Main Blog Posts

Read about Alexi's story in aviation! she is a pilot, and Civilian UH-1 Crew Chief! How did your aviation journey begin? My journey in aviation began in October 2019 when I took a young eagles flight with EAA chapter 9032 based out of Smartt Field (KSET) in St. Charles, Missouri. I was a senior in high school, and up until this flight I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was uninspired, and quite unsure of what my future would hold. This flight opened my eyes to

Please see below a few pointers from female flight training students on how you can potentially encourage more girls, and women to engage with a flight training organisation. Ensure women / girls are adequately represented in all materials The importance of this is often overlooked, women notice when they aren’t represented; this can often reflect the culture they can expect to experience at the school. Actively involving women in all forms of media and using gender inclusive

Having grown up in a military oriented family, I have always been inspired to pursue a career in aviation. More specifically, a career in the military, and I knew from a young age that I wanted to join the Air Cadets for the aviation experience. I joined in 2019, at the age of 12, eager to learn more about aviation and to have the chance of flying myself when I turned 13. Throughout my cadet years I gained multiple qualifications including Advanced First Aid, Method of Instru

Written by Kate Lenny This week marks Women in Aviation week (WIAW) 2024, this is an opportunity to highlight the global gender imbalance within the air and space industry and to encourage girls and women of all backgrounds into aviation.   Globally, women make up less than 5% of pilots and 2% of aircraft maintenance technicians, this trend is seen throughout the air and space industry.  Up until the mid-1960s, women were actively excluded from the industry and until recently

by Kate Lenny.  Grants and student loans have been fundamental to the access of higher education in the UK since the 1960’s. The UK’s student loan system has created endless success stories by facilitating students from low-income backgrounds access to higher education.   The student loan company provides low interest, government backed loans that allow students to pursue almost any career, but not a pilot.  Commercial flight training in the UK costs within the range of £60,0

Gender bias can creep in at an early age, but how do we stop children from limiting themselves due to their gender? - by Madison Dooley  Let’s look at the occupations of a teacher, a shop assistant, and a member of bar staff. Each possess a relatively similar number of male and female employees. We don’t tend to announce that we’ve been served by a female shop assistant, nor do we exclaim that we’ve been taught by a female teacher. We tend to mention our teacher as a teacher,

Aviation communities are a great way to connect with likeminded individuals, gain invaluable advice and boost confidence. Here is Lucie's experience of how aviation communities aided her in her goal of achieving a PPL. They say hindsight is a beautiful thing, and I have found that is certainly the case with starting a career in aviation. Looking back over my journey the past couple of years I can see how much I have learned and changed through the challenges I faced entering

By Kim Lewington MBE I started my aviation career at the age of 16. It was a work experience opportunity to spend 6 months in Air Traffic Control at Gloucestershire Airport. I was offered a permanent job after a few months as an Air Traffic Control Assistant. 40 years later and I still love aviation! I qualified as a Tower and Approach Controller and became the first female air traffic controller at Gloucestershire Airport. It wasn’t without its challenges being female in a m

My name is Abbie Lee, I’m 20 years old and I work as an Air Traffic Control Assistant at Gloucestershire Airport, one of the busiest GA airfields in the UK. I’m also a student pilot and I’m nearly 30 hours into my PPL, flying a Cessna 152 out of Staverton Flying School.  Can you describe your journey in aviation? What were your initial steps and where have they now taken you? My journey in aviation started as early as I can remember. I come from a family of aviation enthusias

By Emma Henderson My journey into, through and subsequently out of aviation has been far from straightforward but has also been an amazing journey full of challenges, friends, fun and adventure. I don’t come from a flying background but grew up in rural Essex with a love of flying prompted by seeing Space Shuttle Enterprise fly into Stansted on the back of a B747 when I was 10 years old. That love has never really left me although I went to University to read History with a v

Nina is a commercial helicopter pilot in Canada! @ninaingroundeffect Can you explain the process of completing a commercial helicopter licence in Canada?   Although I think it's quite similar as other places, to complete a commercial helicopter license in Canada, you need to have completed a minimum of 100 hours of flight time. The cost of these hours will vary depending on which aircraft you train on! Along with this, you need 80 hours of ground school and to have passed the

Written by Madison Dooley The benefits of promoting a varied and balanced workforce are widely broadcast. With diversity fostering elevated levels of creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and customer service, it’s unsurprising aviation organisations are attempting to bridge the gender gap. Whilst the number of females in aviation occupations with the largest gender gaps is increasing, the percentage total is on the whole relatively static.  Over the last 60 years, the per

Commercial Pilot, Instructor and Aerobatics Pilot on her way to the World Advanced Aerobatic Championships!  What inspired you to fly/work in aviation? What is your ‘Why’? I took my first flying lesson in October 2004 at my local airport. My grandmother gifted me the flight after making it through my final exams at school. I had just started studying Physics at University College Cork and after that first half an hour in a Piper Cherokee, I was besotted. Here was an activity,

Written by Delphine Legat @ your.elite.mindset.coach Are you sitting comfortably? Good. It’s time to settle down for a little story… Once upon a time in the enchanted forest of Self-Doubt, there lived a mischievous monster known as Imposter Syndrome. This sneaky little beastie had an uncanny knack for whispering doubts into the ears of even the most accomplished beings in the realm.   Imagine this:  You've just achieved something REMARKABLE. Maybe you smashed a project, lande

Known as Ronika, she is a proud female Muslim student pilot, who wears the hijab!   Rowshon became interested in becoming an airline pilot after listening to stories from her parents about the life of a pilot. She won The Honourable Company of Air Pilots gliding scholarship in 2022 and this year won her second flying scholarship from the Air League. Rowshon rarely sees any Muslim Female Pilots and her goal is to change this through talking about her own experiences. As a dete

Written by Madison Dooley For over 100 years female aviators have taken to the skies, however with only 4.7% of pilots currently being female, aviation remains a male-dominated industry. Elevate(her) raised the question as to why women are underrepresented in the Aviation Industry, a recurring answer from our followers was the attitudes and opinions of others. Resistance to accepting female pilots into the flight deck because of preconceived notions as to how each gender perf

Written by Rebecca Delaney...Do you dream of soaring through the skies, commanding a massive aircraft, and exploring the world from a whole new perspective?  Becoming a commercial airline pilot is an exhilarating career choice that offers endless opportunities for adventure, personal growth, and professional fulfilment. If you're a woman or girl with the ambition to take to the skies, this blog is for you. Whether you're starting from scratch or already hold a private pilot's

Written by Madison Dooley  The Flight deck versus cockpit debate has arisen from organisations promoting gender-neutral terminology. In 2006, NASA took the decision to ensure the space program used gender-neutral terminology with other organisations following. The Federal Aviation Administration advisory committee has followed in NASA’s lead, recommending airlines shift to gender-neutral language also. The main words in question are the replacement of ‘airmen’ to ‘aviator’ an

Hi everyone! My name’s Christina Low and I’m a professional stunt performer/driver for film and tv and, as of last year, also a private pilot! I did my PPL with Academy Aviation who are based at North Weald Airfield in Essex. I originally started it back in January 2020, but a mix of bad weather and a little pandemic called covid quickly put a stop to my flying after about seven hours of lessons. I did my theory exams sporadically throughout 2021 to keep them within the time

In conversation with Stephanie Goetz! an accomplished pilot and business woman! What inspired you to fly/work in aviation? What is your ‘Why’?   Aviation was never on my radar! (pardon the pun) I was a U.S. news broadcaster and reporter at NBC, CBS, and NBC news affiliates for 10 years then started an executive communication coaching firm called Goetz Communications. It wasn't until an 80-year-old flight instructor reached out to me in my mid-30's to do a news story on becomi