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Mix together an eager troop of Iowa Girl Scouts with the Fairfield Ladies Flying Club. Gradually add a NASA astronaut trainer to the largest gathering of aeronautic enthusiasts to come to Fairfield, and it's AirFest, a celebration of women in aviation and aerospace. The fete will take place Saturday, September 15, at the Fairfield Municipal Airport, with over 35 aeronautic exhibitors, lady pilots, Girl and Boy Scout troops, government officials, food vendors, and an anticipated 1500 flying fans.
"This event started with my troop's field trip to the Fairfield airport," says AirFest organizer and Girl Scout leader Holly Moore. "I thought the girls would be mildly interested in seeing the airport as an activity. But when they learned about flying and that women pilots flew planes, I think each girl was transformed. The looks on their faces as they experienced the airport and the thrill of flying were unbelievable."
Wanting to further the epiphanies experienced by her Girl Scout troop, Moore banded with fledgling pilot Nadine Clark and flying enthusiast Lura Harding, both members of the Fairfield Ladies Flying Club, and AirFest was born.
"Our goal is to introduce the 1,200 Girl Scouts of the Iowa Shining Trail Council in grades 3 to 12 to a non-traditional career area for women, and give them an opportunity to earn the scout's Aerospace Badge," says Moore.
To top off the badge earning, AirFest organizers invited Stephanie Wells, pilot and trainer for NASA's astronaut training program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, to speak and award the Aerospace Badges. Wells trains all the U.S. astronauts, both pilots and mission specialists (such as researchers, engineers, and teachers), in high-performance, aerobatic, and zero gravity flying. She has been flying for 25 years and has racked up over 11,000 air hours. She was an Iowa Girl Scout herself, graduated from Iowa State University, and says she's thrilled to be participating in AirFest. "I'm glad the Girl Scouts encourage the aerospace profession," Wells says. "I'm honored to participate. Flying is a wonderful profession for a woman. It gives you great freedom and employability."
According to its organizers, AirFest has ballooned beyond the Girl Scouts and has taken on a life of its own. "As members of the Fairfield Ladies Flying Club, we want to introduce the general public to all kinds of information about aviation and aerospace," says Lura Harding. "The Fairfield Airport is combining its annual open house with AirFest."
AirFest will cover the entire Fairfield Airport grounds. Exhibits will include space for the Girl Scouts to earn their aerospace badges as well as career pavilions, airplane rides, tandem skydiving provided by Sky Iowa (must be over 18, and a fee will be charged), and aviation displays, including a CH-47 Chinook helicopter provided by the Iowa Army National Guard of Davenport.
AirFest organizers have contacted everyone and anyone involved with aviation to participate. Over 35 groups and organizations wholeheartedly responded, including the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Young Eagles, who are donating their time, fuel, and planes to give free rides to kids aged 8 through 17 (with parental permission) during the day of AirFest. The famous 99's International Organization of Women Pilots will fly in from around the region to display their planes and talk about the pilot's life.
Several area colleges will participate in AirFest, including the Air Care Unit of the University of Iowa Hospitals, the University of Iowa Women in Science and Engineering, and Iowa State University's Food Service Department, which researches food processing and technology for space travel and habitation.
AirFest organizers expect over 1500 to attend the celebration of women in aviation and aerospace. Parking will be available near the airport and shuttles will be provided to the AirFest grounds.
"This is not only for the girl scouts," Harding says," but there will be something for everyone."
For more information about AirFest, contact Lura Harding at (641) 472-6895 or email lura@kuberaconsulting.com.
