Tuesday, July 25, 2017
THE OFFICIAL DAILY NEWSPAPER OF EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH
www.EAA.org/airventure
Founder’s Innovation Prize Winner Announced Tonight
PHOTO BY SCOTT PELKOWSKI
Women Soar day camp participants were treated to a ride on EAA’s Ford Tri-Motor Monday morning.
Women Soar Encourages Girls to Follow Dreams Female mentors open young women’s eyes to aviation career possibilities BY KATIE HOLLIDAY-GREENLEY
EVERY YEAR SINCE 2005 Women Soar You Soar has invited high school-age girls to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh to inspire them to get involved in aviation. “Whether they like aviation as a hobby or want to pursue it as a career, there are opportunities and activities for everyone during the day camp,” said Tara Parkhurst, EAA’s museum educator and coordinator of the event. When it began, Women Soar You Soar was only two days long, which included a dinner and a series of forums highlighting the aviation careers of the presenters. Now, the four-day event, July 23-26 this year, includes hands-on workshops, tours of the EAA Seaplane Base and AirVenture grounds, and even a low ropes course. “It’s a great education and an experience for them, and that’s what we want,” said Debby Rihn-Harvey who’s worked with the event since 2006. This year, a small group of participants was invited to take a ride in a Tri-Motor Monday morning, and all the girls jumped up from their seats as the aircraft taxied in to pick them up. “I’m just really excited to be here,” said Lucy Weicheot, a 2017 Women Soar You Soar participant. “The program’s really great helping young girls decide what they want to do, and if it’s really what they want to do, it’s a pretty amazing thing.” Women Soar, presented by Honda Jet, also invites successful women in the aviation and aeronautical sciences fields to mentor the young women in the program. These mentors represent a wide range of aviation career oppor-
tunities, including airline pilots, air traffic controllers, engineers, women who fly for Pilots N Paws, and a variety of other professional and recreational aviation outlets. “I’ve tried since I’ve been a part of [Women Soar You Soar] to get mentors who are diverse in their professions or their experiences,” Debby said. “That way you can get the girls where they think they want to go, or an interest that they think they’re interested in, and they can really dive into that with some of the mentors.” Participants are also invited to take part in WomenVenture activities, such as the Power Lunch and the Women in Aviation International Connect Breakfast on Wednesday. “We want attendees to engage in aviation and enjoy it as much as we do,” Tara said. Debby said she wanted to incorporate a tram tour of the AirVenture grounds this year so attendees can see all aviation has to offer. “I want them to see what EAA is made up of, and how important that is because the vast size and the number of volunteers it takes and the number of communities that there are is just unbelievable and unimaginable,” she said. Rachel Wierzbinski, whose father, Brian Wierzbinski, is EAA’s CFO and executive vice president of operations and administration, said she’s excited to learn more about the different types of aircraft found all over the grounds, and participate in the workshops.
SOAR / PAGE 4
AFTER RECEIVING DOZENS of submissions for the second year of EAA’s Founder’s Innovation Prize competition, judges have selected five finalists to present their innovative solutions for in-flight loss of control at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017. These finalists will face a panel of judges in a Shark Tank-style showdown tonight at 8 p.m. at the Theater in the Woods, aiming to win the $25,000 grand prize. The final five contestants, listed below, represent a variety of aviation and nonaviation backgrounds. Colin Michael Foale, EAA 1040911 from Seabrook, Texas, will present his “Solar Pilot Guard.” Ethan Brodsky, EAA 1068330, of Madison, Wisconsin, brings “Buzz Ball.” Thomas Baron, EAA 119593, Maxwell Lord, EAA 123563, and Justin Zhou, EAA 1240872, of McLean, Virginia, created the “Remora System.” Henry Vos, EAA 1059319, of Fairview, Alberta, Canada, will present “How to Not Fly,” and Andrew Meyer, EAA 515043, from St. Joseph, Michigan, PHOTO BY SCOTT PELKOWSKI brings his “Aural Cuing System.” The judging panel consists of former space shuttle commander Charlie Precourt, aerobatic champion Michael Goulian, former NTSB senior air safety investigator Gregory Feith, renowned civilian test pilot Dave Morss, and Van’s Aircraft founder and chief designer, Dick “Van” VanGrunsven. Ideas will be judged based on cost, ease of installation or implementation, and expected effectiveness in helping to reduce the number of fatal loss-of-control accidents. Second and third place for the Founder’s Innovation Prize, presented by Airbus, will receive cash prizes of $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. Come see who will be named this year’s winner of EAA’s Founder’s Innovation Prize tonight.