Women Take Flight at the New England Air Museum

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The New England Air Museum will hold its annual event, Women Take Flight, on Saturday, March 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum’s family friendly celebration of women in aerospace features hands-on activities, flight simulators, open cockpit experiences in historic aircraft, lectures, and opportunities to meet local women in the aerospace industry. 

This year’s event features keynote speaker Carolyn Begnoche, Senior Engineer, Product Definition, Power and Controls at Collins Aerospace. A graduate of CCSU’s Industrial Engineering program, Begnoche has served as Chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Hartford Section since 2019. As one of only twelve girls in her technical high school’s graduating class, Begnoche is passionate about inspiring young women to pursue careers in aerospace. She will be welcomed by Colleen D’Alessandro, the New England Region Regional Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. D’Alessandro serves as the senior agency official in the New England region providing cross-functional oversight and leadership for the FAA Administrator and coordination across lines of business to include Aviation Safety (AVS), Airports (ARP) and Air Traffic Organization (ATO). Lectures will be held at 11am and 1pm, with public meet and greets at 12:00-12:30pm and 2:30-3:00pm.  

Women Take Flight will also give visitors the opportunity to meet women pilots, engineers, and aerospace professionals from the 103rd Airlift Wing Connecticut Air National Guard, 377th Airlift, Squadron & 439th Airlift Wing of Westover, Bombardier Hartford Service Center, Collins Aerospace, Connecticut Army National Guard 1-169 Aviation, Connecticut Aviation Administration (CAA), Connecticut Soaring Association, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 166, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Horst Engineering, Kaman Corporation, New England Section of the 99’s, Pratt & Whitney Women’s Council, Society of Women Engineers Hartford Section, TAC Air Bradley International Airport, Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics – WPI Chapter, and the Women in Aviation International – Connecticut Chapter. 

This event includes hands-on STEM activities, scavenger hunts, flight simulators, and open cockpit experiences in historic aircraft including the Lockheed 10-A Electra, the same model aircraft Amelia Earhart flew during her attempted around the world flight in 1937. The museum’s full motion Redbird flight simulator will be open for flights throughout the day. Redbird flight tickets are $25 each for a 20-minute flight and can be purchase onsite. Food and beverage will be available for purchase by North Elm Butcher’s Block. Women Take Flight is supported in part by Signature Flight Support. 

Unless otherwise noted, all events are included with museum admission. Admission is $18 for ages 15 and up, $15 for ages 65 and up, and $10 for youth ages 4-14. New England Air Museum members and children under 3 are free.

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