{
  "id": 18617146,
  "title": "Just 8 per cent of licensed pilots in Australia are women",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/just-8-per-cent-of-licensed-pilots-in-australia-are-women",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-07T02:08:50.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-07/just-8-per-cent-of-licensed-pilots-in-australia-are-women/107336508"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nIn 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.\n\nShoal 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.\n\nAustralian 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.",
  "summary": "Stark gender imbalances in the aviation industry have left some young women in the field wondering what more can be done to close the gap.",
  "key_points": [
    "Women make up only 8% of licensed pilots in Australia.",
    "Female pilots in Kimberley region attribute under-representation to passenger stereotypes.",
    "Australian Women Pilots Association suggests family-friendly policies to close gender gap."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Addressing gender imbalances through professional networks and government funding targets the cultural and structural barriers that currently limit female participation in the Australian aviation industry.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}