Harriet Quimby

Hello! My name is Harriet Quimby. Even when I was a little girl, I loved adventure. I also loved telling stories about all the exciting things I saw and did. I became a writer so I could share my adventures with everyone in newspapers and magazines. I traveled to new places and wrote about everything, but my biggest adventure was about to begin!

One day, I saw something amazing—an airplane! It looked like a giant kite with an engine that went RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE. I knew right then that I wanted to fly. In 1911, I went to a special school to learn. It was so exciting! I learned how to steer the plane and soar through the clouds. I practiced very hard, and soon I became the very first woman in America to get her pilot's license. I was a real pilot!

I had a special flying suit made just for me. It was a beautiful, shiny purple color! In 1912, I decided to go on my biggest adventure yet. I wanted to be the first woman to fly an airplane all the way across a big, wide water called the English Channel. I climbed into my plane, waved goodbye, and flew up into the sky. It was cold and foggy, but I wasn't scared. I felt like a bird, soaring high above the waves. And I made it!

My time as a pilot was full of thrilling adventures, though it was short. I lived to be 37 years old. I loved showing the world that women could be brave, strong, and fly just as well as anyone else. I hope my story makes you want to chase your own big dreams, no matter how high they are in the sky. Always remember to be adventurous and brave!