Why does Maverick Helicopters not hire female pilots?
 

I am appalled by my recent research into Maverick Helicopters. I have learned that the rumors are true, they refuse to hire ANY female pilots. Do they feel females aren't good enough pilots or is this simple (and illegal) discrimination? How do they get away with such an archaic hiring policy in this day and age?

As you said, it's just a rumor. I appreciate it's a fine line between rigorous selection and discrimination.

I have not flown the EC130, but as it is a variant of the AS350, I'd like to know how many pounds of force is required on the cyclic where there is hydraulic failure, the servos are dumped and you need to fly it for some distance to a run-on landing (even guys break into sweat). I have undergone such training on the AS350 and wonder whether it might be a factor influencing selection. I know of at least one charter company who had to let go of their best (lady) pilot precisely for this reason.

I thought the EC130 had dual hydraulic systems

:ok:

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Last I heard, there wasn't quotas to fill. Some major companies do not have female pilots. That doesn't mean that they won't, it's just they don't. Huge difference. HUGE.
A few years ago, whilst a pilot on a police unit, our boss was tackled by HR. Apparently the unit had no 'minority' personnel and it didn't look good. We needed to positively look at ethnic (no applications) female (ditto) Blind!!, wheelchair and LGBT amongst others. The only posts on the unit were active aircrew.
The answer to this conundrum is simple. Employ the best applicant for the job, forget sex, race and orientation and get the PC brigade to poke off.

Maverick
 

Not sure how relevant this might be, but when I flew with Maverick out of Grand Canyon airport, a couple of years back, the CP simply told me the sight-seeing pax didn't like seeing a lady at the helm!!!!

I've taught a dozen or so females for PPLs and have to say the majority possessed handling at least as good as most males, and a few were better!

Head down and away! Dennis K.

Certainly would be perhaps not illegal, but grossly stupid and incompetent to discriminate against a very competent pilot applicant just because he didn't wear a bra. This reminds me of an argument I had with the local postmaster once.

I had gone to see him to complain about us getting the wrong mail all the time. It was easy to see that the mail sorter was dyslexic because of the box numbers that appeared on the mail in our bag. I found that the person responsible was known to me and had a well known problem in this regard.

The PM told me he cannot discriminate against applicants and was bound to employ anyone. I said, "you stupid little bastard, how do you think I would go employing a pilot with no arms because of the same childish rule, the fact is this person has a severe disability which precludes her ability to do the specific task she is required to do, are you going to shift her on so we can get our own mail or do I go to a higher authority?"

He quickly changed the staff member onto something else, like sweeping floors or similar.

That is the reason I have heard as well Dennis. I wonder how many of those tourist flew into Vegas on an airliner with a lady up front?

A sight seeing company (fixed wing) employs many, many female pilots here in Oz. At one time numbering some 90% of the crews. Owner preferred them in fact.

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I know a 350/355 TRI/TRE and senior CAA examiner who, last time I looked, was most definitely not male. She's also rather good at what she does.

I'm not saying the girls are not good, but saying it's illegal grips my s##t.

"the CP simply told me the sight-seeing pax didn't like seeing a lady at the helm!!!!"

so were the sight-seeing pax mainly male or female? any hen partys?

It may "grip your ****" Jay, but the simple fact is, in most developed countries, that it is illegal - whether you like it or not.

I am no fan of the PC, pandering, quotas that you describe in your earlier post. Nor am i a fan of "positive" discrimination - discrimination of any kind is unfair.

What is needed is sensible recruiting that gives the job to the best person regardless of race, gender or other factors but that is allowed to take account of certain physical attributes associated with the job (such as not employing a very small / slight person - of any gender - to fly an AS350B3 if there is a fear that they can't handle it without the hydraulics).

Any employer who is clearly operating a policy of not employing women (or anyone else for that matter) and openly boasting about it is merely setting himself up for a legal battle, which he is unlikely to win, and strengthening the case for those who want quotas and positive discrimination.

It has been my experience that the women i have come across in this industry have, generally, been better than the average man since they have had to be more committed and determined to succeed.

And while we're at it... Topendtorque - Whilst having a dyslexic mail sorter is clearly a silly idea, the suggestion that an appropriate job for someone with a disability is "Sweeping floors or something similar" is exactly the kind of condescending, patronising, attitude that has gotten us here in the first place! :ugh:

You are right of course, she should have been let go on the spot, perhaps he was being kind to her but dashed if I can think of anything in a fixed full on paper clerical office that would have suited her. Unless I have missed something, there ain't anything condescending about not receiving your mail because someone with a known disability is unable to sort it.

BTW I have personally employed a number of female pilots and checked out quite some others, as DK says, some excellent, some good, some not so good, some bloody hopeless. That is a fact of life, no law is going to change that, so think carefully about your PC laws.

The girls must be as good as, or even better than, the boys, otherwise how else would you be able to explain why the Dennis Kenyon Scholarship was only ever won by a female?

jayteeto....
 

jayteeto Jayteeto, I wish it were that simple. I remember in the 1960s walking up to a diner and seeing a sign that read "WHITES ONLY". The reason that those signs aren't still there is a law saying that you can't discriminate on the basis of race. Yes, it may be a pain at times, but it's a small price to get those signs out of the window. Please be patient. We are on the road to a better world.

Its that simple where I work. There are equal amounts of females in the team, we have an open gay man and half of our doctors are not white. Everyone is treated equally and I personally have never heard any discriminatory gossip. Each and every one of them is there on merit, not quotas. Imagine how it would be seen if the law demanded it??? People would be viewed as a 'token' minority who probably stole the job from a more capable white guy.
If in the, so called, majority of developed countries, this is illegal, then they have some more developing to do.........

You don't have to imagine... just look at the demise of South Africa. The entire professional/educated work force are suffering because of BEE...to the slow destruction of every service, production, manufacturing etc etc...
A few years back SA Airways had to send their trainee pilots to Australia just so that there was no 'pushing through' because of quotas :ugh::ugh::ugh:

Overthawk says it best. By no means am I one to advocate lowering standards in order to satisfy quotas. All I am saying is that it's wrong to dismiss an applicant in advance simply because she is a female. I have instructed males and females and there are males who aren't strong enough to handle hydraulics off as well as some of the females do. If a person, male or female doesn't appear to have the physical strength then they aren't qualified and that would be a good reason not to hire them. But everyone deserves a chance and if you have over a hundred pilots on staff but not one is a female, I find it hard to believe female applicants are getting that chance.

Help, agreed 100%, if they are openly bragging about it, not good.