Originally Posted by
Marchettiman
And don't forget Judith Chisholm who in 1980 took the solo London-Australia record (held by Jean Batten since 1934) in a single engined Cessna 210T which she dry leased never even thinking to claim it was hers'. She continued around the world setting many more records, a number of which still stand.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz9LdBC0ddE
Both Sheila Scott and Judith Chisholm flew SOLO, as did their pioneering predecessors, and without extensive and expensive accompanying technical support and publicity machines. In my view both of these ladies genuinely deserved the many accolades they received from society and their peers in the aviation community. They are the true inspiration to future female pilots and would have continued to be so had they both not succumbed prematurely to cancer.
Thank you, Marchettiman, for mentioning Judith Chisholm. With just about every other female flyer being mentioned whenever the press, both aviation and public, talks about women pilots, she seems to have been airbrushed from aviation history. Her achievements were astounding, not the least of which was using a roll of paper around two dowels with her entire route drawn on it which, as the flight proceeded, she unrolled from one dowel to the other.
If anyone feels like sharing any memories of this remarkable woman with me I'd love to hear from you. My email is
[email protected] which perhaps is better to use than clogging up the forum.
Nigel (Stokes)