Women Pilots
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: London, UK
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Davina777,
Your initial post on this thread asked if flying and starting a family were difficult.
I've got one extra thought to add to your decision; in my company you'd need to plan ahead to save up enough if you wanted to take maternity leave. In my company we get the legal minimum which is 90% for 6 weeks and then onto £117pw Statutory Maternity Pay for up to another 27 weeks. Most women hope to breast-feed for at least 6 months and NHS guidelines suggest up to a year is good.
If you were the main earner this would be a big change from an airline pilot's salary.
It can be done with some planning ahead or mortgage holidays but is something to bear in mind when deciding if/when to start your family.
Your initial post on this thread asked if flying and starting a family were difficult.
I've got one extra thought to add to your decision; in my company you'd need to plan ahead to save up enough if you wanted to take maternity leave. In my company we get the legal minimum which is 90% for 6 weeks and then onto £117pw Statutory Maternity Pay for up to another 27 weeks. Most women hope to breast-feed for at least 6 months and NHS guidelines suggest up to a year is good.
If you were the main earner this would be a big change from an airline pilot's salary.
It can be done with some planning ahead or mortgage holidays but is something to bear in mind when deciding if/when to start your family.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Location
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Sorry, before I get lynched ... my above post was of course a joke ! (humour is still allowed at our airline - although it is under review)
I'm on 737's with a UK low cost carrier, and we have lots of female pilots (captains and first officers). At my base alone, we've had 4 internally promoted female captains in the past 18 months.
I boarded one of our flights as a passenger recently ... as I walked down the airbridge, I was greeted with the sight of 2 slightly built attractive blondes (2 excellent pilots by the way) at the controls prep'ing for departure. There was a group of lads boarding in front of me ... you can imagine the rest.
No reason at all whay women can't do the job - it just appears that more women than men choose not to do the job.
I'm on 737's with a UK low cost carrier, and we have lots of female pilots (captains and first officers). At my base alone, we've had 4 internally promoted female captains in the past 18 months.
I boarded one of our flights as a passenger recently ... as I walked down the airbridge, I was greeted with the sight of 2 slightly built attractive blondes (2 excellent pilots by the way) at the controls prep'ing for departure. There was a group of lads boarding in front of me ... you can imagine the rest.
No reason at all whay women can't do the job - it just appears that more women than men choose not to do the job.
Join Date: Nov 2022
Location: DXB
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Prospect of finding pilot jobs as female in the 40s
Hi
I am a 42yr old female looking to change career and interested in pursuing pilot studies. Before committing to enroll into the ATPL programme, I am trying to weigh the pros and cons.
The pro is that I would have a career I love and feel satisfied with (as it was something I wanted to do when I was younger).
The con is my age and the anxiety that I will struggle with employment due to my age and gender. By the time I am done studies I will be 45 and that gives me 15 or 20 yrs of work at best
Most advices I received were from men I was told that it is a hard road ahead of me but not impossible. Some men had shifted careers in their fourties and became first officers right after completing their studies. However I would like to hear from women as that relates better or closer to my situation.
Would like advice from women who:
1. started studies in their fourties - what was your employment journey like
2. are currently in their 50s or 60s - have you had issues with employment at that age or do you believe the industry would likely favour a 50 or 60 year old man over a woman of the same age
Thanks
I am a 42yr old female looking to change career and interested in pursuing pilot studies. Before committing to enroll into the ATPL programme, I am trying to weigh the pros and cons.
The pro is that I would have a career I love and feel satisfied with (as it was something I wanted to do when I was younger).
The con is my age and the anxiety that I will struggle with employment due to my age and gender. By the time I am done studies I will be 45 and that gives me 15 or 20 yrs of work at best
Most advices I received were from men I was told that it is a hard road ahead of me but not impossible. Some men had shifted careers in their fourties and became first officers right after completing their studies. However I would like to hear from women as that relates better or closer to my situation.
Would like advice from women who:
1. started studies in their fourties - what was your employment journey like
2. are currently in their 50s or 60s - have you had issues with employment at that age or do you believe the industry would likely favour a 50 or 60 year old man over a woman of the same age
Thanks
