Sheryl Barden, CAM, is CEO of Aviation Personnel&nbsp;International, the longest-running recruiting and HR consulting firm&nbsp;exclusively serving business aviation. A thought leader on all things&nbsp;related to business aviation professionals, Barden is an NBAA CAM Fellow&nbsp;and formerly served on NBAA’s board of directors and its advisory council.

AIN Contributor

Sheryl Barden

On March 8—International Women’s Day—I was once again stopped in my tracks as I read this&nbsp;Fast Company headline: “All I want for International Women’s Day: No more female founder takedowns.”
In a nutshell,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90861837/international-womens-day-no-more-female-founder-takedowns">the article</a>&nbsp;explains how females in tech often make the same mistakes as their male counterparts, yet they face much harsher repercussions. Unfortunately, these female takedowns aren’t just happening in the tech industry.
In fact, that headline made me think about gossip I heard last week at the NBAA Leadership Conference about yet another female pilot who’s struggling at training.&nbsp;A person in the aviation industry was telling me that a flight department had pressure from HR to hire a woman and how “she’s having a hard time training on a new aircraft.”
As if male pilots don’t struggle at training! Yet never once, in my 20-plus years working in business aviation, have I ever heard anyone gossiping about a male pilot struggling at training.
I would venture to say that men also struggle with new technology and bigger aircraft, but no one makes a big deal over it because we take for granted they will come up to speed. And women will as well.
<h2>A Team Investment</h2>
At the same conference, I was asked by an enlightened aviation leader how they might add diversity to their ranks and how to do that effectively. I shared with him that there are several flight departments that are successfully integrating women, people of color, and other underrepresented pilots and mechanics into their culture.
They are successful because every person on their team has a vested interest in making sure the new hire succeeds. Be it a female, a person of color, or a younger person who doesn't have the same level of experience. Their mission is to up-level anyone and everyone, despite their differences.
Isn’t that a best practice to emulate? To ensure that everyone helps their peers to become successful and are held accountable in doing so?
Frankly, that accountability should be measured in every team member’s key performance indicators (KPIs). Then we’re not talking about whether Mary might be struggling. Instead, we’re talking about Joe, who isn’t helping Mary succeed.
I also shared with this leader that every female pilot feels she carries the burden of all female pilots on her shoulders. It wasn’t 20 minutes later that I listened to Dr. Sian Proctor, the first African-American geoscientist and artist in space, tell us that she felt the pressure of carrying the weight of all women (not just Black women), on her shoulders as she lifted off in the Crew Dragon.&nbsp;There is a lot of pressure on these women to flourish beyond themselves.
<h2>Celebrating Women</h2>
Just as we applaud females like Dr. Proctor, I'm thrilled to see that International Women's Day is becoming celebrated more and more every year. This month, my LinkedIn feed is chock-full of aviation and other industries recognizing female pioneers and women in history.
Let us continue to acknowledge the women who are making an impact in the aviation industry. Let’s celebrate the astronauts, the first to solo the world in a single-engine aircraft, the Thunderbird and Blue Angel pilots, the entrepreneurs, the VPs, the VIPs, and the YoPros—all of whom are making a difference.
Putting women under a magnifying glass and looking for any misstep is unfair. And it certainly doesn’t help to encourage more young women to enter our industry. Especially one that’s facing a long-term pilot shortage, not to mention a shortage of diverse talent.
Instead, let’s stop the gossip altogether and prop up our fellow colleagues to ensure their success, and hold our staff accountable for doing so.
Sheryl Barden, CAM, is the president and CEO of Aviation Personnel International, the longest-running recruiting and HR consulting firm exclusively serving business aviation. A thought leader on all things related to business aviation professionals, Barden is a former member of NBAA’s board of directors and NBAA’s advisory council.
The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily endorsed by AIN Media Group.

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

AINsight: No More Female Takedowns

Women unfairly face higher standards than men in many industries, including aviation. It's time to end this.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Don’t overlook maintenance directors’ skills when looking for a flight department leader

AINsight: From DOM to DOA

Hanneke Weitering

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Archer’s flight school can start training eVTOL pilots on a Bell 206 JetRanger

Archer Aviation’s Pilot Training Academy Wins FAA Nod

Jessica Reed

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

People in Aviation February 2025

Joseph Carfagna Jr.

Exploring pathways in aircraft brokerage for the NextGen

AINsight: Private Aircraft Broker Career Pathways

AmyWilder

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Deliveries of the aircraft are expected in 2028

SkyAlyne Secures Textron Contract for 7 King Air 260s

Charles Alcock

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Course is being offered through the local technology college

Farnborough Airport Launches Operations Training Program

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Training and Workforce

AINsight: From DOM to DOA

Don’t overlook maintenance directors’ skills when looking for a flight department leader

Archer Aviation’s Pilot Training Academy Wins FAA Nod

Archer’s flight school can start training eVTOL pilots on a Bell 206 JetRanger

People in Aviation February 2025

People in Aviation February 2025

AINsight: Private Aircraft Broker Career Pathways

Exploring pathways in aircraft brokerage for the NextGen

SkyAlyne Secures Textron Contract for 7 King Air 260s

Deliveries of the aircraft are expected in 2028

Farnborough Airport Launches Operations Training Program

Course is being offered through the local technology college

One-G Simulation Launches Tarbes 8 Flight Simulator

Simulator offers advanced emergency training scenarios

Gulfstream Names Two New Leaders for Key Operations

Derek Zimmerman and Lor Izzard step into senior roles

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN