Women in Aviation...not a new thing

Pardon me while I get on my soap box for this blog post. Aviation safety has been a big thing in the news lately. Yes, there have been some high profile accidents and incidents and that can be really scary for those who are nervous fliers to begin with but let’s look at the data.

According to the Air Traffic By the Numbers from the FAA, on average there are 45,000 flights handled by the FAA daily. That’s about 2.9 million passengers per day. The odds of being in a commercial plane crash are extremely low, with statistics suggesting a roughly 1 in 11 million chance of dying in a plane crash.  Driving your car gives you a 1 in 93 chance of dying. Yes…93. 

Air travel is safe.

Pilots are well trained.

Standard Operating Procedures work.

Female Pilots are trained to the same standard as male pilots.

And this is where I step on the soap box.

Women have been part of aviation for a very long time. The first woman to earn a pilot's license and fly a plane was French aviator, Raymonde de Laroche, in 1910.  The first American woman, Harriet Quimby earned her pilot's license in 1911, and was the first woman to fly across the English Channel in 1912.  A decade before women were allowed to vote in the United States.  

The first female to fly commercially was Helen Richey for Central Airlines in 1934 and she beat 8 other men in a contest to be the copilot flying airmail. Emily Howell Warner is our first woman hired into what we all consider “the airlines”. She was hired by Frontier Airlines back in 1974 and joined the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) the same year. She upgraded to captain 2 years later in 1976.

Why do I drop the history timeline? If you walk into an airport terminal or scroll any aviation enthusiast social media discussion, you would think women started flying in the last few decades instead of over a 100 years ago. Need a deeper dive into women in aviation check out Women in Aviation or The Ninety-Nines.

In February of this year, I wrote this post on Facebook…

"Women in aviation are taking quite a bit of backlash over the recent accidents. Of course there were still men present but we shift blame to the woman. Why? Let’s look at motherhood. Rarely are fathers blamed for a child’s behavior in public, their grades in school, etc etc. The mom has to deal with it all while the man “works”. Most families today have a two income household and that means both parents are equally responsible.

Airliners are similar but there are differences. The Captain is always responsible for the aircraft, crew and passengers/cargo. The First Officer is second in command if you need the hierarchy. They take turns flying the plane but when anything happens, it’s the captain’s decision. But we are quick to blame a female FO. Mind blowing.

There are countless emergency situations that are handled responsibly by both sexes and don’t make the news.

I have spent almost 30 years flying. I started at 15. I fly more than I drive a car. I have instructed both men and women in private jets. I have failed more men than women. Because I want the women to pass? NO…the people who pass come prepared, take instruction, make proper changes even if their feeling are hurt. THAT is what makes a good pilot. Learning despite your feelings.

Over the years I have been questioned by passengers after different incidents “if I could handle the plane if _____?” It could be too heavy, it could be rough….but the men I flew with in the same size and shape as me were never asked. Much like fathers are never asked how they balance out fatherhood and work.

Here are two that I have dealt with personally in the last few years.

As a passenger on a major airline, we hit really bad turbulence. That resulted in a pregnant woman going in to labor. Yes, it was rough. The captain….a female, got the plane on the ground and the passenger to medical personnel in about 12 minutes. The male FO I am sure did an excellent job but the Captain stood at the front directing the show.

On Sept 11, 2023, I personally had an engine that started surging while leaving the LA area heading to JFK. It caused the airplane to buck up and down until we secured the engine. I was the captain. I was responsible. The engine exceeded it’s max temp. It also caused other issues with the plane. I took control of the plane, turned off the automation and landed the aircraft without incident. Not even a tire blowing while landing 30,000 pounds overweight on a 95 degree day. My male FO kind of froze.

If I was to list every accident in the history of aviation, the majority of crews would be male. It’s simple math. There are more men in the industry than women. It takes a tough woman to deal with some of the BS of this industry.

If you see these posts about why women should fly, ask yourself this…..does the plane know if the person flying is male or female? Does your car?

The NTSB will investigate. Let them do their job. Yes, I know everyone wants quick answers but that’s not how it works. And finally, professional pilots make it look easy much like professional athletes make you think you can throw the ball for the touchdown. It takes years, it takes training and it takes dedication in the real playing field or airspace. Not on Microsoft Flight Sim or Madden. If you want to learn to fly, are scared to fly, or think you can do it better, go to your local airport and take an introductory lesson. Test your own skills.”

I still stand by this post and think it clearly states how many women in aviation feel now.

Still need some stats….

Overall in the US the FAA reported 848,770 rated Pilots with 91,694 being women. That’s about 10.8%. Let’s move to the airlines where you must have an Airline Transport license. Total pilots in this category are 179,194 with 9,768 being women. That’s 5.5%. The full stats are here thanks to Women in Aviation.

This is why when you show up and see a women flying your airliner, it’s a true unicorn siting. We are out there but it’s 95% men flying you around.  

As I said in the paragraphs before, it’s not that we can’t handle it, women who fly are tough. This is a job that you have to have a support system around you to allow you a lighter load when you come home. If you want the hard truth why more women don’t stick with airline jobs, look at our schedules.  

I won’t even dive into women who are non pilots in aviation and the unicorns they are as mechanics and dispatchers. Just look at the numbers yourself.

So as I step off my soap box for now, just know you are in good hands when you step on an airliner. If we decide to cancel your flight because of mechanical issues, thank them. If they delay due to nasty weather, be happy about it. We are safety minded about everything….just go home and ask our families. I am pretty sure my kids are tired of me reminding them of safety issues when they live their life.