Controversial topic - warbirds and lack of women

[Mudge]

I have never felt unwelcome. Most are even glad to see a girl who has an interest in aviation. And I don't have a problem with nose art? Why would I? It's art! And we all know beautiful things are female I call my aircraft "she"!
Only downside is that online, everyone assumes you're a dude I get "Dear Sir" e-mails every week!

Holy Mackeral...J'ai appris quelque chose aujourd'hui. Vous êtes une dame.

De Mudge étonné

Fouga...FYI...I am somewhat linguistically challenged so if I said something I shouldn't have, Excusez-moi.

[JohnB]

Okay, maybe not too many female pilots, but I've met a lot that fully support their husband's warbird efforts...just the other day a friend sent me a photo of a mutual friend and his wifer in their T-6G, she looked to be having fun. Likewise, meeting Mrs Borman at an airshow having flown cross country with her husband in the cramped back seat of a Mustang. Not bad for a 60 year old .
Another friend's wife does most of thhe fabric work onhis warbirds and antiques (not to mention letting him spend more time in the hangar than at home )

[tacoope]

One thing that Dave didn't mention is that his favorite P-40 is maintained by a woman. The shop has two women on the tech staff, one AME and one AME apprentice. We had a female volunteer on the restoration crew that did the Lysander, but she's now moved on to other things and isn't around anymore.

My wife unfortuantely hates flying so we can't really share the airplane thing.

Terry

[Fouga23]

Fouga...FYI...I am somewhat linguistically challenged so if I said something I shouldn't have, Excusez-moi.

Well, I'm from Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of Belgium, so your French is about as good as mine

[Mudge]

Fouga...FYI...I am somewhat linguistically challenged so if I said something I shouldn't have, Excusez-moi.

Well, I'm from Flanders, the Dutch speaking part of Belgium, so your French is about as good as mine

Well...I knew I had a choice of French, Dutch, or Flemish. It was a long shot.

Mudge the poppy fan

[Fouga23]

Well, Dutch/Flemish is the same, but you forgot German :p
Never try to understand Belgium! Even we have trouble understanding

[N3Njeff]

As a woman who is into aviation and warbirds, let me chime in.
If you are a passive fan (male or female), you won't get 'in'. However, if you make your presence felt, and have a thick skin, you will be accepted and welcomed into the 'club'.
I didn't wait for an invitation. I kept showing up and poking around until someone finally put me to work. Since then, I've been given the opportunity to fly an SNJ-5 (I have over 60 hrs in one). I am restoring a Navion with my husband. And for the past several years, I have been the Assistant Volunteer Coordinator at Planes of Fame Air Museum. We have several female volunteers in our organization. I encourage all volunteers, but especially women and teenagers. Often times, women think there is nothing they can contribute. However, if you're willing to get your hands dirty, turn a wrench, sweep floors and do whatever else might be needed, you'll likely to be welcomed.
We are a close family. We argue, we tease, and we pull together when needed.
I recommend that your friend finds a local museum and start volunteering. It's the easiest way to get into the 'club'. If she's willing to put in the effort and prove she's truly interested in the warbirds, she will be accepted in time.
Cindy

Ohhhhh CINDY, you could have said sooooo much more!! You also play with Sherman tanks and army jeeps and even toy trains!!!! You can play with my tonka toys in my sand box with me anytime!!!

[warbird51]

My first date's with the woman who is now my wife was to the Evergreen Aviation Museum and to the Tillamook Aviation Museum. She is a pilot, a 11 year vollunteer at Oskosh and works security at the Reno Air Races. She gets jealous when I go to work every day on warbirds. She wants to learn how to rivet and make parts. She wants to come out to the airport with me every chance she gets.

She likes to have my R/C models hanging in the house and aviation magazines in every room of the house. She is a keeper also

[EDowning]

My wife got her pilots license since we got involved in warbirds. She flies our T6 and flys co-pilot in the Skyraider at least half of the airshows that I do. She drives the cars, rides the motorcyles and flys the plnes. Nothing in our toy box that she doesn't play with ecept the Yale. She will fly in in with me and fly it with me, but she has no interest in soloing it.

[Bomberboy]

There are also other ladies that are warbird and vintage flyers who have made the journey and are deserving of a mention.
Anna Walker, Melissa Saggers are a couple that spring to mind.
I have been involved in Warbirds for some 30 years now and my wife has been to many shows and museums with me over the years.
Now that our daughter tends to do her own things at a weekend, my wife decided she needed an interest and she found one..........helping one of the historic groups looking after a wartime control tower.
Bomberboy

[Bomberboy]

Fouga,

A long shot, but are you part of or anything to do with a four ship fouga display team and if so were you in Jersey last September with them?
The reason I ask is that one of their number was a female and it seems perfectly related to the topic.
If it wasn't you, then there is clearly another female 'fouga nut' out there.
Bomberboy

[Fouga23]

Fouga,

A long shot, but are you part of or anything to do with a four ship fouga display team and if so were you in Jersey last September with them?
The reason I ask is that one of their number was a female and it seems perfectly related to the topic.
If it wasn't you, then there is clearly another female 'fouga nut' out there.
Bomberboy

Nope, not me. I guess this would be her: http://fouga.patrouille-tranchant.com/p ... .asp?id=35

[Dan K]

So, how exactly did Judy Pay get left off this list?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29107735@N05/3972734187/

Someone has some explaining to do!

[Nathan]

I met Mary Dilda and she talked with me for a long time! She does a good acro in a T-6 and told me she would love to buy a Hawker Seafury! She's hot too and come to think of it we flirted a bit! Oh la la.

Last edited by Nathan on Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:28 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Nathan]

I have never felt unwelcome. Most are even glad to see a girl who has an interest in aviation. And I don't have a problem with nose art? Why would I? It's art! And we all know beautiful things are female I call my aircraft "she"!
Only downside is that online, everyone assumes you're a dude I get "Dear Sir" e-mails every week!

Never knew you were female!