“Most women I know can’t even park a car. Why would a woman fly a plane?”
This disparaging comment was left on a video posted by a 25-year-old private pilot who is fighting back against this type of prejudice with TikTok videos of her high-flying life.
And they are proving to be extremely inspiring: they have amassed a total of 380,000 followers.
Meet Katherine Moloney, who flies fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, does marketing for an aviation company and often travels for work.
Katherine told MailOnline Travel that the hardest part of working in a male-dominated industry is that “talent is evenly distributed, but opportunities are not.”
Katherine Moloney (above) has amassed a massive 380,000 followers on TikTok by showing off her skills in flying helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Katherine works at Lee on Solent Airport on the south coast of England. She loves exploring new airfields and has been on some fantastic trips.
Katherine, who works as a marketing director for Transair Flight Equipment, earned her private helicopter license at age 19 after approximately 70 hours of flight time and four years later earned her fixed-wing license.
He is based at Lee on Solent Airport on the south coast of England (formerly a Royal Navy airfield called HMS Daedalus), but “loves exploring new airfields”.
He has made some “fantastic trips” including around the Needles on the Isle of Wight, above Newquay in Cornwall and the River Thames in central London.
Katherine said one of the things that surprised her about becoming a pilot was the lack of female representation in the aviation industry.
In the UK, less than five per cent of pilots are women, which Katherine described as a “staggering statistic”.
She said: “During my training, I did not meet any other female students or instructors. This is not to take away from the amazing male instructors and mentors I have had in my aviation journey. However, I did feel a lack of connection with other like-minded women.”
Katherine obtained her private helicopter licence at the age of 19 after approximately 70 hours of flying time and four years later obtained her fixed-wing licence. She is pictured standing on a Scottish Aviation Bulldog 120.
Katherine said one of the things that surprised her about becoming a pilot was the lack of female representation in the aviation industry. Pictured above, she stands next to a Spitfire she had the opportunity to pilot.
Katherine said she didn’t meet any other students or instructors during her training. She said she “felt a lack of connection with other like-minded women.”
This is what led her to found Raise itan online resource platform and community dedicated to “informing, inspiring, supporting and connecting women in aviation globally.”
Katherine said: “While some progress has been made towards equality in aviation, we still face additional barriers within the aviation industry.”
Katherine said women in the industry are still “a minority” and often feel “disconnected” due to challenges such as a “lack of facilities for women at airports” and insufficient support for women who want to balance a career with family life.
She said: “Aviation is making great strides to become more accessible and more inclusive, and Elevate(her) is at the forefront of raising awareness of women’s challenges within aviation and empowering women to demand the industry do better.”
The community, which launched in 2023, is completely free and has already gathered a large number of members, spread across five continents and 30 countries.
According to Katherine, the platform “contains all the information you need to enter the aviation industry, not only as a pilot, but in the various careers available in the industry.”
Katherine said women in the industry are still “a minority” and often feel “disconnected.” She is pictured next to the Hughes 500C helicopter
Katherine said: “While some progress has been made towards equality in aviation, we still face additional barriers within the aviation industry.”
In the UK, less than five per cent of pilots are women, which Katherine described as a “staggering statistic”. Katherine is pictured next to the Piper Super Cub monoplane
Katherine said Elevate(her) is “at the forefront of raising awareness about the challenges women face in aviation.” She is pictured (center) with community members.
They create resources for schools and other organizations with information about aviation careers and host in-person social gatherings aimed at connecting women across the country—their first overseas social gathering will be held in July.
One of the events they host, the annual Women in Aviation Networking Event, is the largest gathering of women in aviation in the UK and Europe. This year’s event, held in May, was attended by almost 100 women in aviation, Katherine said.
Katherine said these events are “integral” to women forming connections.
He added: ‘The men and women who work in aviation are incredibly passionate people from all backgrounds who share a common love of flying.
“Aviation is now more accessible and more inclusive than ever before, while making continuous and targeted changes to improve its trajectories.”
To see more of Katherine, visit her on TikTok at www.tiktok.com/@moloneykatherineTo learn more about Elevate(her), please visit the website at elevateheraviation.co.uk/.
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