August Female Pilots in Saudi Arabia By Ahmed Baragabah A Thesis Submitted in Partial ...

62 Pages·2014·0.85 MB·English

FemalePilots in Saudi Arabia
By
Ahmed Baragabah
A Thesis Submitted in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science
In Aviation Administration
Middle TennesseeState University
August2014
Thesis Committee:
Dr. Wendy S. Beckman, Thesis Committee Chairperson
Dr. Ronald J. Ferrara, Reader &Chair, Aerospace Department
Dr. Michael D. Allen, Dean, College of Graduate Studies
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this work to my father, Mohammed Saleh Baragabah. I want to
thank my father because without his support this could never have been possible. Your words of
wisdom saw me through the darkest times as I have traveled this amazing journey.
I also dedicate it to my wife whose support and patience was immeasurable and who put
up with the long hours I spent working on this project. You believed in me even when I had lost
all hope.
I would also like to dedicate this to the friends and cousins who helped me get to the end
of this journey through providing me with guidance and critique, even if I did not think I wanted
it.

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Acknowledgements
I would like to acknowledge the contributions of the members of the graduate faculty in
the Aerospace Department at Middle Tennessee State University. I would like to specifically
recognize the contributions of the members of my thesis committee; Dr. Wendy Beckman and
Dr. Ronald J. Ferrara. Dr. Beckman provided support so that I could get to the end of this great
task of writing. I would also like to thank Dr. Ferrara who gave insight and information that was
necessary to help me to earn my graduate level degree.

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Abstract
Opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia are limited by cultural and religious belief systems.
Women are not allowed to pursue certain opportunities because it could interfere with their
social roles. There are many things that women are not allowed to do in this nation. They are not
allowed to get a driver’s license nor are they allowed to become a pilot However, this age has
seen protests and changes in the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia has also seen some of those
changes and it is likely that the roles of women will begin to change. The following paper looks
at the opinions of individuals who are Saudi Arabian citizens living in the United States and who
participated in interviews regarding the topic of women becoming pilots in Saudi Arabia. This
qualitative study examines the cultural beliefs of people from Saudi Arabia concerning women
becoming pilots and finds that while there is a belief that it is inevitable, cultural acceptance is
still a long way off.

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Table of Contents
List of F igures...............................................................................................................................v ii
CHAPTER ON E: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................... ..1
Background.................................... ............................................................................................. 2
Literature Re view........................................................................................................................ 3
Muslim Women in Saudi Arabia................................................................................................ 3
Hanadi al Hindi........................... ................................................................................................ 4
Muslim Women and Work.......................................................................................................... 5
Airlines in Saudi Arabia.............................................................................................................. 8
Summary...................................................................................................................................1 1
Statement of Problem................................................................................................................ 11
Research Questions... ................................................................................................................ 12
CHAPTER TWO: ME THODOLOGY......................................................................................... 13
Study Design.................................... ......................................................................................... 13
Theoretical Framework......................................................................................................... 13
Interview Question Ratio nale............................................................................................... 14
Participants................................. ............................................................................................... 17
Instruments Used...................................................................................................................... 17
Inquiry Method... ...................................................................................................................... 18
Ethics............ ......................................................................................................................... 18
Procedures................................................................................................................................. 19

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Data Analysis. ....................................................................................................................... 21
Summary ................................................................................................................................... 22
CHAPTER THREE: RESULTS ................................................................................................... 23
Participant Interviews ............................................................................................................... 23
Case Study: Hanadi al Hindi ..................................................................................................... 29
Summary ................................................................................................................................... 31
CHAPTER FOUR: DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................ 32
Evaluation of Interviews ........................................................................................................... 34
Discussion ................................................................................................................................. 39
Belief and Change ................................................................................................................. 39
Reconciliation ....................................................................................................................... 41
Gender Role Perceptions....................................................................................................... 42
Recommendations ..................................................................................................................... 44
Limitations ................................................................................................................................ 44
References ..................................................................................................................................... 46
Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 49
Appendix A: IRB Approval........................................................................................................ 50
Appendix B: Consent Form.......................................................................................................... 51
Appendix C: Interview Questions for General Participants........................................................ 53
Appendix D: Interview Questions for Hanadi al Hindi............................................................. 55

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List of Figures
Figure Page
1 Grid of Interview Answers.............................................................................................. ..28
2 Representation of Positive Beliefs of Participants .......................................................... 37
3 Chart of Expectations ...................................................................................................... 38
4 Comparison of Dimensions of Women becoming Pilots in Saudi Arabia...................... 39

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1

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
The opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia are limited by both law and the
consequences of cultural beliefs. Although the separation of gender roles are supported by most
men and women in Saudi Arabia, there are opportunities for learning skills and creating careers
that some women may be more interested in if given the opportunity. Modern technologies have
changed the opportunities for men, but are not influencing changes in the roles that women can
adapt to under Muslim law or traditions. Currently there is only one female pilot from Saudi
Arabia.
Muslim role traditions support a public position for men and a domestic position for
women. Although both men and women are devout, women have far more constraints on their
lives than do men. There are a number of reasons that this is the case, including issues
surrounding reproduction, the act of being modest as a woman, and the need for controls that
support the family structure under Muslim faith. The laws in nations where Islamic faith is
integrated into the law often support the roles of women without the modernization of her place
in society. As an example, women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to have a driver’s license or
drive a car, thus they are dependent on others for transportation in a world where modern living
requires traveling farther than walking permits.
The conflict between modernity and Saudi Arabian laws where women are concerned
means that few women achieve skills and knowledge that are available to men. Although respect
for the Muslim faith is supported by the law, modern living can be achieved through both
devotion to Islamic beliefs and through providing opportunities outside of the home. Although
not all Muslim men and women would agree, the potential for making change could mean that
some technologies may be more available for women as careers and experiences.
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There is only one Saudi Arabian woman who has ever pursued and achieved a career as a
pilot. Hanadi al- Hindi is a pilot for Kingdom Holding, which is operated by Prince Alwaleed ibn
Talal who is a proponent for change in the traditions of keeping women from opportunities that
are currently held primarily by men. The example that Hindi provides is that women can seek
and achieve opportunities that are currently outside of normal expectations for Saudi women,
thus supporting the premise that women in Saudi Arabia could pursue a career in aviation
without compromising the expectations placed on their gender.
Background
When Hanadi al Hindi began her education to prepare her for the rest of her life she had
to look at her culture and her goals. She was fortunate to find someone within her culture who
would support her goal of becoming the first Saudi Arabian airline pilot and to offer her a
position after her graduation from a Jordanian pilot program. As the only female pilot in Saudi
Arabia she acts as a role model for other young women who have modern goals that they would
like to achieve in a nation where the law does not always work for women with modern
aspirations.
Women are respected in Saudi Arabia for their roles in society. Their roles are different
than men and therefore in the culture of Saudi Arabia there are laws that support the preservation
of the female role in society as outlined according to Sharia guidance. Sharia law is designed to
reflect Islamic law, which defines life in Saudi Arabia where 98% of the population is Muslim.
Modern technologies have opened up capacities for doing a variety of different jobs and
developing careers that would not have to be in conflict with Sharia. However, it is possible that
the law has not yet recognized the capacities that would allow women to do certain jobs in
modern technological contexts. This could include becoming an airline pilot.
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Literature Review
This section is devoted to examining the literature that is relevant to the topic of Muslim
women pursuing the opportunity to become airline pilots in Saudi Arabia. The problem is one of
not only a lack of opportunity, but cultural issues which prohibit women from participating in
public life in very specific ways. The cultural pressures that limit the public life that women can
have can be shifted so that the technological changes that have created modern society can also
provide women with the means to participate in a modernized world without compromising their
belief systems. The following examination of secondary resources will look at the culture for
women in Saudi Arabia, the ways in which culture could come into conflict with expanding
certain opportunities for women including becoming an airline pilot, and ways in which the
problem has already been addressed from a national perspective.
Muslim Women in Saudi Arabia
One of the problematic stereotypes that the West has for women of Islam is that they are
in seclusion. This is partially perpetuated by the veiling of women. Women in Islam see the veil
as a status of adulthood, not a sign of oppression. This study shows that wearing the veil affords
them respect from the men in their culture when women work in an office atmosphere and
remained veiled while they worked (Maisel & Shoup, 2011, p. xxvii).
Muslim women who express their devotion through traditional Islamic methods are often
misunderstood by those in the West. Power in Muslim culture for women comes from being
devout and respectable in their Muslim religious devotion. Muslim women will have power
through how they show that they are good women of their traditions. This is not dissimilar to
Western female power, even though the specific behaviors are not as consistent in the West. Just
like in other cultures, Muslim women become valued for their ability to consign themselves to