Yeah, Sal, you got it. That's how it is. People will tell you to get used to it. Sometimes what they mean is that they'd rather you kept quiet about it. Well, you can if you like; nothing wrong with that. But I won't shut up just because people would like it better if I did; I speak as I find it. And a lot of people don't like me for it, but that's tough.
But let's be fair, not everyone's like that. And it's more the general public and near the beginning; the further you get, the less prejudice. Much much less in commercial aviation. Or so I've found; I don't know really yet, and as a helicopter pilot (mainly) I don't know about the airlines.
To add to what I said earlier, there are other reasons why there are "so few girls". Certainly when I was growing up it wouldn't have been something you even considered, and I suspect that hasn't changed much over the years. You have to consider it as a possibility. Even when I first went into a flying school, the idea of being a commercial pilot just didn't occur to me. I think I sort of felt like a young American female helicopter pilot I know, who said : "When I went for my demo ride (trial lesson) I thought only Gods and Superpeople became helicopter pilots. I said: 'You mean I can do this, ME?' "
But the longer I fly, the more I wonder if it isn't that women in our society are conditioned to think of others all the time, rather than what THEY want. Let's face it, you've got to be single minded to the point of absolute selfishness to get the dosh and do all the work and jump through all the hoops to be a commerciall pilot. Men are expected to do that sort of thing, and admired and encouraged for it. Women aren't.
So there you have it, as I see it - not even knowing the possibility, prejudice from the start, and no support. Jeez, it's pretty surprising that even 2% of commercial pilots are female, not that there aren't more.
But never mind; your aircraft doesn't care that you're female.
