Legislation Establishes Bessie Coleman Women in Aviation Advisory Committee

The recent passage of the multi-year reauthorization of the FAA now sees its effects spring up around the industry, to the applause of those who got a fresh infusion of support.

One group has celebrated their own return, with the members of the defunct 2022 Women in Aviation Advisory Board thanking the apparatus for bringing their own group back to life. Additionally, the WAAB won't be the only group resuscitated, since the reauthorization bill also mandates the establishment of the Bessie Coleman Women in Aviation Advisory Committee. The 2022 WAAB says that the former will " play a pivotal role in fostering inclusivity, breaking down barriers, and cultivating opportunities for a diverse and skilled workforce within the aviation industry. The WAAB was originally put into place with the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act.

The creation of the Bessie Coleman Women in Aviation Advisory Committee was covered in their WAAB's own 2022 report “Breaking Barriers: Flight Plan for the Future” as recommendation #14. That's a nice turnaround, considering only two years passed between the recommendation and the establishment of their requests - hard to say the government moves much faster than that most of the time. The WAAB says that the new Advisory Committee will be "paramount for maintaining sustained accountability, focus, and collaboration among various stakeholders," as well as "will serve as a catalyst for driving progress and implementing the recommendations set forth in the report."

 The Board has noted that the rate of female-identified individuals have not "appreciably changed" in the aviation industry, lagging the rest of the economy. "The largest gaps are in senior leadership positions (3.0%), professional pilots (4.6%), and maintenance technicians (2.6%)," they report. That leaves plenty of work for both the original WAAB and the BCWAAC to take on. 

FMI: www.faa.gov