An Aviation Executive is Trying to Level The Playing Field

A-WING wants to educate young women about all of the opportunities in aviation.

Friday, March 25, 2022 at 08:30 AM ET

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Stephanie Carpentier is a managing partner at aerospace and defense consulting firm Aerontii. [Courtesy: Stephanie Carpentier]

Key Takeaways:

Women are significantly underrepresented in diverse aviation and aerospace roles, including pilots (5.3%), management (less than 5%), and executive positions (less than 3%), despite a strong presence in roles like flight attendants.
Stephanie Carpentier and her group recognized the need to broaden awareness of the wide array of career opportunities in aviation beyond traditional roles, such as design, engineering, marketing, and finance.
This led to the formation of A-WING (Aviation Women Inspiring the Next Generation), a non-profit dedicated to increasing women's participation in aviation through initiatives like "25 by 25" (aiming for 25% female representation by 2025) and providing educational resources, networking, and job fair opportunities.

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women currently make up only 5.3 percent of pilots and flight engineers, while 65 percent of flight attendants are women.

Why stay in the back of the airplane when you can have a great career in the cockpit, or in the control tower, or the maintenance shop? That’s the question Stephanie Carpentier, a managing partner at aerospace and defense consulting firm Aerontii, considered with her friends as they brainstormed with each other during social gatherings.