Page 26 - InterPilot 2020 Issue 1
P. 26
VOICE OF THE FEMALE PILOTS PAGE 26
Captain Meredith Bell of where you live or work in the world, the
Flying has always been a passion, I learned to challenges faced by Female Pilots are not unique
fly as a teenager, soloing on my 17th birthday. to a particular region but resonate across the
Determined to follow a career in aviation I towed world. Inherent issues for women working in a
gliders while I was at college to gain hours and predominantly male environment have been
worked as an Instructor at a flying club once I’d left un-noticed until now. If the airline industry
done my Degree. expects to fill the predicted requirement for
the number of pilots needed in the industry, it
I’ve been flying commercially for 31 years now will need to address gender equality to further
and have seen so much change in the technology. include women in order to widen the applicant
I started on twin turbo props flying the HS 748 in pool and avoid a shortfall.
the Scottish Highlands and now fly the B787 with
British Airways. I am a Training Captain, a TRE One of the recently notable issues is maternity
and TRI on the B787 and love the mix of work pay. In the UK, most airlines used to award
and challenge that my job brings. I would love maternity pay with a Statutory Maternity Payment
to see, before I retire, a genuine movement to (SMP) - 90% of the salary for the first six weeks
encourage more women to apply and thrive in and £150 a week for the next 33 weeks. To many
the industry. of us, this would mean taking a 90% pay cut, if
not more, in order to spend more time at home
First Officer Andrea Brezonakova with a newborn baby. BALPA, the British Airline
My aviation background goes back to 2004, Pilots Association have been highlighting this
when I had to choose my university subject. I issue over the past year with the Parliamentary
had never thought about becoming a pilot as launch of the ‘Baby on Board Campaign’ which is
I didn’t think the profession was available to seeking to provide fairer maternity pay in the UK
women. Subsequently, I became a new entrant across all industries. We are pleased to see that
to aviation when I joined University. I strived to airlines have started to improve their maternity
be the best student; it required determination, payment and there are many good examples.
motivation and enthusiasm. Eventually, it all
payed off and at the age of 21, I received my 737 A lot of us are often both the main carers in their
type rating while halfway through my master’s families as well as being the breadwinners, which
degree. Looking back, I occasionally wonder if can be a traditionally male role. Even with a
I was ready to face the challenges of aviation, planned pregnancy and the Statutory Maternity
especially with the consequences of the global Pay, it can be unaffordable, post birth, to cover
economic crisis affecting the recruitment of pilots debts such as flight training loans, University
worldwide. Since then I have been flying the 737 repayments, mortgages etc. Real hardship can
with various airlines across Europe and in 2013, I materialise when the pregnancy is unplanned
found my place-to-be with Norwegian. Recently, and occurs earlier on in a career. On the non-
I had the opportunity to transfer fleets onto the financial side, flying is a skill that tends to fade
advanced Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft and with time and without exposure. With all these
last year, I was elected onto the BALPA National factors combined, female pilots may feel the
Executive Council, as the first female pilot for necessity to shorten their maternity leave or lack
over twenty years. I welcome the IFALPA Female the confidence when returning to flying.
Pilots Working Group initiative and I hope we
can finally address the issues that female pilots By working with the airlines, through Member
encounter in their day-to-day job. Associations, we hope to highlight the issues
associated with maternity to make the profession
What are some of the challenges unique to more appealing to females who want both a
female pilots in your (EUR) region? How are they family life and a challenging career. We are
being addressed? pleased to see that some UK airlines have started
to improve their maternity payment.
From working with the IFALPA Female Pilots’
Working Group we have discovered that reardless Once in the aviation industry it is also important
