WILLIAMSBURG — A new children’s book set at the Waltrip Williamsburg Executive Airport will launch on Saturday, Sept. 20, in tandem with the airport’s 55th anniversary.
Children’s book author Saba Shahid, who focuses on writing children’s books around aviation, as well as introducing children, young adults, and women to the field at an early age, has been working with the airport in the leadup to Saturday’s Open House and Fly-in.
Shahid is also a pilot who started flying when her son was 18 months old. As he grew older, he began to question her about her job, which inspired her to write her first book, “My Mama is a Pilot.”
The airport, having read several of Shahid’s previous works, wanted to do something special to celebrate its anniversary. The result was “The Mystery of the Missing Windsock,” which takes readers through various areas of the airport while presenting a mystery for children: find the missing windsock. The story also features members of the Waltrip family, the author said.
“It’s a fun story that’s based out of Williamsburg Executive Airport, with the purpose: bring more visibility to the airport, bringing visibility to this special place in Virginia, and hopefully getting younger kids and families feeling comfortable with the airport environment,” Shahid explained.
“Out of the many general aviation airports that I’ve been to, it’s honestly so amazing the different programs that this little airport puts on for families and kids. When I heard their story and their mission, I was like, ‘wow, you know, this is really a special airport, and I want to see if I can write a book about this,'” she continued.
The Open House and ‘Fly-In’ event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Waltrip Williamsburg Executive Airport. Shahid will be available for signings as well as selling copies of the book. Part of the proceeds from book sales will go to the airport’s scholarship fund to help inspire pilots, and Shahid said she is looking forward to a fun weekend commemorating 55 years of success.
To learn more about the airport or Shahid, visit their official websites.
