Harriet Quimby

1875 – 1912

Harriet Quimby was an American journalist, screenwriter, and aviation pioneer who in August 1911 became the first woman in the United States to earn a pilot's license, and in April 1912 the first woman to fly solo across the English Channel. Although her aviation career lasted barely a year before she was killed in a flying accident at the Third Annual Boston Aviation Meet in July 1912 at age 37, her example significantly expanded the public role of women in early aviation. She had earlier been a successful early Hollywood screenwriter, contributing scenarios to D. W. Griffith.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM