A Celebration of Aviation Trailblazers and Barrier Breaking

37th Women in Aviation International Conference

Members of ALPA’s Professional Development Group attended the 37th Annual Women in Aviation International Conference in Dallas, Texas. View more photos.

Nearly 5,500 gathered in Dallas, Texas, March 18–21 for the 37th Annual Women in Aviation International (WAI) Conference. As a long-time supporter of WAI, ALPA’s presence was well established again this year, with representatives from several ALPA committees joined by national officers Capt. Wendy Morse and Capt. Sean Creed.

ALPA’s team connected with this and the next generation of airline pilots, answering questions ranging from how to explore a career as a pilot to getting the most out of ALPA membership. ALPA pilots also participated in panel discussions and group “brain date” sessions, provided tutorials on how to land an airplane using desktop simulators, and more.

ALPA’s First Female National Officer

ALPA's Morse with Kelly Murphy, Women in Aviation’s director of communications, recording an episode of the video podcast *WAI On Air*. View more photos.

Morse, ALPA’s first vice president, shared her experience with breaking barriers, lessons in leadership, and advice for any upcoming aviator in a video podcast recorded on the WAI exhibition floor. She discussed what she’s seen throughout her 42 years as an ALPA member and what to focus on in the future—from aviation safety vigilance to continuing to increase the number of women entering the industry.

In speaking to how she became ALPA’s first female national officer and why it’s important to build an effective team, Morse said, “There’s more than one seat at the table for us. When you get there, help others get there, too.”

Stay tuned to listen and watch her episode of WAI On Air.

Launching an Aviation Career

Left to right: F/O Dahan; Bridget Singratanakul, NATCA runway safety representative (Dallas/Fort Worth ATCT, DFW); Olivia Hensley, Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance; and F/O Paris. View more photos.

F/O Justin Dahan, chair of ALPA’s Education Committee, moderated a panel titled “Launch Your Aviation Career: Explore Opportunities & Connect with Women Trailblazers,” where participants heard how an air traffic controller, an aircraft maintenance professional, and an airline pilot navigated their career paths. Panelists covered what a typical schedule looks like for each segment, seniority and why it matters, breaking through financial barriers with scholarship opportunities, and what it takes to make it in the aviation industry.

Everyone navigating the aviation industry wants to learn more about the path, and they all agreed on one thing: Do it. Just show up. Don’t let others stand in between you and your dreams. Be persistent. Volunteer. Get involved.

“Behind all of us are mentors, women and men, who are pushing you to the next level. I’ve had so many male pilots say: You can do this,” said F/O Kaori Paris (UAL), ALPA Professional Development Group chair. “We’ve come a long way, but there’s more work to do. We need you to carry the torch, volunteer, and take down those barriers altogether. Find your allies; they’re out there.”

Connecting with the Next Generation

An aviation college student captures ALPA ACE club participants from several universities posing with ALPA's Paris Dahan. View more photos.

Several ALPA ACE clubs—student-led organizations at 17 universities that promote professionalism, safety, and career development in the aviation industry—were represented at the WAI conference. Learn how you can bring the ACE Club to your school.