This article was written by Anna Rozenbaum, a Teen Volunteer participant at the Monroe Science Center. 

Today is Amelia Earhart Day! Many women contributed to the aviation field throughout history, including Amelia Earhart! But, before we talk about Earhart and some other notable women, what is aviation, and what role do science and technology play?

What is aviation, and how are science and technology involved?

Aviation involves flying or operating aircraft. This includes planes, jets, helicopters, and more! A lot of science and technology goes into creating aircraft that function correctly. Aerospace and aeronautical engineering is mainly involved. These types of engineering deal with designing aircraft structures. However, mechanical and electrical engineers also work on aviation projects. Aircraft are complex machinery, and it takes a team of engineers from different diciplines to create them. STEM is needed for aviation beyond the construction of aircraft. You need a solid physics, aerodynamics, mechanics, and math foundation to operate an aircraft!

Who is Amelia Earhart, and what was her role in aviation?

Amelia Mary Earhart was an American aviator born on July 24, 1897. On May 20 and 21, 1932, she became the first woman to fly alone across the Atlantic Ocean. She flew from Harbor Grace, Newfoundland, to Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Her entire flight lasted 14 hours and 56 minutes. During the flight, Earhart experienced malfunctions and poor weather. Despite that, her flight time was record-breaking. On July 2, 1937, Earhart disappeared during a flight to Howland Island, which was a 2,600-mile trip. Her disappearance was very mysterious, with some saying her plane crashed due to her running out of fuel around 100 miles from Howland Island. Despite many investigations and searches, Earhart’s body was never found. Earhart remains a pivotal figure in American and female history today, and her life is honored worldwide.

What was Amelia Earhart’s history with advocating for women?

Amelia Earhart was known for her advocacy for female empowerment. She continuously pushed societal expectations for women by setting records in the aviation field, which men dominated. Through her impressive accomplishments and words of encouragement, Earhart empowered women to follow their dreams and push against the roles that society had given them. In 1933, Earhart established the clothing line Amelia Fashions, describing it as “for the woman who lives actively.” Amelia Fashions sold pants and other non-traditional clothing for women. This, too, encouraged women to break away from societal norms since at that time, women didn’t typically wear pants.

Other notable women in aviation

Bessie Coleman was a female aviator who made history for women and African American women in aviation. Her mother was of African descent, and her father was mixed with African and Native American ancestry. She experienced a lot of discrimination in America, so she went to France to go to aviation school and get her pilot’s license. Coleman became the first American woman to get her international pilot’s license. During her lifetime, Coleman established a school that trained African American aviators to give them the same opportunities as others in the United States. Coleman’s contribution to female and African American empowerment made groundbreaking progress for many aspiring aviators and civil rights activists.

Harriet Quimby was the first American woman to receive her pilot’s license. She was also the first woman to fly alone across the English Channel. Quimby was born in May 1975 to a low-income family in Michigan. After attending the Belmont Park Air Meet, she became interested in aviation. After learning to fly at the Moisant Aviation School, she took her licensing test in 1911. Although she was the first woman to fly across the English Channel, her success was largely overshadowed by the sinking of the Titanic, which happened the same day. Quimby challenged a lot of societal expectations of women throughout her lifetime. She owned a car, flew an airplane, traveled alone, and was a professional writer and photographer—all non-traditional endeavors for women during that period.

Jacqueline Cochran was an American aircraft pilot born on May 11, 1906. She is best known for being the first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound. She played a vital role in forming the Women Airforce Service Pilots program. In World War II, Cochran continuously pioneered female involvement in war through aviation. She allowed many women to pursue their dreams in the military by giving them opportunities to fly in combat. In 1942, Cochran organized the Women’s Flying Training Detachment, which trained civilian women in aviation. After the war, Cochran pursued space programs and made progress towards female involvement in that field. During her lifetime, she held more speed, altitude, and distance records than any other pilot in aviation history, including both men and women.

Amy Johnson, born July 1, 1903, was an English aircraft pilot. She was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia. She set many long-distance records in the 1930s. Johnson was also the first British-trained woman ground engineer; for some time, she was the only female ground engineer in the world. She spent a lot of time in the air with her husband, Jim Mollison. In 1939, Johnson joined the Air Transport Auxiliary when World War II broke out. She ferried aircraft from factory airstrips to Royal Air Force bases. She is remembered as Britain’s most famous female pilot.

Raymonde de Laroche was a French aircraft pilot born on August 22, 1882. She was the first woman to receive her pilot’s license. She got her pilot’s license on March 8, 1910. During a Reims meeting in 1910, de Laroche was injured in a crash. After she recovered, she participated in the Femina Cup and won after flying nonstop for four hours. In 1919, de Laroche reached an altitude of 15,700 feet and set a record for women’s altitude. A statue of de Laroche stands at the Le Bourget airport in France.

Eileen Collins was the first American woman to pilot a spacecraft. Born to a financially struggling family in 1956, she worked full-time at many jobs to afford flying lessons. After learning to fly when she was 19 years old, she graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s in mathematics and economics and a master’s in operations research from Stanford. In 1990, Collins was selected by NASA and became an astronaut in July 1991. She piloted the Discovery, an eight-day mission in February 1995.

Katherine Sui Fun Cheung was the first Asian-American female pilot to receive her pilot’s license. Born in China in 1904, Cheung came to America to live in Los Angeles with her father. She was invited on an airplane ride in 1931, where she fell in love with aviation. She strove to push Asian girls to break tradition to pursue their dreams and to spread aviation to Asian-American communities. Cheung was also the first Chinese woman to obtain an international flying license. Through her passion for stunting and flying, Cheung challenged the traditional standards for Asian women.

Sabiha Gökçen was the first female fighter pilot. She was born in Bursa, Turkey, in 1913. Gökçen challenged the traditions of women in Islamic countries through her involvement in aviation. After attending military flight school in Eskisehir in 1936, Gökçen performed many combat operations. She was awarded the Turkish Aeronautical Association’s first Jeweled Medal. She flew many miles and symbolized individuality for Islamic women and all women in aviation.