Women Pilots!
Hovering AND talking
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,711
Likes: 1
From: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
Emma and Naughty,
There are a lot more female pilots out there than you would think; it's just that most don't shout about their gender but just get on with the job!
I don't believe it is an issue anymore.
Cheers
Whirlygig
There are a lot more female pilots out there than you would think; it's just that most don't shout about their gender but just get on with the job!
I don't believe it is an issue anymore.
Cheers
Whirlygig
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Joined: Feb 1997
Posts: 4,910
Likes: 184
From: Duit On Mon Dei
There's not many female pilots out there. I *think* the stats go ~1% of the worlds ATPL holders are female. Some airlines have more than others, some have none.
I think the stats go ~10% PPL holders are female.
Don't let the gender thing worry you, it really is a non event 99% of the time.
I haven't found it to be a problem with my colleagues.
I think the stats go ~10% PPL holders are female.
Don't let the gender thing worry you, it really is a non event 99% of the time.
I haven't found it to be a problem with my colleagues.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 1997
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,929
Likes: 6
From: Suffolk UK
'Affirmative Action' is an American device, and is not used in Europe in most circumstances.
There are few female commercial pilots in UK, and the numbers aren't increasing as fast as might have been hoped. In fact, there have been women pilots in commercial aviation since before WW2. The reasons there aren't more are complex and difficult to define clearly, but sexual discrimination is not one of them these days. Most airlines would love to recruit more women, subject to them making the appropriate ability and experience criteria, but they just aren't out there applying for the jobs.
I was quite closely involved in training some of the first women pilots and navigators in the RAF, and found the spread of ability and application to be similar to that of the men. The able ones were welcomed in with open arms, though the RAF did make a few, erm, 'political' appointments right at the very start! Most of those ladies would be just about the right stage in their RAF careers to be leaving now and looking for commercial jobs. Sadly, there are few of them left in flying as so many have either left to start families or effectively abandoned flying to become career officers.
So, Emma, please keep working for your licences - we'd love to have you join us.
Scroggs
There are few female commercial pilots in UK, and the numbers aren't increasing as fast as might have been hoped. In fact, there have been women pilots in commercial aviation since before WW2. The reasons there aren't more are complex and difficult to define clearly, but sexual discrimination is not one of them these days. Most airlines would love to recruit more women, subject to them making the appropriate ability and experience criteria, but they just aren't out there applying for the jobs.
I was quite closely involved in training some of the first women pilots and navigators in the RAF, and found the spread of ability and application to be similar to that of the men. The able ones were welcomed in with open arms, though the RAF did make a few, erm, 'political' appointments right at the very start! Most of those ladies would be just about the right stage in their RAF careers to be leaving now and looking for commercial jobs. Sadly, there are few of them left in flying as so many have either left to start families or effectively abandoned flying to become career officers.
So, Emma, please keep working for your licences - we'd love to have you join us.
Scroggs
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: UK
Most airlines would love to recruit more women, subject to them making the appropriate ability and experience criteria, but they just aren't out there applying for the jobs.
Si
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 333
Likes: 0
From: south africa
Afirmative action - screw that. Im a lady and if I get offered a job I want it to be for my ability and not my gender. Unfortunately here in SA, this does not seem to be the case. If your a women, regardless of experience you will generaly be accepted over a man even if he has more experience. I've never really had a problem but comments have been made (shes just a pair of t!ts and a**) and its just water off a ducks back. I dont let it get to me and therefore it hasnt been a problem since. If you dont make an issue out of it the men will generally leave you alone. 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 849
Likes: 0
From: UK
On a purely anecdotal level, of the 8 female pilots I knew during ATPL training, all of them found employment with airlines very quickly after training. The blokes have taken a lot longer, and some are still looking almost 3 years later.
And there was me thinking Scroggs was a bloke.
Boom! Boom!
And there was me thinking Scroggs was a bloke.
Boom! Boom!
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Northern Ireland
so can any of you ladies give me any advice of the best way to get into a company, I qualified in October and since then I have had a number of thanks, we'll keep your applicaition on file..... letters but nothing else!!
Any little secrets I'm missing?
Cheers
Any little secrets I'm missing?
Cheers
Guest
Posts: n/a
Reading these posts above is very interesting.
The subtle undertone appears that there is indeed positive discrimination towards female aircrew.
If summarising the stats above (and remembering that 78% of stats are made up on the spot):
If 1% of word-wide ATPL holders are female.
Yet 50% of the Virgin flight deck on that particular occasion (granted not a true representation).
Coupled with the comment of come and work for us etc (which of course could be nothing more than encouragement).
I therefore wonder how much corporate image influences recruitment? Baring in mind of course that the only time one should see the aircrew is in the departure / arrival lounge.
By no means a dig – I am all up for equality. I have met some female pilots that have put the majority of men to shame and I think that Scrogg’s comment about the spectrum of capability is as valid to day as it has ever been. But I can’t help but think that sometime the playing field isn’t level.
Scroggs – Can I come and work with you as well please?
The subtle undertone appears that there is indeed positive discrimination towards female aircrew.
If summarising the stats above (and remembering that 78% of stats are made up on the spot):
If 1% of word-wide ATPL holders are female.
Yet 50% of the Virgin flight deck on that particular occasion (granted not a true representation).
Coupled with the comment of come and work for us etc (which of course could be nothing more than encouragement).
I therefore wonder how much corporate image influences recruitment? Baring in mind of course that the only time one should see the aircrew is in the departure / arrival lounge.
By no means a dig – I am all up for equality. I have met some female pilots that have put the majority of men to shame and I think that Scrogg’s comment about the spectrum of capability is as valid to day as it has ever been. But I can’t help but think that sometime the playing field isn’t level.
Scroggs – Can I come and work with you as well please?
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
From: Bristol
I would have thought ex-cabin crew with low houred CPL would be prime bizjet FO candidate.
Have just looked back over the last 300 or so CV's I received, and only 1 from a female / lady / bird, whichever is deemed to be PC
Phil
Have just looked back over the last 300 or so CV's I received, and only 1 from a female / lady / bird, whichever is deemed to be PC
Phil
Moderator
Joined: Dec 1997
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,929
Likes: 6
From: Suffolk UK
Mosspigs, that day in fklightdeck check in at Gatwick, there were three crews each with one female pilot - my crew hadn't yet checked in, but we had no women in our flightdeck. It just happened to be a bit of a happy coincidence as I was reading this thread at the time, but our actual female representation is less than 5%, I believe.
The proportion of applications to Virgin from females is also very small, and not significantly increasing, and I can see no sign of positive discrimination here. I don't believe we are unusual in this. The problem is not that women have a harder time (or an easier time) than men, it is simply that not enough women want to do this job.
Scroggs
The proportion of applications to Virgin from females is also very small, and not significantly increasing, and I can see no sign of positive discrimination here. I don't believe we are unusual in this. The problem is not that women have a harder time (or an easier time) than men, it is simply that not enough women want to do this job.
Scroggs
Beacon Outbound
Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 710
Likes: 22
From: "Home is were the answer machine is"
Seems that our friends in the Ukraine have a strong view on women pilots, judging by their list of requirements.
http://www.aerosvit.ua/eng/job/
http://www.aerosvit.ua/eng/job/
