The sky’s no limit More women discovering careers in Duluth’s growing aviation industry

by Janet Blixt

In the next 20 years, airlines in North America are going to need 117,000 new pilots, Boeing estimates. The military and regional carriers alike are challenged to find and keep aviators.

Some Northland women are hearing the call and seeking out the education they’ll need to fill this gap.

“We are seeing more women coming to us with an interest in either becoming a pilot or an aircraft mechanic,” said Dan Traska, director of Lake Superior College’s Center for Advanced Aviation. “We encourage women to consider a career in aviation. The job market is very healthy for licensed and qualified professionals.”

Duluth is home to an expanding aviation cluster centered around the Duluth International Airport, Cirrus Aircraft, AAR Corp. and the 148th Air

National Guard base. Cirrus Aircraft, designer and manufacturer of allcomposite personal aircraft, and AAR, provider of aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services to commercial airlines, are major industry players located in Duluth, as well as a host of related suppliers. Working closely with these industry partners, LSC’s aviation program provides professional pilot, aviation maintenance technician and aviation management training for this growing industry.

“Our regional demand for pilots is as strong as the national demand for pilots,” Traska said. “Airliners are offering bonuses, and there is a flight instructor job available almost anywhere in the U.S.”

According to Twin Cities Business Monthly, both Cirrus and AAR have ongoing workforce needs, with AAR looking to add about 15 to its head count of 385. Cirrus, which employs about 1,000 people, wants to fill more than 200 new positions.

Historically, aviation has been a male-dominated industry. According to the Institute for Women Of Aviation Worldwide, despite the progress of women in the for-hire category, they represent only 5.15 percent of the pilots holding a for-hire pilot certificate. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Labor reported in 2010 that only 4.3 percent of the population that reports making a living as a pilot or flight engineer is female. If you think that you are seeing more women flying for the airlines, you are right. However, out of the more than 76,000 people reporting their income source as a pilot or flight engineer, only about 3,200 are women.

“It’s a slow gain, but we are seeing more women in aviation,” said LSC flight instructor Melissa Lange, who was the first LSC graduate to be hired as a flight instructor. “Women have the same opportunities as men do, but there are just not enough women in aviation to be more well-rounded and diverse in their aviation specializations. Unfortunately, some employers and people out there think women should not be in non-traditional aviation positions. This bias makes women in the aviation industry work harder and want to be the best at whatever it is that they are pursuing.”

Female aviation students will find many opportunities — but also challenges. LSC helicopter student Hannah Lewis brings an impressive depth of experience and education to her pilot training. She is a U.S. Army veteran who served as an explosive ordnance disposal specialist in Afghanistan. Lewis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Clemson University. She is using her veterans benefits to earn her helicopter flight instructor certificate. A person who has never wanted a desk job, Lewis plans to also complete her airplane ratings and ultimately work on the West Coast to fly cargo or a MedEvac helicopter.

“One of the main challenges in pursuing a career as a

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