Margaret Fane Rutledge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Margaret Fane Rutledge
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| Born |
Margaret Fane
13 April 1914 |
| Died | 2 December 2004 |
| Spouse(s) | Keith Rutledge |
Margaret Fane Rutledge (born April 13, 1914 – died December 2, 2004) was a brave Canadian pilot. She started a famous group called the Flying Seven. This team of women pilots performed amazing aerial shows in the 1930s.
Contents
Who Was Margaret Fane Rutledge?
Margaret Fane Rutledge was a true pioneer in Canadian aviation. She helped open doors for women in flying. Her dedication and skill inspired many people.
Early Life and Flying Dreams
Margaret Fane was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1914. She was one of six children. Her parents loved airplanes. They even took the first flight that landed in Alberta's capital city. Margaret's father also built his own glider!
Because of her family, Margaret became very interested in planes. She took flying lessons at the Edmonton and Northern Alberta Aero Club. This club was started by a famous World War I pilot named Wop May. Margaret earned her private pilot’s license on October 2, 1933. She then got her commercial license on August 29, 1935. Margaret was the first woman in Western Canada to achieve this!
The Flying Seven
After getting her licenses, Margaret moved to Vancouver. There, she met six other women pilots. Their names were Tosca Trasolini, Rolie Moore, Jean Pike, Betsy Flaherty, Alma Gilbert, and Elianne Roberge. Margaret decided to create a local chapter of the Amelia Earhart group, the Ninety-Nines.
On October 15, 1936, Margaret also formed The Flying Seven. This was a special team of women pilots. They performed exciting flying displays over the city. The group became very well known at airshows and flying exhibitions.
Helping During World War II
When World War II began, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) invited the Flying Seven to a meeting. However, when they found out all the pilots were women, the RCAF refused to let them join as pilots.
Even though they couldn't fly for the military, the Flying Seven still wanted to help. They used their amazing flying shows to raise money for the RCAF. Their efforts helped support the war.
Working in Aviation
Margaret Rutledge also worked for Bridge River & Cariboo Airways. She was a radio operator, which meant she helped planes communicate. Before the war, she worked in Zeballos, a mining town. Margaret was one of only three unmarried women in the town of over 1,500 people.
A man named Ginger Cootes hired her. He heard about her from Grant McConachie, who owned Yukon Southern Air Transport. News of Margaret's job made her famous! Newspapers wrote about the woman pilot who operated the radio station. Even though she couldn't get a job as a full-time pilot, Margaret sometimes flew planes from isolated communities when Cootes was busy. Her very last flight as a pilot was a test flight on a Lockheed 14 passenger plane with Grant McConachie.
Later, Margaret worked in administration for Canadian Pacific Airways. In 1956, she married Keith Rutledge. Today, Margaret is remembered at Okanagan College. The Margaret Fane Rutledge Award in Aviation helps students who want to study aviation.
