Flight Training - March 2013 - 6

RIGHT SEAT

By Ian J. Twombly
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EQUALITY
FOR WOMEN

AVIATION HAS A LONG WAY TO GO
hat do clergy, farm managers, painters, barbers, security
guards, and truck drivers all have in common? In terms
of percentage, a woman is more likely to work in any of
these male-dominated fields than in aviation. In a few of
these, she would be two to three times more likely. But
it’s estimated that just 6 percent of professional pilots are women, which
is in line with the overall percentage of female pilots.

Why there aren’t more women in aviation is not easy to explain. Studies have
examined the question, but as of yet no
one has come up with a good explanation.
If you listen to enough women who have
made it through the process, the answer
becomes pretty obvious—aviation can be a
hostile environment for women.
This is especially true in the training
arena, where many female students tell
stories of inappropriate instructors, scary

This month we examine the issue from
three sides—personal, professional, and
public. Jill W. Tallman’s feature story on
Girls In Flight Training ( “Women With
Wings,” page 28) kicks off our special
coverage. GIFT is a unique program that
offers free instruction, reduced aircraft
rental, and a supportive environment to
female students. We also examine women
in flying careers with “Aviation’s Glass
Ceiling,” on page 43. Some people believe

MANY FEMALE STUDENTS TELL STORIES OF
INAPPROPRIATE INSTRUCTORS, SCARY
MANEUVERS, AND A GENERAL DISRESPECT.
maneuvers, and a general disrespect.
That’s not to say it happens all the time,
of course. But it does happen. According
to FAA data, 12.3 percent of student pilot
certificate holders in 2011 were women.
Compare that to a 6.6-percent representation in the general pilot population, and
you realize that aviation has a problem
that’s persisted for decades.
Even instructors and school owners
who mean well don’t necessarily understand the impact of their actions. Many say
they treat everyone equally. That’s a noble
proposition that often can be a losing one.
Regardless of gender, different people have
different needs. A good flight instructor
recognizes this and responds appropriately. And a good customer should
demand it of a professional. Otherwise,
we’ll continue to put up with the aviation
equivalent of the schoolteacher who uses
the same transparencies for 30 years.

FLIGHTTRAINING.AOPA.ORG

the low numbers of women in aviation
is because of a lack of strong female role
models, but they are here if you look
around. We feature one of the best this
month in “Debrief,” on page 64. Patty
Wagstaff is a three-time U.S. National
Aerobatic champion, and a member of the
National Aviation Hall of Fame. Her trademark Extra 260 is hanging in the National
Air and Space Museum—upside down.
The work on increasing the ranks of
female pilots is just beginning. If we can
better understand the issues women face
in training, it’s not inconceivable that
thousands of new female pilots could join
our ranks over the next few years. Because
let’s face it: Flying an airplane is a lot more
fun than driving a tractor-trailer.
Email Editor Ian J. Twombly at ian.twombly@aopa.
org; Twitter: ijtwombly; and visit Flight Training on
Facebook.

Publisher | Craig L. Fuller
Senior VP, Media/Editor in Chief | Thomas B. Haines
Editor | Ian J. Twombly
Editor at Large | Thomas A. Horne
Managing Editor | Julie Summers Walker
Technical Editors | Mike Collins, Jill W. Tallman
Senior Editors | Dave Hirschman, Alton K. Marsh
Editorial and Production Assistant | Sylvia Horne
Administrative Assistant | Miriam E. Stoner
Contributors | Pete Bedell, Greg Brown, LeRoy Cook,
Budd Davisson, Rod Machado, Walter Miller, Dan
Namowitz, Wayne Phillips, Bob Schmelzer,
Jack Williams, Kathy Yodice

Design Director | Michael E. Kline
Art Directors | Elizabeth Z. Jones, Jill C. Benton
Senior Photographer | Mike Fizer
Photographer | Chris Rose

eMedia VP | Chris Ward
eMedia Managing Editor | Alyssa J. Miller
eMedia Editor | Sarah Brown
Web Production Manager | Lezlie Ramsey

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Flight Training - March 2013

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