“Girls, Girls, Girls.” The title is telling. What could be more sexist? Look in the mirror Kevin and all the other hypocrite’s.
Finally, some common sense. Thank you…
I have a daughter undergoing training in a field that’s 99.99% men, and I can tell you she is not getting cut any breaks because she is a pretty young woman. If she gets through it, which remains to be seen, it will be because she did the work. But unlike the 1970s, at least she gets a shot.
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Thankfully, this topic will automatically disappear in 6 days. I remember the “good ol days” when “Clicks, Clicks, Clicks” wasnt the focus on Avweb.
Ah yes. A new variant of “my best friend is” has entered the chat lol.
Racism/antisemitism/all other isms absolutely do exist and the fantasy that someone can exist loftily above them makes for a good chuckle.
My band name is: The Delusions.
Kevin: I’m pretty sure we both spent our careers at the same airline. As a young captain, I remember in 1989 sliding into my seat on a 727 finding that I was the only male employee on the plane. It was amazing…the trip came off just like the times I flew with all male crews. My experience with women pilots at our company was some were great most were average and occasionally there was a terrible one…just like the male pilots.
I though all women were basically terrible pilots. What changed?
I guess I grew up in a different South than you did. My mom was a CFII and as a teenager in the 70’s at KNEW, the majority of folks I hung around with on weekends were her fellow 99’s, most of whom were also CFII’s, 135 pilots, etc. Never gave it a second thought and when one of them offered a ride to G-d knows only where, I jumped at the chance. My mother refused to instruct me so as “not to pick up her habits,” but her friend Judy did and she saw me through the private check-ride before embarking on her airline career. The point being, at least in my neck of the woods, you had to look hard to not see women in aviation.
There is a cult of ignorance in the country today, maybe the world, and I’d say there has always been. Our culture is simultaneously becoming less considerate and more humorless.
A solid article like this one with thought-provoking humor and insight predictibly faces the downward pull of small-mindedness from the usual suspects every time. Kinda hard to have an expansive discussion on a subject when contrarianism and bigotry hold thinking hostage.
This strain of anti-intellectualism is a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life today, and seems especially prominent in male-dominated careers like aviation, unfortunately.
The false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge’ is nowadays supported by the highest levels of media and government - propelled by obscene levels of money and power in the hands of fools - doesn’t prepare us very well for the impending future.
Thanks for the reminder to always be our best, Kevin. Maybe the best we can do is to circle the wagons and protect what we can in aviation with our own abilities and effort.
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Kevin Garrison is a male.
Why is the name of this trail blazing woman not mentioned?
Joe,
Now you are talking like a real CFI 
Hats off 
Here in my early 80s, and having learned to fly in the late '50s, I’d take a 150 hp Apache in a minute…and just watch my density altitudes. Loved how they looked and loved flying one. But a little past that now I’m afraid.
Seriously, I knew a guy who signed off his girlfriend to do a cross country and she didn’t make it back. I never wanted to be that guy.
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Best-glide-speed only works if you’re already at altitude, some folks never had a chance to climb in the first place.
Interesting post. When I learned to fly in the late 70’s I recall a couple of female CFIs who worked for one of the Southern Oregon flight schools. They were pretty good instructors. Another woman, also a good pilot, regularly flew a supercub into KLMT.
… or are, but do not cling to outdated and unfair stereotypes to protect your fragile ego.
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I too started flying in the early 70s. I encountered a lot of women pilots that were flight instructors, chief flight instructors and a few designees. It didn’t dawn on me then that the reason they held those positions for so long was because no major airline would hire them. Once some started getting hired in the later 70’s you would hear a lot of comments on the radio such as “is your seatbelt too tight?” or “ shouldn’t you be home cooking dinner?”. Some comments were a lot worse than that. In 1978 there was a major airline, with a base in Houston, that had a sign on the door to their crew lounge that read “Pilot’s Lounge, Men Only”. I’d like to think we’ve come a long way since then but a lot of days I’m not sure we have.
Females are flying and crashing like anyone else, in airplanes and boardrooms.
Meg Whitman ruined PayPal at eBay then failed at HP, turned to politics but did not succeed, was US ambassador to Kenya for a couple of years.
Piloting is a rough life, flying small in remote areas, long trips with overnights, …
Yes, a few decades ago many young women became prospectors for minerals - a physically rough life but much time outdoors and ‘hiking’.
Interesting subject; I’ve worked with female pilots and techs. I’ve had female bosses. I’ve worked with minorities, and had minorities work for me. I’ve flown with a similar mix. The bottom line is, who is good at their job and who isn’t. Regardless of ethnicity or sex. The playing field should be level for all. If we all get the same training and are all judged competent, then we should be good aviators, techs, flight attendants or whatever.
I wish it was a level playing field, but it still isn’t. I’ve been in aviation since 1969. Pretty much seen and done it all. I have seen the old boys club. I’ve seen how much harder females have to work, and I’ve also seen how sometimes they get preferential treatment because they are girls. Not their fault though, it’s the guys who fall all over themselves. Minorities, have also had to work harder to get accepted, and sometimes they aren’t. Not because of lack of ability, but because of prejudice. Things are a lot better now. But we still have a way to go. As far as DEI. I honestly don’t know what to think. All I Can say is, if you meet the qualfications, and the tests, and are judged competent, then you should get the same opportunity to work. Just my humble opinion. And yes, as a Non American, I was discriminated against sometimes for being a foreigner. Not bad, and it was up to me to either change or manage it. I never felt sorry for myself, and it just told me that I needed to work harder.