One thing that surprises me is that "female pilots" should be an issue at all. The whole world was male dominated in all professions until WW2 changed everything, but even before that we had the likes of Amy Johnson, Amelia Earhart, Beryl Markham and co doing what most people wouldn't dream of doing these days without all the latest GPS technology. During WW2 the (often forgotten) Air Transport Auxiliary ladies were out there positioning the RAF fighter planes, which were often in a very sorry state of repair.
So nowadays there is no reason why women doing any job at all should surprise people.