And how is this "coterie" to be understood?
Annoyance could have been simply avoided by mentioning a "family" rather than a "brotherhood". "Guild" could have done too, but has some implication of professionalism.
Back to the original topic: yes, the bond is there. Has been equal to me with (the few) women in the club. And I do take it for no more than an unhappy coincidence that the one student pilot in the club who is never going to make it is female. Actually I only made it very marginally myself, and only after exhaustive application of patience and budget.
The bond is there. The very few that I found standing out from it were either medium-hours pilots wanting to show off, or a very few that were "incontournable" and wanted me to feel it. Seems to occur in some newly created instructors, and generally passes naturally, without doing great harm except to their own pride.
Of course it must be entirely by coincidence that I never observed either kind of behaviour in any female.
PS "gambit" is an unusual word too, but you might know it from studying/playing chess - another world where woman are rare, and for no apparent reason either.
post-edited PPSS :
Coterie - Wikipédia has some enlightenment, but not very recommendable, it seems to encompass both vices I mentioned.