The Research
Instructors
Responses to the instructor pilot survey questions: 52 female flight instructors and 33 male flight instructors.
Each chart shows the number of responses and the share of the total. Select the expand icon on any chart to view it larger.
01Instructor Ratings:
Female instructors Instructor Ratings: (multiple possible)
- Ground School12 (15%)
- CFI27 (34%)
- CFII20 (25%)
- Other Advanced ratings20 (25%)
Male instructors Male Flight Instructor Ratings
- CFI14 (26%)
- CFII13 (25%)
- Other Advanced Ratings13 (25%)
- Ground School8 (15%)
- No Response5 (9%)
02Approximate number of flight time hours:
Female instructors Instructor's approximate logged flight time
- Under 5000 hours26 (50%)
- Over 5000 hours17 (33%)
- No Response9 (17%)
Male instructors Male Instructor's Approximate Flight Time
- Under 5000 hours13 (39%)
- Over 5000 hours12 (36%)
- No Response8 (24%)
03Approximate number of years you provided instruction:
Female instructors Number of years as an IP
- Under 5 years12 (23%)
- 6 to 10 years10 (19%)
- 11 to 20 years12 (23%)
- 21 + years8 (15%)
- No Response10 (19%)
Male instructors Number of Years (approx.) as Flight Instructor
- Under 5 years3 (9%)
- 6 to 10 Years5 (15%)
- 11 - 20 Years6 (18%)
- 21+ Years11 (33%)
- No Response8 (24%)
04Your age range:
Female instructors Female Instructor Age Groups
- Under 304 (8%)
- 31 to 5022 (42%)
- Over 5016 (31%)
- No Response10 (19%)
Male instructors Male Flight Instructor Age Ranges
- 30 and Under1 (3%)
- Between 31-509 (27%)
- 51 and Over17 (52%)
- No Response6 (18%)
05Approximate number of female students you trained:
Female instructors Approx. Number of Student You've Trained
- Under 1020 (38%)
- 11 to 2515 (29%)
- 26 to 503 (6%)
- Over 503 (6%)
- No Response11 (21%)
Male instructors Number of Female Students Trained (approx.)
- 10 and Under22 (67%)
- 11-255 (15%)
- 26 to 500 (0%)
- Over 502 (6%)
- No Response4 (12%)
06Estimate female success rate (at least private pilot rating):
Female instructors Female Instructor Age Groups
- Under 304 (8%)
- 31 to 5022 (42%)
- Over 5016 (31%)
- No Response10 (19%)
Male instructors Male Flight Instructor Age Ranges
- 30 and Under1 (3%)
- Between 31-509 (27%)
- 51 and Over17 (52%)
- No Response6 (18%)
07Most of the flight instruction you provided was:
Female instructors Most of the Flight Instruction you provided was:
- Private Lessons16 (27%)
- Through FBO or Airport22 (37%)
- Community College/Univ.8 (13%)
- No Response6 (10%)
- Other - Airline or USAF8 (13%)
Male instructors Most of the Flight Instruction You Provided Was
- Private Lessons10 (23%)
- Through FBO or Airport18 (42%)
- Community College/Univ.5 (12%)
- No Response3 (7%)
- Other-Airline or Military7 (16%)
08Barriers to female ground school success:
Female instructors Barriers to Completing Ground School
- Less mechanical knowledge17 (33%)
- Fear of asking questions14 (27%)
- None11 (21%)
- No Response10 (19%)
Male instructors Barriers to Completing Ground School
- Less Mechanical Knowledge7 (21%)
- Less Confident10 (30%)
- None8 (24%)
- No Response3 (9%)
- Sexist Instructors5 (15%)
09Barriers to female student flight training success:
Female instructors Barriers to Flight Time Success
- Greater Fear Factor14 (27%)
- Too Hard on Themselves12 (23%)
- Less Aggressive11 (21%)
- Time & Money9 (17%)
- No Response4 (8%)
- None2 (4%)
Male instructors Barriers to Flight Time Success
- Greater Fear Factor7 (21%)
- Too Hard on Themselves4 (12%)
- Less Aggressive7 (21%)
- Time & Money4 (12%)
- No Response3 (9%)
- None3 (9%)
- Poor Instructor Fit5 (15%)
10Barriers to students in the physical cockpit environment:
Female instructors Environmental Cockpit Barriers
- Too Short for Seat/Pedals29 (56%)
- No Response20 (38%)
- None3 (6%)
Male instructors Environmental Cockpit Barriers
- Too Short for Seat/Pedals7 (21%)
- Space Confined/Turbulence5 (15%)
- No Response6 (18%)
- None15 (45%)
11Suggestions to improve flight training for female students:
Female instructors Suggestions to Improve Female Flight Training
- More Female Mentors20 (38%)
- More Women Instructors14 (27%)
- Women Pilot News Stories11 (21%)
- No Response7 (13%)
Male instructors Suggestions to Improve Female Flight Training
- More Female Mentors7 (21%)
- Find Compatible CFI6 (18%)
- Expose Girls to GA Early5 (15%)
- FOI Communication Skills4 (12%)
- Women Pilot News Stories4 (12%)
- Other/Misc.4 (12%)
- No Responce3 (9%)
12Reasons female students gave for wanting to fly:
Female instructors Reasons Students Gave for Wanting to Fly
- Personal Satisfaction27 (47%)
- Career Opportunity19 (33%)
- Fly with Family5 (9%)
- No Response4 (7%)
- Other2 (4%)
Male instructors Reasons Students Gave for Wanting to Fly
- Career Opportunity8 (24%)
- Business4 (12%)
- Personal Satisfaction7 (21%)
- Fly with Family8 (24%)
- Other/Misc.3 (9%)
- No Response3 (9%)