Women aviators

[scousebox]

Who was the first woman to fly?

Many thanks

[tiggerblue10]

I think it was Amelia Earhart.

[tiggerblue10]

Whats wrong with women flying?

[Barmaid]

Legend they do let them fly big planes!!!!

[Barmaid]

No, I am not pulling your plonker!! There are loads of women pilots. A very well known one locally is Carolyn Grace who flies her own Spitfire (lucky cow) and boy can she handle a plane.

I've had a few flying lessons - its my intention to get my ppl, I just need a bit more time!!

[Barmaid]

Ah, but just remember, when I have my ppl, I could come and do a few low passes over your shop!!!!!!!!

[Barmaid]

It was built in 1944 as a single seat fighter and only remodelled as a trainer (ie the only difference is the additional seat) much later.

What about Jo Salter, who flew the Tornado GR1?!

[Barmaid]

pmsl - only talking Spitfires. Bet the thought of a woman fighter pilot sends you cold!!!

I know that plane pretty well Legend. She's based not far from me so I see her regularly.

Where I used to live, I was in the BBMF flight path too, so would regularly see the Lanc - another beautiful sight, but the sound of those engines is unbeatable.

[paddywak]

I live on the Notts/lincs border close enough to see the BBMF a couple of times a year, and as Barmaid says the sound of those planes is something special that can stop people in their tracks. I don't know if it's just me but I get a lump in my throat every time I see that old Lanc with the Spitfire and Hurricane flying escort

[Barmaid]

I'm the same paddywak! I LOVE to see them. They were at the Lowestoft Air Festival, and much as I love the Red Arrows, the Typhoon and the newly restored Vulcan, it was the BBMF that I really wanted to see. Got a FANTASTIC pic of the Lanc too. Something about the sound of Merlin engine though! And I do the lump in my throat thing too!!

[paddywak]

In regards to the femail aviators, women played a huge and, untill recently, largely unrecognised role in WW11 as ferry pilots delivering every type of plane to the front line air bases.I recently saw an interview with one of the surviving ladies and she said the bit see always enjoyed especially if she'd delivered a Lanc was the look on the mens faces when they realised that the pilot who'd just landed their newest Lanc was in fact a women.

[paddywak]

My Mum, when she was alive would tell us about how she and her friends would stand out at night listening to the bomber streams forming up and heading of to their targets, and how they would get up early to watch them return, often damaged and never as many as went out. She always said that she liked to think the aircrew knew they were there watching and willing them in. The first time I saw The BBMF I was at my mums having a BBQ and we heard them well before we could see them but I'll always remember the way she stood up and said those are Merlin engines, staring into the sky untill the planes came into view. As she said it's an unforgetable sound

[Clanad]

Raymonde de Laroche (22 August 1886 - 18 July 1919), born Elise Raymonde Deroche, was a French aviatrix and the first woman to receive a pilot's licence. On 22 October 1909 de Laroche flew 300 yards (270 m) at Chalons, 90 miles (140 km) east of Paris. On 8 March 1910 de Laroche became the first woman in the world to receive a pilot's licence when the Aero-Club of France issued her license #36 of the F�d�ration A�ronautique Internationale (International Aeronautics Federation. (Source: Before Amelia,)
By the way Amelia Earhart achieved her pilot's license in 1922.
I was fortunate enough to have been employed as a pilot by an airline here in the U.S. that had the first all female crew. A Boeing 737 whose pilot in command, second in command and both flight attendants were all of the female persuasion...
Snide comments and hilarious (at the time)jokes were abundant, but the female pilot soon became an everyday event...
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