Women in Aviation & Space History
  • First Female Pilots Per Country
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First Licensed Female Pilots (per country)

On March 8th of 1910, a French lady named Raymonde de Laroche became the first woman in the world to obtain a pilot licence. She was first but certainly not last.

1910 (March 8 ) – France & Worldwide – Raymonde de Laroche

Raymonde de Laroche First Woman Pilot in Voisin Aircraft

Raymonde de Laroche
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to earn a pilot licence worldwide on March 8, 2010.
  • Two altitude records including one at 15,700 feet (4,800 m).
  • One distance record, at 201 miles (323 km).

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1910 (Nov 25) – Belgium – Hélène Dutrieu

Helene Dutrieu

Hélène Dutrieu
Belgium / France

Key accomplishments:

  • First Belgium woman to earn a pilot licence on Nov 25, 1910.
  • First woman to fly with a passenger in 1910.
  • First woman to win an air race in 1911.
  • First woman to pilot a seaplane in 1912.

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1911 (Aug 1) – USA – Harriet Quimby

Harriet Quimby

Harriet Quimby
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First American woman to earn a pilot licence on Aug 1, 1911.
  • First woman to fly across the English Channel in 1912.

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1911 (Aug 10) – Russia – Lidia Zvereva

Lidiya Zvereva

Lidia Zvereva
Russia

Key accomplishments:

  • First Russian woman to earn a pilot licence on Aug 10, 1911.
  • First woman to fly an aerobatic maneuver (loop) in 1914.

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1911 (Aug 29) – England – Hilda Hewlett

Hilda Hewlett

Hilda Hewlett
England

Key accomplishments:

  • First British woman to earn a pilot licence on August 29, 1911.
  • First woman to teach her child to fly in 1911.

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1911 (Sep 13) – Germany – Amelie Hedwig Beese

Amelie Hedwig Beese

Amelie Hedwig Beese
Germany

Key accomplishments:

  • First German woman to earn a pilot licence on September 13, 1911.
  • First woman to patent an aircraft design in 1912.

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1911 (Oct 6) – Netherlands – Beatrix de Rijk

Beatrix de Rijk

Beatrix de Rijk
Netherlands

Key accomplishments:

  • First Dutch woman to earn a pilot licence on October 6, 1911.

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1911 (Oct 10) – Czech Republic – Božena Laglerová

Bozena Laglerova

Božena Laglerová
Czech Republic

Key accomplishments:

  • First Czech woman to earn a pilot licence on October 10, 1911.

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1911 (Nov 19) – Estonia – Ljuba Galantchikova

Ljuba Galantchikova

Ljuba Galantchikova
Estonia

Key accomplishments:

  • First Estonian woman to earn a pilot licence on November 19, 1911.

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1912 (Aug 15) – Hungary – Lilly Steinschneider

Lilly Steinschneider

Lilly Steinschneider
Hungary

Key accomplishments:

  • First Hungarian woman to earn a pilot licence on August 15, 1912.

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1913 (Jan 3) – Italy – Rosina Ferrario

Rosina Ferrario

Rosina Ferrario
Italy

Key accomplishments:

  • First Italian woman to earn a pilot licence on January 3, 1913.

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1914 (Feb 6) – Roumania – Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu

Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu

Elena Caragiani-Stoenescu
Roumania

Key accomplishments:

  • First Roumanian woman to earn a pilot licence on February 6, 1914.

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1914 (Jun 6) – Switzerland – Else Haugk

Else Haugk

Else Haugk
Switzerland

Key accomplishments:

  • First Swiss woman to earn a pilot licence on June 6, 1914.

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1914 (Oct 1) – Argentina – Amalia Celia Figueredo

Amalia Celia Figueredo

Amalia Celia Figueredo
Argentina

Key accomplishments:

  • First Argentinian woman to earn a pilot licence on October 1, 1914.

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1922 – Brazil – Teresa de Marzo

Teresa de Marzo

Teresa de Marzo
Brazil

Key accomplishments:

  • First Brazilian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1922.

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1922 – Japan – Tadashi Hyodo

Hyodo Tadashi

Tadashi Hyodo
Japan

Key accomplishments:

  • First Japanese woman to earn a pilot licence in 1922.

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1925 – Korea – Kwon Ki-ok

Kwon Ki-ok

Kwon Ki-ok
Korea

Key accomplishments:

  • First Korean woman to earn a pilot licence in 1925.

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1925 – New Zealand – Gladys Sandford

Gladys Sandford

Gladys Sandford
Korea

Key accomplishments:

  • First New Zealander woman to earn a pilot licence in 1925.

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1927 – Australia – Millicent Bryant

Millicent Bryant

Millicent Bryant
Australia

Key accomplishments:

  • First Australian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1926.

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1928 – Canada – Eileen Vollick

Eileen Vollick

Eileen Vollick
Canada

Key accomplishments:

  • First Canadian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1928.

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1928 – Spain – Maria Bernaldo de Quiros

Maria Bernaldo de Quiros

Maria Bernaldo de Quiros
Spain

Key accomplishments:

  • First Spanish woman to earn a pilot licence in 1928.

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1932 – China – Ruthy Tu

Ruthy Tu
China

Key accomplishments:

  • First Chinese woman to earn a pilot licence in 1932.

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1933 – Turkey – Bedriye Tahir Gökmen

Gökmen Baci

Bedriye Tahir Gökmen
Turkey

Key accomplishments:

  • First Turkish woman to earn a pilot licence in 1933.

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1933 – Egypt – Loftia Al Nadi

Loftia Al Nadi

Loftia Al Nadi
Egypt

Key accomplishments:

  • First Egyptian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1933.

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1936 – India – Sarla Thakral

Sarla Thakral

Sarla Thakral
India

Key accomplishments:

  • First Indian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1936.

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1940 – Iran – Effat Tejaratchi

Effat Tejaratchi

Effat Tejaratchi
Iran

Key accomplishments:

  • First Iranian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1940.

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1951 – Morocco – Touria Chaoui

Touria Chaoui

Touria Chaoui
Morocco

Key accomplishments:

  • First Moroccan woman to earn a pilot licence in 1951.

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1951 – Algeria – Marylise Ben Haim

Marylise Ben Haim
Algeria

Key accomplishments:

  • First Algerian woman to earn a pilot licence in 1951.

Learn More…

Help us complete this list of pioneering women pilots. If you know the name of the first woman to obtain a pilot licence in a country not in this list, please share it.

Thank you for your contribution.

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