Rosina Ferrario facts for kids
Rosina Ferrario (born in 1888, died in 1959) was a brave Italian woman who made history. She became the very first Italian woman to get a pilot's license! This happened on January 3, 1913, at a place called Vizzola in Lombardy, Italy. She flew a special type of airplane called a Caproni monoplane. Her pilot's license number was 203, given to her by the Aeroclub of Italy.
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Early Life and Hobbies
Rosina Ferrario grew up in a well-off family. She worked as a clerk, which is a job where you handle office tasks. But Rosina wasn't just about office work; she loved sports and adventure! She was a very active sportswoman. She enjoyed climbing mountains and was also a big fan of cycling. These hobbies showed she was determined and loved a challenge.
Becoming a Pilot and Flying Adventures
After getting her pilot's license, Rosina became quite famous. In 1913 and 1914, she took part in many air shows and special flights. She flew in big Italian cities like Naples, Rome, and Como. People loved watching her fly!
Special Flights and Celebrations
In October 1913, Rosina helped celebrate a very important event. It was the 100th birthday of a famous Italian composer named Giuseppe Verdi. She flew her airplane in Busseto, Verdi's hometown, alongside another pilot named Achille Landini. This was a big honor!
Rosina also enjoyed other types of flying. In June 1913, she went on an exciting trip in a hot air balloon. She flew with a person named Erminio Donner Flori. They traveled all the way from Milan to Lodi in the balloon.
Life After Flying
In 1914, Rosina was invited to fly in South America, which would have been an amazing adventure. However, she couldn't go because the First World War had just started. She wanted to help her country during the war, so she applied to work for the Red Cross in Italy. Unfortunately, her application was turned down because she wasn't in the military.
After the war, Rosina's life changed. Around 1921, she married Enrico Grugnola. They met during an outing with the Italian Alpine Club, which shows she still loved the outdoors! Together, they opened a hotel in Milan that had a big garden. They lived there happily with their two children.
Even though she no longer flew airplanes, Rosina stayed connected to aviation. She often went to meetings of the Pionieri dell'Aeronautica, which means "Aviation Pioneers." She was always remembered as one of the first and most important women in Italian aviation until she passed away in 1959.