Aviation Research

Dianna Stanger

Texas Well Represented in Women of Aviation Worldwide Week Awards

Dianna Stanger and Vanessa Molina prepare for a ride during the Fly It Forward Challenge at the South Texas International Airport.

Dianna Stanger and Vanessa Molina prepare for a ride during the Fly It Forward Challenge at the South Texas International Airport.

The Women of Aviation Worldwide Week was held on March 6-12 and the state of Texas can proudly boast three winners that helped to foster aviation awareness and help grow the number of women pilots.

Texas had two winners in the 2016 Most Dedicated Female Pilot Worldwide division, which is awarded to the registered female pilot who conducts the most reported flights (girls reporting divided by number of passenger seats) during the week. Dianna Stanger from Port Lavaca was the overall winner flying 574 girls during the week and Yasmina Platt from Houston was the first finalist.

The South Texas International Airport at Edinburg won the 2016 Most Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport Worldwide Award. This award was presented to the airport hosting one or more official activities that generate the most valid female first flight reports for the week, March 7-13, 2016.

The highly-successful Fly It Forward Challenge took place at the South Texas International Airport. The volunteer-based event was hosted by the airport and Calhoun Air Center, and was an opportunity to foster aviation awareness and help grow the number of women pilots.

The challenge invited pilots to introduce girls of all ages to flying with the goal of addressing the flight introduction gender gap and fostering gender balance in the industry. In addition to free rides, participants learned about the history of women in aviation, received information regarding necessary training and special scholarship opportunities.

The aim of Women of Aviation Worldwide Week is to help women feel welcome, valued and qualified to pursue aerospace based goals; to prepare female students through quality Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum and to expose girls to positive female role models.

“The WOAW initiative is one that I truly believe in and, after giving someone their first flight, it is one that each new passenger believes in,” said Calhoun Air Center Director Stanger. “Each year Calhoun Air Center tries to target a different location in order to make sure that those kids that are in different areas are able to experience the thrill I get each time I fly. It is one of the most remarkable weeks in terms of the volunteer time, flights given and lives touched.”

Air Race Championship Team Awards $2,500 Scholarship to Female Pilot

Yasmina Platt and Dianna Stanger.

Yasmina Platt (left) accepts the $2,500 scholarship from Dianna Stanger.

The Racing Aces, Dianna Stanger and Joyce Wilson who won the 2014 Air Race Classic, awarded a $2,500 scholarship on Saturday, May 16th at the Southeast TX Fly-In to Yasmina Platt, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) Regional Manager of the Central Southwest Region.

The purpose of the Racing Aces Aviation Aces Scholarship for women is to provide funds to further the recipient’s pursuit of a career in aviation. The Racing Aces seek to empower women to contribute to the future of aviation through access to education.

Yasmina was born in the beautiful Canary Islands, Spain. Raised in Zaragoza, she has called the United States home for over ten years. Since childhood, she dreamed of becoming a pilot. Platt is a commercial pilot with instrument, multi-engine land, single engine land and single engine sea ratings as well as a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFII and CFI). She enjoys teaching and sharing her love of flying with others. She especially likes to introduce flying to young people who, like her, have dreamed of becoming a pilot. Yasmina holds a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a M.S. in Transportation Planning and Management from Texas Southern University. She is also a Certified Member (C.M.) of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE).

Her passion and commitment for aviation is evident in the number of professional credentials that she holds as well as the number of awards she has obtained. Her focus is aviation safety, outreach, research, education, and the promotion and protection of aviation.

In addition to representing AOPA member interests with state and local government officials, she hopes to stimulate and encourage greater involvement among pilots and aviation enthusiasts.

Platt is also an Adjunct Aviation Professor at Utah Valley University (UVU) having taught classes in aviation logistics, private pilot flying, business aviation, and aviation management. She lives in Houston, TX with her husband Jared, an airline pilot and GA supporter.

“It’s very important for our team to award these scholarships,” said Stanger. “The female pilot population is very low — only 6 percent! We’re doing our best to pay it forward and promote aviation. Yasmina is an excellent role model for any girl wanting to learn to fly. She is always willing to volunteer her time when we host aviation events.”

The team has awarded $12,500 in scholarships since 2012.