She Flies: 21 Trailblazing Women In Aviation Who Changed Aviation Forever
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21 Trailblazing Women In Aviation Who Changed Aviation Forever
At Vector&Vibes, we celebrate the daring spirit of women in aviation who break boundaries—especially those in the skies. While aviation has long been seen as a male-dominated field, women have been redefining what’s possible for over a century. This post honors 21 extraordinary women in aviation—past and present—whose stories deserve to soar.
Whether you’re a student pilot, AMT, flight attendant, aerospace engineer, or someone dreaming of the sky, these women paved the runway for you.
Amelia Earhart – First woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
Bessie Coleman – First African-American and Native American woman pilot.
Jacqueline Cochran – First woman to break the sound barrier; founder of the WASP.
Wally Funk – Member of the Mercury 13; went to space in 2021 with Blue Origin.
Shaesta Waiz – First Afghan-born woman to fly solo around the world.
Harriet Quimby – First American woman to earn a pilot's license (1911).
Fay Gillis Wells – One of the first female air correspondents; co-founded the Ninety-Nines.
Beryl Markham – First person to fly solo, non-stop, east-to-west across the Atlantic.
Cornelia Fort – First female pilot to die on active military duty in U.S. history.
Nancy Harkness Love – Founder of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS).
Melba Roy Mouton – NASA mathematician who led key orbital calculations.
Christine Darden – NASA engineer who advanced sonic boom research.
Jeana Yeager – Co-pilot of the Voyager, first non-stop, unrefueled flight around the world.
Eileen Collins – First female Space Shuttle commander and pilot.
Julie Clark – Acclaimed airshow pilot and commercial airline captain.
Kalpana Chawla – Aerospace engineer and astronaut; perished in the Columbia disaster.
Julie Wang – First Asian woman to captain a Boeing 787.
Tammie Jo Shults – Navy fighter pilot turned commercial captain; safely landed Southwest Flight 1380.
Beverley Bass – First female captain for American Airlines.
Emily Howell Warner – First female captain of a U.S. scheduled commercial airline.
Jessica Cox – First armless pilot licensed to fly using only her feet.
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