Female pilots - how often?

[natedog74]

Just out of curiosity- how often do you handle a heavy with female voice on radio, say per 1,000 flights?
How has it been changing over past years (decades)?
Ever happens with a foreign (non-US) carrier? How about Non-European?

[FWA NATCA]

Nate,

The majority of women pilots that I encounter are flying Regional Jets, DC-9's, and B727's, and the occasional B757.

Mike

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Out here in the Middle East, I've noticed quite a few Yank Military Babes (with very sexy voices!, but that doesn't mean I don't respect them any less than the guys as pilots;) ) flying the KC135's and the C130's. Also have found there are quite a few indian female pilots getting around.

Can't count to a thousand sorry mate, so lets just say that I'd estimate over here (where 9 out of 10 of our aircraft are 767's or bigger), 1 in 25 would be a female speaking pilot. Thats a real rough guesstimate, but I think that would be about the realiity.

[Jerricho]

Can't put an exact number "per thousand", but you get loads in LHR. BA, QANTAS, Air India, United, American.....loads of them.

[**777lover**]

Hi,

With my airband radio i hear a lot of women pilots talking to the LHR director although they are mostly BMI, Virgin and BA. But you do get the occasional American or Asian. About 5% of the aircraft that i listen to are women but this is only a guess. Would the people on the radio at this time be the F/o because of the approach to the runway?

Hope that helps
Thanks

Dave;)

[ETOPS]

BA employ so many female pilots that is has ceased to be a topic of note. The rostering frequently throws together all female flight crew both on the 747 and the 777. That does however lead to some adverse reaction at stations such as JED and RUH.....

[250 kts]

More a "box office" than a flight deck then????????;) ;)

[West Coast]

Another unmanned plane.....

[radar707]

Last all female crew I dealt with was about 18 months ago flying an E145 into EGPF on a VOR/DME approach, they cocked it up big time and ended up very close to the hills north of the airfield, but managed to recover it to a visual just seconds before I was going to send them around.

Having said that, I would say that female pilots are no different to male pilots in their abilities to fly the aircraft. They do however have an uncanny way of persuading us lowly male controllers into giving them a little bit of leeway (especially a certain orange tailed 737 pilot (I believe a captain), and a big airways 319 FO)

I've only ever met 2 female pilots, the first was on a BMA (As was) 737 out of EGLL to EGCC, she was great, lots of fun and very knowledgeable, and the other was a BA 742 FO out of EGLL to KSEA, she was great loads of fun, in fact the most fun I've had or are now ever likely to have on a flight deck was that flight, Australian Captain, Female FO and FE close to retirement. Plus great fun down the back over the atlantic with the cabin crew, one flight I will never forget.

[Report Visual]

R707 - I think I remember that one.

Good job they didn't try the NDB/DME Approach. ;) ;) ;)

As for the orange tailed 737 pilot - I know what you mean.

RV

[ZRH]

We chat to plenty of birds over here too. Mainly Lufthansa flying CRJ1/2 and A320s. Ryanair has a few, but they dont sound too inviting. Heard a nice one the other day on BA569 flying LIML-EGLL. She sounded sooo nice, and the callsign was pure coincidence.
Air France has a few girls as well. It would seem they have more than most carriers, but that may just be my imagination.
I cant count to a thousand either, but I would guess every 5th to 6th aircraft has a girl up front.

[ratt]

I'd hazzard a guess that the ratio is about 3/10 female pilots flying heavies that pass through my little patch of LARS airspace but we don't get too much heavy stuff.

Don't know anyone who stats the ratio. Probably illegal under euro law or something ;p

I can remember a time not too distant when a female voice on the airbourne side of the R/T was a real eyebrow raiser.

I also remember a certain ex-boss of IV(AC) Sqn regularly being mistaken for a female but that's a different story.

[Spuds McKenzie]

ZRH,

Nothing beats the voices of the BA TWR or RMS ACC chicks though, does it.

;)

[controller friendly]

R707

The beginning of your post was sooooo sexist.....!:suspect:

But I'll pass your comments on to the orange tailed captain the next time we're havin a gossip.....;) and then we'll toast you at our christmas do.....!

cf..xo

[what's it doing now?]

Has noticed the female voice on GVA volmet? The way she says the number three is fantastic. I could, and do, listen to it over and over. Sad eh?

Does anyone know if she is real or just a synthesised voice?

:\

[swish266]

Guess a lot of dem gals r in-flite relief as u can hear dem over d Sudan but rarely at JNB or NBO...

[Spuds McKenzie]

what's it doing now,

I'll ask the GVA blokes tomorrow, keep you posted.

Spuds