Lynn Rippelmeyer facts for kids
Lynn Rippelmeyer is a pioneering pilot who achieved many "firsts" in aviation. She was the first woman to fly the huge Boeing 747 airplane. She was also the first woman to be the captain of a 747 on a flight across an ocean. Lynn was part of the first-ever all-female flight crew for a major airline. Plus, she was the first flight attendant to become an airline pilot. After retiring, she wrote two books about her amazing journey. She also started a non-profit group called ROSE to help people in Roatan, Honduras.
Rippelmeyer started flying the 747 as a co-pilot for Seaboard World Airlines in 1980. Later, in 1984, she became the first woman to captain a 747 "jumbo jet" on a flight across the ocean for People Express Airlines. Her aviation career began in 1972 as a TWA flight attendant. She then moved to a different role at TWA in 1978, becoming a flight engineer on a Boeing 727.
On December 30, 1977, Lynn was the co-pilot on the first all-female crew for a scheduled commercial flight in the U.S. This was with Captain Emilie Jones, flying an Air Illinois DHC-6 Twin Otter plane. This historic event was even shown in a PBS TV show called We'll Meet Again with Ann Curry in 2019. In 1983, at People Express, Rippelmeyer was also a co-captain on the first all-female Boeing 737 crew. She later trained on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner before retiring in 2013.
Captain Rippelmeyer's pilot uniforms are now displayed in famous places. You can see them at the Smithsonian Institution and the San Diego Air and Space Museum. They are also at the TWA Flight Center at JFK airport and the Monroe County Historical Museum. She was named a Woman of the Year in England in 1984. She was also honored in the International Forest of Friendship by Betty Gillies, a famous pilot from WWII. Lynn was listed in Who's Who of American Women and featured in a BBC TV show called Reaching for the Skies.
Early Life and Learning to Fly
Lynn Rippelmeyer grew up on a farm in Valmeyer, Illinois. She went to the University of Illinois to become an English teacher. She even worked as a student teacher in Chicago. But her path changed when she became a TWA flight attendant in 1972.
Her interest in flying began when friends, who were flight instructors, offered her lessons. She learned to fly a small Piper J-3 Cub seaplane in Vermont. Lynn then got all the necessary licenses and training at an airport in Miami. There, she worked as a flight instructor and a pilot for hire.
Amazing Aviation Career
While working part-time as a flight attendant for TWA, Lynn also worked as a flight instructor. In 1977, she was hired by Air Illinois as a co-pilot for a Twin Otter DHC-6 plane. At first, she was told she couldn't fly with Captain Emilie Jones because they were both women.
However, on December 30, 1977, bad weather meant the usual pilots couldn't get to the airport. So, Lynn and Captain Jones were allowed to fly the scheduled flight. The only rule was that passengers shouldn't know both pilots were women. This flight became the first all-female crew for a scheduled flight in the United States.
In 1984, Rippelmeyer made history again. She became the first woman to captain a Boeing 747 across an ocean. Before this, she had flown across the Atlantic as a flight attendant and as a 747 co-pilot for a cargo airline. The 1984 People Express flight was the first time a woman was the main captain of this huge plane on such a journey.
Lynn said the flight from Newark, New Jersey was smooth. But when they landed in England, reporters and photographers were waiting for her. They were all excited because female pilots were very rare then. Photos of this event were shared in newspapers around the world. Captain Rippelmeyer was the first American woman to achieve this honor.
Life After Flying
After retiring from flying, Lynn Rippelmeyer wrote two books about her career. They are called Life Takes Wings: Lessons Learned from the World's First Female 747 Pilot and Life Takes Flight: Inspiration from the World's First Female 747 Pilot. She also gives speeches and presentations about her experiences.
In September 2017, Rippelmeyer started a non-profit group called ROSE. ROSE stands for ROatan Support Effort. She wanted to bring hope and help to the people of Roatan, Honduras. Before retiring, Lynn often flew commercial flights to Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Her passengers often included people on missions and medical teams.
She became friends with people in Roatan who were helping with health clinics, schools, sports, and an animal shelter. After seeing the island's needs, she started bringing supplies on her flights. She would also bring things during her days off and vacations. ROSE now collects, transports, and delivers donated supplies. These supplies go to local groups that provide medical care, dental care, eye care, education, and meals.
As of 2023, Lynn Rippelmeyer lives near Houston, Texas.
