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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

This blog covers some key factors to consider before selecting a flight school for commercial training. Although I hope it may also be useful for aspiring recreational pilots. Check out the list of example questions. You can use these as a basis for your research or print them out and take them to an open day! - Kate Lenny Location Some flight schools give the opportunity to relocate to a country with more favourable weather to complete some or all phases of your flight train

“Women, like men, should try to do the impossible.” Amelia Earhart My name is Lilya and I’m a 20-year-old female student pilot. Jumping into the aviation industry has been a rollercoaster; with no family members or even friends who had ever considered aviation, navigating the best training academies, making contacts and finding role models has been difficult. I find myself thinking back to my 10-year-old self who first decided that she wanted to fly. Yet, on the flight deck t

My name is Madison Dooley, I’m 21 and recently qualified as a commercial pilot. Whilst building hours in Florida I was lucky enough to visit multiple air shows including the Vero Beach air show and the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo in Lakeland. This was the first time I’d seen an Aerobatics performance, and I remember thinking ‘This is amazing, I wish I knew how to do that!’. Fast forward to the end of my commercial training and the last step before gaining a commercial licence w

"If training to become a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher or other vocation, student loans can be obtained in relation to the cost of the university degree or course but are not available to pilots. There is no logical or rational reason to preclude pilots from accessing student loans." (Airline) Nobody likes to talk about money. It’s a subject that we as humans tend to shy away from, and that’s as true in the aviation industry as it is in everyday life. The cost of training to be

Meet Andrea Alexandrou as she shares her experiences in Aviation. There are so many options in terms of piloting careers, from banner towing, ferry flights and flying for a commercial airline. Andrea gives us an insight into Aerial Firefighting and her journey to becoming qualified as a commercial pilot. What inspired you to become a pilot and what did your first steps into the industry look like? Having a pilot father who is currently still active, my love for aviation begun