Lutte Speaks to Congressional Committee on Strengthening the Aviation Workforce

Breaking down barriers keeping women out of the field of aviation can be the industry’s best bet for expanding its talent pipeline and meeting workforce needs, according to testimony shared before a Congressional committee by Becky Lutte, Ph.D., distinguished professor of aviation within UNO’s Aviation Institute.

Lutte appeared alongside several other expert witnesses on Thursday to provide testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The hearing focused on strengthening the aviation workforce by examining challenges and opportunities facing the aviation industry. Her testimony was based on her research and her work on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Women in Aviation Advisory Board (WIAAB).

“To meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, including workforce, the aviation industry must attract and retain the best possible talent from the widest possible pool. Women make up almost half the workforce, yet for decades, the introduction of women into the aviation industry—in nearly every functional specialty—has been relatively stagnant…Women make up less than 10% of the total FAA-certificated pilots and only 5% of airline pilots. One of the largest gender gaps in the industry is in maintenance, where just under 3% of technicians are women. Further, in many areas, the participation rate of women has changed very little over the years.”

Meeting the needs of the aviation workforce comes down to expanding the industry’s talent pipeline, according to Lutte. She shared that addressing the real and systemic barriers to attracting and retaining talent can accomplish this. Such barriers include lack of early awareness and ongoing engagement related to opportunities in aviation, cost of pursuing a future aviation career, work and family balance challenges, lack of women in leadership, and negative workplace culture.

To provide solutions to these challenges, Lutte mentioned that the WIAAB published a report with 55 recommendations addressing five aviation workforce issues: Culture, recruitment, retention, advancement, and data to track progress.

To hear Lutte’s full testimony, to view the entire hearing, and to find transcripts of all witness testimony, visit the hearings page for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation.