Women in Aviation – A Brief History

Women in Aviation

Women have been significantly involved in the aviation industry from the beginning, yet you wouldn’t know it from Hollywood- 99% of pilots featured in movies are men, as an easyJet advertisement titled “Hey Hollywood! Catch Up If You Can’” campaign calls out. 

While women’s contributions have been instrumental to the growth and success of the field, their representation in the industry- both as portrayed through Hollywood and in real life- have remained small. 

According to the University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute’s 2021 Workforce Report, “…women make up less than 20% of most aviation occupations and the areas with the largest gender gaps continue to be pilots, maintenance technicians, and senior leadership positions.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Image Sourced: https://www.flyaeroguard.com/blog/women-in-aviation/ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: https://www.wai.org/resources/waistats

Thus, we here at SMAT celebrate and acknowledge the women who have paved the path for aviation as we know it today, and we invite more women to join the field in every capacity. 

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart may hold the crown for most well-known female pilot of the 20th century, with her disappearance still inspiring investigations, podcasts, documentaries, and lore; yet aviation’s history is peppered with extraordinary women. 

Bessie Coleman

In the 1930s, Willa Beatrice Brown (later known as Bessie Coleman) grew up in Atlanta, Texas, where fear of the white militia groups nearby had manifested in at least 9 lynchings in those years. Raised at a time when her color of skin prevented her from access to public amenities and when poll taxes were in place to keep her from the voting booths in the US, Bessie was enraptured by the stories of French women flying told by returning WWI soldiers. 

Saving the small amounts of earnings from her jobs as a manicurist and as a manager of a chili parlor, Bessie persuaded several Black millionaires to invest in her dreams and set off to France to become a pilot. Seven months later, she became the first African American woman, and first female descendant of indigenous peoples, to earn her pilot’s license. 

However, she didn’t let achieving her own goals stop her pursuit of carving out new niches in the aviation world: “Coleman used her position of prominence to encourage other African Americans to fly. She also made a point of refusing to perform at locations that wouldn’t admit Blacks” (pbs.org).

 

Why Have Women Historically Been Underrepresented in the Field?

Since long before the Wright Brothers successfully flew, women have been drawn to flight, designing machines, developing patents, and craving the adventure and freedom of the skies. Elizabeth Todd successfully completed an airplane capable of flight, of her own design, only a few years after the Wright Brothers and after tinkering in her aviation dreams for nearly a decade.

She also championed  “increasing interest in aerial matters in this country” specifically amongst young people by adopting France’s model- she created the Junior Aero Club of America, and its contests that drew flocks of young aviators to the field, paving the road for America’s future of robust aviation programs (AMA History Project).  

Source: Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-15081)

But like so many other fields, it was not a lack of interest keeping women away. Women were treated as novelties in the field by newspapers, the masses of onlookers, and fellow aviators. 

One historic example is the story of Blanche Scott, who later became the first woman to drive across the United States and the first American female aviator. “Her instructor, Glenn Curtiss, inserted a block of wood beneath the aircraft’s rudder pedals so that Scott could learn to maneuver the plane, but only on the ground” (AeroGuard). 

 

Here at SMAT we celebrate our female student aviation maintenance technicians and pilots 

SMAT also wants to prepare future female aviation maintenance technicians. Even if the pilot shortage gets the most media attention.

Christina Lehigh

Christina Lehigh is a 2020 graduate of the Aviation Maintenance Training program and a 2021 graduate of the Flight Training program. She is currently working for SMAT through Proclaim Aviation Ministries. Ever since hearing the story of Nate Saint when she was a child, she dreamed of becoming a missionary pilot. “I was excited at the prospect of using airplanes to reach those in remote areas. I wanted to see all people groups reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” 

With a staff who went out of their way to show individualized attention and care, Christina felt she was able to have plenty of one-on-one time in the lab helping her discover her passion. 

She discovered her “favorite part about being an AMT is doing hands-on work. I find it very rewarding to take something that has malfunctioned and return it to airworthy condition.” 

Christina has a passion to pursue overseas ministry. She recognizes the value of being able to reach remote destinations and being able to repair her plane. 

Christina has some advice for young women interested in aviation. “Dedicate yourself to learning. Push yourself to do and be the best you can be. Do not settle for the minimum required. Take full advantage of the learning environment, and don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions or make mistakes. The program is intense. You will need to set aside time for studying at home, but it is also enjoyable to realize how quickly knowledge and skills are gained throughout the program.”

Evangela Brumfield

Evangela Brumfield is a current SMAT student attending. She is on a $10,000 scholarship from the mikeroweWORKS Foundation along with a couple of other smaller scholarships. Evangela is also pursuing training in aviation maintenance. She wasn’t thrilled she’d need to learn aviation maintenance for a career in missionary aviation. Now she declares, “I had a complete change of heart after apprenticing at a local airport shop, and attending a camp where we did some aviation maintenance. Now, I love working on airplanes even more than flying them!”

Despite having reservations about aviation maintenance earlier on, she currently feels her “ favorite part about being an AMT student is the projects we get to work on, and seeing all the knowledge we are learning begin to take shape into actual running pieces of equipment. I love envisioning how the lab project I am working on is related to the work I will do one day on the mission field.” Now, she sees herself specifically working to build her experience in the field of aviation maintenance to fulfill her dream.

Evangela’s advice to women with any interest in pursuing similar career paths is wise. “Since so few women go into maintenance programs, there are several scholarships available to fund their training. My advice would be to apply especially for the ones that are not specifically aviation related. You will stand out even more in your application than the scholarships specifically for aviation.”

We at SMAT aim to bring our goal of glorifying God through missionary aviation to everyone wishing to pursue the vocation. We will continue working to share more women’s stories, and increase our reach to those underrepresented in the field. 

Resources For Further Learning: 

West Michigan Aviation Academy

West Michigan Aviation Technology is a free public high school. Students can earn their private pilot’s license or build a plane. Students can participate in aviation maintenance. Amongst these, WMAA offers many more STEM-focused opportunities. 

WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame

“The WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame was established in 1992 to honor women who have made significant contributions as record-setters, pioneers, or innovators. Special consideration is given to individuals or groups who have helped other women be successful in aviation or opened doors of opportunity for other women. WAI solicits nominations from members of women throughout the aviation industry for induction to the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame.”

WIA (Women in Aviation)

Women in Aviation International (WAI) holds its conference annually. WAI brings in over 2000 women in aviation around the world. It has given away over 100 scholarship awards to women who are members of the chapter.

Being a WAI member gives women in aviation the chance to connect with other women all over the world. It allows networking opportunities with those who enjoy sharing their passion for the aviation industry.

WAI members seek to inspire and stand for encouragement, continued education, and fun. Membership includes job search opportunities, scholarship opportunities, access to mentors in your industry, and much more.

WAI has volunteer opportunities for its members where you can share your passion for aviation through chapter activities. They can help at WAI events or sponsor scholarships to inspire other women in aviation to live their dreams.

WAI provides up to three scholarship opportunities to active members of WAI. The WAI scholarship program features a variety of career pursuits to further members’ interests in aviation. Some career pursuits include aerospace engineering, aviation maintenance, flight training, helicopter ratings, dispatch, and more.

“Due to a strong commitment to promoting women in the aviation industry, WAI has gained wide recognition. This recognition is evident from partnerships with NASA, the FAA, and other organizations.”

AWAM (Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance)

The Association for Women in Aviation Maintenance (AWAM) doesn’t limit its scholarship opportunities to students and women. Scholarships are open to active aviation technicians, transitioning military, and people of any gender. Individuals who do apply for this scholarship need to be members of AWAM.

Additional List of Scholarships for Women Pursuing Aviation: 

1. Advancing Women In Transportation
2. The Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship
3. Female Aviators Sticking Together (F.A.S.T) Scholarship
4. I Heart Flying
5. American Association of Airport Executives Women in Aviation Scholarship
6. Whirly Girls
7. Amelia Earhart Fellowship
8. International Society of Women Airline Pilots

School of Missionary Aviation Technology 

SMAT offers professional aviation training that equips individuals to serve God and others through aviation. Our program allows individuals to achieve their goals of glorifying God and serving those in need through ministry. The aviation technology training you will receive at SMAT will help you to meet your goals through a mission-driven curriculum.

At SMAT, students benefit from small class sizes where students build strong, lasting relationships with their teachers. You can apply to one of SMAT’s aviation programs online today at, https://smat.edu/apply-today/.