Magnificent Women and Flying Machines

'Lively history of British women aviators.' Daily Mail

'Compelling stories of female pioneers whose soaring ambition achieved firsts in the field of aviation.' Britain Magazine

'This lovely book offers a welcome and enjoyable read and provides a timely testament for these unsung pioneers of aviation.' Maggie Appleton MBE, Chief Executive Officer, RAF Museum

'A real celebration of the women who defied tradition and followed their dreams into the sky. Readable and entertaining, this book is a worthy tribute to Britain's woman aviation pioneers.' Sharon Nicholson FRAeS, Chairwoman of the British Women Pilots' Association

Just eighteen months after two Frenchmen made the world's first ever flight, a fearless British woman hopped into a flimsy balloon and flew across the London sky for nearly an hour. Since then, many other remarkable British women have decided to defy traditional society and follow their dreams to get into the sky.

For the first time, Magnificent Women and Flying Machines tells the stories of the pioneers who achieved real firsts in various forms of aviation: in ballooning, parachuting, gliding, airships and fixed-wing flight - right up to a trip to the International Space Station! Full of entertaining adventure, here at last is a proper record of Britain's wonderful women of the air.

Auteur

Sally Smith is a journalist and writer who has worked for Harpers, Daily Mail, BBC News, ABC News in Australia, was named Business Writer of the Year and has had books published by Pelham Books and Rigby Books (Australia). She was British women's freefall (style) parachute champion; founder and team leader of the world's first all-girl parachute display team; a member of the British parachute team; member of the Australian ballooning team; was 2nd overall female at world ballooning championships and a commercial balloon pilot. She now lives in Somerset.

Texte du rabat

There is no book that covers the roles played by the lesser known British women in aviation, and while Amy Johnson is a household name, many women performed outstanding feats in this brave new world, from Mrs Hines in 1785 who inadvertently became the first to do a night-time balloon flight and water landing; to Rose Spencer, who while four months pregnant in 1902 became the first British woman to fly a powered airship; to Winifred Brown, the first and only woman to win the prestigious King's Cup Air Race, beating a formidable array of male pilots. This important new study seeks to record and present the British women who were courageous enough to set the scene for future generations, revealing the tales of the key women who achieved 'firsts' in British aviation from 1785 to 1935. These extraordinary women deserve a place in the history books.