OF WOMEN PILOTS SO LOW?
Most people, when they think about a pilot, they generally imagine a male figure. Indeed, more males than females dominate the pilot industry. Although every year, the number of female pilots keeps increasing, there still is a significant gap in the number of male and female pilots.
And, in the upper echelons of airline management, the male domination is quite stark.
The number of women in aviation keeps growing
4.4 per cent of pilots in the United States, according to a CAPA study, are women.
Over a 10 year period, however, the share of female pilots grew from 3.7 per cent to 4.4 per cent.
In the UK, 4.3 per cent of airline pilots are female- up from the 3.4 per cent 10 years prior.
In terms of airlines in 2018, United had over 900 female pilots, Delta was behind at close to 700, American topped 600. Lufthansa, Indigo, Skywest, and Southwest all had just over 300, but under 400 female pilots.
Other major airlines, including British Airways, Air Canada, Air India, KLM, and Cathay Pacific also have a significant share of women pilots.
Stereotypes of women in aviation
Phrases such as “trolley dolly” reinforce negative stereotypes surrounding women in aviation. Indeed, most women in aviation work as members of cabin crew. Part of this comes from standardised roles for men and women back in the Golden Age of Aviation. When air travel started, the idea for flight attendants was to provide hospitality in the sky in addition to safety. Nowadays, however, airlines and professional groups are going the extra mile to recruit more female pilots. Flight academies and professional organisations bring together resources and support services to encourage more women to enter the aviation world.
These include organisations like the Women in Aviation International and the International Society of Women Airline Pilots.
Will there be more women pilots?
In short, yes!
Part of the solution to the lack of pilots involves diversifying the field both in terms of gender and race or ethnicity.
Not to mention, around the world, many aviation markets are in huge demand for pilots.
Several airlines, like American Airlines, are making an active effort to highlight the role of women in history and cockpit crew.
Hopefully, in the future, the number of female pilots do increase. For young women considering a career in aviation, a job as a pilot can be quite rewarding.
With opportunities for growth and travel, the job of a pilot is not without its challenges but should be open for applications regardless of gender.