Why isn't there alot of female pilots?

Question

i am a girl and i am very interested in planes. i want to become an airline pilot

Answer 1

i believe its because many females dont have 20 20  vision. that is a must for a pilot. No pilots never get tired of flying. my friend is a pilot, he loves what he does. it never gets boring to him.

Answer 2

There are a lot more female pilots than there used to be (there used to be none), and a lot more female air traffic controllers, too.

If you want to become an airline pilot you should have no trouble doing so today.

If you'd like to find out how hard it used to be for female pilots, I suggest you read a book like "The World at My Feet," by Meryl Getline, one of the first commercial female airline pilots.  For example, she describes an early job interview in which she was literally thrown out of the office when the airline discovered that she was a woman (they had thought that "Meryl" was a man's name and were disgusted to see that the candidate was actually female).

Answer 3

I think many airline pilots are former military pilots. Women are not allowed to do combat duty so there are very few female pilots.

Things are changing. It takes time... Sometimes generations.

If that's your passion, pursue it.

Yes. Doing the same thing over and over and over can get monotonous. But, most jobs, you do the same thing all the time.

Answer 4

Lots of interesting speculation, but the truth is this:  Women are becoming more prevalent.  I don't have graph charts or statistics to back up my claim, but in the last 5 or 6 years I have certainly noticed an increase of females in the pilot ranks.  I personally think it's great. The women I have worked with are very professional and even-keeled.  

A good friend of mine has been a pilot for over 30 years, and he still gets  a thrill, "when I press those throttle levers and feel the aircraft rotate".  So, I don't think you have to worry about it being a boring job.  Just be prepared to have an unstable beginning, with little pay and benefits.  It takes some time to become a line-holder with perks.

Answer 5

There may actually be a gender difference. I saw an article in science news that indicated drive to roam and explore (risk taking) may be selected for in males. It hasn't been 50/50 but there have been many female pilots, and females appear to withstand high Gs better. Google Patti Wagstaff. I hope I spelled her name right, and aerobatics champions.

Unfortunately, flying FAA style for the airlines seems to be a lot like driving a cab after awhile. This is part of why many professional pilots build their own planes and fly aerobatics, to sharpen their skills and enjoy flying again.

I fly anything from R/C models to hang gliders to ultralights to light planes and sailplanes. Its the hang gliders I've actually enjoyed the most, for a number of reasons. It is the simplest, most in touch with the air and, I owned it all myself. I find the same thing when I drive a rental car as when I'm flying a rental airplane, I can't enjoy it or put it through its paces because its going to cost so much and create so much paperwork if I happen to ding it. Not to mention that it is not quite as safe since I'm thinking about the cost all the time instead of how to fly/drive it and survive if a wreck becomes inevitable.

Answer 6

I suppose one of the reasons why there aren't many female pilots is the same that there aren't many female engineers or mechanics etc, it is considered a male profession.

Also Males are much better at mental rotation a skill which is needed when you are a pilot, this is also one of the reasons why men have an easier time reading maps than women do. ie- Alot of women need to turn the map in the direction being driven in order to understand the map whereas men are more able to look at the map and turn the image around mentally.

This isn't to say you couldn't do it, I can read maps very well. So you might be quite good at mental rotation.

It is very expensive to become a pilot though, the cheapest way to do it would be through the defence force.

I'm sure that pilots get bored of flying at some points, its like any job there are times when you are bored.

Goodluck!!!