The aviation industry, often celebrated for the glamour and allure of flight, encompasses a broad spectrum of roles that extend far beyond the cockpit. While pilots often capture the public's imagination, a vast network of professionals is essential to the industry's operation, ensuring that every aspect of air travel is seamless and safe. From air traffic controllers who manage the skies to aerospace engineers who design aircraft and systems, these roles are crucial yet less visible than those of the pilots they support.

One such critical role is that of the aircraft mechanic and maintenance technician. These professionals are indispensable in the aviation world, working diligently behind the scenes to guarantee that every aircraft is airworthy and operating at optimal efficiency. They perform a variety of complex tasks ranging from routine maintenance to urgent repairs, playing a pivotal role in maintaining the safety and reliability of the fleet.

Comprehensive Bias Training: Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion in Aviation

Welcome to this edition of Beyond the Cockpit, where I focus on a critical component of diversity and inclusion efforts within the aviation industry: Comprehensive Bias Training. As the sector strives to bridge the gender gap and cultivate a more inclusive workforce, understanding and mitigating unconscious biases becomes essential. This newsletter explores the significance of bias training, how it can be effectively implemented, and the broader impact it has on operational excellence and workplace culture.

Leadership Commitment: Steering the Course Toward Gender Equity in Aviaton

Welcome to this focused edition of Beyond the Cockpit, where I delve into one of the aviation industry's critical challenges: the significant gender gap and the role of leadership commitment in airlines and aviation companies. Despite women constituting half of the global workforce, their representation in aviation, particularly in technical and leadership roles, remains disproportionately low. This disparity does not merely challenge notions of equity; it significantly impacts innovation, safety, and growth across the industry. Today, I center the discussion on the essential role of leadership commitment in initiating and driving transformative change, fostering a more inclusive and equitable aviation sector.

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Beyond the Cockpit, a bi-weekly newsletter dedicated to exploring the multifaceted roles of women in aviation and addressing the gender gap that persists within the industry. My mission is to illuminate the pathways for women in aviation, celebrate their accomplishments, and discuss actionable strategies for creating a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Through this newsletter, I aim to build a community of advocates, allies, and aspiring professionals who are passionate about propelling women to new heights in aviation.

The aviation industry faces a pressing challenge: a significant gender gap. Despite women constituting half the global workforce, they represent only 7% of the aviation sector and a mere 3% of its C-level executives. This disparity highlights a critical need for inclusivity, particularly beyond the well-discussed realm of pilots. The industry is rich with diverse roles — from engineering to operations and beyond — yet these areas have not received the same attention or efforts to increase female representation. Addressing this imbalance is a strategic imperative for innovation, safety, and growth.

I recently learned of the “Female Triplet” Effect in an article about networking for women in the Harvard Business Review and it made me think about how it could truly make a difference in exponentially increasing the number of women in leadership in aviation and aerospace.

Elevating Voices: The Indispensable Role of Women in Aviation and Aerospace

In the vast and ever-expanding universe of aviation and aerospace, diversity fuels innovation, drives growth, and enhances safety. Yet, one of the most critical aspects of diversity—gender diversity—remains underrepresented. This article delves into the importance of women using their voices in these dynamic sectors, not only to advocate for themselves but also to propel the entire industry forward.

Several years ago, I found myself involuntarily unemployed (a nice term for fired) and to say that I was lost is a monumental understatement.  What I did for a living, my career that I had worked so hard for, had become who and what I was and not just that, but it was the only thing that I was.  I had no idea who I was without my job (because in hindsight, it was just that – a job) and I felt completely alone and actually fearful about my future.

The aerospace and aviation industries stand at a crossroads, highlighted by a recent LinkedIn poll that sought to gauge the community's stance on gender inclusivity. Despite an impressive 29,000 impressions, the poll—asking whether individuals saw themselves as "gatekeepers" or "gate-openers" for women in the field—garnered only 83 votes. This question seemed like a no-brainer; either you support increasing the number of women in aerospace and aviation or you don’t. The startling divergence between visibility and active participation raises critical questions about the support system for women in these sectors.

In the quest to shatter the glass ceiling within the aerospace and aviation industries, the focus often lands on the empowerment and advancement of women. While self-empowerment and community support among women are pivotal, the role of male sponsorship emerges as equally, if not more, critical in propelling women into leadership positions. The aerospace and aviation sectors, historically male-dominated, require transformative actions to not just welcome but actively champion female leadership. Here’s an exploration of why male sponsorship is indispensable in this journey.

I recently came across a thought-provoking article from The Business Journals that sheds light on the current trends in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the corporate world.  This topic really hits close to home for me given my long and deep-rooted journey in aerospace and aviation – a journey not just marked by my passion for space and flight, but also by my commitment to elevating women in these sectors.  Here are some key insights that I am taking away from the article, particularly in addressing the scarcity of women in leadership roles as well as those women leaving our fields in droves.

Recently, I took to LinkedIn with a simple intention: to celebrate the women in aviation and aerospace who are breaking barriers and inspiring the next generation. But when the post received over 3,000 impressions with only a handful of responses, it made me wonder. Why aren't more people engaging in this crucial conversation? This question isn’t about social media metrics - it’s about understanding the deeper currents that influence how we support and recognize women in these traditionally male-dominated fields.

I have always worked. From my very first job of making corsages for a florist friend of my parents to lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons as a teenager; from being a bank teller in high school and college to my first “career job” in aerospace after I graduated. I have never not worked.

Until one day, 20+ years into my career, I found myself unemployed. To say that I was lost is a monumental understatement. I was a train wreck.

What I did for a living had become who I was.

NOT SO FAST!

Following Your Passion is the ONLY Way to Close the Gender Gap in STEM/STEAM!

Over the past couple of weeks much attention has been paid to a recently-published paper containing data that seems to show that encouraging our young people to follow their passions rather than encouraging them to follow the money is creating a gender disparity in STEM/STEAM education and careers.

This lit me up!

As an extremely passionate advocate for increasing the number of girls and women in STEM/STEAM education and careers, this goes against everything that I believe and in fact against my primary message that I pass on to anyone who will listen.

If we want to include more girls in STEM/STEAM then we need to stop asking them if they are good at math. Instead we need to ask them about their passions and then teach them how the practical application of science, technology, engineering math and, yes, even the arts, can help them solve the problems that they are interested in.

“Attracting, retaining, and advancing women in aviation is critical to the U.S. aviation industry’s safety, sustainability, profitability, and ability to innovate.” – Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation

I just read a couple of statistics that shook me to my core and that I can’t stop thinking about.

According to a 2018 survey of Women in Aviation International members, 71% have experienced sexual harassment and of those who reported the harassment, 51% experienced retaliation.