Katherine Stinson | |
---|---|
![]() Stinson c. 1910 | |
Born | Fort Payne, Alabama, U.S. | February 14, 1891
Died | July 8, 1977 Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S. | (aged 86)
Resting place | Santa Fe National Cemetery |
Known for | Aviator, stunt, and exhibition flying |
Spouse |
Miguel Antonio Otero Jr.
(m. 1927) |
Children | 4 |
Relatives | |
Aviation career | |
First flight | January 1911 |
Famous flights |
|
Flight license | July 24, 1912 Pine Bluff, AR |
Katherine Stinson (February 14, 1891 – July 8, 1977) was an American aviation pioneer who, in 1912, became the fourth woman in the United States to earn the FAI pilot certificate. She set flying records for aerobatic maneuvers, distance, and endurance. She was the first female pilot employed by the U.S. Postal Service and the first civilian pilot to fly the mail in Canada. She was also one of the first pilots to ever fly at night and the first female pilot to fly in Canada and Japan.[1][2][3]
Katherine was the first of the pioneering Stinson siblings of early aviation, who included younger sister Marjorie, and their younger brothers Eddie and Jack.[1][2][3][4]