Gender relations in the cockpit environment

Dr. Guy M. Smith (guy.smith_at_nwa.com)
Fri, 11 Apr 1997 13:36:21 -0700

When I teach CRM skills to line pilots and pilot instructors, I like to ask
women pilots about their experiences with gender discrimination.
Surprisingly very few have related anything at all in that area. I surely do
not imply that gender issues are not a problem in the airline industry; I
just have been pleasantly surprised and encouraged that women pilots do not
have to deal with gender issues frequently. Whenever a woman pilot does
relate anecdotes of gender bias, I ask her how she responds. There are two
predominant answers: 1) "I do my job professionally. When another pilot
recognizes that I am competent, he starts to treat me as a pilot rather than
as a woman." 2) "I have run into men that have a gender prejudice. I think
to myself, 'that's HIS problem, not mine,' and I just do my job."

If you know of anyone who has doubts about the role of women in aviation,
invite them to attend the International Women in Aviation Conference. The
conference is filled with thousands of women - pilots from every airline
imaginable, mechanics, managers, engineers, astronauts... What I like most
about WIA conferences is the energy and enthusiasm that surrounds the event.
Male bashing is not allowed; it is truly a celebration of the accomplishments
and potential of women in aviation. Most of us who belong to "Women in
Aviation" look forward to the day when it will seem amusing that we ever
needed such an organization in the first place. The thousands of
professional women who fly airplanes from Cessna 150s to Boeing 747-400s and
their peers who repair aircraft, teach and manage programs and perform
every possible job in the industry are all working to making that day a
reality.

Dr. Guy M. Smith
Manager, Human Factors Practices
Northwest Airlines N7205
5101 Northwest Dr.
St. Paul, MN 55111-3034
Phone 612-727-4255