 500 members ranging in ages from 15 to 95, Capt Talbot said for the first time in 37 years the national AWPA president, Barbara Trappett was from South Australia and it was great to have local representation.
“In Australia, women probably make up about five or six percent of the aviation population,” she said.
“So we’ve got a lot of work to do to get more women involved in aviation in general, that’s across the board and internationally as well.”
Over the four day conference, Capt Talbot said the association held their annual general meeting, an education day, networking events, an awards night and a navigation trial.
“It’s basically a catch up, a lot of ladies getting together having a lot of fun, bringing together interest, communication and networking,” she said.
As host state of the conference, South Australia picked the theme of ’discover our space’ and Capt Talbot said attendees would learn about outer space.
“We try and incorporate that theme around the conference, so the education day we talk about a lot of space stuff, we’ve got people talking about space medicine, future frontiers, a drone demonstration and a capsule drop,” she said.
On Friday, March 24, Capt Talbot said you may have seen a few planes in the sky, with the navigation trial taking place.
She said attendees broke into small teams and flew around the region answering questions along the way battling it out to get back to the airport with all the right answers in the quickest time.
Mount Gambier/ Berrin pilot, 18-year-old Isabella Lamb said she was excited to attend her first AWPA annual conference, and it was even better that it was in her hometown.
“So many people have so much different information about so many aspects about flying,” she said.
“It’s good networking, especially because I’m so young.”
Ms Lamb said she had begun flying in her early teens and looked forward to the conference so she could see where flying could take her.
“I started flying when I was 14, and Bob Rowe from the Aero Club in Mount Gambier, he said’ there’s the Australian Women Pilots’ Association’ and that I should have a look at it and so I decided to join,” she said.
As an airline pilot, Capt Talbot said she was keen to share her experiences and Ms Lamb was keen to hear the industry tips.
“I want to become a commercial pilot as my job, I want to fly across the world and explore the world,” Ms Lamb said.
“I feel very supported with everybody asking what I’m up to and giving me tips.”
Capt Talbot said while members were in Mount Gambier/ Berrin they had a great time exploring the region.
“We thought it was a great location, it’s got a great, big airport people can fly into and it’s got easy access for those in Victoria and New South Wales as well,” she said.
“We come here to experience Mount Gambier as well, part of the conference is we like to go to places so people can see different parts of Australia.”
