How Katherine Moloney Is Rethinking Aviation for Women.

When people talk about bringing more women into aviation, the conversation often starts with inspiration. But many of us already know inspiration on its own is not enough. What my conversation with Katherine Moloney reinforced is that visibility may open the door, but it does not guarantee that someone will feel supported once they walk through it. On this week’s AVIATE podcast, I spoke with Katherine, founder of Elevate Her Aviation, about what it really takes to help women not only enter aviation but also feel that they belong once they are there. That conversation matters in a global industry where women still make up just 4.0% of pilots in service worldwide and 4.9% overall across pilots, air traffic controllers, and maintenance technicians.

The conversation around women in aviation often focuses on visibility.

That matters, but the bigger story is what happens after someone enters the industry.

This includes culture, belonging, mentorship, access to general aviation, and whether the systems around aviation were actually built with women in mind. Katherine’s perspective made clear that the future of aviation will not be shaped only by who gets in. It will also be shaped by who feels supported enough to stay.

Katherine spoke thoughtfully about the role general aviation plays in opening doors.

She sees it as a critical entry point into the industry and a place where many aviation careers begin. But she also pointed to the barriers that still exist, especially around cost, visibility, and access. What I appreciated most was that she did not frame the issue as a lack of interest. She framed it as a question of whether aviation is creating real pathways for more women to see themselves in it.

She also brought attention to something that often gets overlooked: the small design and cultural details that quietly tell people whether they were considered in the first place.

What stayed with me most was Katherine’s emphasis on belonging.

She made the point that inclusion is often shaped by everyday realities, not just big statements. Things like uniforms, facilities, training materials, equipment, and language may seem small on their own, but together they shape whether someone feels welcome in a space.

That resonated with me because so much of aviation culture is communicated indirectly. Sometimes people are told they belong. Other times, they are left to adapt to systems that were never really designed with them in mind.

For me, that is an important distinction. The future of aviation is not only about getting more women through the door. It is also about whether the industry is willing to look honestly at what happens once they arrive.

Globally, women made up 4.0% of pilots in service in ICAO’s latest global survey, and 4.9% overall across pilots, air traffic controllers, and maintenance technicians.

There are signs of movement, but progress is still slow. IATA says that among airlines participating in its 25by2025 initiative, women in flight deck roles reached 6% by 2023, up 37% from 2021.

That makes one thing clear: this is a global workforce issue, not a local one. The conversation is moving, but the gap remains significant.

What this conversation reinforced for me is that the real challenge is not simply getting more women interested in aviation. It is whether the industry is willing to examine the structures, assumptions, and everyday details that shape who feels seen, supported, and able to build a future here. Katherine’s work is powerful because it moves the conversation beyond awareness and into accountability. It asks aviation not just to invite women in, but to build an environment that reflects the fact that they were meant to be here all along.

This podcast conversation is now available on all podcast platforms. Listen now.

Until next time,
Shaesta