Air Show Marketers and Book Marketers -- send me your press releases!

A few people send me press releases from time to time, which I post at this blog.

I've decided to expand the service (as part of my re-designing and expanding of the Winged Victory website) and put all press release info into an Aviation Event Calendar.

At the moment, it is just bare bones - I've got the months set out and just have to researach what's happening each month to fill it up! ; ) but I thought I'd get the word out now.

http://volcanoseven.com/YouFlyGirl/Calendar.html

I want to know about any event having to do with Aviation. Whether it's an actual Air Show, a Fly-in, a weekly or monthly talk for history enthusiasts, a guest speaker a museum, a book signing, even just the day a book is actually published, or a new aviation-type article offered for sale.

This is not a service just for women pilots - I want to cover the entire aviation world.

Indeed - any overseas folks who want to send me info - I will be more than happy to include it.

The calendar will comprise the whole year, so people will have to scroll down to the appropriate month to see what's going on. At the end of the complete year, I'll move that year down to the bottom of the page, as an archive, so that future researchers can see what happened in that particular year.

MY EMAIL: Nocturne_CVS@yahoo.com

The Lady and the Tiger...Moth -- Kindle Ebook

Some months ago I blogged here about my comic strip, The Lady and the Tiger...Moth. I'd produced 30 strips that introduce Shannon Scott, freelance journalist, and airplane pilot, who is given the opportunity to fly around the midwest USA for three months, attending airshows in a Tiger Moth.

I've converted this comic strip into an ebook (one panel per Kindle page), supplemented it with a prose story called A Tiger Among Eagles, and offer it for sale on the Kindle, for $4.99.

Amazon purchase page for The Lady and the Tiger...Moth

If you don't have a Kindle, never fear. You can download a Kindle emulator for FREE, for the PC, Mac, and various fancy phones.

So if you're interested in aviation fiction, please check it out.

November 3: Austin, TX: Hear a talk on Women in Aviation

Women in Aviation High Noon Talk
Wednesday, November 3, Noon
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, Austin, TX
inspired by the special exhibit Tango Alpha Charlie: Texas Aviation Celebration

Join Debra Winegarten, author of Katherine Stinson: The Flying Schoolgirl, for a conversation on the diverse opportunities that women have taken on in the field of aviation.

Free admission
http://www.thestoryoftexas.com/education/high_noon_talks.html

Be there or be square!

PR: Save the Day, Sweetwater Texas, Nov 13 - Meet a WASP

Run for the WASP – Nov. 13, 2010
Lace up your Nikes or tighten your Velcro for the first ever Run for the WASP 5K race/1.3 mile walk benefiting the National WASP WWII Museum. The starting gun will fire at 1:00 pm on Saturday, November 13th for participants in seven male and female categories.

Cost is $25 per person/$20 for students and military personnel. Cost on race day is $25 for any runner or walker.

Register here:

www.timingspecialist.com/register/index.php?event_id=1279306255

The Museum will be open for participants and their families as well as other visitors. Special guests will include active-duty Air Force pilots and a WASP, who will be available for autographs and pictures.

Watch for a fly-over by a WWII airplane at the start of the race.

Timing Specialists of Big Spring will provide expert timing. Awards for the overall male and female runner and the seven classes in ten year age groups will be given shortly after the race’s end.

Enjoy a flat and fast course around the Sweetwater Texas State Technical College (TSTC) campus or the walk from the Museum to the WASP wishing well, located on the TSTC campus.

Save the Day in Long Beach, CA: Flying Musicians: Landing at AOPA Summit 2010

Edited - aince I had been confused and thought this summit was going to be in Fort Worth, TX. But that's just where the Flying Musicians are located.!

Flying Musicians: Landing at AOPA Summit 2010
-- Live Performances at the AOPA Airportfest Stage Sponsored by Sennheiser–

The Flying Musicians Association, Inc. (FMA), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, will be featured during the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Aviation Summit on November 11-13, in Long Beach, California. With more than 410,000 members, AOPA is the largest civil aviation association in the world.

Members of The Flying Musicians will provide live music throughout the event on the AOPA Airportfest Stage, which is sponsored by Sennheiser and located at Long Beach Airport. Airportfest is free and open to the public, making it a great place to showcase members and inform the community!

FMA artists will perform Thursday, November 11 through Saturday, November 13 at 11a.m. and 12p.m. each day – see the detailed schedule online at http://www.FlyingMusicians.org.

List of performers:

RAVI; Bradley Leighton; Joe Ellis (Joe.e); Alex & Marti Whitmore; Suzanne Brindamour and Ian Blair Fries, MD.

The Flying Musicians have created an atmosphere where enthusiasts of both aviation and music can share their passions while enjoying a great aviation festival! Come and enjoy the spirit of aviation and music at the 2010 AOPA Aviation Summit: The Flying Musicians always welcome fellow musicians at informal jam sessions, which occur spontaneously, so bring your instrument(s) and enjoy the camaraderie.

PR: Claire Bear Aviation Books Win National Recognition

Two Named as “Best Book 2010” FinalistsAurora, Colorado – On October 26, 2010, USABookNews.com named two publications from Powder Puff Pilot as finalists of their Best Books 2010 Awards. Claire Bear’s First Solo was recognized in the Children's Picture Book: Softcover Fiction category, while Claire Bear Explains… What Pilots Fly placed as a finalist in the Children's Picture Book: Softcover Non‑Fiction category. Powder Puff Pilot is a Colorado-based publisher and web retailer that specializes in gear and accessories for women pilots.

Both award-winning titles, written by Sue Hughes and illustrated by Wang DaiYu of International Illustrators, comprise part of a three‑book series that feature Claire Bear, a pink‑clad, aerobatic pilot and mentor to aspiring aviators. Hughes uses lyrical rhymes and colorful, whimsical illustrations to ignite an interest in aviation among the 3 to 7-year-old set, especially girls. “I consider this series as ground school for preschoolers,” said Hughes, “It’s never too soon to start pilot training!”

Hughes, an aviation technical writer and flight instructor, published her first children’s book in 2008. “I put a female bear in the cockpit so that girls could picture themselves as pilots,” she explained. In her initial offering, Claire Bear Presents… The Pilot Alphabet, the aviatrix bear teaches aspiring pilots about Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, and the rest of the phonetic alphabet that pilots use to communicate over the radio. It was a Best Books 2009 finalist.

In Claire Bear’s First Solo, the second in the Claire Bear series and one of this year’s award finalists, the cuddly heroine reminisces about the first time she flew by herself, a milestone that every pilot vividly remembers. While flying the pattern, she introduces youngsters to aviation terms such as “throttle,” “centerline,” and “downwind.” The third book in the series, Claire Bear Explains… What Pilots Fly, debuted in July. In it, Claire presents the different types of aircraft and missions that pilots fly—from gliders and hot air balloons to medevac and jet fighters.

Jeffrey Keen, president and CEO of USABookNews.com, said this year’s contest yielded an unprecedented number of entries, which were narrowed down to some 500 winners and finalists. “The 2010 results represent a phenomenal mix of books from a wide array of publishers throughout the United States,” he said. Powder Puff Pilot, an independent publisher located near Denver, competed against industry giants such as Simon & Schuster, Penguin/Putnum, and McGraw‑Hill as well as hundreds of other independent houses. This is the eighth year for the awards, presented for titles published in 2010 and late 2009.

Aviation Career Opportunities” Nov. 12

From AOPA's website:
Women’s Wing offers inspiration, connections
From early pioneers to current industry leaders and innovators, the Women’s Wing at AOPA Aviation Summit will shine a spotlight on women in aviation.

Attendees will have a chance to find out more about women who flew military aircraft during World War II and those who now hold positions at cutting-edge companies and at the top of their field. This year’s offerings include daily mini-forums, chances to fly a full-motion flight simulator, “behind the scenes” movie presentations, daily prize drawings, and more.

AOPA launched Women’s Wing at AOPA Aviation Summit 2009 in a forum room. Based on positive feedback, this year it will be on the exhibit hall floor at the convention center. Attendees can stop by to Booth #217 to “get answers, get connected, and get inspired”—and experience a full-motion simulator flight in a Redbird FMX, sponsored by Redbird Flight Simulations and King Schools.

The wing, Hosted by Women in Aviation, International, includes events every day. On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, meet Women Airforce Service Pilot Bee Haydu, one of the women who paved the way for future female military pilots, in “Women in Aviation History” at 1:15 p.m. and at a book signing at 1:45 p.m.

In the evening, Haydu and Air Force Maj. Samantha Weeks, the second woman to fly in the elite Thunderbirds demonstration team, will join industry leaders in downtown Long Beach for the “Women Leaders in Aviation” dine-around dinner. Women in Aviation, International President Dr. Peggy Chabrian, U.S. National Aerobatic Champion Patty Wagstaff, and Terrafugia Chief Operating Officer and co-founder Anna Mracek Dietrich are also featured guests at the dinner; seats are limited, and tickets are available for purchase online through Oct. 29. Those five notable women will also share their stories in a forum Friday, Nov. 12, at 10 a.m., in Room #204 in the convention center; and attendees can find Wagstaff in the exhibit hall for an autograph session Saturday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m.

To give many women pilots a chance to connect with one another, Women in Aviation, International, is again hosting its Connect Breakfast Nov. 12 at 7:30 a.m. in the Royal Salon on the Main Promenade Level of the Queen Mary. Tickets are available for purchase through WAI at 937/839-4647.

New to Women’s Wing are “behind the scenes” movie presentations each day, which kick off with a presentation about “Pearl” Nov. 11 at noon. Pearl Carter Scott was awarded a pilot certificate in 1928 at the age of 13. On Nov. 12, attendees will have a look behind the scenes of the documentary “Flyabout,” which looks at writer, director, and producer Monika Petrillo’s trip to circumnavigate the continent of Australia in an airborne version of the Aboriginal spiritual journey, the “walkabout.” The aviation adventures continue Nov. 13 with a presentation on “The Legend of Pancho Barnes.” Florence "Pancho" Barnes was a rival of Amelia Earhart's who became Hollywood's first female stunt pilot.

For those looking into aviation careers or just thinking about flying, Women’s Wing will provide the miniforums “Aviation Career Opportunities” Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. and “Everything You Wanted to Know about Learning to Fly but were Afraid to Ask” Nov. 13 at 1:15 p.m., both hosted by Chabrian. Find out more about the events at Women’s Wing during AOPA Aviation Summit online.—AOPA ePublishing staff

PR: Texas Youth Invited to Celebrate Aviation History, Shuttle Launch

Ceremony and activities planned at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum Nov. 1

AUSTIN, TX, October 26, 2010 – Texas-area students are invited to a day celebrating space exploration at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Monday, November 1, the Museum will host educational activities, a film screening in the IMAX® Theatre, a public unveiling ceremony for an out-of-this-world souvenir, and a viewing party for the final launch of the Discovery Space Shuttle. The day of activities is FREE to invited student groups.



On November 1, from 1 – 3:30 p.m., students of all grades can participate in educational activities presented by the Museum's Education Department, Capital BEST Robotics and GirlStart. Activities include interactive robotics and hands-on science demonstrations. Students will also receive FREE admission to the Museum's permanent exhibits and the temporary special exhibition Tango Alpha Charlie: Texas Aviation Celebration. In addition, school groups can enjoy a FREEscreening of Hubble 3D, the seventh awe-inspiring film from the award-winning IMAX Space Team.


The celebration will kick off with the 1 p.m. unveiling ceremony of an Expedition 20 flight coin, gifted to the Museum by NASA Astronaut Colonel Timothy Kopra—a native Texan—after his summer 2009 expedition to the International Space Station. The gift commemorates Austin's first-ever live downlink from the International Space Station to the Museum's IMAX Theatre in August 2009, when Col. Kopra addressed some 300 students and answered questions about science and life in space. The Museum has
permanently installed the flight coin in the colorful terrazzo floor of the building's Rotunda; look for it embedded in the night sky of the campfire scene. Col. Kopra, an Austin native, will introduce the unveiling via a special pre-recorded video message.

The day will culminate with a live viewing of the launch of the Discovery Space Shuttle (STS-133), with Colonel Timothy Kopra on board, at 3:40 p.m., pending no delays in the launch schedule. The day's activities will still take place even if the shuttle does not launch on schedule.


ABOUT THE BOB BULLOCK TEXAS STATE HISTORY MUSEUM
The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in downtown Austin, Texas, tells the Story of Texas with three floors of interactive exhibits, the special effects show. The Star of Destiny. in the Texas Spirit Theater, and Austin’s only IMAX® Theatre featuring the signature large-format film .Texas: The Big Picture.. The Education Department brings the Museum to life through engaging, fun, and educational programming for a wide variety of audiences. The Museum also has a Cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and a Museum Store with something for the Texan in everyone. The driving force behind the creation of the Texas State History Museum was former Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock. The Museum is a division of the State Preservation Board.

Movie: Almost Mercury -- The Story of Jerrie Cobb

http://almostmercury.com/
Jerrie Cobb was one of the Mercury 13, and perhaps the most accomplished of those 13 women who strove to become astronauts during the early 1960s. (13 women took the same tests as the male astronaut candidates did - over the course of many months, however, not all at once - and several of them scored better than the men did. But when the rules were changed so that only jet pilots could become astronauts, the women were left out in the cold.)

The movie is in the works, but appears to cover the entire Mercury 13 program, with the emphasis on Jerrie Cobb's story. (The women did not arrive to be tested as a group, as the men did.)

A sample post from the Almost Mercury blog:

Finding Jerrie…
Posted on September 1, 2010 by Mary
Some say that casting is where the movie is really made, practically 100%. And in the lead role especially. Now as a director who slaves over every choice of color palette in the production design thru color timing of the final not to mention a million other tiny details I like to think a little more goes into it… but in some ways those who say this are right. Finding the right actress for a lead is as central as the script, the idea, who is directing, really there is no more important moment.

Some directors might choose to not blog or share anything about a casting process because there is such a fear or concern about doing/saying the wrong thing. I guess I think differently and I like to hope that the more I share of myself and my process the better chance the right people will read and see who I am, how I approach things and the right people will gravitate to this film. “Right” meaning like minded collaborators, people with a passion for the work and people who either think similarly or are a good compliment to our approach. Also knowing what a closed field film at the higher levels is, I think many budding filmmakers can learn from this process.

Sometimes you long for the old days starting out in theater or short films when you just picked up the phone, had a great idea and called actor friends you know and they looked to see if they liked your idea and were free and viola, instant casting! Everybody was so excited! I have to wonder if at the highest level with very well known directors and actors who all know each other this may still happen again. But with high powered careers and money in play and cosmetic contracts and comic book characters that pay many millions and establish franchises that support oodles of people this model sort of falls by the wayside. Instead actors may have a lot to lose picking the “wrong” project, either in time, money or momentum. Similarly a film must consider not just who seems to be the very best actor but also who is “bankable” and who can lead the film into good financial support.

While I understand and navigate those concerns, gosh darn, I just can’t help but secretly hope that at it’s essence it still really is just and artist to artist response… that a screenplay is read and evaluated at the other end and finally reaches a person who loves film, wants to make meaningful films and know in their soul when they read a part they would be perfect for and want to give that effort their all.

Of course if I am hoping for this on the other end of this equation I must myself provide the complimentary part of this equation… take on projects I am deeply committed to, listen to financial concerns but know when to move in instinct and convictions. And at heart to take cues from the material and story itself… because Jerrie Cobb lived her life with a certain integrity.

Finding Jerrie… a complicated dance that at it’s essence might really be so simple. May these next weeks and months lead us to just the right person for this role.

The "Mercury 13"

Myrtle Cagle
Geraldyn "Jerrie" Cobb
Jan & Marion Dietrich
Janey Hart
Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen
Jean Hixson
Wally Funk
Irene Leverton
Sarah Lee Gorelick Ratley
Bernice "Bea" Steadman
Geraldine "Jerri" Sloan Truhill
Rhea Allison Woltman

17 Oct, 2010: FIRST FEMALE PILOT FOR ETHIOPIAN TAKES TO THE SKIES

Aviation News: FIRST FEMALE PILOT FOR ETHIOPIAN TAKES TO THE SKIES

Ethiopian Airlines celebrated the maiden flight of its female Captain Amsale Gualu Endegnanew. Captain Amsale proudly took off her first flight from the left hand seat of the flight deck of a Q-400 aircraft from Addis Ababa to Gondar then to Axum and finally returned back to Addis Ababa after a total of 3.6 flight hours.

Amsale joined Ethiopian Airlines Pilot Training School on July 10, 2000 and started her career as first officer on November 26, 2002. Since then, she has trained and worked on Fokker-50, 757 and 767 aircraft as first officer. Captain Amsale has been able to complete successfully all the necessary training requirements and passed through rigorous checks to gain her four stripes. She has a total of 4475 flight hours under her belt when she becomes the commander-in-chief of her flight.

Ato Tewolde G. Mariam, designate chief executive officer of the airline, families and friends of Captain Amsale warmly welcomed her at the Addis Ababa International Airport on her return flight from Axum. During the occasion, Ato Tewolde said: “We congratulate Captain Amsale on her outstanding achievement. Captain Amsale deserves the recognition as she has demonstrated tremendous dedication to reach the pinnacle.”

In her brief statement to the audience of staff, friends and family members Amsale said: “It is a great privilege to become the first female captain of the national carrier. I have been trained and passed through various ladders at Ethiopian Airlines. The company has been very supportive of my efforts to realize my vision of becoming a captain.”

Congratulating Captain Amsale on the occasion, Wzo Elizabeth Getachew, senior vice president human resource management and the highest ranking female executive in the airline said: “Captain Amsale’s success is a great achievement on her part and it is also an achievement for the airline. It is my hope that other females will be inspired by her success and Ethiopian will see more female candidates in the near future.”

Ethiopian currently has four female pilots working as first officers.

WASP Musuem, Avenger Field, Sweetwater, TX

I visited the WASP museum today. I have much to say about it, but for tonight will just share a handful of photos.


Hangar One, Avenger Field. Fifinella in the center, above the three wide doors. The black plaque near the smaller, entrance door features the WASP wings - with the diamond in the center.


Hangar One from Avenger Field Road. Continue on this road to what is now Avenger field, adjacent to a technical college.



Avenger Field - an FOB that honors the WASP. This field is adjacent to the technical college. Within the building is a few notes about the WASP, but it's an actual, working airport for general aviation.


Surviving WASP who have visited the museum have left their handprints and signature in cement. This is "Deanie" Parrish. These are all within the museum.


WASP gazing toward the sky. In the distance, gigantic poster of Nancy Harkness Love. To the right, a Link trainer. To the left, flags from each of the states where a WASP was born. You can kind of see a line of photos of the WASP and brief bios underneath the flags. These run all along the walls.


Facing the other way, gigantic poster of Jacqueline Cochran. To the right, you can see the benches in front of a large TV screen which runs a 10 - 15 minute film about the WASP. To the right, beneath the flags, the white space that you can't really see are large placards giving the timeline of the WASP.

RUTH ELDER PHOTO TO BE ADDED

french paper caption attached to back of photo) Une photo montrant les appareils de sauvetage qu'équipaient l'Américan Girl en cas d'amerrissage forcé.
Des combinaisons en caoutchouc, rembourrées de laine.
Voici Miss Ruth Elder et le Cap. Haldeman essayant ces appareils la veille de leur départ.

Take your kids to a Halloween party at the IWASM

Halloween at IWASM- Fri. Oct. 29, 6-8 pm


Join them for Halloween fun at their second annual IWASM Kids Club Halloween Party! This year's party is packed with fun. Explore the Aviation Education Center, fly the Wright Glider Simulator, listen to spooky stories, trick-or-treat through the museum & more. Cost for the event is $5 per child (parents are free!) and includes pizza, drinks, candy and all activities. For reservations contact Michelle Epps, Education Manager at (216) 623-1111
or mepps@iwasm.org.

Don't miss this spooktacular party!

Joan L. Hrubec Aviation Education Center opens October 8, 2010

Joan L. Hrubec Aviation Education Center

It's been a busy summer at the Joan L. Hrubec Aviation Education Center and it hasn't officially opened yet!

Thanks to a grant from the Wolf Aviation Fund, IWASM hosted students for a variety of classes during the summer. Their aviation history class introduced children to the science of flight and included time in the Wright Glider simulator as well as fun with paper airplanes. Living & Working in Space gave students the chance to make rockets and they learned about life on the International Space Station.

And in their Careers in Aviation & Space class, participants learned about marshalling airplanes and met the Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting Team at Burke Lakefront Airport (where the IWASM is located). More classes will be rolled out in October.

They will be officially dedicating the center on Friday, October 8 from 6:00-8:00 pm. All are welcome to attend and enjoy the completed center for the first time!

Ruth Elder Gallery - Ruth in 1927

Ruth Elder, October-1927.

When Charles Lindbergh made his crossing from New York to Pairs, Ruth Elder was 23 years old, and making her living as an actress. Inspired by Lindbergh, she decided she wanted to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.

She had a handful of competitors. She herself knew how to fly, but had not yet acquired a pilot's license.

She aquired a Stinson "Detroiter" airplane, which she named "American Girl". Sge cgise a co-pilot, George Halderman, who flew the plane on take off from Roosevelt Field, Long Island.

Elder said, "On October 11, 1927 in spite of bad weather, we took off. The American Girl carried 520 gallons of fuel, enough for 48 hours of flying time." Lindbergh made the flight in 21 hours, 40 minutes, so Elder believed the American Girl would make it even if they ran into worse weather conditions.

The American Girl flew for 28 hours through storms during most of the trip over the Atlantic. Unfortunately, a severe oil leak forced them to ditch into the ocean. Since the plane's course had been charted near the active shipping lanes, a Dutch oil tanker soon came across them.

They received a tumultuous welcome in Paris, and again in New York.

Elder continued flying and in 1929, she came in fifth in the first Women's Air Derby (more famously known as the Powder Puff Derby). She then retired from aviation and went on to become a successful Hollywood actress. She was married 6 times.