FAA’s Diversity Policies Under Fire After Deadly Air Collision

[stevenl]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

It does not bother me in the slightest if the pilot or co-pilot is male or female, as long as that person is fully qualified on the aircraft type.

 

This is an AI overview

 

The number of female airline pilots is growing, but they still make up a small percentage of all airline pilots. 
United States: In 2022, 4.9% of airline pilots in the United States were women, which is an increase from 3.3% in 2002. 
Globally: Women make up between 4% and 6% of airline pilots. 
India: India has the highest percentage of female pilots in the world, with 15% of pilots being female. 
Explanation
The number of women with FAA student pilot certificates increased from 11.7% in 2002 to 15% in 2022. 
The number of women with FAA airline pilot certificates increased by 71% from 2002 to 2022. 
The number of women with licenses to fly commercial airliners increased by 45% from 2008 to 2022. 
Women airline pilots: numbers are growing, but still a pitiful ...
Jul 27, 2566 BE — There were 8,206 women holding FAA certificates as airline pilots in 2022 (as noted above, this was 4.9% of the tot...

CAPA - Centre for Aviation
Most airline pilots are men. Why aren’t there more women in the industry?
Apr 11, 2566 BE

The Dallas Morning News
Women airline pilot numbers stay low. Aspiration and career structures are ...
Aug 4, 2567 BE — Globally, women account for between 4% and 6% of airline pilots. The debate has moved on from unfounded questions of...

CAPA - Centre for Aviation
Show all
 

https://www.airwaysmag.com/legacy-posts/country-highest-female-pilots

 

DALLAS — For years, women have broken barriers and made an impact in occupations that were once deemed to be the sole domain of men. One such field is commercial aviation.

While the number of female pilots has been steadily growing over the past few decades, there are still fairly few women who hold Commercial Pilot Licenses (CPL) across the globe. According to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA) 2021 study, less than 6% of pilots worldwide are women.

In the lead-up to International Women's Day, Air India (AI), Air India Express (IX), and AirAsia India (I5) have flown 90 all-woman crew flights since March 1. The number 90 was chosen in honor of the 90th anniversary of JRD Tata's first commercial flight, according to a statement released by the group.

There are some countries where the number of female commercial pilots is higher than others. India takes the top spot, with more than twice the global average of women pilots.

Today, we will scour the country with the highest number of female commercial pilots and explore what aspects contribute to this trend.

 

As per recent statistics, there are over 1,200 female pilots in India, and around 10% of them are commercial pilots.

This figure may not seem very high, but it is significant when compared to other countries. In the United States, only around 5% of commercial pilots are women, which is less than the international average.

 

There is more information in the link/

Agree with you. Which is why i responded to Keep Right who said 'A woman pilot says it all.".

[BangkokReady]

On 2/1/2025 at 6:58 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

Are the investigations already finished why that crash happened? No!

 

I have no problem if DEI politics are cancelled. But nobody should mix up that one with an arial crash for no reason.

 

Imagine after a month they find out all pilots and flight controllers were male and white. Does that mean no white men should be hired anymore?

Or would they find that one of the passengers was a trans and put the blame on that person?

 

Trump and his stupid shooting from the hip make things just worse. 

 

If you put in place a policy of hiring people based on anything other than suitability for the job, people are going to ask questions when something goes wrong.  Apparently they actually wanted to hire people that sound like they are less suited to physically carrying out the job than others due to certain DEI quotas.

[jvs]

8 hours ago, Watawattana said:

 On the flip side, there are jobs seen as women's jobs and men don't normally do them unless they are considered to be gay.

You mean jobs like being a nurse?lol.

[jvs]

36 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

If you put in place a policy of hiring people based on anything other than suitability for the job, people are going to ask questions when something goes wrong.  Apparently they actually wanted to hire people that sound like they are less suited to physically carrying out the job than others due to certain DEI quotas.

Well with all of the unqualified people in this government you can expect a lot of questions!

[stevenl]

39 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Apparently they actually wanted to hire people that sound like they are less suited to physically carrying out the job than others due to certain DEI quotas.

No, they all have to meet the same requirements.

[BangkokReady]

3 minutes ago, stevenl said:

No, they all have to meet the same requirements.

 

I don't believe that is the case.

[stevenl]

12 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

I don't believe that is the case.

You believe wrong, as has been shown quite a few times already on the forum.

[BangkokReady]

8 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You believe wrong, as has been shown quite a few times already on the forum.

 

Lie after lie, as you do generally on the forum...  🙄

[stevenl]

10 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Lie after lie, as you do generally on the forum...  🙄

Denying facts again.

[Chomper Higgot]

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

 

If you put in place a policy of hiring people based on anything other than suitability for the job, people are going to ask questions when something goes wrong.  Apparently they actually wanted to hire people that sound like they are less suited to physically carrying out the job than others due to certain DEI quotas.

Lots of people have the skills and ability to do jobs for which staff are hired.

 

The fact that any particular group is over represented in jobs proportional to the make up of society in general is a clear indication of appointments being made on criteria other than just suitability for the post.

 

[jvs]

Just a quick question for the participants here.

What do you think is better DEI or nepotism?

Does that make you think or not?

[billd766]

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Lie after lie, as you do generally on the forum...  🙄

Then prove that he is wrong.

 

Your unsupported statement is meaningless without proof and links.

[BangkokReady]

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

Denying facts again.

 

Just pointing out your lies.  That is the only factual thing I see in this exchange.

[Watawattana]

4 hours ago, jvs said:

Just a quick question for the participants here.

What do you think is better DEI or nepotism?

Does that make you think or not?

Neither. Both are likely detrimental to the core aims of any given company or government (or anything else) if there is a person who could do a better job who is not hired.  I’d also add ‘political appointees’ to the 2 you mentioned. There might be more. 

[MicroB]

5 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

If you put in place a policy of hiring people based on anything other than suitability for the job, people are going to ask questions when something goes wrong.  Apparently they actually wanted to hire people that sound like they are less suited to physically carrying out the job than others due to certain DEI quotas.

 

Clint Eastwood, you might was to read this document:

 

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/Order_3930.3C_withCHG1.pdf

 

Note, the FAA employs about 45,000. Opportunities in that organisation are wide, from toilet cleaners, binmen, janitorial staff through to the ATCs that keep you awake at night. ATCs have to meet medical requirements outlined in the document.

 

If you sincerely think that the FAA are actively hiring mentally impaired personal, such as cretins, Down Sydrome adults, into safety critical posts, then I assume that right now you are conducting a writing campaign to your political representatives, the interim head of the FAA, and other officials, the President, every US and foreign airline with destinations in the United States, imploring them to immediately halt all air operations over the United States, including military deployment missions, because of the extreme risk to life and limb. And if you are not in the US, you are planning a placard campaign at your local embassy. If you are in the US< then you should be driving or taking a bus to the capital, to demonstrate to raise this important issue that you have uncovered.

 

If you haven't done any of that, then clearly you are just looking for likes on an irrelevant forum created for alcohol soaked old blokes sitting in bars in the SEA moaning about women, lady boys, gays, your wife, your ex-wife, your boyfriend, your ex boyfriend,  the increased costs of prostitutes. None of it matters.

 

 

 

 

 

Refer to the section Page 25

 

 

[MicroB]

19 minutes ago, Watawattana said:

Neither. Both are likely detrimental to the core aims of any given company or government (or anything else) if there is a person who could do a better job who is not hired.  I’d also add ‘political appointees’ to the 2 you mentioned. There might be more. 

 

 

But would you give an adult with Downs Syndrome the chance to clean toilets?

 

Do you feel that Down's Syndrome adults can make any sort of meaningful contribution to society, pay their way etc, or should they be killed before birth? Or do you prefer that they become a burden to society. Are they human?

[candide]

10 minutes ago, MicroB said:

 

Clint Eastwood, you might was to read this document:

 

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/Order_3930.3C_withCHG1.pdf

 

Note, the FAA employs about 45,000. Opportunities in that organisation are wide, from toilet cleaners, binmen, janitorial staff through to the ATCs that keep you awake at night. ATCs have to meet medical requirements outlined in the document.

 

If you sincerely think that the FAA are actively hiring mentally impaired personal, such as cretins, Down Sydrome adults, into safety critical posts, then I assume that right now you are conducting a writing campaign to your political representatives, the interim head of the FAA, and other officials, the President, every US and foreign airline with destinations in the United States, imploring them to immediately halt all air operations over the United States, including military deployment missions, because of the extreme risk to life and limb. And if you are not in the US, you are planning a placard campaign at your local embassy. If you are in the US< then you should be driving or taking a bus to the capital, to demonstrate to raise this important issue that you have uncovered.

 

If you haven't done any of that, then clearly you are just looking for likes on an irrelevant forum created for alcohol soaked old blokes sitting in bars in the SEA moaning about women, lady boys, gays, your wife, your ex-wife, your boyfriend, your ex boyfriend,  the increased costs of prostitutes. None of it matters.

 

 

 

 

 

Refer to the section Page 25

 

 

Come on! How do you dare to come up with facts? It's not fair for MAGA posters! 

[Watawattana]

39 minutes ago, MicroB said:

 

 

But would you give an adult with Downs Syndrome the chance to clean toilets?

 

Do you feel that Down's Syndrome adults can make any sort of meaningful contribution to society, pay their way etc, or should they be killed before birth? Or do you prefer that they become a burden to society. Are they human?

Apologies MicroB. Nothing I’ve written was meant to hit that nerve. My answers have all been looking at front line air traffic staff as that’s what many AN posters and the media have been blaming for this horrendous crash.  My general points about ‘best person for the job’ still apply to cleaners and many other non-front line jobs. And, of course, a Down’s person, or someone with another special need, is totally capable of doing so many important roles in any workplace, and indeed can be the best person for that role.  But, of course, not every role. 
 

I have my doubts about some other AN posters of course, their needs are too far along that ‘special’ spectrum. 😆

 

Again, apologies, for causing this upset. 

[Lancelot01]

On 1/31/2025 at 5:02 PM, Social Media said:

 

An aspiring air traffic controller who says he was denied a job due to diversity-driven hiring practices has spoken out following the tragic collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter in Washington. Andrew Brigida, 35, who excelled in his training exams but was rejected for an air traffic control position, claims the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prioritized diversity over competence, making a disaster inevitable.  

 

Brigida, who has joined a class-action lawsuit against the FAA, believes years of hiring practices aimed at increasing diversity rather than merit have contributed to safety risks in the aviation industry. “You want to hire the best and the brightest for this kind of job because it is a very stressful job and it can take a toll on you, age you prematurely,” he told The Telegraph. “You want to make sure that the people that are doing it are the best.”  

 

 

As investigations continue into the disaster, which claimed the lives of 67 people, new details have emerged about the night of the crash. Reports indicate that an air traffic controller left their post early, leaving just one person responsible for overseeing both helicopter and plane traffic—normally a task handled by two individuals. The FAA acknowledged that staffing levels at the time were “not normal for the time of day and the volume of traffic.”  

 

Authorities have recovered the black boxes from both the passenger jet and the helicopter and are analyzing flight data and audio recordings. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.  

 

Meanwhile, more victims have been identified, including the American Airlines flight crew. Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Samuel Lilley, 28, were confirmed among the deceased, along with flight attendants Ian Epstein, 52, and Danasia Elder. Onboard the Black Hawk, Crew Chief Ryan O’Hara and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves were named, though the female pilot’s identity has not yet been released.  

 

Brigida graduated from Arizona State University’s collegiate training initiative in 2013, a program designed to train and recruit top candidates for the FAA. After scoring 100 percent on his selection exam, he was placed on a preferred candidate list. However, the FAA later changed its hiring process, implementing a biographical questionnaire instead of a skills-based test to attract a more diverse applicant pool. When Brigida reapplied, he claims he failed the questionnaire because he “didn’t fit the preferred ethnic profile.”  

 

Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, blaming the FAA’s hiring policies for the fatal collision. He alleged that individuals with “severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities” had been recruited as air traffic controllers, suggesting that political decisions had compromised aviation safety.  

 

Brigida believes past administrations contributed to the air traffic control staffing crisis by failing to act despite numerous warning signs. “There have been plenty of stories of near miss events that have been the cause of staffing issues, it’s surprising that it’s gone on this long without being properly recognised by the government,” he said.  

 

The lawsuit against the FAA, filed by attorneys from Mountain States Legal Foundation, represents over 2,500 aspiring air traffic controllers who argue that they were unfairly rejected due to the agency’s race-based hiring policies. As the investigation into the crash continues, critics argue that the FAA must reconsider its approach to hiring in order to prevent further tragedies.

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2025-02-01

 

 

Why did former President Trump weigh in? I thought he was the current president. 

[Watawattana]

4 minutes ago, Lancelot01 said:

Why did former President Trump weigh in? I thought he was the current president. 

I’m sure if you read all of the forum rules you’ll understand. 

[candide]

12 minutes ago, Lancelot01 said:

Why did former President Trump weigh in? I thought he was the current president. 

It's not so much that he weights in than the fact he's lying.

[OneMoreFarang]

12 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

If you put in place a policy of hiring people based on anything other than suitability for the job, people are going to ask questions when something goes wrong.  Apparently they actually wanted to hire people that sound like they are less suited to physically carrying out the job than others due to certain DEI quotas.

 

Then this should be addressed and maybe corrected. 

 

But it should not be mixed up with a recent accident without any evidence that there is a connection.

It's like when here in this forum there is a post about a motorcycle accident and half the replies say the rider must have been drunk and not wearing a helmet. Where is the evidence? Don't mix up A and B! 

 

 

[billd766]

7 hours ago, Lancelot01 said:

Why did former President Trump weigh in? I thought he was the current president. 

Who has no idea of the qualifications needed and required to be an ATC controller.

 

Would it be OK with you if the local road sweeper or dog catcher came up with the same view? After all they are not qualified either.

[billd766]

6 hours ago, candide said:

It's not so much that he weights in than the fact he's lying.

SOP for Trump.

 

After all he lied over 30,000 times when he was in charge the last time.

 

Why would he change now? Leopards don't change their spots in their lifetime.

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, Watawattana said:

Is a good question.  I reckon piloting had historically been seen as a man's job before, during and after WWII, and the education/family systems have not really addressed that since.  It's generally the same in engineering.  On the flip side, there are jobs seen as women's jobs and men don't normally do them unless they are considered to be gay.

 

Some airlines are trying to target more women to be pilots.  Like controllers it might get more applicants, but doesn't automatically mean more female pilots as there's a standard that needs to be met that airlines and regulators will not compromise on.

 

I got a friend (female) who is a trainee pilot just now for a major asian airline.  She absolutely had to pass all of her exams and tests to the same standard as the men on her course.  No exceptions made.  This airline targets female recruitment (no, not quotas), but it isn't working that well as the social 'feeling' still exists that piloting isn't a woman's job.

With reference to the USAF

https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Portals/10/ASPJ/journals/Chronicles/waterman.pdf

With the onset of World War II, female contributions to aviation became more paramount.
The "Women’s Auxiliary Ferry Squadron" (WAFS) and the "Women’s Flying
Training Detachment" (WFTD) combined to form the "Women’s Air force Service
Pilots"

 

https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Portals/10/ASPJ/journals/Chronicles/waterman.pdf

Now women are not restricted from
combat missions with the exception of Special Operations with MC-130s, AC-130s
and helicopters (Dyson, 1999). Presently, 3.5% of all AF pilots are female and 1%
are fighter pilots.

[thaibeachlovers]

22 hours ago, Watawattana said:

On the flip side, there are jobs seen as women's jobs and men don't normally do them unless they are considered to be gay.

Not always "gay". I was one of a tiny tiny minority of males in NZ that became nurses and it's definitely not seen as a "male" occupation by men. In fact I didn't tell anyone in my previous job ( military ) that I was going to be a nurse to avoid the inevitable mockery.

Of my course 3 were men and one was as camp as a row of tents, but the other two definitely not. My first hospital had 900 nurses and only 6 were male. One of them went on to become a trans, whereupon he was ostracized by the females.

Did I benefit by being a male in a female occupation, no. Did I suffer for being a male in a female occupation, thankfully not.

Would I do it again if I could go back, not in a million years- the pay is pathetic, the workload horrendeous and the bullying by ( mainly female ) management diabolical. Bullying is notorious in nursing.

Would I recommend nursing for anyone, male or female- not a chance. I'd do my best to dissuade them. Now that it's a university required occupation it's even less worthwhile than when we could get paid to train. The income in employment will never compensate for income lost in uni.

What did I gain from being a nurse- I got to see the world. Nursing is so unpopular now in the west, that a nurse can probably get job in any western country of their choosing.

[JonnyF]

12 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Lots of people have the skills and ability to do jobs for which staff are hired.

 

The fact that any particular group is over represented in jobs proportional to the make up of society in general is a clear indication of appointments being made on criteria other than just suitability for the post.

 

 

Nonsense.

 

Studies consistently show that men perform better in terms of things like spatial awareness, which is kind of important when flying military aircraft. 

 

 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6591491/

 

 

It's normal and appropriate that men would be over-represented in things like aviation, motor sports etc. Trying to shoehorn diversity quotas into dangerous things ike flying aircraft is not a good idea. It sounds like she was not only female, but also a Lesbian and rumours suggest the reason her name was withheld (while the other 2 names were released) was to purge her social media of her attending PRIDE events with her partner etc.

 

So it would appear that Trump did indeed have more information than members of this forum, as I said he did.

 

Now, to be 100% clear I am not saying Lesbians cannot fly aircraft, I am saying that being a Lesbian should not give you a better chance of getting the gig in order to fill a diversity quota. It should be based purely on ability. Otherwise, bad things can happen.

 

Let's hope the full investigation is honest and open and not an exercise in protecting DEI dogma. 

 

 

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

38 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Who has no idea of the qualifications needed and required to be an ATC controller.

 

Would it be OK with you if the local road sweeper or dog catcher came up with the same view? After all they are not qualified either.

Plenty on here with opinions and I'm pretty sure that they are no more qualified to know than Trump.

 

Is it Trump's fault that the world's media breathlessly reports every musing he's ever uttered in the past 8 or so years? Is it Trump's fault that the haters believe everything he says when they think it makes him look foolish, but say it's a lie otherwise? Trump may be bombastic but his brain hasn't melted like a few on here.

[thaibeachlovers]

9 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Let's hope the full investigation is honest and open and not an exercise in protecting DEI dogma. 

We can but hope.

 

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes Who watches the watchers?

[stevenl]

11 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

Just pointing out your lies.  That is the only factual thing I see in this exchange.

And failing miserably. You're not pointing out anything, just accusing without proof, link, stating the lie.