WISCONSIN — Less than 2% of commercial airline pilots are people of color, according to Zippia.com.
Women are also underrepresented in the industry. Only 3.4% of commercial pilots are women, while men make up about 96.6%.
That’s why many airlines are looking to hire more diverse pilots. It starts with getting more people into the industry.
“Whether they are in middle school, high school or adults, one thing I hope and pray that I can instill in them is their self work, and that they can fly an airplane better than any guy, under any condition,” said Dr. Charles Allen, certified flight instructor at Wisconsin Aviation.
And Allen’s already helping boost confidence for several women. They said Allen gave them the push to step into the world of aviation.
“I passed my private pilot license last year. Chuck really built up my confidence in my ability to handle an aircraft,” said Aimee Scrima, airport operations supervisor at Waukesha County Airport.
Allen also works with several younger students at Wisconsin Aviation, who are eager to get into flying.
“For one, my main goal is to get my private pilot license and then eventually go to school to complete my pilot training, then figure out what I really want to do. I’ve thought about push pilots, commercial pilot for charter,” said Betsy Ganos, a student at Wisconsin Aviation.
If you’d like to learn more about taking a Discovery Flight or taking classes with Wisconsin Aviation, you can visit their website.