SAFA Skysailor Magazine

6 SKY SAILOR May | June 2024 With approximately 10% of sports aviation pilots identifying as women in Australia, it’s fair to say that females are under-represented in air sports. Whilst this figure is slightly higher than it was a few years ago, there is clearly scope for increasing the recruitment and retention of women in our sport, which is what the Victorian Hang Gliding and Paragliding Asso- ciation (VHPA) plans to do. To address the lack of female pilots, a group from Victoria recently ran a ‘Get Me In The Air’ event at the popular coastal site of Spion Kop on the Great Ocean Road. Subsidised tandem flights were offered to women and non-binary individuals as part of a program of training and non-competitive events, that intends to provide a supportive environment to improve skills and confidence while also building a community. The first series of ‘Get Me In The Air’ focused on the west coast of Victoria and is for new pilots, PG2 and PG3, providing a clear pathway for entering and continuing in the sport. Planning for the event started several months before when event approval from the land manager was sought and funding provided by VHPA from grant money obtained for inclusivity activities. The event was advertised to groups of women who were already involved in outdoor sports such as surf clubs and the Melbourne Girls Outside group. The 18 places available were sold out within a couple of days, showing that there is definitely interest in sports avia- tion for women. Victorian club embracing diversity to create a truly inclusive sport by Julie Sheard and Courtney Johnson