A PILOT has revealed holidaymakers usually stare at her within the airport and mistake her for an air hostess as a result of she's a lady.
Rachel Gilmour, from Largs, Ayrshire, is flying excessive as a business pilot with Loganair, taking the helm on flights from Aberdeen to everywhere in the UK and into Europe.
The 24-year-old has wished to fly planes since she was just a little woman and insisted there was "no Plan B".
She added: "I wished to be a pilot and that was that."
Rachel found Tayside Aviation at 17 and was accepted onto their honours course.
“I by no means actually had a Plan B past being a pilot.
Nevertheless it hasn’t all the time been simple being a feminine pilot in what has been, and nonetheless is, a male dominated trade.
Rachel stated: “There have been truly 5 ladies who began the course at Tayside Aviation with me, and possibly 20 boys, which might be extra ladies than folks would anticipate which was nice, however, inevitably, there’s been the odd remark or shock from those who I'm a business pilot.
“It’s primarily older folks. I believe the older era maybe nonetheless don’t assume that ladies needs to be doing this and possibly at my age as properly.
"Individuals don’t anticipate to see a lady in her twenties doing what I do.”
Whereas the mixture of her age and gender is usually a problem for different folks to grasp, it’s not one thing that might ever cease Rachel doing what she loves.
“Typically after I stroll by way of the airport, I’ll see folks me as a result of they in all probability haven’t seen a feminine pilot earlier than", she stated.
"I’ve labored so onerous that I don’t let issues like that hassle me and I’ve realized to be resilient.
"Being a pilot is a extremely cool factor to do and I’m all for extra ladies being within the trade.”
A scarcity of feminine position fashions and mentors has lengthy been a problem dealing with the aviation sector, however pilots like Rachel are serving to to encourage different females displaying that its accessible no matter gender.
Tony Banks, Chairman of Tayside Aviation, stated: “On Worldwide Girls’s Day, it’s extra essential than ever to spotlight improbable success tales, like Rachel’s, that fly the flag for ladies working within the aviation sector.
"Nonetheless, extra must be achieved to advertise gender equality within the aviation sector, and we hope Rachel’s story will encourage some extra ladies into the trade.”
For any ladies contemplating a profession in aviation Rachel’s recommendation is to go for it and search recommendation from different individuals who have achieved it.
She added: “If it’s what you need to do, simply push by way of and go for it as a result of, when you come out the opposite facet and develop into a pilot, it’s positively value it.
"There’s no such factor as a ‘man’s job’. For those who work onerous, you are able to do something you need.”
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