Most airline pilots are men. Why aren’t there more women in the industry? (2023)

FAQs

Why are there not many female pilots? ›

While there certainly are fewer women training to be pilots, women also face gender-unique social pressures, double standards and systemic barriers that deter their entrance into aviation. Women have been interested in aviation since Wilbur and Orville gave up bicycles for airplanes at the turn of the 20th century.

The numbers vary, depending on who's counting and what their methodology is, but most figures show between around 3 and 7% of commercial pilots are women. That figure has been flat for the past 30 years. Doing the math, men make up between 93 and 97% of commercial airline pilots.

Many say the cost of flight training—expensive for both men and women—is a hurdle to becoming a commercial pilot; indeed, an August 2010 survey of 157 female pilots by Dr. Penny Rafferty Hamilton notes that, “a lack of money for general aviation flight training” was the top barrier for females becoming pilots.

Women pilots were also formerly called "aviatrices" (singular "aviatrix"). Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to "travel alone on unprecedented journeys".

Mowat, who is an airline captain, is part of the mere 3.6% of airline captains in the U.S. who are women. Hawaiian Airlines has the highest percentage of female pilots out of all U.S.-based carriers, with 9.5%, compared to an industry average of 8.5%, according to Hawaiian Airlines in April 2023.

Women pilots are called "aviatrices".

The study, which analyzed more than half a million Glassdoor salary reports for job titles, found the pay disparity between male and female pilots to be the highest among jobs listed on its site, with male pilots earning, on average, 26.6 percent more than their female counterparts.

As time passed, more and more women have become professional pilots and joined the the growing number of women in aviation. Since 1907, women have been flying powered aircraft, but most of them were limited to working in private sector jobs before 1970.

Communication, team skills and other soft skills are a vital part of being a pilot too. Women can do the flying as well as men.

How rare are female pilots? ›

Identifying the barriers that stop women from flying. Amelia Earhart's pilot's license (dated May 16, 1923), only the 16th issued by the FAA to a female pilot. There are 599,086 pilots in the United States (as of December 2013), but only 6.61 percent—or 39,621—are women. But the numbers are somewhat misleading.

The study found that females employed by major airlines had significantly higher accident rates than their male counterparts overall.

Many airlines have a female pilot uniform option for pants, culottes, or a skirt.

“Women like the idea of a powerful man. Being a pilot says, 'I'm fearless, daring and intelligent. ' It's the ultimate phallic symbol—a jet liner.” The pilot uniform may also play a role.

Women fly planes while menstruating, so they can certainly sit in coach.

But truth be told, we're the exception to the rule. While there are many pilot and flight attendant couples, and many flight attendants married or committed to other flight attendants, and many pilots with the same connections with other pilots, several factors have made those connections less likely.

Most airlines are projecting a pilot shortage over the next decade. More than 800,000 pilots will be needed, with more than 200,000 in the U.S., alone. There are only about 65,000 female pilots in the world, which accounts for 9% of the total. Out of the 13,000 pilots in the U.S., only 900 of them are women like Frye.

Air India has around 200 female pilots, making up over 40% of their workforce and 15% of their cockpit crew. IX and I5, both subsidiaries of AI, have a combined total of 97 female pilots.

Can female fly fighter jets? ›

As the wheels of her aircraft lifted from the ground on May 5, 2015, Mau became the first female fighter pilot to fly an F-35.

The country with the most female pilots is India - and not by a little. According to Statista, in 2021, 12.14% of pilots in the South Asian country were women.

However, transgender pilots “may” have some limitations imposed such as being allowed to only fly as first officers (junior pilots) or when they are flying as pilot-in-command their co-pilot has to have 250 hours of flying on that particular type of aircraft or the co-pilot has to be a senior captain who is a trainer.

A 1998 Naval Academy graduate, Cmdr. Becky Calder served as an F/A-18 pilot and was the first woman pilot to graduate from the Navy's Strike Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). During her 15 years as a pilot she supported Operation Southern Watch, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Just as with flight attendants, the pilot divorce rate is high at 30.5%. Divorce is so common among pilots that there's a term for it in the industry: Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome.

Airline pilots don't necessarily get paid a “salary”. Instead, pilots are paid per flight hour. Meaning a pilot is only paid while their airplane is running. As of May 2021, the median annual earnings for airline pilots was $202,180.

In the May 2021 report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the range of salaries for airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers from less than $100,110 a year, to the highest 10 percent earning more than $208,000.

Female aircraft pilots and flight engineers are most likely to marry female registered nurses. Male aircraft pilots and flight engineers are most likely to marry female elementary- and middle-school teachers or male human-resource workers.

Relationships with pilots are as normal as relationships with other people and yet so different. While their profession plays a big part in their lives, you don't have to let that get in the way of yours. If you like someone, then like them for how they are as a person, not what they do professionally.

Currently, 40% of Delta's total workforce is made up of women. In fact, as of Q2 2022 more than 6% of pilots, 17% of ramp agents, and 9% of Tech Ops employees are women, all an increase from 2020 numbers.

Can pilots wives travel with them? ›

Yes, the airlines know they have married couples in their cockpits and they're okay with it. I'm sure there are a handful flying together at each of the majors. No one else wastes time thinking about it. There is no glass ceiling; pilot pay is transparent and based solely on seniority.

Airlines ask passengers for their gender, name and date of birth to comply with Transportation Security Administration programs, and say the details should match the photo identification travelers present at the airport.

Male flight attendants are called hosts while female ones are referred to as hostesses. Cabin crew is selected in accordance with the certain rules of aviation organizations and they are also subjected to the rules set by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Pilots earned an average salary of $169,540 in 2021.

Ideally, becoming a pilot should only take 3 to 4 years, the time it takes to get your Bachelor of Science in Professional Flight. Getting an education is also good for a consistency of training, so it's preferred to wait to start your journey until you are in a certified school, like LETU.

In the regulations set by Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), there is no height requirement for pilots.

Military/ Air Force pilots do have height restrictions, but the same does not apply for commercial piloting. So if you are too tall or short to fly in the air force, but you still really want to fly, you will be welcomed with open arms to commercial piloting regardless of your height.

The minimum age limit for students aspiring to become a pilot in India is 17 years and you will also have to provide a fitness and medical certificate.

At any given time, roughly 10% of female Air Force pilots are pregnant.

Much lower than the 53% for the most divorce-prone group: casino gaming managers. Pilots don't even break the top 20 for the highest divorce rate occupations.

Is being a pilot hard on the body? ›

Flight crews can be exposed to over 100 times the radiation they would receive at sea level and are exposed to as much radiation as some nuclear power plant workers. Studies have shown that flight crews are several times more likely to contract certain cancers, such as breast cancer and melanoma.

The use of high heels in flight attendant uniforms dates back to the early days of air travel, and was originally a holdover from the dress codes of registered nurses who were the first air stewards. It was believed that high heels would make female flight attendants look smart and presentable.

Do you know why so many flight attendant uniforms include a neck scarf? It's a matter of tradition that stemmed from the early aviators wearing silk 🧣 when they flew in open cockpits. Early pilots liked them because they prevented chafing around the neck.

Hair. Hair must have an overall professional look appropriate for business interactions. Female students' hair must be natural looking, clean, neat, and well groomed. Long hair that falls below the shoulder must be pulled up.

The crash rate for male pilots, as for motor vehicle drivers, exceeds that of crashes for female pilots.” A research project on pilot aging and flight safety has produced data proving differences between male and female pilot error in helicopter and light plane crashes. Dr.

Knowledgeable people in the aviation industry are well aware that female pilots are, and have been, unquestionably equal in skill levels with their male counterparts. In fact, some studies show that female pilots are generally less risk-taking, and thus arguably safer compared to male pilots.

For commercial pilots, females can have long hair. However, it should be kept in a bun or tied up so it does not interfere with eyesight and the systems inside the cockpit. Appearance is important for commercial pilots so they must maintain a tidy hairstyle and well-groomed look.

As we see, there is a demand for females in the aviation sector and a demand for pilots in general. This industry needs more women to pursue their pilot career and take over the controls. Airlines have not been the only ones effected by the pilot shortage.

Hair must have an overall professional look appropriate for business interactions. Female students' hair must be natural looking, clean, neat, and well groomed. Long hair that falls below the shoulder must be pulled up.

Which country has the highest no of female pilots? ›

And now, India has the highest rate of female air captains in the world. In India, 12.4 per cent of pilots are women. This figure is over twice the global average. Just 7 per cent of Air France's pilots are female, whilst at Lufthansa and KLM it's around 6 per cent.

In absolute terms, the US Big Three airlines have the highest number of women pilots. United Airlines tops the list with 940, followed by Delta Air Lines with 692 and American with 626. Lufthansa, the leading non-US employer of women pilots, has 375, followed by IndiGo, which has 322.

Yes, the airlines know they have married couples in their cockpits and they're okay with it.

Many airlines have a female pilot uniform option for pants, culottes, or a skirt.

A lot of times pilots marry other pilots. The odds of coordinating your schedules may not be great, but many airlines have no policies against spouses working the same flights together.