Women Aviators: 26 Stories of Pioneer Flights, Daring Missions, and Record-Setting Journeys

Women Aviators: 26 Stories of Pioneer Flights, Daring Missions, and Record-Setting Journeys — page 5
2 WOMEN AVIATORS had been badly hurt in a crash She managed her brothers busi ness affairs and became an officer in their company Katherine had far better social skills than her brothers which also helped their airplane receive the right kind of attention The French were so taken with Katherine that they called her the third Wright brother and awarded her and her brothers the Legion of Honor H(cid:114)h As soon as people were convinced that airplanes and flight were possible they were interested in flying and building airplanes Aviation took off with the most adventurous souls ready to lead the charge To the surprise of many men there were women who wanted to pilot these new flying machines as well Some men didn’t think women had either the physical strength or the mental capacity to pilot an airplane Women had to prove themselves again and again by earning pilot licenses setting records demonstrating aerial moves and winning races They had to keep proving themselves because as Ambassador Clare Boothe Luce once wrote Because I am a woman I must make unusual efforts to succeed If I fail no one will say She doesn’t have what it takes They will say Women don’t have what it takes Today women pilots fly for the airlines in the military and in space They fly air races command helicopter mercy flights haul freight stock high mountain lakes with fish seed clouds patrol pipelines teach others to fly maintain jet engines and transport people Whether male or female people become pilots often for the same reasons First they love flying and they love using their