Check out our Flight plan page!
For new events that GIFT is participating or hosting check the Flight plan page....Have an event and want us to participate or announce email us!
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What we do!
We teach flying and who doesn't want that superpower! Wonder Woman had an invisible jet...and you know your a Wonder Woman in the making....still waiting on the delivery of the jets.
Girls in Flight Training GIFT week is once a year event that provides the opportunity for women in any phase of their flight training to come together to further motivate their aviation training. We saw a need to reach out to women interested in learning about flying or continuing that have felt either intimidated, fearful, frustrated and even the factor of being the only female in the room at a flight school. This week long clinic is to address these issues and further women in their aviation endeavors. Women pilots comprise of less than 6% of the pilot population and this percentage has held steady for the last 100 years. Our goal is to identify and to address the various issues that may be causing women to abandon flight training, and to assist them overcoming those obstacles. We hope to create a network of peers, mentors, role models, and instructors to encourage women of all ages to pursue their goals in aviation and to overcome the obstacles that interfere with their flight training. It is our end goal to have other flight schools create their own GIFT events across the country. While we can do little about universal issues like money and time, we can educate, and motivate more women to their goals. We do not provide scholarship funding, but we do help those with scholarships get the most training for their money. We also are for those women who may not pursue a license, but wish to overcome those fears without feeling patronized or belittled. There is no dumb question in our classroom.
Girls in Flight Training GIFT week is once a year event that provides the opportunity for women in any phase of their flight training to come together to further motivate their aviation training. We saw a need to reach out to women interested in learning about flying or continuing that have felt either intimidated, fearful, frustrated and even the factor of being the only female in the room at a flight school. This week long clinic is to address these issues and further women in their aviation endeavors. Women pilots comprise of less than 6% of the pilot population and this percentage has held steady for the last 100 years. Our goal is to identify and to address the various issues that may be causing women to abandon flight training, and to assist them overcoming those obstacles. We hope to create a network of peers, mentors, role models, and instructors to encourage women of all ages to pursue their goals in aviation and to overcome the obstacles that interfere with their flight training. It is our end goal to have other flight schools create their own GIFT events across the country. While we can do little about universal issues like money and time, we can educate, and motivate more women to their goals. We do not provide scholarship funding, but we do help those with scholarships get the most training for their money. We also are for those women who may not pursue a license, but wish to overcome those fears without feeling patronized or belittled. There is no dumb question in our classroom.
Who we are!
This clinic was conceived by Mary Latimer. Mary and her husband, Lawrence, serve as the head instructors of this academy, with her daughter Tamara Griffith and even granddaughter Amanda Griffith serving as instructors with other instructors also volunteering their time and knowledge. Check out our Meet The Staff page. We all instruct year round (Mary, Lawrence in Vernon, Tamara in Justin near DFW area, Amanda in Elk City) as well as have other flying or maintenance jobs we do. we held our first clinic in July of 2011. In 2013 we became an official 501.3c shortly after the success of the 2012 event.
We are not a formal academy. We are known for our part 61 style flight training, basically means we don't have strict syllabus or plan of action other than those requirements set by the FAA. We actually teach in the hangar surrounded by airplanes, white boards, and of course heaters and blankets and pillows. Feel free to bring you favorite chair cushion and dress in layers as we can never predict weather in texas and may have all ranges of temps in a day. the Flight line will be over at the airport main terminal and some of the advanced students may also be in that conference room for more focused ground school for their ratings. during the year most of the ground school will take place in the terminal. several porta potties will be placed around the training areas and fueling areas. again the ground school is not so rigid, so everyone takes a break when they need it, even go take a nap if need be. No attendance is taken, no demerits for being tardy, unless tardy for the flight line then might be just lose your place in line!
Gift Academy Inc. also all teaches year round at normal costs and the GIFT aircraft are also available year round in Vernon, Texas and Elk City, Oklahoma.
We are not a formal academy. We are known for our part 61 style flight training, basically means we don't have strict syllabus or plan of action other than those requirements set by the FAA. We actually teach in the hangar surrounded by airplanes, white boards, and of course heaters and blankets and pillows. Feel free to bring you favorite chair cushion and dress in layers as we can never predict weather in texas and may have all ranges of temps in a day. the Flight line will be over at the airport main terminal and some of the advanced students may also be in that conference room for more focused ground school for their ratings. during the year most of the ground school will take place in the terminal. several porta potties will be placed around the training areas and fueling areas. again the ground school is not so rigid, so everyone takes a break when they need it, even go take a nap if need be. No attendance is taken, no demerits for being tardy, unless tardy for the flight line then might be just lose your place in line!
Gift Academy Inc. also all teaches year round at normal costs and the GIFT aircraft are also available year round in Vernon, Texas and Elk City, Oklahoma.
What We Need
Wanted Instructors to volunteer their time for a day, two days or the whole event. NEED! sponsors for our airplanes that were recently donated to GIFT, to offset the costs for GIFT Girls who train in, insurance, maintenance, parts, a new or overhauled engine for a C172 (Continental engine) and even headsets and hangar space. Every sponsor and major donation will be placarded onto the aircraft. Donations of all sort are welcome, charts, testing supplies, fuel, aircraft, housing, food/catering/donations, etc.(charts do not need to be current for study/training purposes).
Even better is let us help your flight school or local airport host a GIFT weekend! We can come to you help with the ground instruction, coordination, using our non profit status can be a big help in getting donations from local business and FBO's. watch for our donate button to make donating easier soon! (every 5 dollars buys a gallon of gas for a participant $25 buys gas for an hour of flight in the C150)
Even better is let us help your flight school or local airport host a GIFT weekend! We can come to you help with the ground instruction, coordination, using our non profit status can be a big help in getting donations from local business and FBO's. watch for our donate button to make donating easier soon! (every 5 dollars buys a gallon of gas for a participant $25 buys gas for an hour of flight in the C150)
Gift Academy Inc. does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.
