Current Statistics of Women in Aviation Careers in U.S.

 

Pilots
Source: FAA's Aeronautical Center (December 31st, 2010 data)

All Women 
627,588Pilots (total)42,2186.73%
119,119Students14,76712.40%
212Recreational125.66%
3,682Sport1183.20%
202,020Private*13,5666.72%
123,705Commercial*8,1756.61%
142,198Airline Transport*5,5803.92%
15,377Rotorcraft (only)NANA
21,275Glider (only)NANA
96,473Flight Instructors**6,3596.59%
* Includes pilots with an airplane only certificate. Also includes those with an airplane and a helicopter and/or glider certificate. For example, if a pilots holds a private airplane certificate and a commercial helicopter certificate, the pilot would be categorized as commercial.
** Not included in total pilots.

 

Non-Pilots
Source: FAA's Aeronautical Center (December 31st, 2010 data)

All Women 
686,717NonPilot (total)150,01921.85%
331,989Mechanic*7,2152.17%
41,267Repairmen*2,3125.60%
8,407Parachute Rigger*6557.79%
75,205Ground Instructor*5,8947.84%
20,691Dispatcher*3,53017.06%
174Flight Navigator10.57%
159,946Flight Attendant128,64680.43%
49,038Flight Engineer1,7663.60%
* Numbers represent all certificates on record. No medical examination required.

 

Pilots (Women)
Source: FAA's Aeronautical Center (December 31st, 2010 data)

 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 
Student (1)14,76712.40%8,45011.69%9,12711.27%9,55911.33%9,64011.36%9,71711.14%9,85711.21%9,89711.34%10,08211.72%10,23011.80%10,80911.61%11,19111.49%11,28911.55%11,21711.67%11,63212.25%
Recreational125.66%135.56%207.94%177.11%177.11%207.19%217.22%247.74%237.26%206.33%267.65%257.29%247.87%227.75%207.55%
Sport1183.20%983.02%793.01%643.15%262.77%75.22%NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 
Private13,5666.72%14,3226.77%15,0156.75%13,6946.49%14,1116.44%14,5176.35%15,0366.37%15,4876.42%15,9066.49%13,8945.70%14,5545.79%15,1715.86%14,1525.72%14,2575.76%14,8685.85%
Commercial8,1756.61%8,2896.59%8,0836.48%7,1016.17%7,2366.15%7,3156.06%7,4216.05%7,4366.00%7,4545.92%5,9324.92%5,8074.77%5,7204.60%5,3664.40%5,3924.30%5,4954.25%
Airline Transport5,5803.92%5,6363.90%5,6573.85%5,3493.72%5,0713.57%5,0083.53%4,9083.45%4,8503.38%4,7923.31%4,6303.20%4,4113.12%4,1263.00%3,8482.86%3,5722.73%3,3462.62%
Flight Instructor (2)6,3596.59%6,3626.71%6,2936.75%6,2326.76%6,1586.74%6,0676.70%5,9706.66%5,8116.62%5,6676.58%5,3866.50%5,1936.42%5,0286.31%4,9266.22%4,7636.10%4,6675.94%
Total42,2186.73%36,8086.19%37,9816.19%35,7846.06%36,1016.05%36,5846.00%37,2436.02%37,6946.03%38,2576.06%34,7065.67%35,6075.69%36,2335.70%34,6795.61%34,4605.59%35,3615.68%
(1) July 2010, validity increased under age 40 from 36 to 60 months.
(2) Not included in total pilots.

 

Pilots (Men and Women)
Source: FAA's Aeronautical Center (December 31st, 2010 data)

 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
Student (1)119,119 72,280 80,989 84,339 84,866 87,213 87,910 87,296 85,991 86,731 93,064 97,359 97,736 96,101 94,947
Recreational212 234 252 239 239 278 291 310 317 316 340 343 305 284 265
Sport3,682 3,248 2,623 2,031 939 134 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Private202,020 211,619 222,596 211,096 219,233 228,619 235,994 241,045 245,230 243,823 251,561 258,749 247,226 247,604 254,002
Commercial123,705 125,738 124,746 115,127 117,610 120,614 122,592 123,990 125,920 120,502 121,858 124,261 122,053 125,300 129,187
Airline Transport142,198 144,600 146,838 143,953 141,935 141,992 142,160 143,504 144,708 144,702 141,596 137,642 134,612 130,858 127,486
Rotorcraft (only)15,377 15,298 14,647 12,290 10,690 9,518 8,586 7,916 7,770 7,727 7,775 7,728 6,964 6,801 6,961
Glider (only)21,275 21,268 21,055 21,274 21,597 21,369 21,100 20,950 21,826 8,473 9,387 9,390 9,402 9,394 9,413
Flight Instructor (2)96,473 94,863 93,202 92,175 91,343 90,555 89,596 87,816 86,089 82,875 80,931 79,694 79,171 78,102 78,551
Total627,588 594,285 613,746 590,349 597,109 609,737 618,633 625,011 631,762 612,274 625,581 635,472 618,298 616,342 622,261
(1) July 2010, validity increased under age 40 from 36 to 60 months.
(2) Not included in total pilots.

 

Non-Pilot (Women)
Source: FAA's Aeronautical Center (December 31st, 2010 data)

 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 
NonPilot (total)150,01921.85%147,05221.55%144,96821.38%138,45220.77%128,19219.53%119,85018.61%18,6663.62%18,0303.54%17,6123.42%17,1143.34%16,5523.02%15,6622.91%15,3802.80%14,5622.69%13,9092.60%
Mechanic*7,2152.17%6,9802.12%6,7402.07%6,5242.02%6,3451.96%6,1521.92%5,9321.87%5,7341.83%5,5591.76%5,2951.70%5,0471.47%4,7221.39%4,4831.33%4,1971.26%4,0191.22%
Repairmen*2,3125.60%2,3355.64%2,2845.56%2,1935.44%2,1805.41%2,1085.27%2,0395.20%1,8004.83%1,7224.64%1,7894.46%1,7044.46%1,5824.40%1,9403.67%1,8613.60%1,7523.45%
Parachute Rigger*6557.79%6337.57%6157.46%5947.26%5847.08%5566.82%5406.74%5216.61%5006.20%4755.99%5094.86%4944.73%4834.62%4644.49%4414.29%
Ground Instructor*5,8947.84%5,8607.77%5,7857.72%5,7267.68%5,6697.57%5,6127.55%5,5007.46%5,3857.41%5,3217.22%5,1697.15%5,1547.13%5,0167.04%4,9046.97%4,7586.86%4,6526.78%
Dispatcher*3,53017.06%3,38116.79%3,23016.49%3,08716.21%2,93415.77%2,80515.52%2,64715.13%2,52014.86%2,41014.44%2,26214.08%2,06212.62%1,89512.10%1,72911.68%1,55711.15%1,41110.63%
Flight Navigator10.57%10.55%10.45%10.40%10.38%10.34%10.30%00.00%00.00%00.00%00.00%00.00%00.00%00.00%00.00%
Flight Attendant**128,64680.43%126,03480.41%124,41980.44%118,42680.55%108,55980.49%100,63080.48%NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA 
Flight Engineer1,7663.60%1,8283.58%1,8943.56%1,9013.49%1,9203.43%1,9863.44%2,0073.38%2,0703.36%2,1003.30%2,1243.25%2,0763.19%1,9533.06%1,8412.89%1,7252.76%1,6342.66%
* Numbers represent all certificates on record. No medical examination required.
** 2005 was the first year the Registry reported Flight Attendants.

 

Non-Pilot (Men and Women)
Source: FAA's Aeronautical Center (December 31st, 2010 data)

 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996
NonPilot (total)686,717 682,315 678,181 666,559 656,227 644,016 515,293 509,835 515,570 513,100 547,453 538,264 549,588 540,892 534,427
Mechanic*331,989 329,027 326,276 322,852 323,097 320,293 317,111 313,032 315,928 310,850 344,434 340,402 336,670 332,254 329,239
Repairmen*41,267 41,389 41,056 40,277 40,329 40,030 39,231 37,248 37,114 40,085 38,208 35,989 52,909 51,643 50,768
Parachute Rigger*8,407 8,362 8,248 8,186 8,252 8,150 8,011 7,883 8,063 7,927 10,477 10,447 10,459 10,336 10,269
Ground Instructor*75,205 75,461 74,983 74,544 74,849 74,378 73,735 72,692 73,658 72,261 72,326 71,238 70,334 69,366 68,573
Dispatcher*20,691 20,132 19,590 19,043 18,610 18,079 17,493 16,955 16,695 16,070 16,340 15,655 14,804 13,967 13,272
Flight Navigator174 181 222 250 264 298 336 382 431 509 570 642 712 782 847
Flight Attendant**159,946 156,741 154,671 147,013 134,874 125,032 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
Flight Engineer49,038 51,022 53,135 54,394 55,952 57,756 59,376 61,643 63,681 65,398 65,098 63,891 63,700 62,544 61,459
* Numbers represent all certificates on record. No medical examination required.
** 2005 was the first year the Registry reported Flight Attendants.