It may come as no surprise to learn that men vastly outnumber women in numerous jobs in the aviation field. When we think of women in aviation, we often think of flight attendants or the people working behind the counters. It is much less common to see a female pilot or a female aircraft dispatcher. As an aircraft dispatcher school that provides flight dispatcher training, we are all too familiar with this trend, and we are here to give you the facts about women in aviation careers.
One of the most drastic differences comes with the gender gap in the number of pilots. As of data pulled in 2018, women make up only 5.18% of the world’s pilots with United having the most female pilots at only 7.4%.1 While women are still fighting for equality in some countries, these numbers in a country like the United States can be improved. With the critical pilot shortage the number of opportunities for women in aviation and the demand for female pilots is only increasing.
Unfortunately, this trend is similar for many non-pilot positions in the aviation field. By the completion of 2017, women made up only 2.39% of mechanics, 7.41% of ground instructors, and 4.15% of flight engineers; In total, women accounted for 29.2% of nonpilot positions, but the largest chunk of this came from flight attendants with 79.48% being female.2
The numbers are a little bit better when it comes to flight
dispatchers. According to data taken at the end of 2017, the number of female
aircraft dispatchers in the United States is only at 18.74%.2 With
less than a quarter of people with their aircraft dispatcher license being
female, an aircraft dispatcher is one of the aviation careers for women that
has room for growth.
Even though these numbers are still bleak, the number of
women in aviation careers has been increasing over the years. At our school, we
understand how how to become an
aircraft dispatcher. We have seen a slow increase in the number of
women in our dispatcher program, but it is not enough.
In such a male-dominated field, it may feel overwhelming,
but that should not stop you from pursuing your dreams. At Sheffield School of
Aeronautics, we encourage women to join the aviation field with our aeronautics
school and get their FAA dispatch license. It is
about time that more women start reaching for the sky.
Sources:
- Forbes- The Airlines With The Most Female Pilots
- Women in Aviation, International- Current Statistics of Women in Aviation Careers in U.S.
Additional Readings:
Why
Are There So Few Females in the Aeronautics Field
