Aviation—like much of the travel industry—remains a male-dominated space. Even in 2019, female pilots still only account for an estimated 4.4 percent (or 6,994) of commercial pilots in the US and UK, according to the Centre for Aviation. Recently, aviation history was made when passenger Dr. John Watrel learned that the duo piloting his Delta Boeing 757 flight was, in fact, a mother and daughter.
Captain Wendy Rexon and her first-officer daughter, Kelly Rexon, are the first mother and daughter pair in history to pilot a commercial flight together. As it ends up, flying is a family business when it comes to the Rexons. Wendy and her two daughters are airline pilots, along with Wendy’s husband, who is a pilot for American Airlines.
“We would run around in [our parent’s] captain hats and have fun as little kids and go on their trips with them,” Kelly reminisced to ABC News. “It was definitely part of the family business. I started flying when I was 16, and I had the pleasure of being [my younger sister’s] instructor, and she was my first student.”
Wendy and her daughter, Kelly Rexon, first flew together on a flight out of New York’s JFK airport. Their first flight proved eventful as the pair were confronted with smoke and fumes in the cockpit.
Despite unforeseen complications, the women landed the flight safely in Los Angeles in what would be Wendy’s first time witnessing her daughter handle an emergency landing. “She was fantastic,” Wendy recalled. “It was a difficult situation that was made easier because of [Kelly’s] training and because of her competence.”
Although the aviation industry is largely ruled by men, the past decade has seen a steady (albeit slow) rise in women becoming pilots. The number of women holding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) student pilot certificates has doubled over the past decade. As of December 2017, a total of 42,694 women hold active pilot certificates—including commercial and private pilots—which translates to 7 percent of all pilots, according to the FAA. Female commercial pilots have also increasedby 19 percent over the past decade.
The rise in female pilots is a result of major airlines placing an emphasis on bringing women into the cockpit. Special programs, such as Delta’s Women Inspiring our Next Generation (WING) program, aim to close the gender gap in aviation by encouraging young women to become pilots. In 2018, Delta flew girls from its WING program on what would be the first flight where everyone—from crew to pilots to gate agents to flight dispatchers—were women.
Despite the promising shift in the aviation industry, there is a long way to go until the gender gap is firmly closed. “At American Airlines, 4.8 percent of the pilot staff is female. At Delta, it’s 5 percent. It’s 7 percent at United,” reports Jane Wells for CNBC. “By comparison, at least 10 percent of pilots at the eight major airlines in India are female, according to a report by the BBC.”
Surprisingly, many young girls are not aware that becoming a pilot is a career path available to them. It is this very notion that major airlines are trying to fight by targeting young girls with pilot programs. It is also for this very reason that it is so important to celebrate women like Wendy and Kelly Rexon, to give future generations female role models in aviation.
Put women in charge of everything. Because women really are superior beings.
I AGREE THOUGH AM A MAN
I completely agree, men have screwed up so many things and they want to control a women’s body. Women have to stand up and take charge of themselves first and tell the would to go to hell.
Powerful mind blessed woman Almighty Jesus watches your Life…..
YES
Great story and very well written too!
Great story. Well-written, thought-provoking. Awesome job!
Absolutely AWESOME!!!!
Worldwide Women pilot are the best pilot and most respected profession these days…👍🙏
I agree it is past time for WOMEN TO STAND UP AND TOGETHER.
Well done!
Great family and may God bless you all ♥️
Great story. Fabulous.
It’s about time, Women are elevated to be seen as natural counterparts in male perceived careers. Bravo, Mother Daughter duo.
Yes very great story and wonderful family. Put women in charge of everything? Sad comment. The best pilots are women? Untrue. Instead of all the race and sexism out there, accentuating the Best out there is needed. When we target PC and affirmative action, we see the failures abound.
So then, who *are* the best pilots, Stephen? And if your answer is that you don’t know specifically, then how do you know they’re *not” women?
How old is the daughter? She seems very young to be a first officer.
As the father of a daughter who is a commercial pilot (and a 4-striper), I just loved this story.
Awesome team and group of family. Congratulations to all, mom must be proud. Excellence
Awesome as we should have more women in the cockpit there ability to multitask is a known factor on the ground which is a good quality to have in an Emergency situation @ 35,000 ft.
I’m more concerned about their propensity to panic and also become hyper-emotional. Males have to multitask in their careers as well! I don’t support that premise! I’ve flown with a female pilot long time(1987) and several times subsequently. No noticeable problems! They only seem to land harder than the males!
I now see that Dr John Watrel (Watret? It is spelt two different ways) took the photograph.
Not sure if my previous reply is necessary.
Good story, nonetheless.
Thank you.
Congratulations!!
These ladies are beautiful..
I see a lot of love in Wendy’s eyes.
No wonder her daughter became as her.
🙂
Awesome my daughter want to be a pilot I hve to keep on supporting her.
Fantastic Family! I love it!
I’m 81, male, and married for 50 years. Thank God that we are waking up to the reality that women can be whatever He permits them to be.
WOW. Just… congratulations and all the best soaring above this earth. God bless.
Women, I can say are the best managers at all levels and if women become head of all institutions all will go well. I am so proud and really admire the two of you! My daughter is will be doing year 12 in 2020 and wishes to become a pilot like you two. I am from PNG.
I’ve encountered some female managers who were among the worst I’ve seen! I’ve also encountered a few really good ones.
This is an amazing story. Love this family. When I was a child I use to tell my mother I want to be the first women Pilot in Trinidad and Tobago. However, it did not turn out that way. I am now 61 and still have the passion.
In 1999, on a flight from Burlington, Vt. to New York, the Capt. announced that this flight was the first time an all female crew was in place on this day. Turns out that we all knew Larry Denton, former chief pilot for Rocky Mtn. Airways and the fact that Larry had just retired from Delta Express. It was a great flight with a wonderful crew. Happy Contrails all………………
Thanks Nikki Vargas for sharing such beautiful story of this great family. Highly inspiring ❣️❣️
Awesome I love to see women in the cockpit I think they bring that balance and calm… Awesome 👍👍👍
A comedian once observed that it can’t be a cockpit if there are no males in there! LOL
Women really do Rule, They just let men think they do. If they earn their wings there’s no reason not to Welcome Them.
This is awesome! We need the best of the best no matter what gender they are! So happy women are getting a chance to prove that they can be excellent pilots too! Thank God! Keep up the good work!
Well said! This is about the most impartial and unbiased comment I’ve seen so far on this story!
God bless them…
My daughter-in-law is a four stripe Captain … Loves her job – and we love her!
Wow ! Amazing ! More power to you ! You are an inspiration .
Always a delight to see this.
However I do remember a mother daughter team with Southwest I believe it was in the late 80’s
Mom was also a Las Vegas performer ….
to be honest that the daughter is simply magnificent and breathtaking, You’re an inspiration to all women communism., Thanks for such a wonderful post.
Outstanding!!!! And man, what a flying family!! 6 pilots in all?? Wow!!! I fly a lot, and one day back in the early 2000’s, I had an ALL Female flight crew….front to back. I don’t think many people noticed, but I sure did. It was awesome!! Oddly though, while I have seen a lot of female pilots, I’ve never seen another crew like that (all female). Luck of the draw I guess.
Inspiring!
Specifically a question for the author, what does Dr John Watrel have to do with the story?
Wasn’t history made before the passenger found out who was flying?
I now see that Dr John Watrel (Watret? It is spelt two different ways) took the photograph.
Not sure if my previous reply is necessary.
Thank you