Bonnie Tiburzi facts for kids

Bonnie Tiburzi (born August 31, 1948) is a famous American pilot. In 1973, when she was 24, she made history. She became the very first female pilot for American Airlines. This also made her the first woman to fly for a major American airline. At the same time, she was also the first woman in the world to get a special license called a Flight Engineer rating for a turbo-jet airplane.

Early Life and Family

Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo was born Bonnie Linda Tiburzi on August 31, 1948, in Connecticut. Her father was also a pilot. He flew for Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and later for Trans World Airlines (TWA). After working for airlines, her father, August Robert "Gus" Tiburzi, started his own company. It was called Tiburzi Airways, a flight school and charter company in Danbury, Connecticut.

Bonnie's Amazing Career

Bonnie Tiburzi started her flying career by teaching others to fly. She also worked as a charter pilot, flying planes for special trips. In 1973, at just 24 years old, she became the first female pilot for American Airlines. This was a huge step, making her the first woman to fly for a major airline in America.

She flew several large airplanes as a Captain, including the Boeing 727, Boeing 757, and Boeing 767. In 1986, Bonnie wrote a book about her life called Takeoff: The Story of America's First Woman Pilot for a Major Airline. She retired from American Airlines in 1999 after flying for 26 years.

Helping Others and Making a Difference

Bonnie Tiburzi did many other important things besides flying.

• She was a trustee for the College of Aeronautics from 1990 to 2000.
• She created and organized three "Women of Accomplishment" award luncheons. These events honored women from many different jobs and fields.
• She received the "Chairman's Award for Outstanding Programming Service of the Year."
• Bonnie also created the "Information Bank." This was a special system for the International Society Of Women Airline Pilots. It helped future female pilots with their careers.
• She was a guest speaker at many schools, colleges, and clubs. These included the Federal Aviation Association and the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum.

Awards and Special Recognition

Bonnie Tiburzi has received many awards and honors for her achievements:

• 1974: She received the Amita Award, which honors Italian-American women who have achieved great things.
• 1979: She was recognized as a "Super Sister" and featured on Supersisters trading cards. These cards were given to kids across the country.
• 1980: She received the "Amelia Earhart Award."
• 1987: Woman's Day Magazine chose her as one of "50 Women Who Have Changed Our Lives."
• 1998: She received the "Women Making History Award" from the National Women's History Museum.
• 2014: April 2, 2014, was named "Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo Day" in the Town of Brookhaven, New York.
• 2017: She was the main speaker at the New York Bar Association's Aviation Division.
• 2018: She was inducted into the "Women in Aviation International Hall of Fame."
• 2018: She appeared in American Airlines’ Celebrated Living Magazine and American Way magazine.

In 2018, the Independent Spirit Awards created a special award named after Bonnie Tiburzi, called the Bonnie Award. Film director Chloé Zhao was the first person to receive this award.

You can even see Bonnie Tiburzi's American Airlines pilot uniform on display. It is at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

See Also

• Emily Howell Warner – Another pioneering female pilot for Frontier Airlines.
• Turi Widerøe – A female pilot for SAS.
• Yvonne Sintes – A female pilot from the UK.