Where are the female pilots ?
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Where are the female pilots ?
Okay...I know I`m cannon fodder..
Are there any Female pilots in the Police/medic aviation world at all?
Is it the the forces in the UK dont encourage them to fly from the ranks, or is it more the case they slip into the commercial fixed wing world with greater ease on retirement and renumeration?
or are they just better pilots???
Or is it just a male only thing?
Are there any Female pilots in the Police/medic aviation world at all?
Is it the the forces in the UK dont encourage them to fly from the ranks, or is it more the case they slip into the commercial fixed wing world with greater ease on retirement and renumeration?
or are they just better pilots???
Or is it just a male only thing?
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HH a valid point..
In this day an age of equality I can't understand why we don't see female pilots. Lets face it in the world of aviation women have important role to play, any one dealing with ATC will often be greeted by a female voice, likewise numerous airlines employ women pilots and have done for some time.
So why are the Emergency services a male dominated bastion?
I would welcome the opportunity to work alongside a pilot of the female gender
In this day an age of equality I can't understand why we don't see female pilots. Lets face it in the world of aviation women have important role to play, any one dealing with ATC will often be greeted by a female voice, likewise numerous airlines employ women pilots and have done for some time.
So why are the Emergency services a male dominated bastion?
I would welcome the opportunity to work alongside a pilot of the female gender
The Original Whirly
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Am I right in thinking that the police and similar only take pilots with several thousand hours?
And I believe the military didn't start taking women as pilots until the early 1990s.
If my numbers and dates are right, there's your answer...just give it time.
Had I been born 20 yearsa later, I'd love to have done that sort of work/flying.
However, women are under-represented in aviation overall anyway. No-one seems to have any clear idea why.
And I believe the military didn't start taking women as pilots until the early 1990s.
If my numbers and dates are right, there's your answer...just give it time.
Had I been born 20 yearsa later, I'd love to have done that sort of work/flying.
However, women are under-represented in aviation overall anyway. No-one seems to have any clear idea why.
Hmm - food for thought.
Perhaps then you could get around the problem of "who'll make the tea while you're refuelling", not to mention the big Sunday breakfasts. Perhaps a female pilot would be
appropriiate (damn, he got me) company for the 2 Fat Ladies she'd be carting around?!
Btw HnH, you misspelt "provoking" on the other thread - I knew you'd want me to point that out...
(before anyone gets upset over gender bias and other undesirable parts of this post, I'd just like to point out that I might just have had the slightest passing acquaintance with one, both or all of these stirring - sorry, should that be Sterling - geezers)
Oh, and Whirly - you\'re quite right; only the finest of the God-like 2-winged Ubermensch can be considered fit to fly in this job...
...or perhaps not...
Perhaps then you could get around the problem of "who'll make the tea while you're refuelling", not to mention the big Sunday breakfasts. Perhaps a female pilot would be
appropriiate (damn, he got me) company for the 2 Fat Ladies she'd be carting around?!Btw HnH, you misspelt "provoking" on the other thread - I knew you'd want me to point that out...
(before anyone gets upset over gender bias and other undesirable parts of this post, I'd just like to point out that I might just have had the slightest passing acquaintance with one, both or all of these stirring - sorry, should that be Sterling - geezers)
Oh, and Whirly - you\'re quite right; only the finest of the God-like 2-winged Ubermensch can be considered fit to fly in this job...
...or perhaps not...
Last edited by Thud_and_Blunder; 6th Nov 2004 at 20:33.
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OK, let's see. In Germany there is at least one CR female pilot flying in the Army, one or two are actually flying for the German border patrol, the local police department in Hamburg just finished training its first female pilot and I know at least 3 commercial female helicopter pilots flying in Germany.
Personally I think that will do for the "female quota", the statutory woman I think it's called.
It's not that I don't want women to fly helicopter but I hate to see that some people change the term of "sexual equality" into "sexual privileges".
Personally I think that will do for the "female quota", the statutory woman I think it's called.
It's not that I don't want women to fly helicopter but I hate to see that some people change the term of "sexual equality" into "sexual privileges".
Last edited by Spunk; 6th Nov 2004 at 20:41.
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I think that quotes like
are highly inappropriate in this day and age.We all know that Men make the best cooks and also the best cup of Tea..
I just think it may be nice to fly with a pilot who smelt better
Mind you I would get bored flying round the shops and who will park it when we land!!!
Perhaps then you could get around the problem of "who'll make the tea while you're refuelling", not to mention the big Sunday breakfasts.
I just think it may be nice to fly with a pilot who smelt better
Mind you I would get bored flying round the shops and who will park it when we land!!!
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Gimme time boys, gimme time - I'm on me way up!! But, having missed the boat with the services, I'm doin' it the hard way.
Cheers
Whirlygig
Cheers
Whirlygig
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Just out of interest the South African Airforce have several female chopper pilots and the EMS operator STAR helicopters has a female pilot operating an EC135. There was also an ENG female pilot for the local TV SABC but I think she has moved on.
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Very interesting to hear European side of this. In South Africa, although white women still fall technically into the Affirmative Action category they are definitely not getting an easy time of it. Non airlines are the last haven for white male pilots and often they don't want to help females who they see as getting preferential treatment from the government and labour laws, especially if they could put themselves out of a job. Not to mention 'empty kitchen' syndrome amongst the older, ex Air Force and not quite so politically correct, old school senior pilots.
I know a couple of South African lady fixed wing pilots are flying into Baghdad and other places in Iraq on a daily basis as South African Airways won't take them (too white) nor will the local companies for the above reasons (too female) - Catch 22.
Ladies I have spoken to and trained on helicopters who have the money to do licences have usually stopped at PPL (except one). They don't see the point in spending so much money on a career that doesn't return much of a salary when compared with fixed wing flying which, as time goes on, generally involves an increasingly well paid, less stressful and if you go into airlines, pretty secure life. (I think the same can be said of most non white Affirmative Action pilots too and who can blame them ?)
There is at least one female flying planks for the cops here and they just decided to address their heli pilot shortage by retraining their fixed wing guys so maybe she'll get on helis that way...
As discussed on a number of threads, rotary flying is usually more independent than fixed wing. Pilots in the police and EMS are operating by themselves or in much smaller teams with a lot more individual decision making and responsiblity than say airline flying. Not that females can't operate successfully in this environment but it would appear that a larger, more structured and supportive team is more attractive to many.
It takes a certain (principled or masochistic ?) personality type to accept the poor pay and dangerous conditions of this type of helicopter flying in return for some job satisfaction. Maybe ladies just have more sense and less ego ?
I know a couple of South African lady fixed wing pilots are flying into Baghdad and other places in Iraq on a daily basis as South African Airways won't take them (too white) nor will the local companies for the above reasons (too female) - Catch 22.
Ladies I have spoken to and trained on helicopters who have the money to do licences have usually stopped at PPL (except one). They don't see the point in spending so much money on a career that doesn't return much of a salary when compared with fixed wing flying which, as time goes on, generally involves an increasingly well paid, less stressful and if you go into airlines, pretty secure life. (I think the same can be said of most non white Affirmative Action pilots too and who can blame them ?)
There is at least one female flying planks for the cops here and they just decided to address their heli pilot shortage by retraining their fixed wing guys so maybe she'll get on helis that way...
As discussed on a number of threads, rotary flying is usually more independent than fixed wing. Pilots in the police and EMS are operating by themselves or in much smaller teams with a lot more individual decision making and responsiblity than say airline flying. Not that females can't operate successfully in this environment but it would appear that a larger, more structured and supportive team is more attractive to many.
It takes a certain (principled or masochistic ?) personality type to accept the poor pay and dangerous conditions of this type of helicopter flying in return for some job satisfaction. Maybe ladies just have more sense and less ego ?
Goaround7: bang on!
Might I also reinforce his comments with:
Helicopters are toys for the boys - X-box, playstation, the radio controlled toy, speed, noise, smell.....thing.
All the stuff of males. There are exceptions to the rule, obviously, but on the whole and added to the fact that women have twice the level of common sense guys have; they don't find the industry attractive???
Does anybody know many women who volunteer to get dirty, or tired, or stressed, or underpaid, or work unsociable hours........for FUN???
It's a woman's world remember - men are here to serve them
The secret is to marry one who earns more than you and let them think thats the way it is
Whirlygig, how many hours do you have to date?
Might I also reinforce his comments with:
Helicopters are toys for the boys - X-box, playstation, the radio controlled toy, speed, noise, smell.....thing.
All the stuff of males. There are exceptions to the rule, obviously, but on the whole and added to the fact that women have twice the level of common sense guys have; they don't find the industry attractive???
Does anybody know many women who volunteer to get dirty, or tired, or stressed, or underpaid, or work unsociable hours........for FUN???
It's a woman's world remember - men are here to serve them
The secret is to marry one who earns more than you and let them think thats the way it is
Whirlygig, how many hours do you have to date?
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Girl pilots were already established on the North Sea when I thankfully left it 15 years ago; there are girls flying in Hongkong and Macau as we speak. With respect there's nothing special about it.
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Does anybody know many women who volunteer to get dirty, or tired, or stressed, or underpaid, or work unsociable hours........for FUN???
No. of hours - not enough yet.
Cheers
Whirlygig
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One has to remember firstly, that Equal Ops only applies to women... Most employers would fall over backwards to get a female pilot onto the books - How many boxes would that tick?
Unfortunately, after taking the training slot (usually at the expense of a more suitable candidate), absorbing the considerable time and effort invested in them (remember that they are impossible to chop - equal ops again) They find that people outside the cosy training environment stop bending over backwards to accommodate them and expect them to deliver the goods
The typical female pilot tires quickly of the unsociable, long hours, she tires of the ongoing training requirements and quickly falls by the wayside - Any long and meaningful sortie debrief usually ends, literally, in tears - This leads normally to a protracted period of ill health (Stress, 'women’s problems', etc) which in itself leads to currency problems - From here it is a slippery slope, these individuals can easily absorb all of the time available to the unit trainers to the complete detriment of everyone else’s training. This saga normally ends with some sort of ground job or pregnancy.
Women pilots? Why bother… it always ends in tears!
Unfortunately, after taking the training slot (usually at the expense of a more suitable candidate), absorbing the considerable time and effort invested in them (remember that they are impossible to chop - equal ops again) They find that people outside the cosy training environment stop bending over backwards to accommodate them and expect them to deliver the goods
The typical female pilot tires quickly of the unsociable, long hours, she tires of the ongoing training requirements and quickly falls by the wayside - Any long and meaningful sortie debrief usually ends, literally, in tears - This leads normally to a protracted period of ill health (Stress, 'women’s problems', etc) which in itself leads to currency problems - From here it is a slippery slope, these individuals can easily absorb all of the time available to the unit trainers to the complete detriment of everyone else’s training. This saga normally ends with some sort of ground job or pregnancy.
Women pilots? Why bother… it always ends in tears!
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The RAF have a couple of female SAR pilots but I don't know of any HEMS/Police pilots. If anyone has a job vacancy I'll do it, I have 2000 twin turbine hours and make a decent cuppa and bacon butties too!!!
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You'll do for me
On a serious note I do think that in this day and age there should be no reason other than the person's (regardless of gender) capable of doing the job. I am sure there are lots of suitable female pilots that can do exactly what a male pilot can do.
Ok we will leave out the morning botty burps..no women can compete with that! But I am sure it is only a matter of time and getting round some very old fashioned prejudices by the "men"
On a serious note I do think that in this day and age there should be no reason other than the person's (regardless of gender) capable of doing the job. I am sure there are lots of suitable female pilots that can do exactly what a male pilot can do.
Ok we will leave out the morning botty burps..no women can compete with that! But I am sure it is only a matter of time and getting round some very old fashioned prejudices by the "men"
The Original Whirly
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OK, leaving aside comments that the sky isn't pink and women burst into tears all the time, which just aren't worth replying to, whether or not they're meant seriously...
Yes, actually. Whirlygig gave one example; there are loads more.
I still think the main reason is that most police/HEMS/SAR pilots are ex-mil, and the forces didn't start taking women as pilots till comparatively recently. There just hasn't been enough time yet. So, like I said, give it another ten years. Of course, there will always be some, like Whirlygig, who try to do it the hard way (good on ya, I would if I had any money left and/or I was a bit younger ), but not many people, male or female, can afford to do that. Especially when it's so hard to get started and get the number and type of hours required.
So there's your completely obvious answer. Why are you all complicating matters?
Unless of course you want yet another thread full of vaguely sexist banter, in which case feel free (yawn).
Does anybody know many women who volunteer to get dirty, or tired, or stressed, or underpaid, or work unsociable hours........for FUN???
I still think the main reason is that most police/HEMS/SAR pilots are ex-mil, and the forces didn't start taking women as pilots till comparatively recently. There just hasn't been enough time yet. So, like I said, give it another ten years. Of course, there will always be some, like Whirlygig, who try to do it the hard way (good on ya, I would if I had any money left and/or I was a bit younger
), but not many people, male or female, can afford to do that. Especially when it's so hard to get started and get the number and type of hours required.So there's your completely obvious answer. Why are you all complicating matters?
Unless of course you want yet another thread full of vaguely sexist banter, in which case feel free (yawn).