As Sabrina Johnson, a young female pilot with 8 years of flight experience, points out, there are still misconceptions about the piloting profession. She notes that it’s easy for her to be mistaken for a flight attendant, despite wearing her pilot uniform, due to her age and gender.
“It’s jarring to me because they work at an airport. You know what the pilot uniforms are,” she says in a TikTok video that has since gone viral.
While less than a third of US pilots are women, Sabrina’s passion and dedication have allowed her to pursue her dream profession. She began pilot training courses at 14 years old, and at 16, she completed her first solo flight.
She continued to study hard and became a flight instructor at the age of 20, with a helicopter pilot license. She landed her first piloting job at 22, despite still being mistaken for a flight attendant by some.
Sabrina’s story is relatable to many who have been stereotyped due to their appearance, age, gender, or a combination.
She encourages people not to let such misconceptions stop them from pursuing their dreams, saying that despite common stereotypes, professions can be for anyone who has the passion and drive to pursue them.
