The League of extraordinary Gentlewomen
The story could have been from an Indiana Jones movie script: 1950s Papua New Guinea, fuel starvation, a forced landing into rugged terrain, tribal leaders, cigarettes, rum, and a gun. Oh, and vegetables.
At the 2016 Australian Women Pilots’ Association (AWPA) Annual Conference and AGM in Victor Harbor, SA, a quietly-spoken 87-year-old member stood up and told her story. At the end of an extraordinary speech that left the crowd visibly stunned, not a backside remained on a seat. The 180-strong audience rose simultaneously and applauded until their hands were sore.
Her story was amazing, utterly amazing. The humble delivery, the ordinary manner in which it had been told, simply served to underscore the great adventure of it all.
Which is what you find about AWPA members; seemingly ordinary women getting on with the job of doing extraordinary things. And that means focusing on the association’s aims, notably unchanged from the original objectives: to foster close relationships and unity among women pilots; assist women to undertake flying in Australia and elsewhere; develop public interest in aviation, especially among women; and assist generally in the development of aviation.
The association’s aims may not have changed, but in 2022 the member demographic, ethos, and activities are anything but 1950s. An increasingly professional membership, from a broader range of available aviation activities,
