striderjg

What is it about rc that seems to make it a 98% male hobby? I really wonder. I know at my field I have yet to see a female flyer. Why is this? There's nothing in it that I can see that lends it to the male half. We need more amelia earhearts in the hobby
-John

Missileman

Agreed.
I am working with my daughters on hovering coaxial helis right now and when I get my Estarter ready and the weather is right I will get them introduced to fixed wing.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Many of the top aerobatic champion pilots are female.

However , spacial orientation is linked to gender and linked to the amount of testosterone and estrogen.

Generally men have mostly testosterone and very little estrogen, ( but some). And women have estrogen and very little testosterone, ( but some.)

There is a case of a super female. Some females are born with absolutely no testosterone at all. These, "super females" have zero orientation. Take them out of the house and drive them around the block and they are lost for ever. They can't drive because they get lost a block from home. They can be treated with hormones.

But this weird and unusual case demonstrates the effect of testosterone and estrogen on the brain. Men and women think differently, (duh). Virtually all of the differences between men and women are due to hormones. I'm not claiming that men are better than women or that women are better than men. I'm just saying we are different. There are hormone levels in men and women that cover the entire spectrum. There are women that have excellent orientation. And physically, they actually can handle more G's than their male counterparts.

But women are predisposed to not care for flying RC airplanes because spacial orientation is involved. This is tragic really. Good pilots fly with self expression and style and I think most women would actually enjoy flying and likely would have a stylish flair and grace.

And wouldn't it be swell if the field was full of sweet honeys ? Well, one problem..........We would never leave the field. OK, that is surmountable.

MikeEast

My Feedback: (3)

HUH?

But seriously, they typically just dont seem to be interested. There are a few exceptions but not many unfortunately.

bruce88123

Careful PilotFighter - One of my full scale aerobatic instructors is a female who also flew on several US aerobatic teams and she also is a Captain for Southwest Airlines. She also still lives in the Houston area so don't make me sic her on you. She's just too busy for R/C.

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

My wife has spent some time on the G2 simulator and has a trainer(a Stevens Aero Squirt) about 70% built. She has done a good job on the kit so far, but has run out of steam for the time being--things have been very busy lately, and I'm not pressuring her to finish it, because I don't want her to feel forced to participate in the hobby. She does come to the field with me occasionally and either watch or just read a book, but I can't get her on the sticks of my planes--she says she'll fly when her plane is done.

ghtracey

I tried, lord knows I tried, but there is no way that I can get my better half interested in RC Aircraft. On the brightside, she doesn't complain about me buying things, but that's all the support I am going to get.

My 4yr old daughter loves playnig with them with her dolls or crashing planes on my sim, but once the real ones hit the air, she loses interest. Maybe as she gets older.

Cheers,
Graham

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Where are all of the men at Tupperware Parties?

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

That's it Minn, Maybe we should have "nitro" parties.......[X(] Naw! We're too busy flying. [8D]
The thing is my wife is a social creature and doesn't think that flying has anything to do with socializing. Oh well!

MikeEast

My Feedback: (3)

That pretty well sums it up!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

rclement, we DO have nitro parties - That's what we do when we say:

"Gee, I don't know, it's rainy and a bit breezy, but who knows, maybe someone will show up at the field - I think I'll go"

Then we meet at the field and BS.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

If you mean Deb R. I took lessons from her also. or at least at her school. She is a great pilot.

bruce88123

That's her. I knew her back in the 80's.

Did you know Larry B. He flew a Pitts S-1T based there. I flew Debbies S-2A.

smwalter

My Feedback: (1)

I'm working on my 19 yo daughter now. I have 4 kids, 2 boys, 2 girls and she is the only one that has expressed an interest (and was the one I least expected). I was letting her fly my spad gnat and then hor but we finally build a trainer arf together. She seems excited to go out and fly at the field but isn't interested in working with the simulator.

I'm just glad to have someone to share with so I don't feel that I am totally neglecting the family when I go to fly!

It will be even more interesting when/if she solos.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

No, I didn't meet him, but I did meet the famous Doc before he passed away.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

like any sport/hobby it takes time for interest to mature a little while ago women were not encouraged to play sports at any level and were considered freaks when they did. any one checked the world cup lately? the women are killing it and the U.S.A. men well lets just say there lagging a bit. encouragement and involvement the girls will come around. has any one out there gone to any middle schools and presented the hobby to a science or tech class?outreach is the key the AMA will help also the goal is to promote to all and its not to hard a choice hang with a bunch of crusty dudes or some women well you make the callaaaaaaaaaalol

H5487

Pilot Fighter and Bruce,

Debbie was my examiner for my Commercial, Instrument & Multiengine ratings back in the late 1980s. Now I park my Cessna at her FBO in LaPorte (TX) when I fly to work. She's still a delight to run into in the hangar and never hesitates to greet with a big smile and warm handshake.

Doc Harvey was my FAA med examiner before he passed away. What a tragic loss but, durnit, he just wouldn't (couldn't?) stop smoking!!!

xe2

I think the lack of female interest in the hobby may have something to do with the noise, the oil and fuel residue on the hands, cloths, model and everything you touch; as well as the mechanical - hands on - aspects of flying, maintenance, fixing, crashing, fixing, crashing, fixing, destroying, buying, building, fixing and crashing. Oh, did I mention fixing and crashing? In addition, there's something about the smell of half spent nitro, alcohol and bean oil that does not sit well with my significant over (PC for wife). I keep my dedicated flying cloths in the garage.


I'm all thumbs, the problem is they're dumb thumbs.

bigtim

My Feedback: (13)

I think asking your wife/girlfriend to jump into a activity that some have been doing for years is a stretch, thats why I mentioned the younger demographic we as modelers are responsable for promoting the sport/hobby. my mom got me into building models at a very young age . when women and girls discover how much fun and creative this activity can be this male domination might be in for a surprise .

BuzzBomber

My Feedback: (4)

That may be true in most cases. Surprisingly however, my wife LIKES the nitro and castor smell. It may have something to do with the fact that some of our first dates were to NHRA drag racing events and NASCAR races, but hey, I'm not gonna complain.

rclement

My Feedback: (1)

Ahhhhhh..... I never thought of it that way. That gives me an idea for next time it looks like it could rain.....[8D]

sigrun

There are the odd one or two ladies around flying R/C if you look hard, but it''s just not something of innate appeal to most girls/women any more than most boy/men want or would enjoy spending countless hours at the hairdressing salon or perusing glossy fashion magazines.

Did you really want to play with Barbie dolls as a kid? Or spend all day in the mall shopping for shoes as an adult? There's your answer.

Whether one likes it or not doesn't alter the inescapable reality that biology created the sexes physically and psychologically different, which despite bombardment for the past generation with major psycho-ganda reprogramming efforts of socio-politcial engineers, prevails even if suppressed beneath a veneer of delusion to the contrary. It's not a lack of intelligence, strength or motor skills thing. It's just not a girl thing! - Nor would we, or they, want it to be. Vive la difference!

livindead

well if they are any thing like mine they are at walmart spendin all my rc money on silly crap like groceries and diapers and stuff

Time Pilot

You can still find them on the covers of our magazines.

Jim Thomerson

If you are trying to get young people into model aviation, you might think about the Girl Scouts. I understand they are interested in promoting activities which are not stereotypically female.