It’s all about getting more “people from underrepresented backgrounds into aviation, which is currently a very pale, male and stale industry.” That’s Alice Crutchfield’s aim, along with several associations in the industry.
The Private Pilot’s Licence student from the south of England is involved in a wide number of associations – the British Women Pilots’ Association, The Ninety-Nines, Women in Aviation International, and the National Gay Pilot’s Association (who represent members across the LGBTQ spectrum).
Each one of these associations work to break down the many barriers that exist in the aviation sector, and the statistics are pretty shocking.
“The number of female commercial airline pilots is 6%,” said Alice.
6%. Just 6%. When you consider globally there are over 100,000 commercial flights daily (under normal circumstances before COVID), for just 6% of those pilots operating to be female, there’s a big issue that needs addressing.
The charities Alice works with offer a number of different scholarships to get people from these backgrounds flying, and she urges anybody with even a passing interest of aviation to explore the different options available.
Take a listen below to find out what she has to say.