Yesterday, GrandView Aviation hosted its third annual luncheon and static display at its Martin State Airport hangar for a group of 15 young future female aviators being mentored by Empowerment through Aviation (ETA).
ETA honors the memory of former Navy pilot, Brigitte Jacobson by supporting young women from Baltimore City public schools as they pursue careers in aviation. Their programs inspire young women to pursue their dreams, prepare young women of color for flying careers, and help to diversify the ranks of licensed pilots.
The aviation industry is in dire need of diversification. Approximately 5% of airline pilots worldwide are female. In the U.S., only 3% of airline pilots are Black and the number of Black female airline pilots is estimated to be less than 1%. Thanks to the passionate stewardship by ETA, and forward-thinking organizations like GrandView and others, we are confident that percentage will grow quickly.
Following lunch, several GrandView pilots led tours of the aircraft, and team members comprised of flight followers, dispatchers, maintenance techs, sales and customer service reps mingled with ETA members to share their experiences, career paths and a common passion for all things aviation!