Either way, you put the onus on the rest of us to figure out your reasoning instead of explaining it yourself. Or to put it, and what I said earlier another way, I’ve put in more than 2 minutes researching it and found your argument to be false.
Hi folks,
Instead of debating whether or not women are innately less interested in aviation than men are, I suggest examining the root causes that explain why comparatively fewer women pursue aviation careers than men. There has been extensive research on this very topic, and unsurprisingly, the answer is not as simplistic as boys like planes more than girls. It is very well documented that women face significant barriers not experienced by their male peers to both entering the field and advancing within their aviation careers.
The FAA published a comprehensive 84-page report addressing the gender gap within the aviation field in 2022. I suggest anyone interested in this subject read the report. This infographic on page 10, for example, shows the many systemic barriers faced by women and girls at all stages of their aviation journey, from early childhood to late career.
As for the question of "Why is it important to attract more women into the aviation field?", the report also addresses that topic. As you may be aware, there is currently a global pilot shortage. The industry doesn’t wish to attract more women into aviation careers purely for idealistic gender parity reasons; it is, in fact, necessary to recruit more women into the field to alleviate the ongoing labor supply issues experienced by the industry both now and in the decades to come.
Please also note the second paragraph I have marked with a red square below where the Chair forthrightly states that the biggest barrier to women in aviation is one of culture. Many women feel like they don’t belong in aviation. That has to change, both in the realm of real-world aviation and within our hobby of flight simulation.
On the MSFS Team, we often hear from our aviation industry partners about how thrilled they are to assist us in any way they can because they view Microsoft Flight Simulator as a way to excite young people about pursuing careers in aviation. We know that a very large percentage of professional pilots started their aviation journey as flight simmers, and we’re honored and humbled to help play a role in addressing the global pilot shortage.
Thanks,
MSFS Team
Further reading:
- Addressing Gender Disparity Among Airline Pilots - Pacific Flying Club
- https://learn.elevateaviation.ca/aviation-industry/breaking-barriers-how-we-open-the-skies-for-aspiring-aviation-professionals/
- How Industry Could Attract More Women to the Flight Deck | Aviation International News
- What is behind the gender disparity in aviation?
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Well, I believe I’ve done my part. My daughter would like to learn how to fly helicopters. And recently we took the family to see the local airshow. My grandson likes MSFS, the 172 seaplane is his go to aircraft. My granddaughter just started. Joystick is a bit tough right now.
My granddaughter heard the jets fly over the city before the airshow - too noisy - so we got some ear protection and went to the airshow.
Pointing left then right when ever the planes appeared. Yelling “Planes!!”
At the end of the airshow - We said
“It’s over time to go home”
Her reply was
“No Home, more planes” with arms raise high
In England, the majority of top exam performing secondary schools in STEM subjects areas are single sex female only. The reason why girls perform better in single sex secondary schools is because we are supported by teachers and encouraged to take STEM subjects. In mixed sex secondary schools, boys make sexist comments to discourage girls into taking STEM subjects and doing practical group work boys put girls in the corner doing minimal tasks and boys take the lead to show off. It’s all part of boys discouraging girls into STEM subjects. Unfortunately, some male teachers do try and discourage girls from taking STEM GCSEs at year 9 options.
Lady pilots are just as capable of handling it as anyone (as long as they don’t try to navigate (ducks))
Men cant navigate either, but unlike women, will not ask for directions, so stay lost for hours !!
It happens to boys too. When I was in my final years at secondary school, during careers advice, I expressed an interest in being an IT Systems Analyst, having always had an interest in computers. My career advisor told me this was unrealistic. I didn’t listen, and am now an IT Administrator for one of the big two UK universities.
Bad teachers are bad, regardless of gender.
I showed my significant other the original post on this thread. She occasionally plays FS, but nowhere near as much as I do.
She actually found the original post to be rather offensive. She said, and I quote: What next? Missions where I have to cook meals in a kitchen all day and then fly them out in a helicopter to a bunch of male workers on an oil rig? Or perhaps I should do a mission where I spend all day in the b…. I’ll end the quote there in case it gets reported. But you might be able to guess where she went wit that one. 
Yes. Like the fact that us men refuse to read instruction manuals, believing we don’t need to. Then it all goes wrong and we try to sneak a peak at the manual with nobody seeing.
For those that may not know, Dr. Wilson was also the Secretary of the Air Force (U.S.) for some time.
Additionally, the longest serving Air Force female four-star general just retired a few days ago (Jackie Van Ovost, Gen USAF (retired)). Her story of overcoming obstacles (including U.S. Laws) is amazing! She was prohibited by law from flying fighter aircraft when she entered the AF, so, as she liked to say, “I became a test pilot and got to fly ALL the fighters!”.
Now that she’s retired, she’s made a point of how she’s going to attack some of these issues IRL.
Regards
It’s the same with the maritime industry. I follow Captain Kate McCue on social media and she talks frequently about the challenges that us women face in the industry. There has to be societal changes to get us women equality.
The easiest way to get others, both women and men, into simming is to make it a part of a social activity people do together, not the stereotypical sitting alone in a dark room staring at a screen.
Have friends over for a meal, have extra controllers so two people can be pilot and copilot TOGETHER, and things will develop naturally.
Maybe there’s a global shortage of pilots because the pay is now pretty low, the working conditions are lousy, and it’s now seen as “just another job,” lacking the prestige it once enjoyed.
Entitled passengers who cause problems for everyone doesn’t help either.
This is possible with YourControls actually, but it would mean having two computers in the same room. There would also be a slight delay in actions that you would notice when the screens are side by side, but I’m guessing it wouldn’t be to bad. Hmm, never thought about doing that, would probably be a lot of fun actually!
This is totally false. I’ve been doing “shared cockpit” since a few months after I bought the sim, multiple controllers connected to the same computer. Two people can fly, no problem. They just have to coordinate their activity, same as in real life. So one “has the controls”, the other can do things like work the MFD button boxes, etc.
I have enough yokes and hotas and game controllers and keyboards and mice to accommodate a bunch of people.
The idea predates this version of the flight simulator. There’s a thing called “pair programming”, where one person writes the code while the other looks on, contributing ideas. Pretty awkward, easier to just plug in a second keyboard and mouse (and when covid hit, much more sanitary, though I was retired before then).
Follow the link and scroll down to the pics of my setup (a bit dated, but still).
I don’t know why people keep claiming you can’t plug multiple controllers into one computer. The computer doesn’t know the difference, and it makes it really convenient when someone wants a pee break or to grab a snack.
Give it a try. Much better than sitting alone in a dark room staring at a screen.
The main reason I was saying that, was that with YourControls you could have “multiple” mouses. Like you said in a single home setup: one person could be flying on the stick and throttle, and another could be using the mouse to click on things, as long as it’s in the same 3D view. But with YourControls you could actually have 2 completely separate 3D views, and two different “mouses”. So I could work the MCDU and you could turn switches on the overhead panel, etc. Of course a completely built-out home cockpit for two people would be better, but a LAN party on YourControls is less of a financial commitment than that. Anyway, I’m just brainstorming how we could easily achieve “local mutliplayer” for more people to be introduced to the sim, which is the crux of this thread.
And like you I’ve also had a great experience just flying on the same computer as my brother, where I was handling the ATC radios and directing him, while he focused on flying the plane. Just one of the ways to achieve the same result of shared experience and collaboration that becomes a great memory for both of us 
And it still works that way with two people at one pc - and you don’t WANT separate 3D views. Or using the mouse to work anything - that’s why the Thrustmaster Cougar MFDs are so great. Eliminates most mouseing around or using the keyboard. I’ve got 4, and will be buying 4 more in the new year, they are SO convenient. Don’t even have to look at the screen to toggle spoilers, set flaps to 0, 15, 25, or full, toggle spoilers, etc … but if you want t change views, you can set buttons for each view as well.
So when someone is over, and they’re flying, I’m working the button box to help them. And if needs be, grabbing one of the extra controllers to “get them out of a jam”.
And everyone is using the same aircraft, airports, etc. Because I doubt most of my friends are ready to buy the sim and thousands of dollars of add-ons. Their boyfriends, on the other hand …
That’s a good point. I’m just trying to think about what the easier entry point is for this local multiplayer sort of thing.
Probably gonna get barred for this one but the ENTIRETY of the “Compounding Barriers” chart is PERCEPTION. None of it is policy.
Not every woman is a Type A, and THOSE women are the “marginalized” ones. Props to the OP for recognizing that.
And I speak as the parent of a daughter currently working on her PPL.
I was really touched by the OP’s original post. Girls (by and large) desire nurturing and/or meaningful interaction in most all they do.
My daughter LOVED Zoo Tycoon and anything pet-related. She enjoys flying but has ZERO Interest in flying commercially. “Boring” is the usual reason she gives. Talk about taildraggers and landing on a sandbar, or mission trips in Africa and she’s IN.
Either way, props to the OP.
I am constantly amazed that people think that certain groups should be enticed into liking/participating in something. I see many female pilots when I have to fly the airlines. I do not perceive a shortage there. If a person is interested in some activity, go for it. Give women, and any other group, a little more credit. They don’t need anyone’s assistance finding things they enjoy doing.
I think people are way too hard on the OP. Yes, it would be awesome if aviation alone would be enough to get women into flight simming but clearly that’s not the case. In my two years of flying on VATSIM I don’t think I’ve heard a single woman on the radio.
Some people are also mentioning barriers and obstacles for females when getting into aviation without explaining further or giving examples. It seems more like a politically correct myth that has no connection to reality. My local flight club even has introduction flight days just for women in order to attract them and become student pilots and it doesn’t seem to help.
My flight club doesn’t even have 4 % women in it and this is in Sweden, one of the most progressive countries on earth. I think it comes down to something deeper than discrimination and habits but it seems like some people are going nuts when I say that.
Aviation is a really expensive hobby, whether we are talking real flying or simming. That means only the real 5 % enthusiasts will pursue it and these are mostly men. I think making aviation cheaper so that it doesn’t mean you have to change your lifestyle would attract more women.