Just 8 per cent of licensed pilots in Australia are women

According to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, women account for just 8% of licensed pilots in Australia. In Western Australia's Kimberley region, female pilots working in the area attribute the under-representation to passengers projecting stereotypes, rather than male colleagues. The Australian Women Pilots Association suggests that family-friendly policies, professional development opportunities, and strong career pathways could help close the gender gap.

In the Kimberley, senior Broome pilot Caroline Jamieson has noticed the positive impact of women entering the traditionally male-dominated field. She has even received requests from passengers for advice to their daughters interested in flying. Despite some traditional gender stereotypes still surfacing, the number of women entering the industry is slowly increasing and attitudes are changing.

Shoal Air senior Kununurra pilot Greta Taine emphasizes the importance of camaraderie within the industry, noting that everyone respects each other despite working in a largely male environment. She encourages young girls to pursue a career in aviation, regardless of their gender, and shares her own positive experience growing up in an aviation family.

Australian Women Pilots Association vice-president and helicopter pilot Hilary Wilkins believes that building professional networks can help address the imbalance. She points out that seeing female pilots on flights from Perth to Broome can inspire more women to consider the industry. In the Kimberley, aircraft serve as taxis due to the region's vast size, providing newcomers with ample opportunities to develop their skills.

The remoteness also offers young pilots the chance to progress their careers from small single-engine planes to larger passenger aircraft. The federal government's Women in the Aviation Industry Initiative, launched in 2019, has committed $8 million in funding to boost female participation and retention in Australia's aviation sector.