Identifying as a pilot

19 Responses to Identifying as a pilot

1. a reader says:

   30 April, 2022 at 10:37 pm

   I’ve taught pilots from at least 12 countries from 4 continents. I’ve worked with pilots from every continent. Yes more of them were blokes than sheilas, but that’s the case with train driving, mechanics, builders, brickies, sparkies, plumbers. It’s got nothing to do with ability or a “non-inclusive environment.” It has everything to do with interest. The exams to be a commercial pilot licence holder or air transport pilot licence holder are still hard. There’s still a requirement to be mechanically minded. You don’t make a success of being a pilot if you’re not passionate about it and biology seems to dictate that mechanically minded occupations tend to be preferred by men.

   What stops “ethnically diverse” people learning to fly? Usually their family’s expectations. Wokeness will destroy aviation safety
2. Chris M says:

   30 April, 2022 at 10:41 pm

   So they just assumed the gender of the pilots?

   At the end of the day (or flight) gravity is an equal opportunity force.
3. Lee says:

   30 April, 2022 at 11:06 pm

   Why not have race and gender quotas for building engineers, brain and heart surgeons as well?
   I am sure nothing will go fatally wrong, because merit and ability were regarded as secondary in getting those jobs!
4. C.L. says:

   1 May, 2022 at 12:07 am

   Wokeness will destroy aviation safety

   Of course.
   Interesting professional observations, thanks, ando.
   What about all the mechanical and technical jobs associated with aviation – starting with designers, all the way through to maintenance crews? I presume all of these trades and professions are also male-dominated. But it’s only the glamour of piloting tha’s turned into an issue – albeit a fake one. This is not only the stupidest time in modern history but it’s becoming the most dangerous.

   As for criteria, Infidel Tiger at Old Catallaxy always used to say he’d only fly on a plane whose pilots eat with knives and forks.
5. C.L. says:

   1 May, 2022 at 12:14 am

   Why not have race and gender quotas for building engineers, brain and heart surgeons as well?

   Coincidentally, a lady heart surgeon has a piece in The Weekend Australian lamenting the low percentage of females in that specialty. The men were sexist and arrogant, bla bla bla. What most people regard as ‘arrogance’ and ‘intolerance’ these days are simply the qualities of confidence and decisiveness. Which, of course, is what the public wants from heart surgeons (and pilots). We don’t care if they’re allegedly rude – provided they’re not pathologically overbearing.

   Cultural factors are important too. I recall one Air Crash Investigations episode where the senior Asian pilot (Malaysian maybe, IIRC) made a fatally incorrect assessment but his off-sider didn’t push him to alter course – even though the black box recording showed that he was aware disaster loomed. The senior man couldn’t lose face.
6. Chris M says:

   1 May, 2022 at 12:14 am

   only fly on a plane whose pilots eat with knives and forks.

   Not smoking in the cockpit could be a higher placed priority?
7. bradd says:

   1 May, 2022 at 9:14 am

   To become a commercial pilot requires a great deal of commitment and single-mindedness. I recall a survey where they asked pilots at what age they decided they wanted to be pilots. The average age was 11. How many 11-year-old girls will you find who are determined to become pilots?

   In my brother’s case (he has been a fighter pilot, helicopter pilot and commercial captain), it was a good deal younger than 11. He never considered anything else, as far as I recall.
8. Chris M says:

   1 May, 2022 at 10:05 pm

   Bradd I recall one of my instructors telling me about a student who failed the CPL exam 13 times!! Hahaha – that’s commitment… but somehow I’d rather not know if he was up the front. Same with a woke hire.
9. Entropy says:

   2 May, 2022 at 9:09 am

   Lee says:
   30 April, 2022 at 11:06 pm
   Why not have race and gender quotas for building engineers, brain and heart surgeons as well?

   Many engineering firms do exactly that. Miss Entropy, once she gave up the idea a gap year dancing on a cruise ship [current circumstances], fully intends to take advantage of that. The ratio of men and women wanting to do engineering is such that these quotas mean she will be first on and first off.
10. Entropy says:

    2 May, 2022 at 9:14 am

    I recall a survey where they asked pilots at what age they decided they wanted to be pilots. The average age was 11. How many 11-year-old girls will you find who are determined to become pilots?

    That of course, is also what they want to change. So expect plenty of movies where the girl can defeat a man twice her weight in a fight, outrun the boys, and become an air ace on her first sortie. Top Gun for chicks.
11. jupes says:

    2 May, 2022 at 10:06 am

    So expect plenty of movies where the girl can defeat a man twice her weight in a fight, outrun the boys,

    That’s just about every movie this century.
12. Lee says:

    2 May, 2022 at 10:08 am

    So expect plenty of movies where the girl can defeat a man twice her weight in a fight, outrun the boys, and become an air ace on her first sortie. Top Gun for chicks.

    It’s already happening.
    And the girls/women are usually “Mary Sues.”
13. Perplexed of Brisbane says:

    2 May, 2022 at 11:53 am

    Coincidentally, a lady heart surgeon has a piece in The Weekend Australian lamenting the low percentage of females in that specialty.

    I’ve read that there are greater numbers of women in medicine but they choose to work less hours (two women to do the work of one man in effect) for various reasons which would not really bump up the numbers of actual hours worked. I guess the most driven / passionate will go on to specialise with all the stresses that brings but we all know that takes years and all within their prime childbearing time. Something has to give if they want to keep their sanity I suppose.

    It is probably a valid question since girls are apparently outdoing boys in STEM subjects and are enrolling more at University. Perhaps the competitive nature of boys makes them actually want to take the next step and sign up for specialization after internship etc. Who knows?
14. Rohan says:

    2 May, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    What most people regard as ‘arrogance’ and ‘intolerance’ these days are simply the qualities of confidence and decisiveness. Which, of course, is what the public wants from heart surgeons (and pilots). We don’t care if they’re allegedly rude – provided they’re not pathologically overbearing.

    Exactly. Confidence decisiveness being reported as arrogance, is coming exclusively from second rate professionals who hate being shown up as such. In this case, the second rate hack is a woman.

    But ma feeeelings!

    It’s such a stupid time to be alive.
15. Rohan says:

    2 May, 2022 at 1:32 pm

    Comfident*
16. Rohan says:

    2 May, 2022 at 1:33 pm

    Far out. Fat fingers. U know what I mean
17. a reader says:

    2 May, 2022 at 5:37 pm

    Perplexed, age comes into it too. My specialist is in his 60s. He’s at retirement age, he would cut back or retire but he can’t because none of the younger specialists will take on workloads like his generation do. And it’s true. I have friends who specialise in the same medical area and they same the same thing.
18. C.L. says:

    3 May, 2022 at 12:13 am

    a.r. – apologies for misidentifying you as ando, by the way.
19. Perplexed of Brisbane says:

    3 May, 2022 at 10:35 am

    a reader,

    Valid point. Maybe that the colleges only allow for so many specialists too, limiting the numbers that could make the step? That probably does answer the gender question though as it would affect males as well.