THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, May 4, 1996 TAG: 9605040344
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
DATELINE: PARIS LENGTH: Short : 27 lines
France's air force is taking a step to close the gender gap by letting women fly combat planes.
In next month's entrance exams for the air force academy, women will be able to compete for three of 63 places, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Friday on customary condition of anonymity.
After three years of courses, they could pilot Mirage 2000 fighters and other aircraft.
France's military already has about 20 women piloting transport planes and an AWACS surveillance jet.
France joins the United States and handful of other countries allowing women to fly combat missions. The French army, however, does not allow women to serve in combat units.
KEYWORDS: WOMEN IN THE MILITARY WOMEN IN COMBAT by CNB