Chicago's Leading Edge Chapter

Hello Chicago’s Leading Edge Chapter,

Unfortunately, the Monday, May 7^th meeting is cancelled.  Sadly, a Lewis University flight student was killed in a traffic accident on Friday afternoon.  I learned early this afternoon that the visitation is scheduled for this evening.  Anyone who is interested in attending the visitation for freshman, John Waksmundzki, services for John are as follows:

Visitation: Monday, May 7, 2012, 3:00pm to 9:00pm at Damar-Kaminski Funeral Home & Crematorium, 7861 S. 88^th Avenue, Justice.  Phone:  708-496-0200

 Funeral:  Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 9:00am prayers to begin from the funeral home to Saint Fabian Church, 85rd & Oketo Avenue, Bridgeview, IL for 10:00am Mass.  Interment to follow at Resurrection Cemetery, Justice, IL.

Thank you,

Megan Montgomery

President

Chicago’s Leading Edge

Connect ~ Inspire ~ Empower

Our Next Chapter meeting will be on Monday, May 7th at 6:30PM at Lewis University in Romeoville.  We we be discussing our Sky’s the Limit: Interactive Aviation Camp outreach event. Specifically what we did well and should build on next year as well as what we can improve on.

Thank you very much to everyone for all their help and support through the planning process and the event itself.  I was very impressed by at the amount of time and effort that everyone donated and I know that the girls involved had a wonderful time.  Hopefully we were able to encourage and inspire some young people to select careers in the aviation industry!

Please join Chicago’s Leading Edge Chapter for our Sky’s the Limit: Interactive Aviation Camp for women!  High school age women are invited to explore all of the exciting possibilities available in the field of aviation.  Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Fly a flight simulator
• Pre-flight a Cessna 172
• Learn about aerodynamics
• Try the new air traffic control simulation
• Experience the excitement of air racing

Date:  Saturday, April 28, 2012

Time:  8:30AM-2:00PM

Location:  Lewis University, Romeoville at the Harold E. White Aviation Center

Women in Aviation, International is dedicated to the advancement and encouragement of women in the field of aviation.  Chicago’s Leading Edge is hosting this educational outreach event in hopes of inspiring young high school females to develop an interest in aviation.  This event is sponsored and supported by Lewis University.

There is no cost to participants!  RSVP to outreach@chicagosleadingedge.org no later than April 20th. 

Chapter members, if you’d like to volunteer for the event, contact volunteer coordinator, Megan Montgomery at chicagosleadingedge@gmail.com.

Please see our Outreach page for frequently asked questions about the event!

The April chapter meeting will be focused on planning for our Saturday, April 28th outreach event entitled, “The Sky’s the Limit: First Annual Aviation Camp.”  This is a great opportunity for us to give back as a chapter and help expose high school age girls in the Chicago area to aviation.  Volunteers are needed for this event!  If you are able to volunteer, please contact our outreach chair, Jen Alicz at outreach@chicagosleadingedge.org.

The meeting will take place on Monday, April 2nd at 6:30PM at Lewis University in the Harold E. White Aviation Center, Flight Planning Room.  We hope to see you at the meeting!

The 23rd Annual International Women in Aviation Conference will be held from Thursday, March 8 through Saturday, March 10, 2012, in Dallas, Texas, USA. This year’s Conference will take place at the Hilton Anatole.  Participants in the 2012 WAI Conference will be immersed in the tactics and strategies necessary for successful aviation careers. More than 3,000 women and men from all segments of the aviation industry are expected to attend.  This is the perfect conference to network, learn about the latest industry
trends, hear top-notch speakers, find that perfect job, enjoy an extensive exhibit hall and so much more.

We have several chapter members attending the event.  If you’d like to join the group or meet up at the conference, email www.chicagosleadingedge.com for more information.

Due to the March Conference, there is no March membership meeting!

This year’s 2012 Future’s Unlimited, chapter sponsored scholarship went to a very deserving recipient, Nicole Ruggerio.  She is a driven and talented individual who will represent our chapter wonderfully at this year’s Women in Aviation Conference in Dallas, TX.  She was awarded the $750 scholarship intended to cover travel expenses as a result of all of our membership’s generous support.  Please continue to donate on the behalf of next year’s applicants as we are always looking to increase the amount of scholarships that we are able to give out.  Thank you very much for your hard work Nicole!

The February chapter meeting will be held at Lewis University in Romeoville at 6:30PM and will include a presentation by chapter members Pam Brophy and Pat Tiner on their time as Air Traffic Controllers at Aurora Airport.  These two woman are great examples of leaders in the aviation industry.  Join us as we listen to their presentation, especially if you are interested in the field of air traffic control.  For directions to Lewis University, click here.

A crew of African American pilots in the Tuskegee training program, having faced segregation while kept mostly on the ground during World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.  Join Chicago’s Leading Edge Chapter as we watch this epic story unfold at AMC Hodgkins Theater at 11:15 am on Sunday, January 22nd.  For directions, click here.

Our January meeting will be held at Air Classics Museum at Aurora Airport.  Join us on January 9th, 2012 at 6:30PM as we plan our Women in Aviation display for the museum’s open house in summer 2012.  We currently have a temporary exhibit on display and will use this meeting to create a more permanent display.  This is an opportunity for us to create something that will be enjoyed by museum visitors for years to come.  For directions to Air Classics Museum, click here.  To donate or for more information about the museum, visit their website at www.airclassicsmuseum.org.

 This year’s Holiday Party will be held at Maggiano’s Little Italy at Oakbrook Center and will be followed by a little holiday shopping.  As in previous years we will collect an aviation related toy from each attendee and donate to a Chicago area charity.  Additionally, we will have an ornament exchange, so bring an aviation related ornament and take a new one home!  It will cost approximately $25 per person and includes lunch.  There are only 24 spots available and they will go first come first serve.  Contract Megan Montgomery at chicagosleadingedge@gmail.com if you are interested in attending.