Community Corner

'Girls Aviation Day,' Offering Free Plane Rides on Saturday

The third annual Girls Aviation Day at will be held Saturday, May 12, at Lakeville's Airlake Airport.

Just 6 percent of the nation's pilots are female, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

With that in mind, this Saturday, May 12, will be home to the third annual Girls Aviation Day, a day for local girls and women to get in touch with their inner aviator.

"I don't think many know the opportunities that are out there and available to (females)," said Kjersti Kittleson, one of the event's organizers.

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Kittleson, organizer of Minnesota 99's, a female pilot group that promotes educating females in achieving jobs in the aviation field, has been a flight instructor at Airlake Airport since 2007.

"(Girls Aviation Day) is just a day created to give young girls in the local community the opportunity to see what options there are in aviation," she said.

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The event starts at 9 a.m. at Airlake Airport's main building, located at 22100 Hamburg Ave. in Lakeville.

Females 8 years of age or older will be given free airplane rides, and attendees will also be offered guided tours of North Memorial's helicopter facility, various maintenence hangars around the airport, as well as airplane displays. Free gifts will also be given to participants.

Girls Aviation Day is sponsored by Aeroism Flight Academy and created in partnership with Minnesota 99's, EAA Chapter 25, and the Airlake Aero Flying Club.

Space for airplane rides is limited, Kittleson said, but if interested, people can RSVP by emailing kjerstiliv@gmail.com, or by calling (651) 769-7093. 


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