Due to the length of the project summary the following is only the first page. To read the complete document you will need to click on the PDF version at the bottom of this page.

Teaching Women to Fly Research Project Summary

Research Project Overview:

The Teaching Women to Fly Research Project was partially funded through a generous grant awarded by the Alfred L. and Constance C. Wolf Aviation Fund. Researcher and pilot, Dr. Penny Rafferty Hamilton, began an in-depth study to identify strategies to improve female success in General Aviation in October 2008. The study was completed in August 2010.    

The original Wolf Aviation Fund grant application indicated an extensive literature review would be conducted. A large bibliography is published on the “More Reading” button at www.teachingwomentofly.com/reference.html.

 Also, surveys and/or interviews with 100 female pilots-in-training, unsuccessful women flight training students, and/or low-time general aviation female pilots, and 50 male or female flight instructors would be completed to identify barriers to women’s success rate. Positive ideas to increase the number of women pilots would be generated.  

Because of overwhelming General Aviation media interest, aviation organizational support, and inspiring national interest from flight training students, pilots and instructors, the number of completed surveys and/or interviews was 296: 54 female current “pilots-in-training” and female flight student drop-outs, 157 female pilots of varying experience and ratings, 52 female and 33 male highly-qualified flight instructors. Pie charts reflecting responses are published at www.teachingwomentofly.com  on the “Results” and “Instructors” buttons.

Click here to read the complete project summary document.