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
1798 – First woman to pilot an aircraft solo – France
Jeanne Labrosse
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to pilot an aircraft solo in 1798.
- First woman to parachute jump in 1799.
1799 – First woman to parachute jump – France
Jeanne Labrosse
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to pilot an aircraft solo in 1798.
- First woman to parachute jump in 1799.
1903 – First woman to pilot a motorized aircraft – USA
Aida de Acosta
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to pilot a motorized aircraft solo in 1903.
1909 – First woman to fly over the North Sea – France
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.
1910 – First woman to earn a pilot licence – France
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).
1910 – First woman to fly with a passenger – Belgium
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.
1911 – First woman to win an air race – Belgium
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.
1911 – First woman to teach her child to fly – England
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.
1912 – First woman to fly across the English Channel – USA
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.
1912 – First woman to pilot a seaplane – Belgium
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.
1912 – First woman to patent an aircraft design – Germany
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.
1913 – First commissioned female airmail pilot – USA
Katherine Stinson
USA
Key accomplishments:
- First commissioned female airmail pilot in 1913.
- First night skywriting female pilot in 1913.
1914 – First woman to fly an aerobatic maneuver (loop) – Russia
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.
1915 – First woman to fly in combat – France
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.
1921 – First woman to fly over the Andes – France
1921 – First black female to obtain a pilot licence – USA
Bessie Coleman
USA
Key accomplishments:
- First black female to obtain a pilot licence on June 15, 1921.
1927 – First female airline pilot – Germany
Marga von Etzdorf
Germany
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly for an airline in 1927.
- First woman to fly over Siberia in 1931.
1929 – First woman to fly solo from England to South Africa – England
Mary Bailey
England
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly solo from England to South Africa in 1928.
1929 – First woman movie stunt pilot – USA
Florence Lowe Barnes
USA
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly solo from England to South Africa in 1928.
1930 – First woman to fly from England to Australia – England
Amy Johnson
England
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly from England to Australia in 1930.
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
Germany
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly for an airline in 1927.
- First woman to fly over Siberia in 1931.
1932 – First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean – USA
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.
1933 – First woman to fly from Beijing to Paris – France
Maryse Hilsz
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to fly from Beijing to Paris in 1933.
1934 – First woman to run a civil air ambulance service – France
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.
1934 – First woman to flight instruct at a military flight academy – Russia
Marina Mikhailovna Raskova
Russia
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to flight instruct at a military flight academy in 1934.
1934 – First woman to complete the “England – Australia” round trip – New Zealand
Jean Batten
New Zealand
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to complete the “England – Australia” round trip in 1934.
1934 – First woman to complete the “Paris – Tokyo” round trip – France
Maryse Hilsz
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to complete the “Paris – Tokyo” round trip in 1934.
1935 – First person licensed to practice aviation para-medicine – France
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.
1935 – First woman to fly solo from Hawaii to the continental United States – USA
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.
1936 – First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (east to west) – England
Beryl Markham
England
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean (east to west) in 1936.
1937 – First woman to fly a fighter plane in combat – Turkey
Sabiha Gökçen
Turkey
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to fly a fighter plane in combat in 1937.
1937 – First woman to earn a helicopter pilot licence – Germany
Hanna Reitsch
Germany
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to earn a helicopter pilot licence in 1937.
1941 – First woman to fly a bomber across the North Atlantic Ocean – USA
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.
1943 – First and only women to receive the Ace Pilot designation – Russia
Lidya Litvyak & Katya Budanova
Russia
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
Brazil
Key accomplishments:
- First female agricultural pilot in 1948.
- First pilot to cross the Amazon jungle solo in a single engine aircraft in 1956.
1953 – First woman to break the sound barrier – USA
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.
1955 – First woman to receive a test pilot licence – France
Jacqueline Auriol
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to receive a test pilot licence in 1955.
1956 – First pilot to cross the Amazon jungle solo in a single engine aircraft – Brazil
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.
1962 – First woman pilot to fly a jet across the Atlantic Ocean – USA
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.
1963 – First woman in space – Russia
1964 – First woman pilot to fly solo around the world – USA
Geraldine (Jerrie) Mock
USA
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly solo around the world in 1964.
1993 – First woman pilot to fly a supersonic airline jet – England
Barbara Harmer
England
Key accomplishments:
- First woman pilot to fly a supersonic airline jet in 1993.
1995 – First woman to pilot the space shuttle – USA
2009 – First woman to lead a national aerobatic team – France
Virginie Guyot
France
Key accomplishments:
- First woman to lead a national aerobatic team in 2009.
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.