Wally Funk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wally Funk
Funk in 2012
Born	(1939-02-01) February 1, 1939 (age 86) Las Vegas, New Mexico, U.S.
Alma mater	Stephens College Oklahoma State University
Known for	First female FAA and NTSB inspector; one of the Mercury 13; oldest woman to fly in space
Space career
Commercial Astronaut
Missions	NS-16

Mary Wallace Funk (born February 1, 1939) is an amazing American aviator, a commercial astronaut, and a goodwill ambassador. She was the first woman to work as an air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. She was also the first female flight instructor for civilians at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Plus, she was the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration. Wally Funk was also one of the brave women known as the Mercury 13.

On July 20, 2021, Wally Funk became the oldest person to travel to space. She was 82 years old! She flew on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft. This flight broke a record that John Glenn had held for 23 years. Later that year, William Shatner flew to space at age 90. He then became the oldest person in space. But Wally Funk still holds the record as the oldest woman to have traveled into space.

Wally Funk is the last living member of the Mercury 13 group. She is also the only one of the thirteen women who actually got to travel to space.

Early Life and Dreams of Flight

Wally Funk was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1939. She grew up in Taos, New Mexico. Her parents owned a store that sold many different things. Artists from the Taos art colony would sometimes trade their artwork to pay off their bills at the store. This meant Wally's family had a cool collection of art!

A Young Girl's Fascination with Planes

Even as a baby, Wally loved planes. When she was just one year old, her parents took her to an airport. She saw a Douglas DC-3, which was an early type of airliner. Wally tried to turn a nut on the plane's wheel. Her mother said, "She’s going to fly!" Wally became very interested in how things worked. She built model airplanes and ships. By age seven, she was making planes from light balsa wood. When she was nine, she had her very first flying lesson.

Outdoor Adventures and Special Skills

Wally Funk was also great at outdoor activities. She loved riding her bike and her horse. She also enjoyed skiing, hunting, and fishing. At 14, she became an expert at shooting. She even received the Distinguished Rifleman's Award. The National Rifle Association of America sent her amazing shooting results to President Dwight Eisenhower. He wrote back to her! At the same time, she was the top female skier from the southwestern United States. She competed in slalom and downhill races.

Education and Flight Training

When Wally was in high school, she wanted to take classes like mechanical drawing and auto mechanics. But because she was a girl, she was only allowed to take classes like home economics. This made her frustrated. So, Wally left high school early at age 16. She then went to Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.

Becoming a "Flying Susie"

At Stephens College, Wally joined a group called the "Flying Susies." She was the best student in her class of 24 pilots. In 1958, she graduated with her pilot's license. She also earned an Associate of Arts degree.

Advanced Aviation Studies

Wally then went to Oklahoma State University. There, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. She was especially drawn to OSU because of its famous "Flying Aggies" program. At OSU, Wally earned many different aviation certificates. These included licenses for commercial flying, flying different types of planes, and being a flight instructor. She was chosen as an officer for the "Flying Aggies." She also flew for them in international college air meets. Wally received several awards, including the "Outstanding Female Pilot" trophy. She also won the "Flying Aggie Top Pilot" and the "Alfred Alder Memorial Trophy" two years in a row.

Aviation Career Highlights

At just 20 years old, Wally Funk became a professional aviator. Her first job was at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. She was a civilian flight instructor for soldiers in the United States Army. Wally was the first female flight instructor at a U.S. military base. In 1961, she took a job in Hawthorne, California. There, she worked as a certified flight instructor and chief pilot.

Breaking Barriers in Aviation

In 1968, Wally earned her Airline Transport Rating. She was only the 58th woman in the U.S. to do so. She tried to get jobs with three different airlines. But, like other qualified female pilots, she was turned away because she was a woman.

In 1971, Wally Funk became a flight inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). She was the first woman to finish the FAA's General Aviation Operations Inspector Academy course. This course teaches about pilot certification, flight testing, and handling accidents. She worked for the FAA for four years as a field examiner. She was the first woman to hold this job. In 1973, she was promoted to a specialist position in the FAA's SWAP program. She was the first woman in the United States to have this role.

Investigating Air Accidents

In 1974, Wally Funk was hired by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). She became their first female Air Safety Investigator. Wally investigated 450 accidents. These ranged from small plane crashes to more serious incidents. She discovered that people who died in small plane crashes often had their jewelry, shoes, and clothes removed by the force of the impact.

Racing Through the Skies

While working, Wally also took part in many air races. She placed well in several races, including the Powder Puff Derby. On August 16, 1975, she came in second in the Palms to Pines All Women Air Race. On October 4, 1975, Wally won the Pacific Air Race. She flew her red and white Citabria plane against 80 other competitors.

Wally retired from her job as an Air Safety Investigator in 1985. She had served for 11 years. After that, she became an FAA Safety Counselor. She was a well-known pilot trainer and speaker on aviation safety. In 1986, she was the main speaker for the U.S. at The World Aviation Education and Safety Congress. In 1987, Wally was named Chief Pilot at Emery Aviation College in Colorado. She oversaw all the flight programs for 100 students.

Wally Funk has been the chief pilot for five aviation schools across the country. As a professional Flight Instructor, she has helped over 700 students fly solo for the first time. She has also trained 3,000 pilots for various licenses.

Space Career and Dreams

The Mercury 13 Program

In February 1961, Wally Funk volunteered for the "Women in Space" Program. This program was led by William Randolph Lovelace II. It did not have official government support. Wally contacted Lovelace and told him about her amazing experience. Even though she was younger than the age range (25–40), Wally was invited to join. Twenty-five women were invited, nineteen joined, and thirteen finished the program. Wally was the youngest at 21. On some tests, she even scored better than astronaut John Glenn! The media called the group the "Mercury 13". This name was a nod to the original Mercury Seven male astronauts.

Like the other women, Wally went through very tough physical and mental tests. In one test, volunteers were put into sensory deprivation tanks. These tanks block out all sights and sounds. Wally stayed in the tank for 10 hours and 35 minutes without seeing things that weren't there. This was a record! She passed all her tests and was ready to go to space. Her score was the third best in the Mercury 13 program. Sadly, the program was canceled before the women could take their final test.

After the Mercury 13 program ended, Wally Funk became a goodwill ambassador.

Continuing the Quest for Space

Wally never stopped dreaming of going to space. When NASA finally started accepting women astronauts in the late 1970s, Wally applied three times. Even with her impressive skills, she was turned down. This was because she did not have an engineering degree or a background as a test pilot.

In 1995, Lt. Col. Eileen Collins became the first woman to pilot a Space Shuttle into space. By this time, Wally Funk was too old to become a Space Shuttle pilot. Wally and six other members of the Mercury 13 were special guests at Collins's launch. NASA gave them a VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center.

In 2012, Wally paid money to be one of the first people to fly into space with Virgin Galactic. The money for this flight came from her own book and film royalties, and from family money.

In July 2020, Wally Funk published her memoir. It was called Higher Faster Longer – My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Space Flight. She wrote it with author Loretta Hall.

Historic Suborbital Space Flight in 2021

On July 1, 2021, Blue Origin announced that Wally Funk would fly on their first New Shepard flight with passengers. She was one of four people on the flight. The others were Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen. Oliver became the youngest person ever in space during the flight on July 20, 2021. During this successful flight, Wally Funk, at age 82, became the oldest person to fly to space. She broke John Glenn's record from 1998. Her record was later broken by William Shatner, who flew on Blue Origin NS-18 at age 90.

Personal Life and Hobbies

Wally Funk lives in Grapevine, Texas. She loves sports and fixing up old cars. Her collection includes a 1951 Hooper Silver Wraith.

As of June 2019, she had over 18,600 flight hours. She still flew every Saturday as an instructor.

Awards and Recognitions

• In 1964, Wally Funk became the youngest woman in the history of Stephens College to receive the Alumna Achievement Award. This honored her work in aviation.
• In 1965, she was chosen as one of the Outstanding Young Women in America. This recognized her amazing skills and service.
• In 2012, her life story was filmed for the Traveling Space Museum.
• In 2017, Wally Funk's name was carved onto the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Wall of Honor. This was for her contributions to aviation and space exploration.
• In 2022, Wally Funk received the R.A."Bob" Hoover trophy. This award is for showing great flying skills, leadership, and a love for aviation.
• Also in 2022, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum gave her the Michael Collins Trophy for Lifetime Achievement.
• Wally Funk is listed in "Who's Who in Aviation."

See also

In Spanish: Wally Funk para niños