ABSTRACT
This chapter documents the stories of five women who pursued careers as pilots at large commercial airlines, a field of employment that remains heavily dominated by men despite the accomplishments of early aviatrixes. Most of the interviewees reported having a childhood fascination with airplanes, and the one who had not thought about airplanes in her youth learned to sail at a young age. Parental support and mentors were encouraging factors, but all of the women had inner drive and personality traits like independence and love of adventure that pushed them forward. They also had the intelligence needed to pursue the formal courses and certifications required, even though some of them earned undergraduate degrees in non-technical fields. The commercial passenger jets flown by the women are complex technological systems which vary by aircraft type. The pilots expressed appreciation for advances in technology, but also emphasized the socio-technical skills needed and cautioned against overreliance on automation. Breaking into a male bastion has caused the women to have to surmount gender-based prejudice from instructors, other pilots, and passengers. In so doing, they described intrinsic and extrinsic benefits of their profession, and have mentored other women through professional organizations like the Ninety-Nines.
