Berta Zerón facts for kids

Berta Zerón de García (born June 23, 1924 – died December 2000) was an amazing pilot from Mexico. She was the first woman in Mexico to get a Commercial Pilot's License. She also earned an Unlimited Public Transport License, which was a huge achievement! Berta was a true pioneer. She was the first woman to fly a jet airplane, join international air races, and even become a skydiver.

Berta received two special "Emilio Carranza" medals. The first was for being the first Mexican woman to get her TPI license. The second was for flying an incredible 10,000 hours! She was also an active member of the "99's," a group for women pilots started by the famous Amelia Earhart.

Berta's Early Life and Dream of Flying

Berta Zerón was born in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico. When she was 11, she traveled to Honolulu, Hawaii, with her father. There, she learned English and went to school for the first time.

Two years later, on her way back to Mexico, Berta saw an airplane belonging to Amelia Earhart on the ship! This discovery stayed with her for many years and sparked her interest in aviation.

After returning to Mexico, Berta finished high school. She became a bilingual secretary. She worked for companies like Canada Dry and Ericcson. Later, she got a job at a money exchange business located at the Benito Juárez International Airport.

Getting Closer to Airplanes

Working at the airport was a big step for Berta. She met a pilot named Captain Meraz. He invited her for a flight, but she didn't go because the plane looked a bit old. Later, Berta wished she had taken that chance!

Soon after, she was offered a job in the operations department at Servicios Aéreos. Berta quickly said yes! This job allowed her to be near the airplane hangars. She could even fly in the company's planes as an observer.

Later, she was moved to the ticketing department, which was outside the airport. This made her sad, so she decided to leave that job.

Becoming a Pilot

A few years passed before Berta decided to truly pursue her dream of flying. In 1947, she applied for a permit to practice flying. Her first official flight happened on July 13, 1947. It lasted 45 minutes and went from Pachuca to Mexico City.

First Solo Flight and Licenses

Her first solo flight was in 1964. This was possible thanks to Captain Francisco López. He owned a Cessna 170 (XB-GEW). He let her fly for 100 pesos an hour.

In January 1965, Berta earned her Private Pilot's License (#4645). By then, she had flown 200 hours in the Cessna 170. But she didn't stop there!

She learned to fly planes with two engines. She also learned instrument flying and night flying. Berta became familiar with a Beechcraft Baron 55. She even practiced aerobatic flying in a PT-17 Stearman at the "Escuela de Aviación México."

With 282 flying hours, she received her Commercial Aviator License number 2525 in June 1966. She then started working as a flight instructor for "Aviones, S.A." She taught others to fly Cessna 150s.

Skydiving and Air Races

Berta was always looking for new challenges. She became interested in parachute jumping. She trained at the "Club de Paracaidismo Deportivo, A.C." She completed 5 static jumps and 13 free jumps.

For this achievement, she received an award at the first International Parachute Jump Competition in Acapulco, Guerrero. She was the first woman trained by that club!

A year later, she joined her first aerial race. She flew a Cessna 150 (XB-PAN) from Mexico to Guadalajara. She finished in third place, and she was the only woman in the race!

In 1969, Berta participated in more races. She flew different Cessnas, including the 411, 320, 401, and 421. She left Aviones, S.A. to work as a flight instructor again at Escuela Aeronáutica Mexicana.

In July of that same year, she competed in the "Powder Puff Derby" in the United States. This was a famous annual competition just for women. She flew a Mooney with registration N-7455. The race went from San Diego to Washington. Berta finished 56th out of 92 competitors.

In 1971, she and her co-pilot, Noemi Mondragon, participated in the "Angel Derby." This race started in Columbus, Ohio, USA, and ended in Managua, Nicaragua.

Breaking More Barriers

Berta's next job was with "Commander Mexicana." She worked as an executive pilot and flight instructor. She flew Commander Lark and Commander Shrike twin-engine planes. At the same time, she trained on the Douglas DC-3 and Beechcraft Twin Bonanza at a special aviation training center.

She quickly learned to fly the Turbo Commander 680 and 681. She also achieved her Unlimited Public Transport Pilot License. This was the first license of its kind ever obtained by a woman in Mexico!

First Woman Jet Pilot

Because she earned her transport pilot license, Berta received her first 'Emilio Carranza' medal. She then qualified to fly Rockwell Sabreliners. She became the first officer on the Sabre 40 (XA-APD) at "Commander Mexicana." This made her the first woman to hold that rank in an executive jet airplane!

Berta's biggest dream was to work for an airline. She left Commander Mexicana and applied to "Aeronaves de Mexico." At that time, it was very unusual for a woman to be a pilot for an airline. The airline had reasons for not hiring her. They couldn't say she wasn't trained or skilled enough. Instead, they told her she would retire in 15 years, and they wouldn't get their investment back from her training. This shows how challenging it was for women to break into certain aviation roles back then.

Awards and Legacy

Even though she didn't get the airline job, this didn't stop Berta. She continued her training. In 1982, flying a C-182, she won first place in an aerial race from Mexico to Pachuca, Querétaro, and Atizapan.

In 1973, she was honored with the 'Silver Icarus' award. This award recognized her as the most outstanding person in aviation that year. She also became the first woman to fly an officially operated aircraft, a Beech Baron 55.

In 1978, Berta received her second "Emilio Carranza" medal. This was for reaching an amazing 10,000 flight hours! Her last flight as a pilot was on January 9, 1996, in a Cessna 206.

Over her many years in the sky, Berta flew over 46 different types of airplanes, including the military T-33. She participated in 2 parachuting championships and 8 air races.

Berta Zerón de García passed away in December 2000.

"PARA MI LA AVIACION ES MI RAZON DE VIVIR , ES TODA MI VIDA." "FOR ME, AVIATION IS MY REASON FOR LIVING, IT IS MY WHOLE LIFE." Berta Zerón

See also

In Spanish: Berta Zerón para niños