For the 44th year, The International Society of Women Airline Pilots (ISA+21) held its annual conference and was hosted in Dublin this year. Over the last four decades, this group of women has grown from 21 founding members to over 600 female airline pilots representing 90 airlines across the globe. The conference was held from 19th to 21st September at the Davenport Hotel in Dublin. For those making longer journeys to Ireland, additional activities were held before and after the event to allow members to visit other parts of Ireland.
At its inception, the two founding members, Beverley Bass, the third female pilot hired at American Airlines, and Stephanie Wallach, 2nd female pilot hired for Braniff Airlines, sent a letter to the chief pilot at every single US airline to be given to the female pilots flying for them. This letter was an invitation to their first meet-up in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1978. Since then, they have raised over 1.4 million dollars for females pursuing advanced certificates and type ratings, created a mentorship program for aspiring pilots, volunteered at numerous aviation organisation events, and had members inducted into aviation halls of fame across the globe. Special members attending this year’s conference included Grainne Cronin, the first female pilot in Aer Lingus, and her daughter, who also flies for the airline.
“We are a global voice to Inspire, Support, and Advocate for female airline pilots.”
In the airline industry, females make up 5.8% of pilots. ISA+21 aim to keep that number climbing. The organisation achieves that mission by Inspiring, Supporting, and Advocating.
ISA+21 Inspires by:
- Increasing the percentage of female airline pilots worldwide
- Featuring inspiring female airline pilots
- Encouraging girls and young women to explore careers as airline pilots
ISA+21 Supports by:
- Fostering a supportive community
- Providing access to training and professional programs through scholarships
- Mentoring young women who aspire to fly
ISA+21 Advocates by:
- Driving policy development for female airline pilots
- Delivering primary resource information about the global aviation industry
- Engaging mentorship for professional women in the industry
For more information about The International Society of Women Airline Pilots visit their website at www.isa21.org
