Authored by Steph McKenzie – Delivery Director, Affinity
Flying Services.
This article explores the challenges and triumphs of women in aviation, drawing from my personal journey and experiences.
Beginning my career
“You can be an Officer or a Lady…but not both.” These were some of the first words I encountered as a fresh-faced 20-year-old, straight from Sandhurst, ready to dive into an operational theatre with enthusiasm and determination to take on the world, one mission at a time. While this mindset didn’t surprise me, it did reflect the challenges women in the Army faced during the 90s. Back then, we were often referred to as ‘lumpy jumpers’ or ‘the token female,’ and proving one’s worth was a recurring part of the journey. With women making up less than 10% of the forces, it was common to find oneself as the only woman in a room. Despite the obstacles, I was fortunate to have amazing experiences and to work alongside some truly incredible colleagues.
After serving for nearly 20 years, I’ve spent the past decade in public service and defence industries, continuing to grow and contribute. As we approach International Women’s Day and reflect on the 2025 theme of ‘Accelerate Action,’ it’s a fitting moment to consider why more women are still not entering and staying in aviation—a field I have come to love and find fulfilment in.
Post-Military Career
Post military, I found my niche in operational delivery within complex regulatory environments.
I specialised in Airworthiness and getting the best out of assets, tying up different strands to provide mission ready aircraft. In these roles it is important to understand the detail quickly otherwise most plans are doomed to fail, part of my job is to spot approaching issues early and adjust the paths to optimise the chance of
success. Context is everything with regulations, especially when you are looking for novel solutions. This is where I sit, right in the middle of complexity and always navigating turbulence, and I enjoy being here. Although I have moved out of direct airworthiness roles, understanding the technical aspects of systems, regulations, and operational delivery are still very much key to my team’s success and collectively we work unceasingly every day. I am proud that at Affinity, we have 50% male, female representation on our leadership team. We support and champion each other as a team and make better decisions for it.
Challenges for Women in Aviation
Why are women still not entering or staying in aviation careers? I believe part of the reason is that, while progress is being made, there are still challenges to navigate. Having a seat at the table and maintaining a presence takes commitment. Being part of the conversation requires effort and adds to the demands of an already challenging, high-skill, and high-pressure role.
Early in my career, I found myself working hard to demonstrate my competence and often felt that women had to prove themselves more than their male counterparts, which was frustrating. For me and other women the mantra was ‘incompetent unless proven otherwise’ whereas for male colleagues it was ‘competent unless proven otherwise’. However, these are to be balanced with some exceptional support and leadership I have encountered in my career, but the negatives always have a habit of sticking in memory. Despite the occasional hurdles, I remain deeply passionate about aviation and committed to inspiring change and growth in this industry.
Experiences:
Fast forward to the mid-2010s when I began interviewing for post-military roles. In nearly every interview, I was asked, “This is a male-dominated environment; how do you think you’ll cope?” At the time, eager to secure a job, I would respond by saying that I have always worked in male ‘dominated’ environments and mentioning my experience in similar roles but now slightly older and more confident I would absolutely give a different response to say that if their employees cannot work with 50% of the population then they have a cultural or ethical problem. If we truly want to look at barriers then we need to stop drawing attention to ‘male dominated’ to start with and drop the word ‘dominated’ altogether, as we are missing out on great potential. We should focus on creating an inclusive mindset and if we want more women to consider aviation careers, we need to address these simple but impactful issues. There’s so much potential, and we want to inspire bright, talented women to bring their energy and enthusiasm to the field.
Change
Change begins with each of us. Let’s take action to make the experience of women in aviation less of a struggle. Reflecting on my efforts to share my experience and make a difference, I was a previous guest speaker in London on International Women’s Day. I emphasised the importance of empowering women in engineering and advocating for greater representation and support.
At Affinity, we are dedicated to nurturing young talent. I have participated in numerous STEM career talks with local colleges, universities, and student groups, aiming to inspire and encourage individuals to pursue careers in this field and more recently have coordinated placement opportunities for career development.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day and reflect on the theme of “Accelerate Action,” it’s important that we recognise the progress made and the work that still lies ahead. The journey to equality in aviation, and indeed in all fields, requires continuous effort and commitment from each of us. By challenging outdated norms, supporting one another, and fostering inclusive environments, we can create a future where women not only enter but thrive in their careers.
If we can commit to making a difference, one step at a time, then together, I feel we can break barriers and build a more equitable and inspiring industry for the next generation of women in aviation.