Oklahoma City, USA – The much-anticipated Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day has been rescheduled for Friday, 12 December 2025, promising a major celebration of a century of aviation progress and the women who have shaped it.
The annual event, now in its ninth year, will be staged in a brand-new three-bay 737 hangar at Will Rogers International Airport in Oklahoma City. The venue, Hangar 4, sits within the AAR Corporation campus and represents a collaboration between JE Dunn, AAR Corporation, and the Oklahoma Aerospace Foundation.
Organisers describe the occasion as “an event for everyone” that will blend history, innovation and inspiration. This year’s headline speaker will be Amelia Rose Earhart, a celebrated pilot and motivational speaker who has become an icon for women in aviation.
“Get ready to shine as we celebrate a century of aviation history with style and elegance welcoming our celebrity keynote speaker, Amelia Rose Earhart to the ninth annual Oklahoma Women in Aviation & Aerospace Day,” organisers announced.
The event is expected to draw community leaders, educators, and aviation professionals from across the United States, alongside some of Oklahoma’s most promising aviation high school students. With hundreds set to attend, it is projected to be the largest gathering since the day was formally established.
Legacy of Leadership and Recognition
Past keynote speakers have included some of the most distinguished women in flight, among them Colonel Nicole Malachowski, Colonel Eileen Collins, Major Heather Penny, Wally Funk, and Rear Admiral Peg Klein. The event has also attracted prominent figures as emcees, such as Kellie Hudson, John Herrington, and Jake Rademacher.
The 2025 edition will also see a new partnership with The Ninety-Nines International, the pioneering women pilots’ organisation founded in 1929 by Amelia Earhart herself. The Ninety-Nines are headquartered in Oklahoma City and continue to promote opportunities for women in aviation worldwide.
“We will salute the girls of the flying generation, and every girl since, as we pay tribute to the remarkable legacy of Amelia Earhart and celebrate the grit and grace of the Golden Age of flight,” organisers said.
The celebration will also mark 100 years of aviation in Oklahoma, recognising the state’s deep historical connection to early flight. In the mid-1920s, Earhart landed at Hatbox Field in Muskogee, Oklahoma, an event that has become part of the state’s aviation lore.
“As The Ninety-Nines continue to inspire future generations, we are proud to join them in honoring this significant milestone in aviation history, especially as they approach their centennial in 2029,” the statement added.
Tickets for the December event are due to go on sale from 1 November 2025.
A Legacy Written into Law
The Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day was formally established through state legislation in 2017 when the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics introduced Senate Bill 230 to the state legislature. The bill was enacted to officially recognise the contributions of women in the state’s aviation and aerospace industry.
The day is observed annually on 9 December, commemorating the birthday of Pearl Carter Scott, a pioneering Chickasaw Nation aviator from Marlow, Oklahoma. Scott learned to fly at just 13 years old under the instruction of legendary aviator Wiley Post, becoming the youngest pilot in the United States when she completed her first solo flight on 12 September 1929. That same year, Amelia Earhart helped to establish the Ninety-Nines, cementing 1929 as a pivotal year in the advancement of women in flight.
Looking to the Future
As Oklahoma prepares to celebrate this milestone, the 2025 event aims to bridge the past and the future — highlighting a century of progress and inspiring the next generation of women in aviation and aerospace.
“Save the date as we salute the incredible contributions women have made to aviation in Oklahoma and the world, as we continue to propel our industry into the future,” organisers concluded.
The event underscores Oklahoma’s growing reputation as a hub for aerospace innovation and education, while paying homage to the pioneering women whose courage and achievements continue to lift the industry to new heights.
