Elinor Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elinor Smith
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| Born |
Elinor Regina Patricia Ward
August 17, 1911 New York City, New York
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| Died | March 19, 2010 (aged 98) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Pioneering aviator |
| Spouse(s) | Patrick Sullivan |
Elinor Smith (born August 17, 1911 – died March 19, 2010) was an amazing American pilot. She was one of the first women to fly planes in daring ways. People called her "The Flying Flapper of Freeport" because she was so bold.
Elinor was the first woman to be a test pilot for big airplane companies like Fairchild and Bellanca. She also became the youngest licensed pilot in the world when she was just 16 years old.
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Early Life and Family
Elinor Smith was born Elinor Regina Patricia Ward in New York City. Her family later changed their last name to Smith. She grew up in Freeport, a town on Long Island, New York.
Elinor's mother was a professional singer before she got married. Her father was a comedian, singer, and dancer. He traveled a lot, even to other countries, performing in shows. He was famous for playing the Scarecrow in a stage version of The Wizard of Oz.
Elinor's Aviation Career
First Flights and Learning to Fly
Elinor's love for flying started very early. In 1918, when she was only six years old, she took her first plane ride. It was in a Farman plane that took off from a potato field. She loved it so much that she took many more rides that summer.
When she was 10, Elinor began taking flying lessons. Her instructors even tied blocks to the pedals so her feet could reach them! Her father bought a plane called a Waco 9 and hired a pilot to teach both of them. However, her father worried about her safety. He told the instructors not to let her take off or land the plane.
This rule changed when her father was away. After just ten days of intense lessons, Elinor flew a plane by herself for the first time at age 16. She started flying her father's Waco 9 higher than anyone had flown such a plane before. Soon after, she set an official altitude record for light planes. She flew to 11,889 feet (3,624 m) high! In September 1927, at 16, she became the youngest person to get a U.S. government pilot's license.
Flying Under New York Bridges
In October 1928, Elinor did something very daring. On a dare, she flew her Waco 10 plane under all four of New York City's East River bridges. The Cradle of Aviation Museum says she is the only person ever to do this.
She had to be very careful to avoid ships in the river. News crews were there to film her at each bridge. Even though she didn't know it, people were betting on whether she could do it. The only punishment she got was a 10-day "grounding" by the city. The mayor even helped her avoid losing her license. This stunt made her famous and earned her the nickname "Flying Flapper."
Breaking Aviation Records
Elinor Smith kept breaking records. She wanted to set a women's flying endurance record, which means flying for a long time without landing.
Setting Endurance Records
In January 1929, Elinor set a new women's solo endurance record. She flew for 13 and a half hours in an open-cockpit Bruner Winkle biplane. It was a very cold day, only 0 °F (−18 °C)! She planned to fly all night, but the cold forced her to land early.
A few months later, in April 1929, Elinor broke that record again. She flew for 26 and a half hours by herself in a large Bellanca CH monoplane. This flight also made her the first woman to fly such a big and powerful aircraft.
Achieving a Speed Record
The next month, Elinor set a new women's world speed record. She flew at 190.8 miles per hour (307.1 km/h) in a military plane. A company that made parachutes then hired her to fly a Bellanca Pacemaker on a 6,000-mile (9,700 km) tour across the United States. This made 18-year-old Elinor the first female Executive Pilot.
Endurance with Mid-Air Refueling
Also in 1929, Elinor and another pilot, Bobbi Trout, set the first official women's record for endurance with mid-air refueling. This meant they got more fuel while flying, without landing. They stayed in the air for 42 and a half hours in a Sunbeam biplane. Elinor flew the plane while Bobbi handled the fueling hoses.
Their refueling plane was an older model, and it was hard to keep its engine running. The Sunbeam plane was also tricky to fly. They had some close calls, including one time when turbulence sprayed fuel on Bobbi. But they kept trying and finally set a meaningful record.
Reaching New Altitudes
In March 1930, Elinor added almost 1 mile (1.6 km) to the world altitude record. She flew to a height of 27,419 feet (8,357 m). After this flight, she became a broadcaster, talking about aviation on NBC radio. She even interviewed other famous pilots.
In May 1930, before her 19th birthday, she became the youngest pilot ever to get a special Transport License. This license is needed for flying large planes. In October 1930, other pilots voted her the "Best Woman Pilot in America."
In March 1931, Elinor tried to set the world altitude record again. She flew a Bellanca plane. On her second flight, she reached 32,576 feet (9,929 m), which was a new women's record. However, a part of her recording equipment got stuck, so it wasn't an official world record. During her first attempt, her engine stopped at 26,000 feet (7,900 m), and she briefly lost consciousness because her oxygen bottle cracked. Luckily, she woke up and landed the plane safely in a housing area.
Later Years and Legacy
The Great Depression stopped Elinor from trying a non-stop flight across the Atlantic Ocean. However, she continued to be a famous stunt flyer. She performed many shows to raise money for people who needed help. In 1934, Elinor Smith became the third person, and first woman, to be pictured on a Wheaties cereal box.
Elinor married Patrick H. Sullivan, a New York State politician and lawyer, in 1933. She kept flying for a while after they got married. But once she had children, she stopped flying for over 20 years to raise her four kids.
After her husband passed away in 1956, Elinor returned to flying. She was able to pilot jet trainers and other military planes. In March 2000, at the Ames Research Center in California, she used a NASA simulator to practice landing the Space Shuttle. She became the oldest pilot to successfully land a simulated shuttle. In April 2001, at 89 years old, she flew an experimental plane at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
Elinor Smith passed away on March 19, 2010, in Palo Alto, California. She is remembered as a brave and groundbreaking pilot who achieved many "firsts" in aviation.
