Alberta Aviation Museum celebrates women's achievement in flight

The Alberta Aviation Museum helped showcase how women can take flight at a career fair Saturday.

Jean Lauzon, museum executive director, told CTV News Edmonton that only five per cent of current pilots are women.

"We are celebrating the fact that there is a huge gender imbalance in aviation careers and we want to change that," Lauzon said. "There really is no true reason why females cannot become pilots.

"So we need to make sure that women are open and there is availability for these women to get into these fields," she added. "I hope that this opens their eyes that there are so many opportunities out there."

In addition to honouring the women in the local aviation scene who were trailblazers, the event highlighted various careers in aviation, including aircraft maintenance, engineers, and air traffic controllers.

"We need to make sure these girls are aware that they have the opportunity to be in those positions themselves," Lauzon added.

Hosted annually in March, the event marks the anniversary of the world's first female pilot being issued a licence in 1910.

Sophia Wells, chief flying instructor at the Edmonton Flying Club, said only 16 to 17 per cent of air traffic controllers in North America are women and only 2 to 3 per cent of aircraft maintenance crews have women.

"We're trying to be out in public and let people see us as much as possible and see what great careers there are available, not just for women but for everyone," Wells said.