I cannot deny that gender as well as family have kept me from a lucrative career in aviation.
Could you explain how?
I see a fair number of women airline pilots. I am sure there would have been straight discrimination decades ago, and widespread too, but that is then and now we are in 2011.
Aviation is not a lucrative career. Sure you can make 50k or even 100k after some years but that is just a well paid steady job which can be used to pay for a house in the country, a horse, a 4x4, maybe 2 kids in private schooling, but what have you got to show for all that in the end? Sod all. Just a load of stress, and writing cheques all the time. Been there, done that. And I see it all the time where I live (Sussex). You haven't missed anything, and IMHO had a much more interesting life than as an airline pilot. You did well to get rid of your husband nice and early, too.
Men do not have to choose between having children or becoming pilots, they can do both because they have the money and the time
That is true only for an exceptionally successful yet shrewd and well organised businessman, and they are very rare. The only people I know who have both are
retired businessmen who sold up businesses for some millions, allowing them to retire with plenty of money and time. They are not exactly common, and all are in their 60s, having basically knackered themselves. I don't think their life expectancy is all that great.
Below that level of success, men face a sharp money v. time tradeoff.
Also great many male pilots give up flying once the "sprogs" start dropping. The wife implements a clampdown on "dangerous activities incompatible with a family man", and the bank balance takes care of the rest.