LOGAN – Utah State University held Girls in Aviation Day recently for young girls to be inspired in what they can do in Aviation.
Students were able to see a helicopter and learn how it works at the BTECH Career Days
Girls in Aviation was first started by Women Aviation International and “started this idea of bringing girls to an airport and to get them the opportunity to learn about aviation skills,” said Andres Wesemann, associate department head of aviation.
They had 15 different hands-on activities for each girl to learn, they have “added different hands on STEM events related to aviation. So some of the favorite events are making bracelets out of aircraft cable, vinyl coated for safety with airplane beings. They come fly a drone. They sit in an aircraft,” said Wesemann.
Wesemann says the best part of the Girls in Aviation Day is seeing the smiles on the young girls faces and being able to understand how each station works but most important part is they have fun while doing it.
“One of the exciting things to see is the smiles on these girls’ faces the first time they get to work a mechanical instrument popping rivets, or they sit in an airplane and manipulate the controls for the first time.”
Audrey Gass went to the Women in Aviation international conference when she was a senior in high school and that’s where she met professor Barron.
“He basically convinced me that not only is Utah State the place for me, but so is the Women in Aviation chapter that we have on campus,” said Gass.
Gass talked to other women in aviation that were enrolled at Utah State University and, “I had the chance to talk with other women in the industry, and so to have them be so welcoming. It was just such an amazing friendship that was built so quickly that I knew that I was going to feel at home when I got to campus.”
Gass knew Utah State University was the right place for her and has been part of Girls in Aviation for five years, inspiring other young girls what they can do in aviation and letting them know this is something they can do for their career.
“Having that experience where you’re not only kind of trying to teach them something, but also show them that there’s a place for them in the industry, for them to then turn around and say that that’s something that they’re interested in doing is just so rewarding.”
Gass is now working for “FAA, or the Federal Aviation Administration, and specifically on the part 141 modernization project, and that’s basically where we’re trying to get industry input on what they want changed for pilot school regulations.”
Over the years Gass has earned four certifications in aviation. One of those certifications is that she can fly a plane on her own.
She got her private pilot certification when she was 18. She got her commercial certification for a single engine, Instrument Rating, meaning she can fly in the clouds and weather where you can’t see much outside.
“(About a month ago I) got my CFI or my certified flight instructor certificate, which means I’m now able to fly with students. I am actually enrolled in the multi-engine course, which is going to be a multi-engine add-on to my commercial certificate, and that will be the final one that I do at Utah State.”