Women in Aviation & Space History
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  • Women Breakthroughs Per Category
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Women’s Historical Breakthroughs in Aviation

On March 8, 1910, a French lady named Raymonde de Laroche was the first woman to obtain a pilot licence worldwide. It was only one of the many achievements by the women who helped shape aviation and paved the way for others.

1784 – First woman to fly – France

Marie Élisabeth Thible Flight on June 4, 1784

Marie Élisabeth Thible
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly on June 4, 1784.

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1798 – First woman to pilot an aircraft solo – France

Jeanne Labrosse
Jeanne Labrosse

Jeanne Labrosse
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to pilot an aircraft solo in 1798.
  • First woman to parachute jump in 1799.

Learn More…

1799 – First woman to parachute jump – France

Jeanne Labrosse

Jeanne Labrosse
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to pilot an aircraft solo in 1798.
  • First woman to parachute jump in 1799.

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1903 – First woman to pilot a motorized aircraft – USA

Aida de Acosta flight

Aida de Acosta
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to pilot a motorized aircraft solo in 1903.

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1909 – First woman to fly over the North Sea – France

Marie Marvingt

Marie Marving
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly over the North Sea in 1909.
  • First woman to fly in combat in 1915.
  • First woman to run a civil air ambulance service in 1934.
  • First person licensed to practice aviation para-medicine in 1935.

Learn More…

1910 – First woman to earn a pilot licence – France

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).

Learn More…

1910 – First woman to fly with a passenger – Belgium

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 – First woman to win an air race – Belgium

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.

Learn More…

1911 – First woman to teach her child to fly – England

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.

Learn More…

1912 – First woman to fly across the English Channel – USA

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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1912 – First woman to pilot a seaplane – Belgium

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.

Learn More…

1912 – First woman to patent an aircraft design – Germany

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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1913 – First commissioned female airmail pilot – USA

Katherine Stinson

Katherine Stinson
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First commissioned female airmail pilot in 1913.
  • First night skywriting female pilot in 1913.

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1914 – First woman to fly an aerobatic maneuver (loop) – Russia

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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1915 – First woman to fly in combat – France

Marie Marvingt

Marie Marving
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly over the North Sea in 1909.
  • First woman to fly in combat in 1915.
  • First woman to run a civil air ambulance service in 1934.
  • First person licensed to practice aviation para-medicine in 1935.

Learn More…

1921 – First woman to fly over the Andes – France

Adrienne Bolland

Adrienne Bolland
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly over the Andes in 1921.

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1921 – First black female to obtain a pilot licence – USA

Bessie Coleman

Bessie Coleman
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First black female to obtain a pilot licence on June 15, 1921.

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1927 – First female airline pilot – Germany

Marga von Etzdorf

Marga von Etzdorf
Germany

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly for an airline in 1927.
  • First woman to fly over Siberia in 1931.

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1929 – First woman to fly solo from England to South Africa – England

Mary Bailey

Mary Bailey
England

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly solo from England to South Africa in 1928.

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1929 – First woman movie stunt pilot – USA

Pancho Barnes

Florence Lowe Barnes
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly solo from England to South Africa in 1928.

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1930 – First woman to fly from England to Australia – England

Amy Johnson

Amy Johnson
England

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly from England to Australia in 1930.

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1930 – First women pilots to refuel a plane in flight – USA

Elinor Smith & Evelyn Trout
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First women pilots to refuel a plane in flight in 1930.

Learn More About Elinor Smith…
Learn More About Evelyn ‘Bobbi’ Trout…

1931 – First woman to fly over Siberia – Germany

Marga von Etzdorf

Marga von Etzdorf
Germany

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly for an airline in 1927.
  • First woman to fly over Siberia in 1931.

Learn More…

1932 – First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean – USA

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932.
  • First woman to fly solo from Hawaii to the continental United States” round trip in 1935.

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1933 – First woman to fly from Beijing to Paris – France

Maryse Hilsz

Maryse Hilsz
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly from Beijing to Paris in 1933.

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1934 – First woman to run a civil air ambulance service – France

Marie Marvingt

Marie Marving
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly over the North Sea in 1909.
  • First woman to fly in combat in 1915.
  • First woman to run a civil air ambulance service in 1934.
  • First person licensed to practice aviation para-medicine in 1935.

Learn More…

1934 – First woman to flight instruct at a military flight academy – Russia

Marina Raskova

Marina Mikhailovna Raskova
Russia

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to flight instruct at a military flight academy in 1934.

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1934 – First woman to complete the “England – Australia” round trip – New Zealand

Jean Batten

Jean Batten
New Zealand

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to complete the “England – Australia” round trip in 1934.

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1934 – First woman to complete the “Paris – Tokyo” round trip – France

Maryse Hilsz

Maryse Hilsz
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to complete the “Paris – Tokyo” round trip in 1934.

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1935 – First person licensed to practice aviation para-medicine – France

Marie Marvingt

Marie Marving
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly over the North Sea in 1909.
  • First woman to fly in combat in 1915.
  • First woman to run a civil air ambulance service in 1934.
  • First person licensed to practice aviation para-medicine in 1935.

Learn More…

1935 – First woman to fly solo from Hawaii to the continental United States – USA

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932.
  • First woman to fly solo from Hawaii to the continental United States” round trip in 1935.

Learn More…

1936 – First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (east to west) – England

Beryl Markham

Beryl Markham
England

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (east to west) in 1936.

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1937 – First woman to fly a fighter plane in combat – Turkey

Sabiha Gökçen

Sabiha Gökçen
Turkey

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly a fighter plane in combat in 1937.

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1937 – First woman to earn a helicopter pilot licence – Germany

Hanna Reitsch

Hanna Reitsch
Germany

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to earn a helicopter pilot licence in 1937.

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1941 – First woman to fly a bomber across the North Atlantic Ocean – USA

Jackie Cochran

Jacqueline Cochran
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly a bomber across the North Atlantic Ocean in 1941.
  • First woman to break the sound barrier in 1953.
  • First woman pilot to fly a jet across the Atlantic Ocean in 1962.

Learn More…

1943 – First and only women to receive the Ace Pilot designation – Russia

Lydia Litvyak
Lydia Litvyak

Lidya Litvyak & Katya Budanova
Russia

Katya Budanova
Katya Budanova

Key accomplishments:

  • First and only women to receive the Ace Pilot designation in 1943.

Learn More About Lidya Litvyak…
Learn More About Katya Budanova…

1948 – First female agricultural pilot – Brazil

Ada Rogato

Ada Rogato
Brazil

Key accomplishments:

  • First female agricultural pilot in 1948.
  • First pilot to cross the Amazon jungle solo in a single engine aircraft in 1956.

Learn More…

1953 – First woman to break the sound barrier – USA

Jackie Cochran

Jacqueline Cochran
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly a bomber across the North Atlantic Ocean in 1941.
  • First woman to break the sound barrier in 1953.
  • First woman pilot to fly a jet across the Atlantic Ocean in 1962.

Learn More…

1955 – First woman to receive a test pilot licence – France

Jacqueline Auriol

Jacqueline Auriol
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to receive a test pilot licence in 1955.

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1956 – First pilot to cross the Amazon jungle solo in a single engine aircraft – Brazil

Ada Rogato

Ada Rogato
Brazil

Key accomplishments:

  • First female agricultural pilot in 1948.
  • First pilot to cross the Amazon jungle solo in a single engine aircraft in 1956.

Learn More…

1962 – First woman pilot to fly a jet across the Atlantic Ocean – USA

Jackie Cochran

Jacqueline Cochran
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to fly a bomber across the North Atlantic Ocean in 1941.
  • First woman to break the sound barrier in 1953.
  • First woman pilot to fly a jet across the Atlantic Ocean in 1962.

Learn More…

1963 – First woman in space – Russia

Valentina Tereshkova

Valentina Tereshkova
Russia

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman in space in 1963.

Learn More…

1964 – First woman pilot to fly solo around the world – USA

Jerrie Mock

Geraldine (Jerrie) Mock
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly solo around the world in 1964.

Learn More…

1993 – First woman pilot to fly a supersonic airline jet – England

Barbara Harmer

Barbara Harmer
England

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman pilot to fly a supersonic airline jet in 1993.

Learn More…

1995 – First woman to pilot the space shuttle – USA

Eileen Collins

Eileen Collins
USA

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to pilot the space shuttle in 1995.

Learn More…

2009 – First woman to lead a national aerobatic team – France

Virginie Guyot

Virginie Guyot
France

Key accomplishments:

  • First woman to lead a national aerobatic team in 2009.

Learn More…

Help us complete this list of pioneering women pilots. If you know the name of a woman who has established a world’s first not included in this list, please share it.

Thank you for your contribution.

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