NAS Pensacola, Fla. — (OBA) —   A popular annual event celebrating women in aviation is returning to the Florida Panhandle this fall. Women in Aviation International Gulf Coast Chapter and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation are hosting the fourth annual Girls in Aviation Gulf Coast 2026 at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. The event aims to connect young people with female role models across the aviation industry. Girls ages eight through 18 are invited to attend and explore career opportunities in flight, air traffic control, maintenance, manufacturing, and the U.S. Armed Forces.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026, with check-in beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Blue Angels Atrium. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Registration opened on August 17 and closes on October 7. The $5 registration fee per participant is non-refundable, and parents and guardians are not required to register.

Two featured speakers will highlight the event. Ashlee Leppert, a United States Coast Guard veteran, served as an avionics electrical technician and helicopter rescue flight crew member. Organizers describe her as a spirit-filled encourager passionate about inspiring others.

Special guest Emily Shelton is a Certified Flight Instructor with more than 1,300 flight hours. In August, she demonstrated extraordinary skill and composure when engine trouble forced her to land a Piper PA-28 on busy I-10 in Pensacola, safely avoiding traffic and an overhead highway sign, with no injuries.

Attendees can look forward to various hands-on STEM stations throughout the event, such as:

• Straw Rockets and Airplane Launches: Hands-on experiments exploring the fundamentals of aerodynamics.
• Simulator Flights: Flight simulators guided by female aviators, offering participants a taste of commanding an aircraft.

Information on local aviation education programs will also be available to those interested in pursuing careers in the field.

The event is held at the National Naval Aviation Museum, located at Naval Air Station Pensacola. Visitors 18 or older must present a valid REAL ID — identified by a star on the driver's license — or a U.S. Passport to enter the base. Visitors without a Department of Defense ID must enter through the West Gate on Blue Angel Parkway between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Registration is required for all participants ages 8 through 18. To register, visit the website: naval-aviation-museum-foundation.idloom.events/gulf-coast-girls-in-aviation-day2026.