Louise Thaden and her Travel Air, 1929
Louise Thaden was a pilot and mom who quietly blazed trails during a time when the world was focused on her famous friend, Amelia Earhart. My goal for this blog post is to highlight the inspirational life of Louise. If you would like to learn more about her life, she published a book, "High, Wide, and Frightened", which is the book I am referencing for this post.
About Louise
1905 b. - 1979 d.
Born Louise McPhetridge in Bentonville, Arkansas
Louise married Herbert von Thaden, an engineer, in 1928, together they had two children, Patsy and Bill. Patsy and Bill started flying well before they were born. As an adult, Bill flew for the Air National Guard and EAL, Eastern Air Lines. As a teenager, Patsy raced with her mother in the International Women's Air Race in 1950. Louise and Herb owned the Thaden Engineering Company. Louise also managed various other jobs, flying jobs, she was one of the original 99 women pilots that formed the organization The Ninety-Nines in 1929, this organization is still in existence today, and was a member of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).
1929 Women's Air Derby
The 2017 Air Race Classic, an all women's cross country air race, finished up well over a month ago from this post. This year, teams consisting of at least two female pilots had to navigate in visual meteorological conditions (VMC), or no flying through clouds, from Frederick, Maryland, along a predetermined route to the terminus in Santa Fe, New Mexico, covering over 2,600 miles. The racers had four days to complete the race. The objective was to race an aircraft to fly faster than a handicap speed which each aircraft was assigned based on a prior handicap flight. The team to beat their handicap speed by the most knots won the race. The racers this year had many amazing tools and resources to assist them in their navigation and finding the best winds to include GPS, digital maps on iPads, in-flight weather provided through satellites, and more.
In 1929, the 1st Women's Air Derby, the predecessor to the Air Race Classic, was a little different. Twenty female pilots raced from Santa Monica, California, to Cleveland, Ohio--all flying solo to make it to the finish line in Ohio with paper charts, weather briefings that were obtained prior to takeoff, and of course no cell phones with apps. Amelia Earhart, Louise Thaden, Ruth Nichols, and Pancho Barnes were some of the twenty racers. Louise made an early decision to fly her aircraft with care; not pushing her engine to the max. Her plan paid off, she won the 1st Women's Air Derby in her Travel Air. The 1929 racers overcame many obstacles to include mechanical issues, getting lost, and crashes. Unfortunately, one pilot never had a chance to make it to the finish line because she died in a crash in the first half of the race. The other racers knew they had to keep on because this race was vitally important to show the world that women could handle flying and air racing.
Louise in her Travel Air moments after winning the 1st Women's Air Derby in 1929
Aviation Records
Louise set many records, at the time, to include the following: a solo endurance flight on March, 16, 1929, of 22 hours, 3 minutes, and 28 seconds. On December 7, 1928 she set a World Altitude Record of 20, 260 feet. August 23, 1932, Louise and Frances Marsalis set a Women's Refueling Endurance Record of 196 hours, 5 minutes, and 45 seconds while flying a Curtis Thrush. The women received aircraft fuel and oil, and food from another airplane in midair. The two aircraft would meet up in a formation with the supply aircraft above Louise and Frances' airplane, they would drop a hose that either Louise or Frances would catch from a hatch on top of their airplane. Then they would transfer aircraft fuel to their tanks. They also received food and other supplies in a similar manner.
Louise and Frances in the Curtis Thrush used for the Women's Refueling Endurance Record in 1932
Louise addressing the crowd at the 1936 Bendix Race that Louise and Blanche Noyes won. This was the first year that women were allowed to race.
Final Words
This post barely covers all the accomplishments and awards Louise Thaden accumulated during her life. I highly recommend reading her book, "High, Wide, and Frightened", which can be found on online bookstores and potentially your local bookstore. I read this during a time I was struggling with the idea of continuing to fly and flying as a mom. Her book helped pick me back up off the floor--because if Louise could do all of that during a time when women rarely had paying jobs let alone flying jobs, then I have no excuses.
The photos found in this post are from flickr.com.
For more information about the history of women's air racing please visit:
* The Air Race Classic's website: www.airraceclassic.org
* Visit the 99s Museum of Women Pilots in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma their website: www.ninety-nines.org/99s-museum-of-women-pilots.htm
For more information about The Ninety-Nines, Inc. please visit:
* The Ninety-Nines' website: www.ninety-nines.org/
* Visit the 99s Museum of Women Pilots in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma their website: www.ninety-nines.org/99s-museum-of-women-pilots.htm
* Visit the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum in Atchinson, Kansas website: www.ninety-nines.org/amelia-earhart-birthplace-museum.htm
For more information about Civil Air Patrol (CAP) please visit:
* Civil Air Patrol website: www.gocivilairpatrol.com/
Photo of Famous Aviatrixes (from left to right): Amelia Earhart, Ruth Nichols, and Louise Thaden