The pilots that are changing the face of aviation
Throughout history, brilliant women have been flying and achieving a series of firsts. But only 5% of pilots are female. What can we do to change this?
Amelia Earhart: the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Jacqueline Cochran: the first woman to break the sound barrier in 1953.
Bessie Coleman: the first African American woman, and also the first Native American, to hold a pilot license.
These are just some of the female aviators of hundreds who are a source of inspiration to young women around the world. However, the aviation industry still faces some big challenges: just 5% of pilots today are women.
What can we do to change this?
We spoke to three female pilots and champions in aviation about this very topic. Kimberly Perkins, an International Captain flying a Gulfstream 650 and Co-founder of Third Wave Aviation, Rachna Sharma Reiter, an experienced commercial airline pilot flying across Europe on the Airbus A320 for easyJet and Ellie Carter, a PPL and tailwheel pilot and Britain’s youngest female pilot.
What inspired you to become a pilot?
Rachna Reiter (RR): When I was 7, my father traveled on a business trip and one of the pilots operating his flight was a female. He was very inspired by this and encouraged me to pursue a career in flying. As I was growing up, my interest in aviation grew and I started collecting information on how to become a pilot. Throughout my school years, every project I did or every time I had the opportunity to do some work experience it always had something to do with aviation. Once I had completed my schooling and my Engineering degree in The Netherlands, I left for the United States to commence my flight training.
Kimberly Perkins (KP): When I was in high school, I spent a lot of time in the science lab. I loved science classes. I dreamed of doing a variety of science-type jobs but the dream of becoming a pilot wasn’t on my radar — yet.
Looking back, I realise I already was a pilot in the making. Throughout middle and high school, I used to spend a lot of time in the back of airplanes as a passenger going between New Hampshire and Oregon. I would listen to United’s channel 9 to hear the pilots check in with Air Traffic Control (ATC). I would keep track of where we were based on the ATC Center location. This was before the days of passenger moving maps.
After high school, I toured universities and colleges without much direction on which subject I wanted to study. Something felt intrinsically right when I toured Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire, with a campus that was set at an airport. The school had a fleet of aircraft that included gliders and aerobatic airplanes.
The first time I really become inspired to fly was on a tour of the school. When I asked the student giving the tour about the flight program, he complimented the school but immediately discounted the idea of me succeeding in the school. He told me the program was “very competitive” and that most people drop out. “You probably wouldn’t make it,” he added.
Without hesitation I thought, “that sounds perfect”.
I enrolled in the program that fall, and after taking my first flight lesson, I was completely hooked. It was exhilarating! I completed the four-year program in two and a half years, and I went on to build hours as a flight instructor before going to the airlines. I am so thankful that I didn’t allow someone’s negativity to affect my enthusiasm. My whole life’s trajectory might have been different because of it.
Ellie Carter (EC): Nothing really inspired me to start flying as such, it has always been something that I have wanted to do, ever since I was about three. I have always been fascinated with physics so flying was also a natural extension of that.
In aviation, only 5% of pilots are female. Why do you think that is?
EC: It’s hard to know why the percentage of girls in aviation is so low. I think it’s hard to fit in as a girl at a young age and I have also seen that girls often receive pressure from friends and family to do certain more ‘girly’ things.
RR: Unfortunately, there still seems to be a misconception of a pilot being a
‘‘male job’’! The young girls often mention that it has never crossed their
mind or they didn’t think they have the right skills to become one. Women
are good at multitasking, communicating clearly, working well in a team, and are very determined: that is why I believe women certainly do possess
the skills to become a pilot. I strongly believe we need to showcase more female role models in a male-dominated industry. A role-model can be very influential in helping to motivate young girls. My daughter, for example, has no notion of a “male” or “female’’ job. Having seen her mother as a pilot she herself wants to be in astronaut, or at least pursue a career in the aerospace sector when she grows up.
KP: This is an issue that is complex and multifaceted. Traditional explanations, such as high training costs and rigorous schedules, have been named as probable causes, but these hurdles are non-gendered and disregard the unique challenges that women and minorities face.
Women have to overcome invisible barriers, which makes a challenging career even more rigorous. While challenges affect people in different ways, there are five major barriers that I’ve experienced in my 18 years within aviation: the double bind, myth of the meritocracy, conformity for social capital, tokenism, and the ideal worker default.
Women make up 14% of student pilots but only 5% of career pilots, so women are leaving somewhere along the career path. A survey of 100 career women pilots revealed that bias and discrimination show up as dissuading factors in both the recruitment and retention of women. Overt discrimination and explicit bias are usually easy to recognise; but biases can show up in subtle ways creating invisible challenges that disproportionately affect women, caregivers, and minorities.
In order to find solutions to these challenges, it’s important to label and define them: the double bind (femininity requires a softness but leaders require strength, so as women become more successful there becomes a there’s-just-something-I-don’t-like-about-her factor to overcome); the myth of the meritocracy (a false belief that everyone has an equal opportunity to success, which negates the advantages bestowed on the majority and masks the rampant gender stereotyping holding women back); conformity for social capital (the more a woman can blend in, the larger her network becomes); tokenism (having to prove your worth because people think you didn’t get your position on merit), and the ideal worker default (a structure that benefits those free from caregiving responsibilities, which don’t tend to be women).
These challenges are not unique to aviation, but they are persistent here. My goal is to make the flight deck door accessible to anyone with the dream of flying. I feel so fortunate to be in the position I am in, and I feel an overwhelming desire and sense of responsibility to give back to and help others access the industry that I love. For the last few years, I channeled this desire towards supporting women in aviation. I began researching, writing, and speaking about gender parity and the invisible barriers that are creating challenges for women in the field.
What are your thoughts on diversity in the industry? What can we do to make it better?
RR: When we look at gender, racial and ethnic diversity the numbers continue to be very low. The research has shown that diversity proves to be beneficial to a business. Especially in the current climate, where the aviation industry is going through very challenging times, the diversity will become even more important for the recovery. We need to find creative and innovative solutions to get the aviation industry back to a growth level. This can only happen when you bring together people who are from different backgrounds, have different types of experience, perceptions, ideas, and opinions.
There are various things that can be done to increase diversity. Things like funding programmes to help and support potential candidates from minority backgrounds, partner with relevant groups and targeted hiring.
The commitment to increase diversity has to come from higher management within an organisation. This will assist the rest of the organisation to accept and be open about diversity in the workplace so that an inclusive environment can be created because, without an inclusive work environment, diversity is not sustainable.
KP: The aviation industry lacks diversity. There are history books filled with justifications for the homogeneity of the industry — but rarely are nepotism, biases, negative stereotypes, racism nor sexism discussed as probable explanations, which is why we haven’t really moved the needle on making the industry more diverse.
Diversity won’t thrive in an environment that isn’t inclusive.
We cannot put the burden of change on the shoulders of the minorities. Racism exists, by a large part, because of white people; much like sexism exists, by a large part, because of men. Therefore, white people must fight racism as anti-racists and men need to join the fight for gender parity. It’s not enough to just say you are not racist or sexist. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves, see through our own biases, and find ways to dismantle systems designed to keep people out. This is about inclusivity and it’s everyone’s responsibility.
EC: I think the aviation community needs to become more embracing and accepting. I think there also needs to be more support for young people, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds. I spend a lot of time taking young people for flight and I think if more people got involved in this, then we could improve diversity in the sector.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
KP: One of the most rewarding aspects of aviation for me is finding ways to make the industry more inclusive, whether that’s through mentoring youth or educating our senior Captains on important concepts such as ‘bias’ and ‘inclusion’.
I also love the strong sense of community within the industry. Aviation has opened the door for many great possibilities for me, and I want to connect more people to this industry by building a global community. In 2016, I founded the non-profit Aviation for Humanity. With the help of the traveling public, we bring school supplies to underfunded schools, shelters, and orphanages around the world. I’m so thankful for all the volunteers who have formed this network, and through this work, I hope to continue to inspire others, as we grow our global community.
RR: The most rewarding part of my job is always when I complete a flight. Every flight can be so different with sometimes various issues to deal with. Dealing with those in a safe manner and efficient manner with your team is what gives me a great sense of achievement and satisfaction.
What makes a great pilot?
EC: It’s hard to say what makes a good pilot but I think it is important to be thorough and to know your boundaries.
RR: In my opinion, a great pilot is a combination of several different qualities. You have to be able to work in a calm manner in high-pressure situations, work well in a team, being able to communicate clearly, make decisions, and show leadership skills, and be customer-oriented. These are just some of the traits of a great pilot.
KP: Inclusive leadership. Safety is always the most important thing in piloting. But, when I say “safety”, what do you think of? The aircraft being in-tact? Passengers getting from A to B without incident? Yes to all of that but it’s also about providing psychological safety, meaning people internally feel comfortable in their surroundings. No place is better in examining the overlap between psychological safety with physical safety than the flight deck.
After a series of crashes in the 1970s, it was determined that pilots needed to collaborate better, so a how-to-communicate system became ubiquitous in the industry, known as Crew Resource Management. In the early 2000s, the industry determined it needed to measure safety culture within an organisation, so Safety Management System was born. These are all important safety protocols, but they break down without inclusion. When a first officer doesn’t have psychological safety because they don’t feel valued or they don’t feel comfortable speaking up, physical safety is jeopardised, for example, the Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco.
A great pilot leads by example and has the ability to recognise diversity as a strength within our community. They build trust and create an inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging while being their authentic selves.
What has been your favourite destination to fly to?
KP: I love my time in Europe and have been fortunate to fly into the south of France many times. There’s something magical about flying south over the Alps and — less than an hour later — flying an approach over the Mediterranean.
RR: In 2019, it was the first time that I started flying to China and I found it amazing. Every city is so different and there is so much to do, you can never get bored!
We asked Ellie what her most memorable flight to date has been…
EC: My most memorable flight happened a few weeks ago. I had an engine failure after takeoff at 500ft during a fly-in when all the aircraft were departing. I landed in the long grass with a slight tailwind component without damaging the plane or injuring anyone.
Outside of work, what are some of the initiatives that you’re involved in?
EC: Outside of school and time at the airfield, I spend a lot of time working for charities to encourage young people into aviation. I am an ambassador for YES and I am also working with the Jon Egging Trust.
RR: I am a member of two female pilot organisations, BWPA in the UK and the Ninety-Nines in Germany, that promote, encourage, and support young girls who are interested in flying. Besides this, I hold presentations about my career and support girls by sharing my journey through my blog She Pilots. I recently took part in the Nuffield Future Researchers, mentoring a student for her research project in an aviation-related topic. I am also part of the Diversity Inclusion working group at the Royal Aeronautical Society.
KP: In 2016, I formed Aviation for Humanity, which is now run by a great Board of volunteers. I also research, write, speak, and advocate about gender parity, diversity, and inclusion within aviation. I’ve participated on panels and podcasts and published in a variety of articles in hopes of sharing research and a path forward to create a more inclusive industry where diversity can thrive.
These efforts led me to become a co-Founder of Third Wave Aviation. At Third Wave Aviation, we aim to include broader definitions of personal and physical safety and give professionals tools that will empower them to create safety for themselves, their colleagues, and the collective people and companies they serve. Everyone will benefit from a fresh approach that transcends blame, judgment, and categorisation, and promotes whole-system wellness.
What advice would you give to young women interested in becoming a pilot or pursuing a career in aviation?
RR: For anyone who is thinking of becoming a pilot, I would suggest to first get another degree. The aviation industry is very volatile and getting a degree before you start means you will always have something to fall back on. Aviation is the most exciting industry that there is. There are many different fields that you can choose within the industry. If you choose the technical or engineering field in aviation, there will not be many females… However, that should not be seen as a barrier. Find the training programme that suits you best and while completing your studies, reach out to network with people within the industry. These are very exciting times for young women in the STEM fields as there are many support programmes to guide them further in their careers. With the internet and social media, it is very easy to connect. Find yourself a mentor, attend events, join relevant groups, and try to network as much as you can.
KP: My advice is this: don’t accept the default. Even if things have always been done a certain way or looked the same, we can still seek a new perspective or approach. Men have always been the default in aviation. I’ve watched women hide their femininity to fit some arbitrary mold (the conformity for social capital barrier) — I even did this as a young flight student. When we do this, they give up a piece of ourselves to fit in. Even worse, it means the perpetuation of this cycle forcing the next generation to deal with this barrier as well. Let’s break that cycle.
If we don’t question and challenge the default of our own industries, who will? We can challenge this default by succeeding in our field while remaining 100% our authentic selves. So, don’t feel like you have to fit a certain mold. Growth and progress come from challenging the status quo. So, don’t just accept the default.
EC: My advice for any young woman aspiring to get into aviation is to really just work hard and get over the initial challenges like the fear of not being accepted. Being able to fly really is the most incredible thing.
And what are the next steps for Ellie?
EC: I would love to become a pilot of some sort, I really love aerobatics so becoming an aerobatic pilot or a stunt pilot would be pretty cool. I have also been very lucky in doing some stuff for TV, which has been something that I really love, so I would really like to get into presenting.
Thank you to Kimberly, Rachna, and Ellie for sharing their stories and insights with us!
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For more information about the programme, please contact the Aerospace Xelerated team:
Gabi Matic — gm@xelerated.aero | linkedin.com/in/gabrielamatic
Wil Benton — wb@xelerated.aero | linkedin.com/in/fatkidonfire
Ksenia Kurileva — kk@xelerated.aero | linkedin.com/in/kseniakurileva
Dana Zou — dz@xelerated.aero |linkedin.com/in/dana-zou/
