How Many Female Pilots are There?
Hi Mom,
My name is Sarah and I am 9 years old and I will be a pilot of helicopters and airplanes when I grow up. My mom found your website with me and we want to know how many pilots who are girls are there?
Thank you for the answer,
Things Are Looking Up
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Well, hello! Let’s look it up, Looking Up,
But first, congratulations on knowing what you want at the ripe old age of 9! A lot of 19 year olds still haven’t got it all figured out, along with a solid number of 29 year olds and more 39 year olds than you could shake a stick at…but I digress. What a wonderful goal you have, and let’s both say a big thank you to your mother for her encouragement and support!
So how many other women are buzzing, gliding, or roaring around out there right now? About 6% of the approximately 600,000 active US pilots happen to be of the female variety, giving us roughly 36,000 female flyers. The first certificated female pilot, of course, was Harriet Quimby, back in 1911, though she wasn’t the first woman to fly. Who was? Well, are we talking balloons, powered aircraft, first woman to solo, or what? There are a fascinating number of women in aviation whose stories you’ll probably LOVE to read, not to mention a lot of current women pilots you really should meet. Join the 99’s and/or Women in Aviation International for a little more inspiration and networking along the way. And you mustn’t forget EAA or AOPA-they have wonderful programs for kids looking for an aviation education. What do you know about the Civil Air Patrol? They’re another delightful resource, and will give you the opportunity to volunteer while you’re at it.
So how many women are there who fly? Not enough, kid, not nearly enough, even if there are more every year. While you can’t get your student pilot certificate to solo until you’re 16 and you can’t get your pilot certificate for an airplane or a helicopter until 17, you can start learning about flying right away today, and I suggest you do. Oh, and that bit about not being able to solo until 16 doesn’t mean you can’t start lessons a little earlier. If I were you, I’d wait a few more years, but starting at 15 certainly wouldn’t be unreasonable…
Have fun and keep in touch! Let me know if there are any other resources I can help you find,
Your mom’s friend and yours
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You’ve got questions? I’ll find you an answer. Email your aviation related question to mom@myskymom.com and check out myskymom.com to read the answers to questions previously posted. An educated pilot is a safe pilot is a happy pilot. Remember, the only stupid question is the one you didn’t ask! Fly smart, fly safe, fly happy.
