Originally Posted by
Jackonicko
And he's right Aviator applies just as well to a female pilot as to a male one.
It does not, however, apply to someone who doesn't fly an aircraft (or crew it).
This is like calling a theatre usherette an 'actor', or a female NHS porter a surgeon. The gender of the term isn't an issue. The appropriateness and accuracy is.
With your logic, airmen applies just as well to female member of the RAF as it does for a male member. Language adapts and changes, I think it’s quite clear that this is the case for airmen. Additionally, it’s only the fact that people are lazy with their language that usher vs usherette is a thing.