Helen Grimshaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Grimshaw
|
|
|---|---|
Retirement Presentation with a model figure dressed in the pressure suit Grimshaw designed
|
|
| Born | 6 August 1904 Hanover Square
|
| Died | 16 December 1987 (aged 83) Surrey
|
| Nationality | United Kingdom |
Helen Grimshaw was a brilliant British engineer. She designed special suits for pilots that helped them fly very high and fast. These suits protected pilots from the strong forces they experienced in the air. She was born on August 6, 1904, and passed away on December 16, 1987.
Her Early Life and Studies
Helen Grimshaw was born in Hanover Square, London, England. She grew up in Surrey. Her father was a civil engineer, which might have sparked her interest in the field.
Helen went to the Francis Holland School. In 1924, she started studying civil engineering at the University of London. She earned her degree in 1930. Helen was a true pioneer! She was the first woman to apply and join the Institution of Civil Engineers as a student in 1925. She continued her studies and earned her PhD in 1936.
A Career in Aviation
Helen Grimshaw spent her entire career working at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) Farnborough. She joined them in 1937. Her work involved designing important safety equipment for planes.
She worked on many exciting projects, including:
- Equipment to stop ice from forming on planes.
- Oxygen systems for pilots flying at high altitudes.
- Special pressure suits that helped pilots handle extreme forces.
- Testing instruments and other safety gear during flights.
Helen was part of the team that helped Flight Lieutenant M.J. Adam set a world altitude record. In 1941, she took charge of the flight test program. Her team also worked on improving parachutes. She even helped write manuals for the safe use of gliders. In 1947, Helen learned to fly and completed her first solo flight in a twin-engined Oxford plane!
From 1953 to 1961, Helen worked at the RAE's main office. In 1961, she returned to work on full pressure suits. These suits were designed to help pilots withstand the strong forces of gravity when flying very fast and high. They were like early versions of the space suits astronauts wear today! Later, Helen managed a team that put together personal equipment for pilots. She retired in 1969.
Awards and Recognition
Helen Grimshaw received several important awards for her amazing work. In 1966, she was given the RAeSoc Wakefield Gold Medal. This award recognized her outstanding work on human engineering problems. In 1969, she was awarded an OBE. This is a special honor given by the British monarch.
In 1968, Helen became a Research Liaison Officer. She worked with a new panel that reviewed protective clothing standards. Besides her work at Farnborough, Helen was a lifelong member of the Women's Engineering Society. She passed away in Surrey in 1987.
