GREENVILLE, Wis.— With a few fluid motions, Madelyn Stevens grabs the fueling nozzle from a truck and carries it over to a red and white Cessna Citation jet.

With a few more heaves and turns she connects the nozzle and starts pumping fuel. It’s a job Stevens started at Appleton International Airport late last year.

“We pull out planes, fuel planes, park planes, kind of anything that has to be done,” she said. “Catering, courtesy cars.”

You’ll find women like Stevens in all types of jobs at airports around the world — from the cockpit to airport management.

Women In Aviation International said the number of women working in the industry has increased over the last 20 years but remains comparatively small.

It’s no matter to Stevens, she’s excited to be working around aircraft. She also enjoys the bonus she gets paid, too.

“I was applying to be a flight attendant, and airport specialist came up, and I was like, sure, why not? Let’s see what happens and here I am,” she said.

In a job most passengers will never see, Diana Lutzke maintains ground equipment that keeps airport operations moving smoothly.

She’s working on replacing the ignition switch on a belt loader used to move luggage onto airplanes.

“It makes their job a lot easier. If they have to load a plane by hand it takes a lot longer,” Lutzke said. “Your plane is going to get delayed, and nobody is going to be happy about that.”

Stevens, who spent time flying with her grandfather, said one of the perks of her job is just being around aircraft.

“Being able to do something you have a passion for, or to work with something you have a passion for, is a dream come true,” she said.