Women of Aviation Worldwide Week occurs around the week of March 8th — the date when the first female pilot license was issued in 1910. The purpose of this week is to call attention to the gender imbalance that exists in the air and space industry.

According to the latest research as of the time this article was written, only about 1 in 5 space workers are women, and approximately 59% of women in leadership positions in aviation have considered leaving the industry due to negative experiences. Of course, we can all work together to correct these issues, and it all begins with the observance of this week.

The History of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week

Approximately 100 years after a French female pilot named Raymonde de Laroche earned her pilot license on March 8, 1910, Mireille Goyer decided to create a grassroots initiative to celebrate the centennial of the event.

This initiative was known as “Fly It Forward”. Although this was a one-time observation, it directly led to Women of Aviation Worldwide Week — an event that has been observed since 2012.

Interesting Facts About Women in Aviation

Let’s go over some very important facts about women in the aviation field that we think everyone should know about.

• Raymonde de Laroche was the first woman to receive a pilot’s license in the world. She hailed from France.
• The first female U.S. pilot license was granted to Harriet Quimby on August 1st, 1911.
• The first woman to fly over the English Channel did so on April 16th, 1912.
• The first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean was Amelia Earhart.
• The first female airline pilot was Helen Richey. She flew for Central Airlines in 1934.

Observing Women of Aviation Worldwide Week

This week can be observed in a number of different ways. First, people can introduce girls and women to the different sectors of the aviation industry. Second, women can enter the field themselves, and third, we can all share information about female pilots and aerospace professionals currently working. We can all use the hashtag #FlyItForward to spread the word about this week.