ST:
Over the last four decades of my time flying for a living, I've noticed two things with regard to women flying for theirs.
1. Women can fly if they want to.
2. Most women don't want to.
Clare, Perhaps you would care to comment on this. Your good self and my wife must exceptions.
For the majority of my time in the Royal Air Force 'lady' pilots were not accepted. This was quite rightly addressed. When I flew for a large UK airline in the 90's we had no female pilots.
A certain Red Arrow female pilot did not help the cause. Now we have this well sponsored, well attached, amateur 'solo' pilot parading Royal Air Force wings not exactly helping either. As mentioned many times in this thread 'The Bird' who felt that she was denied the opportunity when younger would never have made the grade. Not even in officer selection let alone in pilot selection.
It is ladies of the calibre of Polly Vacher who should be held high as an example of what can be achieved by the 'fairer sex'. I had the unknown honour of taking her for a flight para dropping before the lady had even thought about taking up this airborne world of aviation. I was surprised that my 'skills' didn't put her off. Probably thought that she could do better. Well she has. Well done Ma'am.