Inspiring the Next Generation at Green Mountain Aviation Field Days
Habitat for Aviation’s Women Build Planes team was thrilled to participate in the Green Mountain Aviation Field Days, which drew over 8,000 attendees—the largest aviation event Vermont has seen in more than 30 years. Stationed under the towering 70-foot tail of the KC 46 Pegasus refueler in BETA Technologies’ STEM Exhibit hangar, we joined over 20 exhibitors in making this the biggest STEM event in Vermont.
From toddlers to grandparents, our booth offered something for everyone, with a playful aircraft-themed space for the littlest aviators and hands-on activities for kids and adults alike. Children enjoyed playing with Green Toys float planes and helicopters, while older kids donned pilot outfits for photos with One Niner N802WB as a nod to our Rans S-21 built by the Women Build Planes team’s plane. Our interactive safety wiring and soldering stations were a hit, with hundreds of participants making aviation-themed keychains.
Throughout the day, we handed out hundreds of brochures and postcards and proudly displayed our Women Build Planes team member, Ashwil Bell’s, article, Build, Fix, Fly, was featured in Women in Aviation's (WAI) Aviation for Girls magazine, which will be included in WAI’s tote bags that go out to thousands of girls as part of Girls in Aviation Day.
Undoubtedly, the most rewarding part was the countless 1:1 conversations between our builders and the attendees. As the littlest of them looked up at our team members, many had a sparkle in their eyes, and time and time again we heard the quiet thought, “Maybe I could be her,” as our team sparked dreams for our future mechanics, pilots, and aviation specialists.
