Ladies in the sky
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Planet Earth
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How was she at the janitor job "
Whist I have no problem at all with female pilots, I can give you a couple of examples where some women cannot do the job as well as men. I am talking about the biz jet world where the crew have to do a lot more in the way of pre and post flight checks than in the airlines.
Example 1: On the HS125 releasing and locking the nose wheel door latch takes a strong grip on some aircraft. I have not met many women able to do this. (the nose wheel doors have to be opened to insert the nose wheel locking pin before the aircraft can be moved)
Example 2: Removing and replacing the front engine covers on a Falcon 2000 requires balancing on the top of a stepladder while unclipping and securing the top strap. In the wind and rain it is not easy. Most female pilots that I have flown with simply refuse to climb the ladder, putting the onus on the other pilot, if male, or paying for the services of an engineer if one is to hand.
Men tend to be taller and physically stronger than women so the above is no criticism but a simple fact.
Example 1: On the HS125 releasing and locking the nose wheel door latch takes a strong grip on some aircraft. I have not met many women able to do this. (the nose wheel doors have to be opened to insert the nose wheel locking pin before the aircraft can be moved)
Example 2: Removing and replacing the front engine covers on a Falcon 2000 requires balancing on the top of a stepladder while unclipping and securing the top strap. In the wind and rain it is not easy. Most female pilots that I have flown with simply refuse to climb the ladder, putting the onus on the other pilot, if male, or paying for the services of an engineer if one is to hand.
Men tend to be taller and physically stronger than women so the above is no criticism but a simple fact.
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: all over Europe
Age: 40
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That is actually quite easy for anyone prepared to take responsibility for their own impulses: Poor treatment means, is there something in your behaviour that you would not display towards male colleagues whom you consider your equal? It requires a little honest introspection, which can be hard for people who are not used to scrutinize their unconscious reactions. But there is a difference between some funny remarks towards a buddy, and the same remarks with an undertone of "we are not the same". There are things you say or do to bond with people, and there are other things you say or do to distinguish or even exclude - and they can look quite similar on the surface. Many who do this, do not even know and have a deep seated feeling of normalcy about themselves. Also, while you probably cannot change the fact that men and women always will check each other out, maybe we will need a return to some old fashioned professionalism; i.e. knowing that the actual work situation is a.) simply not the time, that b.) someones willingness to be responsive to "me male, you female" communication (or vice versa) does not determine their worth as a colleague, and c.) if enough people started agreeing on a and b, the bad apples (m/f) would just have to adapt over time. Now, some will say thatīs how theyīve always done it, but nontheless, there is a widespread laissez-faire in the Western world about this. Funnily enough, I have worked with people from stricter cultures, some of which were blatantly sexist in mind, but still very aware of keeping a polite distance because thatīs what they knew. For us in the West, the formula could be simpler: act in a way that your Grandma would have considered as decency?
