“It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action,” said Honoré de Balzac.

The leadership, the friends, and the member-partners of the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide truly value the courage to act. Rewarding participants for their courage to act has been an inherent part of Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week since its infancy.

How can you reward the people who, selflessly, spend countless hours motivating volunteers, enticing supporters, and greeting girls and women at the airport with one sole goal in mind: empowering others? Our best answer is to empower them in return.

Our Event Organizer Contest is based on a simple point system that rewards various actions associated with organizing an event. More than about just rewarding flights, the contest rewards overall effectiveness (flights, volunteers, media coverage, number of girls/women enrolled in the First-to-Solo Challenge, etc.).

To reward the most outstanding event organizer in 2013, the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide will award $1,000 CAD towards training (flight or organizational skills) to the event organizer who earns the most points in the contest.

Learning to fly takes courage, work, and dedication. This life-transforming process is a challenge.

There is no doubt that the emotional impact of the first flight and the attractiveness of the activity are great motivators. However, as Honoré de Blazac said, there is a big difference between noticing how cool flying is and taking all the action steps required to earn the right to fly an aircraft solo.

Flying an aircraft solo is, in itself, one of the most emotionally-charged and rewarding experiences that life has to offer. However, that special moment when a new pilot is born is an occasion for the entire aviation community to rally in the celebration of a shared experience.

Big moments in life are often associated with ceremonies. Soloing is one of this BIG moments.

To celebrate the accomplishment of the first person from the 2013 class of Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week first time flyers to solo, we are offering the winner of the First-to-Solo Challenge a “cross-country ready” package worth $700, that includes a Sennheiser S1 Passive Headset, full WOAW week gear, and everything to handle the cross-country phase.

We wish good luck to all participants and are eager to give away these amazing prizes.