WOMEN IN AVIATION INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2022

CONNECT - ENGAGE - INSPIRE

PHI was honored to sponsor and participate in the 2022 Women in Aviation International (WAI) Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, from March 17-19. The annual WAI conference theme is Connect-Engage-Inspire, and it more than delivered! There were few helicopter operators represented so our team was very well received and had the opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders to increase the rotary-wing presence at next year’s event. PHI intends to pursue partnerships with organizations like WAI for recruiting pipelines while providing training and scholarship opportunities.

In addition to networking with many pilots, maintainers, engineers and students, our team attended educational seminars such as Changing the Face of Aviation; Creating a Circle of Success; Be a Mentor/Find a Mentor; and Brain Power: Improve Your Performance as a Student, Decision-Maker and Leader; which provided great insight and ideas for recruiting, mentoring and retaining women in the workforce. It was evident that many of the challenges for women in aviation are very similar regardless of position, function, location or company.

One of the highlights of the conference was the chance to meet legendary and inspirational pilot Wally Funk who was recognized for “blazing trails for women in aviation and space-flight and inspiring the next generation of aerospace professionals as a pioneering member of the Mercury 13, flight instructor, air safety investigator, and the oldest woman to fly in space.” We all need her energy level at 82 years old!

It was inspiring to see so many accomplished women leading the way, and encouraging to see the enthusiasm of all the young women following their dreams. If Robert “Bob” Suggs was alive today, he would certainly be proud of his granddaughter Rebecca Stewart who stopped by our booth to reminisce on her childhood with her grandfather, the late founder of PHI and considered the father of commercial rotarywing transportation.

Promoting and advancing women in aviation is very important to our company—we will have better decisions, a broader talent pool and improved business outcomes from bringing women into all levels of the organization and especially into leadership roles. PHI actively partners with organizations to drive positive change and recruit, retain and advance women in aviation. We’re committed to building a talented and diverse workforce and a culture in which everyone feels they belong.

Allison McKay, CEO WAI and Holley Gardel, VFR Captain Oil & Gas

Mary Wallace (Wally) Funk

Rebecca Stewart, Pilot Southwest Airlines