Santa Clara community celebrates aviation
Thousands of pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and community members flocked to Reid-Hillview of Santa Clara County Airport on September 23 for the annual Airport and Community Day at the California field.
Attendees were treated to blue skies and dozens of airplanes on display as well as airshows, entertainment, and access to educational and career information.
Airports like Reid-Hillview provide jobs to community members, but they also serve as jumping-off points for amazing economic prospects for young people. In July, Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook 2023–2042 forecast commercial aviation will need 649,000 pilots, 690,000 technicians, and 983,000 cabin crewmembers over the next 20 years. General aviation airports, like Reid-Hillview, are where every pilot first starts their journey in aviation. By providing education and outreach opportunities, the airport is investing in science, technology, engineering, and math futures for the community’s youth.
“It was amazing to see the outpouring of support by the community for their airport,” said Jared Yoshiki, AOPA Western Pacific regional manager. “The Reid-Hillview Airport and Community Day was a wonderful exhibition to our young, prospective aviators about the joys in aviation. Even parents saw the airport as a job center—a place where their kids would learn valuable skills to help them attain an excellent career to support their families.”
Students from the San Jose State University chapter of Women in Aviation International were celebrating International Girls in Aviation Day at the Airport and Community Day. Using flight simulators and model airplanes (as well as a couple of real airplanes) the students from SJSU hoped to inspire and draw attention to career possibilities in aviation.
Avery Lalor, president of the SJSU chapter of WAI, told KTVU, "Part of my goal to be a pilot, it's not only just because that's the career that I want, it's because I can be part of inspiring the next generation of aviators, especially young girls."
With women accounting for less than 10 percent of commercial pilots, organizations like WAI, and the airports such as Reid-Hillview where they are based, can help provide support for young people who are trying to pursue their passions in an industry where they are underrepresented.
Reid-Hillview is a treasured community airport with a robust community of pilots who hope to see it continue to inspire youth to pursue careers in aviation and STEM-related fields. However, the airport is also under threat, most recently by Santa Clara County, which owns and operates Reid-Hillview and San Martin airports. The county’s decision to discontinue the sale of leaded avgas from the field is a major safety concern for pilots, as an unleaded fleetwide solution is not yet widely available. AOPA is working tirelessly to thwart ongoing efforts by local elected officials who hope to see the airport close.
With pilots, community members, and more than 100 exhibitors ranging from high schools to local emergency services uniting for Airport and Community Day, AOPA hopes the county will realize that closing the airport would effectively be closing off economic opportunities for young people.
