Jean Burns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jean Ethel Burns
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| Born | 14 December 1919 East Brunswick, Victoria
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| Died | 25 May 2019 (aged 99) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Aviator |
Jean Ethel Burns (born December 14, 1919 – died May 25, 2019) was an amazing Australian aviator. An aviator is someone who flies aircraft. She made history as the first Australian woman to parachute from an aeroplane over Australia. Jean also held the record for being Australia's youngest female pilot for 15 years!
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Early Life and Dreams
Jean Burns was born in a suburb of Melbourne called East Brunswick. Her father worked as a sailor on merchant ships. She went to MacRobertson Girls' High School in Albert Park.
Jean was only 10 years old when she first dreamed of flying. She visited Essendon Aerodrome and saw Amy Johnson land her plane. Amy Johnson was a famous pilot who had just flown solo from England to Australia. This inspired Jean to learn to fly herself!
Jean's Flying Adventures
Becoming a Pilot
When Jean was 14, she joined the Junior Royal Victorian Aero Club. She started taking flying lessons at age 17. On March 13, 1937, Jean earned her pilot's licence. She was one of three young women to get their licence that day. This made her Australia's youngest female pilot! She held this record until 1952.
Jean even flew a special plane called an Ansett Porterfield. She flew it from Melbourne to Newcastle for an air show in 1938.
Daring Parachute Jumps
Jean Burns made her first parachute jump on November 21, 1937. She was only 17 years old! She jumped from an Airco DH.4 aeroplane called Spirit of Melbourne. The plane was flying at about 3,200 feet (975 metres) above Essendon Aerodrome.
Thousands of people watched her brave jump. She landed a bit roughly and got some scrapes on her face. Ambulancemen helped her, but she wasn't seriously hurt.
Jean had wanted to jump when she was 16. However, the aviation department was unsure. They finally gave her permission 18 months later. The only rule was that a licensed person had to fold her parachute. This is very important for safety!
Her second jump also had a rough landing. Officials even sent her a warning letter. They said her jumps might be against the law, but they didn't charge her.
On her fifth jump in Newcastle, strong winds blew her off course. She landed in an engineering factory! She managed to avoid high-tension electricity cables, which was very lucky. Ambulancemen helped her again.
Before her sixth jump, Jean explained what it felt like. She said, "Until I am down to about 200 feet there is a beautiful floating sensation." She also said landing felt like jumping off a 15-foot (4.6-metre) wall. Jean mentioned she was jumping to earn money to buy her own aeroplane.
Her sixth jump was from 2,000 feet (610 metres) over Kingsford Smith Airport. She cut her chin and got more scrapes from being dragged. Ambulancemen treated her once more.
Jean only made about a dozen jumps in total. She stopped after a little over a year.
Later Life and Legacy
On July 21, 2006, Jean Burns finally met Nancy Bird Walton. Nancy was another famous Australian female pilot. Even though they had known about each other for most of their lives, they had never met in person!
Jean Burns passed away on May 25, 2019, after a short illness. She was 99 years old.
A Street Named in Her Honour
In October 2008, a street at Essendon Airport was named after her. It's called Burns Street! This street is located within the area known as Essendon Fields. It's a wonderful way to remember her amazing contributions to aviation.
