Girls and young women were encouraged to have their head in the clouds by a group of women with a passion for flying.

Langley Regional Airport and the Canadian Museum of Flight were the locale for the region's first Women of Aviation Worldwide Week celebration on March 9.

The Ninety-Nines International Organization of Women Pilots BC Chapter organized the event, one of many taking place around the globe.

Women involved in aviation, mostly pilots, came from around the Lower Mainland to teach others about commercial and recreational flying.

Marcia Strang used the event as a reason to take up her 1946 Fleet Canuck for an early morning flight under perfect blue skies before spending the bulk of the day helping with the tours and teaching. Her Canadian built plane was also on display, with youngsters enjoying the opportunity to sit in the pilot's seat.

Strang, who works at the Vancouver International Airport in emergency planning, started flying as a teen.

"It's just so fun," she said about its appeal. "It's almost like a meditation. It's pure joy and focus."

The event was a chance for women and girls to see the different options within aviation, whether it's recreational flying, a commercial pilot's licence or working in one of the related businesses and services needed for people to fly.

The Langley airport has an average of 450 takeoffs and landings per day, most communicating with the air traffic control tower. People were given a rare opportunity to tour the tower on Saturday and see the work of the Nav Canada staff.

People are able to tour the museum and its collection of rare items.

Langley's airport has become home to a growing number of businesses that service the aviation industry. It's become particularly popular with helicopter services that work on aircraft from around the globe.

The airport is also home to two flight schools and the Canadian Museum of Flight, two restaurants and hangars and tarmac space for the many small aircraft that use the facilities.

hcolpitts@langleyadvance.com