Avionics News March 2012 - 66

series
B Y T H O M A S I N M A N

Female Aviation Pioneers
have taught avionics for more than 26 years and worked in the aviation industry for more than 31 years. During this time, I’ve had the pleasure to work with and meet great technicians, engineers, professors, pilots and business leaders of the female gender. Some are household names on a national scale. I’ve read about others who are only in history books. Others are even more obscure. All have provided inspiration. When the opportunity arises, I write about them. This seems like a good opportunity. Conducting research on famous female pilots is quite easy, and I can’t resist mentioning a few. Harriet Quimby was an aviator, accomplished writer, photographer and world traveler. Quimby was born on a farm in Michigan in 1875. After the farm failed, she traveled to California, where she was drawn toward a career in journalism. Moving to New York, Quimby became a photo journalist for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. Her photos won prizes, and she wrote a variety of articles, including theater reviews. In 1911, she took flying lessons and became the first woman in the U.S. to earn a pilot’s license. Of course, this redirected her career. Quimby went on flying exhibitions in both the U.S. and Mexico. She was known to wear a rather unconventional purple satin flying suit. In 1912, she became the first woman to fly across the English Channel.
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Her career lasted only 11 months and ended when she fell from her aircraft near Quincy, Mass. Few people, male or female, could claim such accomplishments in such a short time. Quimby left a fine legacy in pictures and words as the 19th century ended. Bessie Coleman is a pioneering pilot, but her aviation career stands in stark contrast to Harriet Quimby’s. Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas, in 1892. She

In France, Coleman attended the Caudron Brother’s School of Aviation. In June 1921, she became the first black woman to earn a pilot’s license. She returned to the U.S., where she became a barnstorming air show pilot. Lesser known is Sue Parish. Although I never met Parish, I feel a personal connection. Often, I saw her desert camouflage (pink) P-40 Warhawk parked in front of the local fixed base operator.

These women, and many others, marked the path for women in aviation today. In my college, and in others, I have not seen enough women following these trails. Scholarships go unclaimed, and seats go empty.

educated herself by borrowing books for a traveling library. She was unable to attend school very often, but she managed to learn and read enough to graduate from high school. After attending only a year of college, Coleman moved to Chicago. News reels and articles about aviation inspired Coleman to become an aviator. Because she was an African American female, no U.S. flight school would accept her. Coleman saved her money, accepted donations from friends, and in 1920, sailed to France.

This was an indication the 7,000-hour owner of Kal-Aero was nearby. Parish was born Suzanne Upjohn DeLano in New York City, in 1922. In her teens, Parish was an accomplished equestrian; however, she broke an ankle. The doctor ordered her not to ride for six weeks, but he didn’t say anything about flying lessons. So, she took her first flying lesson at the age of 19. She abandoned her original career choice of veterinary medicine, and at 21, became a member of the Women Air Force Service Pilots.

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Avionics News March 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2012

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View from Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
WAAS GPS
Member Profile
All in the Family
Survey Reveals Hiring Trends For the Aviation Industry
A Conversation With...
Meet the AEA Awards Nominees
Aviation Aces
Member Profile
The ABCs of Jeppesen
Business Basics
Air France Flight 447
Theory & Practice
Legal Ease
What's New
Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News March 2012 - Cover1
Avionics News March 2012 - Cover2
Avionics News March 2012 - 1
Avionics News March 2012 - 2
Avionics News March 2012 - 3
Avionics News March 2012 - Point of Communication
Avionics News March 2012 - 5
Avionics News March 2012 - AEA Now
Avionics News March 2012 - 7
Avionics News March 2012 - 8
Avionics News March 2012 - 9
Avionics News March 2012 - 10
Avionics News March 2012 - 11
Avionics News March 2012 - 12
Avionics News March 2012 - 13
Avionics News March 2012 - 14
Avionics News March 2012 - 15
Avionics News March 2012 - The View from Washington
Avionics News March 2012 - 17
Avionics News March 2012 - International News and Regulatory Updates
Avionics News March 2012 - 19
Avionics News March 2012 - 20
Avionics News March 2012 - 21
Avionics News March 2012 - WAAS GPS
Avionics News March 2012 - 23
Avionics News March 2012 - 24
Avionics News March 2012 - 25
Avionics News March 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News March 2012 - 27
Avionics News March 2012 - 28
Avionics News March 2012 - 29
Avionics News March 2012 - All in the Family
Avionics News March 2012 - 31
Avionics News March 2012 - 32
Avionics News March 2012 - 33
Avionics News March 2012 - Survey Reveals Hiring Trends For the Aviation Industry
Avionics News March 2012 - 35
Avionics News March 2012 - A Conversation With...
Avionics News March 2012 - 37
Avionics News March 2012 - Meet the AEA Awards Nominees
Avionics News March 2012 - 39
Avionics News March 2012 - 40
Avionics News March 2012 - 41
Avionics News March 2012 - 42
Avionics News March 2012 - 43
Avionics News March 2012 - Aviation Aces
Avionics News March 2012 - 45
Avionics News March 2012 - 46
Avionics News March 2012 - 47
Avionics News March 2012 - Member Profile
Avionics News March 2012 - 49
Avionics News March 2012 - 50
Avionics News March 2012 - 51
Avionics News March 2012 - The ABCs of Jeppesen
Avionics News March 2012 - 53
Avionics News March 2012 - 54
Avionics News March 2012 - 55
Avionics News March 2012 - 56
Avionics News March 2012 - 57
Avionics News March 2012 - Business Basics
Avionics News March 2012 - 59
Avionics News March 2012 - 60
Avionics News March 2012 - 61
Avionics News March 2012 - Air France Flight 447
Avionics News March 2012 - 63
Avionics News March 2012 - 64
Avionics News March 2012 - 65
Avionics News March 2012 - Theory & Practice
Avionics News March 2012 - 67
Avionics News March 2012 - 68
Avionics News March 2012 - 69
Avionics News March 2012 - Legal Ease
Avionics News March 2012 - 71
Avionics News March 2012 - 72
Avionics News March 2012 - 73
Avionics News March 2012 - What's New
Avionics News March 2012 - 75
Avionics News March 2012 - 76
Avionics News March 2012 - 77
Avionics News March 2012 - Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News March 2012 - 79
Avionics News March 2012 - 80
Avionics News March 2012 - Cover3
Avionics News March 2012 - Cover4
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