In honor of Women’s History Month, Aireon is highlighting the contributions of female innovators and trailblazers in the aviation industry.
In 1913, she was awarded the Femina Cup for women pilots after she completed a non-stop long-distance flight of more than four hours in duration. She earned international fame for her skills as a pilot. A statue of her stands at Paris-Le Bourget Airport.
She was instrumental in the formation of The Ninety-Nines, an international organization that provides networking, mentoring, and flight scholarship opportunities to recreational and professional female pilots.
During an attempt at becoming the first woman to complete a circumnavigational flight of the globe in 1937, Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the central Pacific Ocean near Howland Island. In 1939, a year and half after she and Noonan disappeared, Earhart was officially declared dead.
By 1938, she was considered the best female pilot in the United States. Often called the “Speed Queen”, she held more speed, distance, or altitude records in aviation history than any other pilot at the time of her death.
On May 18, 1953, Cochran flew the Sabre 3 at an average speed of 652.337 mph. During the course of this run, the Sabre went supersonic, and Cochran became the first woman to break the sound barrier.
