Photo of Raymonde de Laroche, National Air and Space Museum
On March 8, 1910, Raymonde de Laroche became the world’s first licensed female pilot. Women have been involved in aviation since the early ages of flight, but were often restricted to support jobs or private planes. Now, women can venture into all aspects of flight, including military, space and commercial.
History of women in aviation
18th Century
In the early days of flight in the 18th century, hot-air balloons were testing the boundaries of aviation. On June 4, 1784 Marie Élisabeth Thible of France, became the first woman to fly in a hot-air balloon. Eight months after the first crewed balloon flight, Thible flew with Monsieur Fleurant on board the hot air balloon La Gustave in honor of King Gustav III of Sweden’s visit to Lyon. The flight lasted 45 minutes and Thible was credited by many for her courage.
Jeanne Geneviève Garnerin was the first woman to fly solo in an aircraft when she flew in a balloon on Nov. 10, 1798. Garnerin was the wife of a hydrogen balloonist and the inventor of the frameless parachute, André-Jacques Garnerin. She was the first to ascend solo and also the first woman to make a parachute descent from an altitude of 3,000 feet on Oct. 12, 1799.
19th Century
Sophie Blanchard, or Madame Blanchard, was the first woman to work as a professional balloonist and was appointed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804 to the role of chief of air service and named “Aeronaut of the Official Festivals” and replaced André-Jacques Garnerin. After the French monarchy was restored, she performed for King Louis XVIII and was named “Official Aeronaut of the Restoration.”
Sophie Blanchard illustration from Smithsonian Magazine
Blanchard was married to ballooning pioneer, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, who is known for the first crossing of the English Channel. She continued ballooning even after her husband’s death and eventually became the first woman to be killed in an aviation accident. On July 6, 1819, in the Tivoli Gardens in Paris, fireworks ignited the gas in her balloon and caused her to crash onto a roof and fall to her death.
More women were beginning their aviation journey, like Wilhelmine Reichard who became the first German woman to fly solo in a balloon. In 1860 Louise Bates made the first parachute jump by a woman in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1886 Mary Myers set an altitude record with the balloon in the U.S. by rising four miles in the air.
Women continued to make firsts for parachute jumps and balloon flights in different countries around the world. Women were making their presence known in the field through flight and technology. In 1888 Teresa Martinez y Perez issued a British patent for “navigable balloons.”
20th century
Aida de Acosta Root Breckinridge was an American socialite and aviator and became the first woman to fly a powered aircraft solo. On June 27, 1903 when Acosta was 19 when she flew a fellow aviator’s personal dirigible from Paris to Château de Bagatelle. When she landed on a polo field during a match between the American and British teams she was helped out of the basket, watched some of the ensuing match, then flew back to the Paris area. She flew the aircraft nearly six months before the Wright brothers first flew in a heavier-than-air powered aircraft.
Aida de Acosta making her solo flight, from Medium
Because of her status in society, her parents worried no man would marry her if they knew she had flown solo and the story was hushed for years until she retold the story to her husband and a young naval officer in the 1930s. The dirigible she flew belonged to the Brazilian Aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont. She was the only person ever permitted to fly in his aircraft and he kept a photograph of her on his desk next to a vase of fresh flowers for the rest of his life.
On July 28, 1906 Marie Surcouf earned her aeronautical balloon pilot’s license and on Aug. 23, made her first flight as a pilot. Surcouf boarded the balloon with Miss Gache and flew the first balloon flight with an all-woman crew.
Thérèse Peltier made the first solo flight by a woman in an airplane in Turin, Italy and flew about eight feet off the ground for over 650 feet. Her husband, aviator Léon Delagrange, taught her how to fly and she eventually gave up on aviation after he was killed in a flying accident.
Raymonde de Laroche pilot’s license, from Women of Aviation Worldwide
By 1910, women had begun flying solo flights, forming aero clubs and flying as passengers in airplanes. On March 8, de Laroche received the 36th airplane pilot’s license issued by the Aeroclub de France, the world’s first organization to issue pilot licenses. At the time, they were only required for pilots operating commercial aircraft. She continued in a career in aviation and set two women’s altitude records in June 1919. On July 18, 1919, she went to an airfield with plans to become the first female test pilot. She and a co-pilot boarded an experimental aircraft and on its landing approach, it went into a dive and crashed, killing both de Laroche and the co-pilot. Women of Aviation Worldwide Week is held during the week of March 8 in honor of the anniversary of de Laroche receiving the historic license.
In the following years after de Laroche received her license, women followed in her footsteps in several countries around the world. In 1912, Hélène Dutrieu became the first woman to pilot a seaplane, Harriet Quimby was the first woman to fly across the English Channel, Hilda Hewlett was the first woman to co-found an aircraft factory and Rayna Kasabova became the first woman to participate in a military flight.
In 1913, Georgia “Tiny” Broadwick became the first woman to jump from an aircraft when she dropped 2,000 feet in Los Angeles on June 21. Ruth Law became the first woman to fly at night and on Dec. 1, Lyubov Golanchikova became the first test pilot.
Katherine and Marjorie Stinson, Smithsonian
Pioneer Katherine Stinson was the fourth woman in the U.S. to earn a pilot certificate on July 24, 1912 and continued in her career, setting records for maneuvers, distance and endurance. She became the first female pilot employed by the U.S. Postal Service and the first female pilot to fly in Canada and Japan. In April 1913 she formed Stinson Aviation Company with her mother and also became the first woman to do night skywriting. In 1915 her family established the Stinson Municipal Airport and the Stinson School of Flying.
While it was thought to be dangerous for women to fly in WWI, Marie Marving of France disguised herself as a man and served on the front lines. She was discovered and set home but continued to participate in military operations and in 1915, became the first woman in the world to fly in combat missions as a volunteer pilot flying bombing missions over Germany. In WWII she continued work as a Red Cross nurse with the rank of corporal and promoted the use of air ambulances, eventually founding and maintaining a home for wounded aviators.
Bessie Coleman, National Air and Space Museum
On June 15, 1921 Bessie Coleman became the first African American and first Native American to earn a pilot’s license. Since there were no opportunities in the U.S. for African Americans, Native Americans and women for flight training, Coleman obtained sponsorships to travel to France for flight school. She became well-known for her work as a barnstorming stunt flier and performing dangerous tricks in the air. Coleman had hoped to start a flight school for African-American fliers before her death in a plane crash in 1926. She has remained a pioneer in the field and an inspiration to pilots in the African American and Native-American communities.
In 1927, Marga von Etzdorf of Germany became the first woman to fly for an airline. Women in more parts of the world are becoming the first female in their countries to obtain a license. In 1929 Elsie MacGill of Canada became the first woman to earn a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering. On Aug. 18, 1929 Louise Thaden won the first Women’s Air Derby.
Amelia Earhart, National Air and Space Museum
The 1930s saw women in more roles in aviation and more pioneers emerged. In 1930, Elinor Smith and Evelyn Trout from the U.S. became the first women to refuel a plane in flight. Ellen Church convinced Boeing Air Transport to hire the first flight attendants, which included Church and seven other women. The women were required to be nurses, unmarried and weigh under 115 pounds. In 1932 Amelia Earhart became the first woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. On Oct. 23, 1934 balloonist Jeannette Piccard became the first woman to reach the stratosphere. That same year, Marie Marvingt ran a civil air ambulance service and Marina Mikhailovna Raskova of Russia was the first to instruct at a military flight academy. On Dec. 31, 1934 Helen Richey became the first woman to pilot a commercial airliner in the U.S. and later resigned since she was not allowed in the all-male pilot’s union and was rarely allowed to fly.
The 20th century saw aviation grow into a leading form of transportation and welcomed the growth of new technology and many leaders in the field. Women all over the world were earning their pilot’s licenses and flying solo. Women were expanding into new roles in the industry like in commercial or military fields. Women were even allowed in combat roles in WWII and on Aug. 5, 1943 the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program was formed. While many women were seen in new roles, the possibilities were still limited. American Airlines capped stewardesses’ employment and terminated them when they turned 32.
In the growing space age of the 60s, women were given opportunities and some were sent to space, with Valentina Tereshkova becoming the first woman to fly in space in 1963. In 1964 Geraldine Mock became the first woman to fly around the world. By 1973, the U.S. Navy allowed women to train as pilots. Emily Howell Warner became the first woman in the U.S. to work as an airline captain. In 1977, President Carter signed a bill, finally giving former WWII WASPs veterans status. On June 18, 1983 Dr. Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space.
Women in Aviation International (WAI) began in 1990 and was formally established as a nonprofit organization in 1994. As the 20th century ended, women were in prominent roles in aviation all over the world. Women were flying commercial airlines, able to achieve higher military ranks and serve in combat positions, commanding space shuttles and rising to the rank of CEO for aviation companies.
21st century
Many countries did not see the first female certified pilot, mechanic, fighter pilot or commercial airline pilot until the 21st century. In March 2011 the first Women in Aviation Worldwide Week is held. In the last two decades, many women have become leaders in their countries, achieving licenses, winning awards and leading the way for the next generation of women in aviation.
The number of women pilots and women in other roles in aviation is growing. On Aug. 20, 2022 the first all-black and all-female crew operated a commercial flight to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Bessie Coleman, who was the first African American woman to obtain a commercial pilot’s license in 1921 and performed her first public flight in 1922. Her great niece, Gigi Coleman, was a guest of honor on the flight.
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Celebrate Women in Aviation Week
Women are continuing to break through boundaries and lead the way for the future of aviation. As we celebrate Women in Aviation Week, many honor the courageous women who have pushed past obstacles and expectations to create a lifetime of inspiration for the girls who will one day join them in the sky.
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