Originally Posted by
av1atrx
Some of the responses to this thread have me rolling on the floor laughing. You can really tell the male from female posts!! Also, it seems that most posts come from folks relatively new to the industry.
As a female pilot, I have never had any advantage due to my gender. I had to be just as qualified as anyone else. I never got a job before any of my male friends. And I CERTAINLY didn't get any turbine time before 1000 TT! I sucked it up and instructed for 4 years. Then I got the golden opportunity to fly checks. In a Cherokee 6. And after I did that for a while I got to fly the Seneca, and then maybe, just maybe, get some Navajo time. Then some charter flying, etc. I flew professionally for 5 years before I ever even got a regional airline interview. And although I've applied to every single US major airline, I've never gotten called for an interview. I have never failed a checkride or had any certificate action. I have much more total time and experience than most of my peers.
My point is this: I am just like any other average pilot. Female pilots are much more common, and we do not, in general, get the advantages that people think we do! We work just as hard, if not harder (due to our own preconceived notions) as our male counterparts.
I feel it is irresponsible to mislead the new kids coming on here looking for information. The OP needs to know that being a professional pilot will be fun, but not glamorous. If you don't LOVE to fly, you will hate it. I fly with plenty of younger pilots who thought the career would be something that it will simply never be. You most likely will not get rich, you'll miss valuable time with your family that you will never get back, you'll carry much more responsibility than you will get credit for, and it's also likely your health will suffer over time.
Of course, all that being said, why work at a real job when you can get paid to fly? Please, for all future pilots, do not ever agree to work for free, no matter how tempting it may be.
For somebody who posts infrequently, I've rambled far too long. Flame away!
Good post sounds like you paid your dues. When you sent out your apps did you check the F box. It's worth at least check airman status c'mon who are we kidding. I know individuals first hand who apparently were given preferential consideration here is one example; I knew 2 gals who did not even have an app on file at F9 and they got the call. They were as dumbfounded as the rest of us. One of e'm said go affirmative action.
And for the record I'm not saying they weren't as or more qualified.