A fraternity...

[Whirlybird]

Another year goes by, and there is still more to be said here on how women - and men - are, or aren't, treated differently. A bit sad really. Will things ever change?

[Jan Olieslagers]

Will things ever change?

They do. Actually very few things remain constant (no need to mention the two certitudes of death and tax, I suppose) but very few things change overnight. A couple of centuries' patience will see many problems solved - but an alarming number of new problems will have emerged meanwhile.

Surely progress is a slow thing. At best, that is.

[Pilot DAR]

How was the Bash?

Hi Prooners... How was the bash? I was thinking of you, and wondering if you were all "PC" face to face! Though I was an ocean and a continent away, I was thinking of you all.

To my delight, while you were bashing, I was being very warmly entertained by yet another Prooner, known well to us all...

Hopefully you all got on so well, that the bash will become an annual event, and I can catch up next year....

[Final 3 Greens]

Will things ever change?

Oh dear.

I'm working Saudi Arabia this week.

Some people dont realise how green the grass is, on their own side of the fence.

[Katamarino]

Hi Pilot DAR; no bash, due to poor visibility. They're going to try again next week, although sadly I won't be able to attend!

[peterh337]

I don't know what the fuss is about.

Apart from some comical situations where some airport worker cannot believe the woman was a pilot (occuring mostly in 3rd world countries like Spain) women get preferential treatment in all aspects of aviation that I have seen.

When you get young women doing work experience in aviation engineering, everybody in the firm bends over backwards to help them out. Of course, they don't really like that

When you get women doing PPLs, everybody at the school bends over backwards to help them out. Of course, they don't really like that, either

In employment, things are different in small companies but in a very small company this is necessary because you cannot recruit a woman of obvious child bearing disposition (how you judge that is somewhat tricky but you have to do your best; one generally goes on age) into a critical job especially as in ~90% of cases they exercise the maternity leave option in full but never come back. In a big company you work around this using generous staff numbers to even things out. This causes a lot of bitterness among women I am sure but having kids is a lifestyle choice, freely made. But this is nothing to do with aviation...

[goldeneaglepilot]

In employment, things are different in small companies but in a very small company this is necessary because you cannot recruit a woman of obvious child bearing disposition (how you judge that is somewhat tricky but you have to do your best; one generally goes on age) into a critical job especially as in ~90% of cases they exercise the maternity leave option in full but never come back.

Take care Peter - Employers have lost cases at tribunal in the UK for such discrimination. You're an employer and might want to consider how such a comment might be used against you by someone who did not get a job after interview.

[peterh337]

Obviously you cannot do this openly, but practically everybody does it. It's all part of running a very small company - you have to choose employees according to all kinds of criteria which might not be relevant in a big company.

The time limit for a claim is 3 months.

[Grob Queen]

When you get women doing PPLs, everybody at the school bends over backwards to help them out. Of course, they don't really like that, either

I know your comment is meant to be ironic Peter, and 'tis taken as such...however, personally i'm very happy to take advice from my male friends and colleagues at our flying club...they bend over backwards to help because I am a student NOT because I am female!!! They also bend over backwards to help male students - as do I if I can...its the way we all are

[goldeneaglepilot]

Peter - You do seem well versed on this element of the law, however have you considered the potential in the future for a claim against you? What you have written on here could be used to support a claim in the future. Please be cautious as I'm certain that you dont intend to appear discriminatory against women. What you wrote could easily be misread.

[peterh337]

I agree with you GEP, and I have seen some obscene examples of claims elsewhere which were paid out because the insurance company said so (the claim being without merit but being only ~£20k) but if say you receive 500 CVs from a job advert, and you interview just 10 of them, and you are a very small business (of the order of 1 or 2 PAYE employees) it will be practically impossible for anybody to question how you picked those 10.

A funny one I heard a while ago: of the 500 CVs, you bin a randomly chosen 50%, on the basis that you don't want to employ unlucky people

[Pilot DAR]

Again, during my travels, I have been the recipient of excellent hospitality, and real aviation comradery (avoiding gender specific terms this time!) by both PPRuNers and yet to be PPRuNers. From being lent a beautiful 172 for my local travels for a few days, tours of amazing mountain scenery, to welcoming acommodation, the people of aviation are great.

I regret that another PPRuNer, who I am quite looking forward to meeting out here, was called away at the last minute, to serve our society in a way which is vitally needed right now. I'll catch up to him next time, and wish him a safe and rapidly successful mission....

We have received important wisdom from contributions of fellow (um, what's the gender non specific term with equals "fellow"?) Prooners, and we should all appreciate it - I do! They're even better in person!