Can a female pilot have a family?

In the United States about 1 in 10 pilots are women. I am pretty confident a high percentage of them have families. I have a dear friend who is a pilot for a major airline. She raised two kids who have since graduated college while being an airline pilot the whole time.



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FLYING BY THE NUMBERS The odds are, most pilots will have a normal flight as most women will have a normal pregnancy. But if safety is the prime objective the pregnant pilot should honestly consider both FAR 61.53 and their fitness/functionality for events such as extreme turbulence or a crash.

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“You definitely have to work together as a family.” In spite of their challenges, the panelists agreed that they love being both a pilot and a mother, and they demonstrated with their own lives that there are many ways to be both simultaneously.

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Once out of training and working for an airline I say you can have a family and be an airline pilot without worry. Being away from home and living on the road is tough with or without kids. A supportive co-parent will be the key to making the career work for your family!

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A career as an airline pilot is tough on a personal life. Being away 3-4 days at a time, on weekends, holidays, and during important events puts strain on relationships. It help if you live where you are based out of so you don't have to commute.

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In fact, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not consider “pregnancy under normal circumstances” as a disqualifying condition. Most major airlines have pregnant pilots electing to fly into their third trimester. In 2011, I was expecting my first child.

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This benefit varies from airline to airline. Family members may fly free when space is available or at discounted rates. Flying stand-by is a common benefit, but it can be challenging when there is a group. Some airlines provide “buddy passes” to pilots to share with friends and families.

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In terms of actual days, some publications say most short-haul pilots will either travel home every day if possible or work for five days and then spend three or four days at home. Long-haul pilots are said to spend more time away from home, although they do get 10 to 15 days off per month to see their families.

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While the number of women with licenses to fly commercial airliners increased by 45% between 2008 and the end of 2022, they are still only 4.92% of all pilots in the industry.

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Yes, the airlines know they have married couples in their cockpits and they're okay with it. I'm sure there are a handful flying together at each of the majors. No one else wastes time thinking about it. There is no glass ceiling; pilot pay is transparent and based solely on seniority.

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While there certainly are fewer women training to be pilots, women also face gender-unique social pressures, double standards and systemic barriers that deter their entrance into aviation. Women have been interested in aviation since Wilbur and Orville gave up bicycles for airplanes at the turn of the 20th century.

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Avg. Female Pilot Age: 2017-2022 Data ranges from 35.8 to 44.9.

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Use of Oral or Repository Contraceptives or Hormonal Replacement Therapy are not disqualifying for medical certification.

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Some 80% of student pilots voluntarily withdraw from training before gaining even a basic pilot licence, according to a study conducted for the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

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