During the past ten years, female pilots, navigators, and crewmembers have been fully integrated into the United States Air Force. They presently fly all aircraft except those determined to be combat related. Women are restricted from these aircraft due to a 1948 law passed by Congress that excluded female pilots from flying aircraft while engaged in combat missions. This article argues that one's gender does not determine whether an individual has 'the right stuff' to fly combat aircraft. In doing so, it covers a brief history of female pilots, examines the combat exclusion and its consequences, looks at some myths concerning female pilots in combat, and reviews the lae's present status in the 100th Congress. In addition, the article tries to uncover the reason Congress cannot bring itself to amend a law which has outlived its usefulness and has become a hindrance to Air Force readiness.


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    Title :

    Female Air Force Pilots and Combat Aircraft - the Right Stuff Has No Gender


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    1987


    Size :

    20 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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