Harriet Quimby

Hello! My name is Harriet Quimby. I was born a long time ago, on May 11th, 1875, on a farm in Michigan. Even as a little girl, I knew I wanted a life full of adventure. When I grew up, I moved to California and then to New York City to become a writer for magazines. I loved writing stories about exciting new things, like cars and airplanes!

One day in 1910, I went to an airshow and saw an airplane fly for the very first time. It was like a giant, noisy bird soaring through the sky! It looked so amazing up there. Right then and there, I decided I had to learn how to fly. Back then, most people thought flying was only for men, but that didn't stop me. I started taking lessons and soon discovered that I loved being up in the clouds. When I was flying, it felt like anything was possible.

I practiced and practiced, and on a very special day, August 1st, 1911, I passed my test. I became the very first woman in all of the United States to earn a pilot's license! I was so proud of myself. To celebrate this big moment, I designed my own special flying outfit. It was a stylish suit made of purple satin. It was important to me to show that a pilot could be both brave and fashionable.

After getting my license, I set my sights on a new, even bigger adventure. I wanted to be the first woman to fly an airplane all the way across the English Channel, which is a big stretch of water between England and France. On April 16th, 1912, I took off in my plane. It was a foggy day, and I couldn't see much besides clouds and water, but I used my compass to guide the way. After about an hour of flying, I landed safely on a beach in France. I had done it!

My life was full of adventure, but my time as a pilot was short. A few months after my famous flight, I was in a tragic accident at an airshow on July 1st, 1912. I lived to be 37 years old. Even though my flying career wasn't long, I showed everyone that women could be courageous pilots and follow their dreams. I hope my story inspires you to aim high and never give up on your own amazing adventures.