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Hava aracı bakımında kadınlar: Hava aracı bakım eğitiminde cinsiyet analizi

Year 2025, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 101 - 110, 31.08.2025
https://doi.org/10.52995/jass.1721912

Abstract

Uçak bakım eğitimi, dünyada olduğu gibi Türkiye’de de mesleki kurslar ve yükseköğretim kurumları aracılığıyla verilmektedir. Türkiye’de Havacılık ve Uzay Bilimleri Fakülteleri, Havacılık Meslek Liseleri, Sivil Havacılık Yüksekokulları ve üniversitelere bağlı Meslek Yüksekokulları gibi çeşitli kurumlar uçak bakım eğitimi sunmaktadır. Bu programlar aracılığıyla mekanik ve aviyonik alanlarda teknisyenler yetiştirilmektedir. Gövde-Motor Bakım, Uçak Bakım ve Onarımı, Havacılık Elektrik ve Elektroniği ile Uçak Teknolojisi gibi üniversite düzeyindeki bölümler, sektör ihtiyaçları ve uluslararası standartlarla uyumlu müfredatlar sunmaktadır. Havacılık sektörünün karşılaştığı önemli zorluklardan biri, teknik alanlarda kadınların istihdamı ve bu alanlara katılımının artırılmasıdır. İstatistikî veriler, havacılık iş gücünde ciddi bir cinsiyet dengesizliği olduğunu açıkça ortaya koymaktadır; kadınların temsil oranı, erkeklere kıyasla belirgin şekilde düşüktür. Bu durum, pilot, kabin memuru ve hava trafik kontrolörü gibi alanlarda dahi gözlemlenirken, özellikle uçak bakım sektöründe kadınların temsili çok daha sınırlıdır. Bu çalışma, Türkiye’deki üniversitelerin uçak bakım bölümlerine kadın öğrencilerin kayıt eğilimlerini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu doğrultuda çalışma, nicel ve betimsel bir araştırma deseni benimsemektedir. Türkiye’deki üniversitelerin uçak bakım bölümlerinden 2020-2024 yılları arasındaki kayıt verileri toplanmış ve cinsiyete dayalı eğilimleri analiz etmek amacıyla frekans ve yüzde dağılımları kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, bu bölümlere kadın öğrencilerin erkek öğrencilere kıyasla belirgin biçimde daha düşük oranlarda kayıt yaptırdığını ve teknik havacılık eğitiminde kalıcı bir cinsiyet farkının varlığını sürdürdüğünü ortaya koymuştur.

Ethical Statement

Bu makale araştırma ve yayın etiği standartlarını karşılamaktadır.

References

  • Andiema, N., & Manasi, E. (2021). Female students participation in technical vocational education and training in west Pokot County. East African Journal of Education Studies, 3(1), 61-69. doi:10.37284/eajes.3.1.314
  • Ateş, S. S., Kafalı, H., & Lik, H. (2018). Aircraft maintenance technical education: A research on professional exams. Celal Bayar University Journal of Science, 14(4), 471-477. doi:10.18466/cbayarfbe.461965
  • Boeing. (2023). Pilot and Tecnician Outlook 2023-2042, Boeing. Boeing.
  • Clark, P. J., Newcomer, J. M., & Jones, A. M. (2018). Overcoming gender barriers in aircraft maintenance: Women's perceptions in the United States. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, 66-84.
  • CoHE. (2025). Turkish Council of Higher Education. Retrieved May 22, 2025, from https://yokatlas.yok.gov.tr/
  • Directorate of General Civil Aviation. (2018). Symposium on the Development of Gender Balance in Aviation. Ankara: Turkish Directorate of General Civil Aviation.
  • EASA. (2021). Part-66: Get a Part-66 license, EASA. European Aviation Safety Agency.
  • Education, T. C. (2023). Yükseköğretim Kurumu.
  • Eitelberg, M. J. (1990). Increased use of women and minorities in military aviation maintenance. Retrieved from https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/760980/human_factors_in_aircraft_maintenance.pdf
  • Erden, N. V. (2025). The effect of managerial support on employee creativity: A study on aircraft maintenance personnel. Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering Research, 6(1), 1-10. doi:10.53525/jster.1620551
  • FAA. (2022). Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation. Acesso em 25 de 07 de 2025, disponível em https://www.faa.gov/about/plansreports/congress/breaking-barriers-women-aviation-women-aviation-advisory-board
  • Ferla, M., & Graham, A. (2019). Women slowly taking off: An investigation into female underrepresentation in commercial aviation. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 31. doi:10.1016/j.rtbm.2019.100378
  • Gunes, T., Turhan, U., & Acikel, B. (2020). An assessment of aircraft maintenance technician competency. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology, 1(1), pp. 22-29. doi:10.23890/ijast.vm01is01.0104
  • Gunes, T., Turhan, U., & Yörük Açıkel, B. (2022). Improvement of aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) for Cessna 172. Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 94(7), 1078-1086. doi:10.1108/AEAT-10-2021-0321
  • Habig, A., & Marete, C. (2023). Factors that influence the pursuit of collegiate aviation maintenance degree programs: The differences between women and men students. 2023 ASEE Illinois-Indiana Section Conference Proceedings. American Society for Engineering Education.
  • Harvey, G., Finniear, J., & Greedharry, M. (2019). Women in aviation: A study of insecurity. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 31. doi:10.1016/j.rtbm.2019.05.001
  • ICAO. (2016). Assembly Resolutions in Force (Doc 10075). Montreal, Canada: International Civil Aviation Organization.
  • Lutte. (2019). Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report. University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute.
  • Lutte. (2021). Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report 2021 Edition. University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute.
  • Lutte, R., & Morrison, S. M. (2022). You’ll never really be one of us: Women’s underrepresentation in the aviation workforce. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, 31(2). doi:10.15394/jaaer.2022.1929
  • Newcomer, J. M., Clark, P. J., Button, D. K., & Weiland, L. V. (2018). Gender diversity in aircraft maintenance: a cross-sectional triangulation of male perspectives. Journal of Gender Studies, 509-521. doi:10.1080/09589236.2016.1243046
  • Rouscher, G. Y. (2021). Certificated AMTs: What will encourage more women to become aviation maintenance technicians? Collegiate Aviation Review International, 298-306. doi:10.22488/okstate.22.100248
  • Smith, W. E., Cohen, S., Kimbu, A. N., & de Jong, A. (2021). Reshaping gender in airline employment. Annals of Tourism Research, 81. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2021.103221
  • TSI. (2023). Labour Force Statistics. Ankara, Turkey: Turkish Statistical Institute.
  • Tyagi, A., Tripathi, R., & Bouarfa, S. (2023). Learning from past in the aircraft maintenance industry: An empirical evaluation in the safety management framework. Heliyon, 9(11). doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21620
  • Van den Bergh, P., De Bruecker, P., Beliën, J., & Peeters, J. (2013). Aircraft maintenance operations: State of art. Retrieved from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Aircraft-maintenance-operations%3A-state-of-the-art-Bergh-Bruecker/2f5f96109170db532ba89b420a7e3f25cbc4b931
  • Wilson, J. (2004). Gender-based issues in aviation, attitudes towards female pilots: A cross-cultural analysis. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria.
  • Yanıkoğlu, Ö., Kılıç, S., & Küçükönal, H. (2020). Gender in the cockpit: Challenges faced by female airline pilots. Journal of Air Transport Management, 86. doi:10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101823

Women in aircraft maintenance: A gender analysis in aircraft maintenance training

Year 2025, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 101 - 110, 31.08.2025
https://doi.org/10.52995/jass.1721912

Abstract

An aircraft maintenance training is provided through vocational courses and higher education institutions in Türkiye, as it is worldwide. In Türkiye, various institutions, including the Faculty of Aviation and Astronautics, Aviation Vocational High Schools, Civil Aviation Colleges, and university-affiliated Vocational Schools, provide aircraft maintenance training. Technicians in mechanical and avionics fields are trained through these programs. University-level departments such as Airframe and Engine Maintenance, Aircraft Maintenance and Repair, Aviation Electrics and Electronics, and Aircraft Technology provide curricula aligned with industry requirements and international standards. One of the challenges faced in the aviation industry is the recruitment and participation of women in technical roles. Statistical data clearly reveals a significant gender imbalance in the aviation workforce, with women representation markedly lower than that of males. The gender imbalance is even more pronounced in the aircraft maintenance industry, where women remain significantly underrepresented in technical positions. This underrepresentation also extends to other areas of the aviation industry, including roles such as pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers. This study aims to examine the enrollment trends of women students in aircraft maintenance departments at universities in Türkiye. Therefore, the study employs quantitative and descriptive research design. Enrollment data from aircraft maintenance departments at universities in Türkiye was collected between 2020 and 2024 and analyzed using frequency and percentage distributions to examine gender-based trends. The findings indicate that women enroll in these departments at significantly lower rates than their male counterparts, and that there is a persistent gender gap in technical aviation education.

Ethical Statement

This paper meets the standards of research and publication ethics.

References

  • Andiema, N., & Manasi, E. (2021). Female students participation in technical vocational education and training in west Pokot County. East African Journal of Education Studies, 3(1), 61-69. doi:10.37284/eajes.3.1.314
  • Ateş, S. S., Kafalı, H., & Lik, H. (2018). Aircraft maintenance technical education: A research on professional exams. Celal Bayar University Journal of Science, 14(4), 471-477. doi:10.18466/cbayarfbe.461965
  • Boeing. (2023). Pilot and Tecnician Outlook 2023-2042, Boeing. Boeing.
  • Clark, P. J., Newcomer, J. M., & Jones, A. M. (2018). Overcoming gender barriers in aircraft maintenance: Women's perceptions in the United States. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, 66-84.
  • CoHE. (2025). Turkish Council of Higher Education. Retrieved May 22, 2025, from https://yokatlas.yok.gov.tr/
  • Directorate of General Civil Aviation. (2018). Symposium on the Development of Gender Balance in Aviation. Ankara: Turkish Directorate of General Civil Aviation.
  • EASA. (2021). Part-66: Get a Part-66 license, EASA. European Aviation Safety Agency.
  • Education, T. C. (2023). Yükseköğretim Kurumu.
  • Eitelberg, M. J. (1990). Increased use of women and minorities in military aviation maintenance. Retrieved from https://www.atsb.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/760980/human_factors_in_aircraft_maintenance.pdf
  • Erden, N. V. (2025). The effect of managerial support on employee creativity: A study on aircraft maintenance personnel. Journal of Science, Technology and Engineering Research, 6(1), 1-10. doi:10.53525/jster.1620551
  • FAA. (2022). Breaking Barriers for Women in Aviation. Acesso em 25 de 07 de 2025, disponível em https://www.faa.gov/about/plansreports/congress/breaking-barriers-women-aviation-women-aviation-advisory-board
  • Ferla, M., & Graham, A. (2019). Women slowly taking off: An investigation into female underrepresentation in commercial aviation. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 31. doi:10.1016/j.rtbm.2019.100378
  • Gunes, T., Turhan, U., & Acikel, B. (2020). An assessment of aircraft maintenance technician competency. International Journal of Aviation Science and Technology, 1(1), pp. 22-29. doi:10.23890/ijast.vm01is01.0104
  • Gunes, T., Turhan, U., & Yörük Açıkel, B. (2022). Improvement of aircraft maintenance manual (AMM) for Cessna 172. Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 94(7), 1078-1086. doi:10.1108/AEAT-10-2021-0321
  • Habig, A., & Marete, C. (2023). Factors that influence the pursuit of collegiate aviation maintenance degree programs: The differences between women and men students. 2023 ASEE Illinois-Indiana Section Conference Proceedings. American Society for Engineering Education.
  • Harvey, G., Finniear, J., & Greedharry, M. (2019). Women in aviation: A study of insecurity. Research in Transportation Business & Management, 31. doi:10.1016/j.rtbm.2019.05.001
  • ICAO. (2016). Assembly Resolutions in Force (Doc 10075). Montreal, Canada: International Civil Aviation Organization.
  • Lutte. (2019). Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report. University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute.
  • Lutte. (2021). Women in Aviation: A Workforce Report 2021 Edition. University of Nebraska at Omaha Aviation Institute.
  • Lutte, R., & Morrison, S. M. (2022). You’ll never really be one of us: Women’s underrepresentation in the aviation workforce. Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research, 31(2). doi:10.15394/jaaer.2022.1929
  • Newcomer, J. M., Clark, P. J., Button, D. K., & Weiland, L. V. (2018). Gender diversity in aircraft maintenance: a cross-sectional triangulation of male perspectives. Journal of Gender Studies, 509-521. doi:10.1080/09589236.2016.1243046
  • Rouscher, G. Y. (2021). Certificated AMTs: What will encourage more women to become aviation maintenance technicians? Collegiate Aviation Review International, 298-306. doi:10.22488/okstate.22.100248
  • Smith, W. E., Cohen, S., Kimbu, A. N., & de Jong, A. (2021). Reshaping gender in airline employment. Annals of Tourism Research, 81. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2021.103221
  • TSI. (2023). Labour Force Statistics. Ankara, Turkey: Turkish Statistical Institute.
  • Tyagi, A., Tripathi, R., & Bouarfa, S. (2023). Learning from past in the aircraft maintenance industry: An empirical evaluation in the safety management framework. Heliyon, 9(11). doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21620
  • Van den Bergh, P., De Bruecker, P., Beliën, J., & Peeters, J. (2013). Aircraft maintenance operations: State of art. Retrieved from https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Aircraft-maintenance-operations%3A-state-of-the-art-Bergh-Bruecker/2f5f96109170db532ba89b420a7e3f25cbc4b931
  • Wilson, J. (2004). Gender-based issues in aviation, attitudes towards female pilots: A cross-cultural analysis. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria.
  • Yanıkoğlu, Ö., Kılıç, S., & Küçükönal, H. (2020). Gender in the cockpit: Challenges faced by female airline pilots. Journal of Air Transport Management, 86. doi:10.1016/j.jairtraman.2020.101823
There are 28 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Avionics, Aerospace Structures
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Sıla Kale 0000-0002-9034-5891

Tarık Güneş 0000-0003-3098-7654

Birsen Açıkel 0000-0002-6067-5697

Publication Date August 31, 2025
Submission Date June 18, 2025
Acceptance Date August 5, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 5 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Kale, S., Güneş, T., & Açıkel, B. (2025). Women in aircraft maintenance: A gender analysis in aircraft maintenance training. Havacılık Ve Uzay Çalışmaları Dergisi, 5(2), 101-110. https://doi.org/10.52995/jass.1721912