Emmiline’s school challenged each student to learn a new skill. Some of her peers are learning pottery, others are making a surfboard. Emmiline’s new skill aims a little higher. She is learning how to fly an airplane.
Passing by a local airport almost daily has given her regular occasions to dream about flying. Her family vacations are bookended by airline flights; as much of a highlight as the destination. She has wanted to fly for many years and recently took her first lesson. Her excitement was contagious.
Though unremarkable to her, Emmiline’s entry into aviation is extraordinary. Statistically, aviation has been a male dominated industry since its inception. Women in Aviation International reports that only 7% of licensed pilots in the US are women. Despite the legendary contributions to aviation by women (Amelia Earhart, Bessie Coleman, Jackie Cochrane, the WASPs, etc) aspiring female pilots oftentimes find themselves fighting invalid gender stereotypes. Emmiline sums it up perfectly, rhetorically asking “is there some limitation I have?”
Emmiline, our chief instructor Vicky and the many other women pilots that fly with Horizon Aviation and around the world are the unnecessary proof that there are no such limitations.