Why Don't Female Commercial Pilots Exist?

[Brent]

I've only flown in the US, haven't been overseas. At least here in the US, on every flight I've been on so far in my lifetime I've only noticed Male Pilots on commercial planes. I've never seen any Female Pilots or Co-Pilots on commercial aircraft. Do any exist in the US? Do any exist in other countries? If not, why are there no female pilots?

 

[backstept]

they do exist . . . actually a friend of mine is a female commercial pilot

I'd say that it's just not a common career choice for women . . . just like there are few women in engineering fields.

 

[Brent]

they do exist . . . actually a friend of mine is a female commercial pilot

That's good to hear, can you tell us what country and airline she is from?

 

[admiralxgmx]

I've only flown in the US, haven't been overseas. At least here in the US, on every flight I've been on so far in my lifetime I've only noticed Male Pilots on commercial planes. I've never seen any Female Pilots or Co-Pilots on commercial aircraft. Do any exist in the US? Do any exist in other countries? If not, why are there no female pilots?

I've seen female flight attendants (the people who bring you drinks, food, etc.).

 

[Mr. B]

There are very few. I've never seen one personally though. A lot of civil pilots have military backgrounds and only recently have women been flying in the air force so that may have something to do with it.

 

[Brent]

There are very few. I've never seen one personally though. A lot of civil pilots have military backgrounds and only recently have women been flying in the air force so that may have something to do with it.

I didn't know that, about civil pilots having military background? I know my step-brother went to school to be a pilot, no military background though, so I guess people CAN just go into it without having that background.

I'm glad to hear more women are flying in the airforce these days, I hope that increases.

 

[Aurian]

I think we had a female pilot when we flew from Stockholm to Amsterdam once. Atleast a co-pilot.

 

[sbk1234]

I think it has something to do with the scientific fact that women would be more inclined to want to crash the plane every 28 days.












Just Kidding! Don't hurt me!

 

[J.T.B.]

I've only flown in the US, haven't been overseas. At least here in the US, on every flight I've been on so far in my lifetime I've only noticed Male Pilots on commercial planes. I've never seen any Female Pilots or Co-Pilots on commercial aircraft. Do any exist in the US? Do any exist in other countries? If not, why are there no female pilots?

According to The International Association of Women Airline Pilots, female pilots are about 5% of the total of commercial pilots worldwide, with most in the US.

I've flown a Delta flight with a female captain, and Southwest, Delta and United flights with female first officers. On most trips to the airport I'll see at least one uniformed female line pilot in the terminal.

"USA Today" used to have a column written by a woman named Meryl Getline who was a captain for United, and she also wrote a book about her experiences as an early female airline pilot, though I have not read it.

ETA: The first officer of the regional airliner that crashed near Buffalo NY in February was a woman named Rebecca Shaw.

--Justin

 

[georgy]

Recently I was on a united flight and one of the plane radio stations(or whatever) was set to listen to the banter between ATC and the pilots, the captain was female, she also sounded pretty cute.

 

[Sci]

What's that? Institutional sexism? I am shocked, I say. Shocked and appalled.

 

[Mallory]

I've been on a few Northwest, Southwest and American West flights with women at the controls. It's been my experience though that it's a far more common practice with commuter airlines.

 

[WillsBabe]

When I flew to Kos last year the captain of the aircraft was a woman, and all the cabin crew were male. Nice flight.

 

[Scout101]

my brother's girlfriend is a commercial airline pilot for a smaller airline... She's pretty young (25ish), but her Dad flew for Northwest for 30+ years, so had connections...

 

[Small White Car]

A lot of civil pilots have military backgrounds and only recently have women been flying in the air force so that may have something to do with it.

This is the big one. Expect Airlines to lag behind the military for a few years in this area and, well, their numbers there are pretty darn low too.

 

[Trekker4747]

There are very few. I've never seen one personally though. A lot of civil pilots have military backgrounds and only recently have women been flying in the air force so that may have something to do with it.

This is my reasoning as well.

 

[Starbreaker]

It's because they always lose the keys!!

 

[Trekker4747]

It's because they always lose the keys!!

After the first few women forgot to tell the airlines that the oil-light was on they learned their lesson.

 

[Non Sync]

The co-pilot on the Hawaiian Airlines flight that pop it's top was a woman.

 

[Captain Shaw]

There was one of that TV show about easy jet on ITV.
She was a co pilot and it was her first flight.
Her landing was a bit bumpy though.