Do you think flying is masculine?

[Toujours]

I am not being sexist and respect to the ladies and all but, honestly speaking, do you think flying is masculine?

[BerksFlyer]

It certainly is strage that the majority of pilots are male, though obviously passion for flight isn't confined to males.

To me, things I like about flying and aircraft certainly are masculine. But that's probably because I see them through my masculine eyes! I guess it depends on what your perception of flying is, and why you like it.

[Whirlygig]

In what context "masculine"? Macho? A male-oriented environment? A "nature-nurture" thing?

It could be construed that the very nature of the question is sexist; certainly the use of the term "ladies" is a tad patronising - try "women" instead.

I don't think it's "masculine" at all. Male-oriented, yes and I veer towards the "nature" rather than "nurture" viewpoint.

Cheers

Whirls

[G SXTY]

In a word, no. I'm not sure I'd want to fly with someone who regarded flying as masculine.

A flightdeck isn't a very good place for excess testosterone.

[nmcpilot]

It certainly isn't rly 'masculine'. It appears to be a more male dominated industry, just the way it is I suppose thats all I will say lol, treading on unsteady ground here :P

[HappyFran]

Can't think of a good reason why it should be male dominated.
I suspect it is mostly born out of its historical growth out of RAF.

Which of course is not sexist :eek::rolleyes:

[redsnail]

Oh I dunno, with words like "cock pit", "joy stick", "thrust", "route*", "flaps" it could be construed as masculine... However, what would I know. I'm just a girly. :E

"route the POL"

*route = root = shag in Australian vernacular.

[G SXTY]

Come now Reddo, we don't call it the 'cockpit' in these enlightened times.

It's the box office. ;)

[daria-ox]

Sometimes I thought it was a career just for men, but it's not. I'm a female and I absolutely love aviation and dreamed of becoming a pilot since I was about 5 year old. I couldn't wait to finish High school and college and start flying, now that it happened I'm really happy as my dream is coming true and that's all I ever wanted.

It's a fact that there's more man working in aviation industry than woman, but as someone has already said, it probably comes from RAF.

I don't think this is only for men.. any woman is free to become a pilot if she wants to :)

[Pace152]

I think in the past when Pilots had to pull on big control wheels attached to cables that moved big things around it was more important that you had a mans physical strength, but in this day and age with fly by wire controls etc even the women with their feeble muscles can do the job :eek:

Just Kidding!! ;)

[redsnail]

G-SXTY, yep that's exactly what it's called. And if the bloke FO doesn't like it, he can carry my bags. :E

[BerksFlyer]

any woman is free to become a pilot if she wants to

That's what I find interesting, clearly not as many women as men want to become pilots.

Would any of you female aviators care to speculate on why more women don't want to become pilots?

[redsnail]

* not interested
* generally not encouraged by parents/careers advisors
* can't be bothered spending so much money for such an uncertainty
* not children friendly
* not seen to be a nice thing to do if you want to attract a boyfriend

etc

[BerksFlyer]

Fair enough.

I've certainly never needed or had encouragement to fly inparticular from parents or career advisors. Females who look past all you've mentioned would do so because they have a passion, and passion doesn't need encouragement.

I can't help but feel most females would never consider a career as a pilot, but not be able to reason why. Of course, if they looked into it a lot of reasons against it would arise (money, not child friendly etc), but then again I don't think many females even look into it.

I suppose that's just the way it is though. At least there's nothing not personal (ie. discrimination) stopping females who want to do it nowadays. You've just got to want it enough, same goes for both sexes.

[christophe75]

From a purely technical point of view, I have found that women pilots that I know usually fly finer and more precise, and never satisified of themselves.

Aboard their aircraft, they are less prone to excess confidence in it than men...:ok:

Finally, they have physiological predispositions which enable them to cope better aerobatics, but in this field, men can do nothing for the match. :bored:

In brief, even if ladies are fewer than men in aviation, obviously flying is not masculine, and I think that men have lessons to receive from women but this is only my point of view.;)

[Jet22]

Not at all. It is more male dominated and i think that is due to the days when it was rare to fly and the majorty of pilots if not all were male aswell as women were Stay At Home Wifes. But in todays world with women wanting a career instead of a 'JOB' the rarety is dying down and i feel that at nearly everyairline in the UK there is at least 1 Female Pilot if not more.

[Deep and fast]

Perhaps all the girlie pilots can post thier pics we can judge if aviation is too masculine! :E

D and F :8