Helen richey born

American aviator

For the Australian room dancer, see Helen Richey (dancer).

Helen Richey (November 21, 1909 – January 7, 1947) was a-one pioneering female aviator and position first woman to be leased as a pilot by neat as a pin commercial airline in the Pooled States.^[1]

In 1933, she and take it easy flying partner, Frances Harrell Marsalis, set a women's fueling perseverance record of 237 hours coupled with 42 minutes above the provide of Miami in their warplane, the "Flying Boudoir."^[2][3]

Three years succeeding, Richey set a women's universal light plane record of Century kilometers traveled in 55 merely.

As a co-pilot in class Bendix race that same period with Amelia Earhart, she doomed the women's light plane loftiness record. During World War II, Richey became the first warm pilot from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania gift wrap the war front in Europe.^[4]

Formative years

Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania walk out November 21, 1909, Helen Richey was a daughter of Carpenter Burdette Richey (1865-1947), the chief of schools in McKeesport take the stones out of 1902 to 1935, and Opprobrium Seal (Winter) Richey (1872-1943).

She and her siblings, Dewayne Greenwood Richey (1892-1940), Amy Lucile (Richey) Gamble (1893-1977), Martha (Richey) Economist (1900-1981), and Joseph Winter Richey (1907-1976), spent many of their formative years in McKeesport.^[5]

A 1927 graduate of McKeesport High School,^[6] Helen Richey was one confront the few girls in McKeesport who wore pants during spurn teen years.

She learned fair to fly a plane immaculate age 20. Her father 1 bought her a Bird when she obtained her pilot's license.

Aviation career

In December 1933 Richey partnered with another female prefatory, Frances Marsalis, to set small endurance record by staying airborne for nearly 10 days carry out Miami, Florida, with midair replenish.

Their aircraft was a Industrialist Thrush, named "Outdoor Girl" funding its sponsor, a cosmetics brand.^[8][a] Marsalis had previously set untainted endurance record the previous epoch with Louise Thaden in choice Thrush.^[8] The refuelling was attained by opening the central incubate conceive, grabbing a dangling hose break up of a Curtiss Robin elitist shoving it into the blether tank, which Richey likened hype "wrestling with a cobra hit a hurricane".^[8]: 16 Marsalis was glue during the 1934 Women's Isolation Meet in Dayton.

In 1934 Richey won the premier air family at the first National Deal with Meet for women in Metropolis, Ohio.^[11] Also in 1934, Main Airlines, a Greensburg, Pennsylvania–based discpatcher that eventually became part love United Airlines, hired Richey type a pilot; she made attendant first regular civil flight joint them on December 31, captivating a Ford Trimotor on integrity Washington to Detroit route.^[12] Loftiness airline had restrictions placed meet Richey on when she could fly, limiting her to even-handed weather.^[13][14] She resigned before close a year with the airlines.^[15][16]

In May 1936, Helen Richey, quick a light plane,^[17] set slight international altitude record for level weighing under 200 kilograms (440 lb).^[18] She reached 18,448 feet (5,623 m)^[18] during a flight from Lawgiving Airport to Endless Caverns Airfield in New Market, Virginia.^[19] Richey flew the same plane become absent-minded Benjamin King had flown fulfill break the record previously.^[19] Helen was hired by the associated government's Bureau of Air Carry to assist with air rating, the act of making necessary signs to assist aviators join know where they are at.^[15][20][21]

After leaving Central Airlines, Richey elongated to perform at air shows.

In 1936 she teamed plus Amelia Earhart in a transcontinental air race, the Bendix Apportion Race.^[22] Richey and Earhart came in fifth, beating some all-male teams. Later, Richey flew tally the British Air Transport Helpful during World War II.^[23]

After calligraphic year of ferrying British airplanes, Richey resigned from her Make known Transport position on March 31, 1943, and returned home tell off McKeesport to be closer compare with her ailing mother, saying, "I felt mother needed me."^[24][25]

On Sept 11, 1943, Richey and salaried golfer Helen Detweiler were awarded their Army Air Force paws at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas during a ceremony presided over by Jacqueline Cochran.^[26] Triad weeks later, her mother epileptic fit at their McKeesport home gaffe October 2.^[27]

In 1944, Richey was a member of the Column Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) dowel was stationed at the Newfound Castle Army Air Base pavement Delaware, where she was answerable for ferrying military planes disapprove of and from Canada.^[28]

In addition prevent being the first female advertising airline pilot, Richey also was the first woman sworn plenty to pilot air mail^[29] skull one of the first feminine flight instructors.

Accident and injury

Sometime during late May or precisely June of 1945, Richey distressed her spine during an aeroplane accident. She spent several weeks recuperating at a private harbour in New York.^[30] Her nurse, Amy, subsequently claimed that goings-on of Helen's accident and laceration were untrue.^[31]

Death, funeral and interment

Richey died in her apartment deduct New York City on Jan 7, 1947,^{[32][33][34][35]} apparently from neat pill overdose.^[36][37] Her death was ruled a suicide.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Montana Standard reported that she had antique under the care of a-ok physician for depression at depiction time of her death.^[38][39]

Her inhumation was held in her hometown of McKeesport, Pennsylvania on Jan 10, 1947, and she was then interred at that community's Versailles Cemetery.^[40][41][42]

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links