Wings of Her Own: Women in Aviation

Core Concept

A sweeping documentary tracing the evolution of women in aviation — from daring pioneers in the early days of flight, through the wartime heroines ferrying aircraft, to the glamorous era of Pan Am stewardesses, and into the modern age of female pilots, engineers, private jet entrepreneurs, extreme sports adventurers, and even women pushing the boundaries of space travel.

The story combines history, culture, and aspiration, with a modern-day vision of women commanding every part of aviation: piloting, mechanics, engineering, management, and luxury travel.

Structure & Narrative Arc

  1. The Early Aviatrices (1900s–1930s)

    • Amelia Earhart and her European contemporaries.

    • UK pioneers like Amy Johnson.

    • Aviation as an elite pursuit: fast cars, fast planes, glamour, and adventure.

  2. The War Years (1939–1945)

    • ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) in the UK: women ferrying Spitfires and bombers between airfields.

    • American WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots).

    • Quiet heroism: they didn’t fight, but they kept the air force alive.

  3. The Jet Age & Glamour (1950s–1960s)

    • The birth of commercial aviation.

    • Pan Am and BOAC glamour: stewardesses as icons of fashion and aspiration.

    • Gender roles: women in the cabin, men in the cockpit.

  4. Breaking Barriers (1970s–1990s)

    • First licensed female commercial airline pilots.

    • Rise of adventurous aviators (women flying solo long-distance routes).

    • Extreme aviation sports: skydiving, base jumping, gliding.

  5. The Modern Era (2000s–Today)

    • All-female flight crews.

    • Women leading aviation companies and startups.

    • Private jet sector: luxury meets empowerment.

    • Women mechanics, engineers, controllers breaking stereotypes.

  6. Future Horizons (Next 50 Years)

    • Space travel and women astronauts.

    • A ballerina with a robotic arm dancing as a metaphor for human–machine collaboration in spaceflight.

    • AI-generated pilots and the concept of AI + human hybrid crews.

    • Vision: the fully female-run private jet company as a “living brand.”

Visual Style

  • Archival footage & photography (black-and-white flight tests, Pan Am ads).

  • Cinematic reenactments (Spitfires being ferried by young women in leather jackets).

  • Contemporary glossy shots (private jet runways, luxury lounges, women mechanics in tailored jumpsuits).

  • Futuristic AI-generated visuals for the “future horizons” segment.

Potential Sponsors

  • Airlines & Aviation Brands: Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Emirates, NetJets.

  • Luxury Travel & Hotels: Aman, Four Seasons, Belmond.

  • Fashion & Beauty: Chanel, Dior (tie-in with the glamour angle).

  • Tech & Aerospace: Boeing, SpaceX, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems.

  • Watch & Auto Brands: Breitling, Aston Martin, Porsche.

Spin-Off Opportunities

  • AI-generated pilot episodes (low-cost way to test audience appetite).

  • A podcast series featuring interviews with modern female pilots & historians.

  • Coffee-table photobook companion: archival images + modern fashion-inspired aviation photography.

  • Branded YouTube shorts / TikToks (mini stories of forgotten aviatrixes).

Market Positioning

  • Appeals to history buffs, travel enthusiasts, feminists, luxury audiences.

  • Positioned between BBC documentary gravitas and Netflix glossy aspirational storytelling.

  • Unique hook: women as the through-line in aviation’s evolution.

AI Film, Film AIFrancesca Tabor