Beatrix de Rijk – Netherlands
Beatrix de Rijk (1883 – 1958) grew up in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. At some point, she came to live in Paris and took flying lessons at Hanriot […]
Amelie Hedwig Beese – Germany
Before she was fascinated with flying, Amelie Hedwig Beese (1886-1925) started a career as an artist, studying in Stockholm as a sculptor. She got her pilot licence on her birthday, […]
Katherine Stinson – USA
Born in Fort Payne, Alabama, Katherine Stinson (1891 – 1977) was passionate about music and wanted to travel to Europe to study. To raise funds, she decided to cash in […]
Hilda Hewlet – England
On August 29, 1911, Hilda Hewlett (1864 – 1943) became the first woman in the UK (10th in the world) to earn a pilot’s licence when she received certificate No.122 […]
Lidia Zvereva – Russia
Lidia Zvereva (1890-1916) was the first Russian woman (8th in the world) to get a pilot licence when she received licence number 31 on August 10, 1911 at the Russian […]
Harriet Quimby – USA
Born in Michigan, Harriet Quimby (1875 – 1912) became a successful journalist and screenwriter before she became interested in aviation in 1910. On August 1, 1911, she was the first […]
Hélène Dutrieu – Belgium
Born in Tournai, Belgium, Hélène Dutrieu (1877 – 1961) left school at the age of 14 to earn a living. She became a speed track cycling world champion, a stunt […]
Matilde Moisant – USA
The child of French Canadian immigrants, Mathilde Moisant (1878 – 1964) was born in Indiana, USA. Her brothers, John and Alfred were aviators. Moisant learned to fly at her brothers’ […]
Marie-Louise Driancourt – France
Born Marie-Louise Martin in Lyon, France, Marie-Louise Driancourt (1887 – 1914) had three children before she began flying lessons at the Blériot school near Chartres. She transferred to the Caudron […]