Plane Facts: Women In Aviation

The history and present-day facts about women in aviation are challenging and inspiring.

Plane & Pilot

Thursday, December 07, 2017 at 08:33 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The early 20th century saw pioneering women like Raymonde de Laroche (first female pilot worldwide) and Harriet Quimby (first U.S. female pilot and first to fly the English Channel) break significant barriers in aviation.
Women continued to achieve major milestones, including Amelia Earhart's solo Atlantic flight, Helen Richey becoming the first female airline pilot despite facing discrimination, and Jacqueline Cochran setting numerous records and breaking the sound barrier.
During WWII, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) flew millions of miles in various critical roles, though their military status was not recognized until 1977.
While progress has been made, with increasing percentages of female pilots, dispatchers, and mechanics by 2016, women still represent a minority in these aviation professions.

See a mistake? Contact us.

First woman to receive a pilot’s license, worldwide: Raymonde de Laroche, March 8, 1910 (France)

Other aviation accomplishments: women’s altitude (12,869 feet, 15,700 feet) and distance (201 miles) records

Death: killed co-piloting a test flight, July 18, 1919

First woman to receive a pilot’s license, U.S.: Harriet Quimby, August 1, 1911

Previous career: Journalist/writer

Quimby’s license number: 37

Other historic accomplishment: First woman to fly across the English Channel, April 16, 1912

Length of flying career: 11 months—killed in plane crash July 1, 1912

First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic: Amelia Earhart

First female airline pilot: Helen Richey (Central Airlines, 1934)

Other aviation accomplishments: 10-day endurance record (with Frances Marsalis – 1933), international altitude record (1936), first female air mail pilot, first CAA-licensed woman flight instructor, commandant of the American wing of the British Air Transport Auxiliary (1942), WASP member (1943-44)

Time flown for endurance record: 237 hours, 42 minutes (estimated 23,700 miles)

Length of airline pilot career: 10 months—quit due to discrimination after she was barred from the pilot’s union and only allowed to fly in fair weather

Richey’s pre-war flight hours: more than 10,000

War service: 300+ hours flown in 27 types of aircraft

Women In Aviation - WASP pilot Elizabeth L. Remba Gardner — *Elizabeth L. Remba Gardner of Rockford, Illinois—Women’s Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) Class 43-W-6—at Harlingen Army Air Field, Texas*

Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs): served in WWII ferrying aircraft, transporting military personnel, conducting test flights, towing targets to train gunners, etc.

Requirements before joining: 35 hours flight time

Number of applicants: more than 25,000

Number accepted into training: 1,830

Number of WASPs after training: 1,102

Estimated number of miles flown by WASPs: 60 million

Number of WASPs killed in training or on duty: 38

WASP military status until 1977: civilian—no military benefits or honors given

First woman to break the sound barrier: Jacqueline Cochran (1953)

Early career: Hairdressing

Pilot to hold the most international speed, distance and altitude records, male or female: Jacqueline Cochran

First woman enshrined in the Aviation Hall of Fame: Jacqueline Cochran (1971)

Estimated active FAA pilot certificates held by women, 1960: 9,966 (2.85%)