Barbara Harmer
Encyclopedia
Barbara Harmer was the first qualified female Concorde
pilot
.
Born in Loughton, Essex, the youngest of four daughters, she was raised in Bognor Regis
, a seaside resort
town and civil parish
in the Arun
District of West Sussex
, England, where she attended a convent school. She left school aged 15 to pursue a career in hairdressing.
Harmer's first experience in the aviation industry was five years later when she left hairdressing to become an air traffic controller
at London Gatwick Airport
. When she took on the job of air traffic controller Harmer decided to study for A Levels with the intention of doing a law degree. She obtained A levels in Geography, English Law, Constitutional Law and Politics. She also began flying lessons, gained her Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and became an instructor at Goodwood Flying School
. Harmer studied for two years to gain a Commercial Pilot Licence
(CPL), which she obtained in May 1982. She then made over 100 applications before securing a job as pilot at Genair, a small commuter airline based at Humberside Airport
.
In March 1984, Harmer joined British Caledonian
and flew BAC One-Eleven
s for three years. She then started flying the long haul McDonnell Douglas DC-10
. In 1987, British Caledonian merged with British Airways
, the airline operating Concorde in the UK. At that time, British Airways employed over 3000 pilots
, but only 60 of them were women and no woman had ever piloted Concorde
. Harmer was chosen to undergo the intensive six-month conversion course for Concorde in 1992.
On 25 March 1993 Harmer became the first qualified female Concorde pilot and later that year made her first Concorde flight as First Officer to New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport
(JFK). Jacqueline Auriol
was the first woman to fly Concorde as a test pilot
.
By the time Concorde was withdrawn from service in October 2003, Harmer had served 10 years as a pilot flying regular scheduled services. In 2001, an Air France
pilot, Béatrice Valle, had become the second of only two women to fly Concorde on regular routes by making some 35 trips between Paris and New York before the service was withdrawn. After Concorde, Harmer converted to the Boeing 777
until taking voluntary redundancy
in 2009.
Harmer's interests were not all in the air as she was a qualified commercial yachtmaster
, often taking part in international events commanding fellow Concorde crew members and winning several races. She also created a Mediterranean-styled garden at her home in Felpham
, West Sussex
overlooking the English Channel
. Harmer intended to take part in a transatlantic event in 2013 in her yacht Archambault 35 but succumbed to cancer She died at St. Wilfrid's Hospice, Chichester
, aged 57.
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
.
Born in Loughton, Essex, the youngest of four daughters, she was raised in Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun district of West Sussex, on the south coast of England. It is south-south-west of London, west of Brighton, and south-east of the city of Chichester. Other nearby towns include Littlehampton east-north-east and Selsey to the...
, a seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
town and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Arun
Arun
Arun is a local government district in West Sussex, England. It contains the towns of Arundel, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, and takes its name from the River Arun, which runs through the centre of the district.-History:...
District of West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, England, where she attended a convent school. She left school aged 15 to pursue a career in hairdressing.
Harmer's first experience in the aviation industry was five years later when she left hairdressing to become an air traffic controller
Air traffic controller
Air traffic controllers are the people who expedite and maintain a safe and orderly flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system. The position of the air traffic controller is one that requires highly specialized skills...
at London Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...
. When she took on the job of air traffic controller Harmer decided to study for A Levels with the intention of doing a law degree. She obtained A levels in Geography, English Law, Constitutional Law and Politics. She also began flying lessons, gained her Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and became an instructor at Goodwood Flying School
Chichester/Goodwood Airport
Chichester/Goodwood Airport , normally referred to as Goodwood Airfield or Goodwood Aerodrome is located north northeast of Chichester, West Sussex, England....
. Harmer studied for two years to gain a Commercial Pilot Licence
Commercial Pilot Licence
A Commercial Pilot License or, in the United States, a Commercial Pilot Certificate, is a qualification that permits the holder to act as the Pilot In Command of a single pilot aircraft, or as co-pilot of a multi-pilot aircraft and be paid for his/her work.The basic requirements to obtain the...
(CPL), which she obtained in May 1982. She then made over 100 applications before securing a job as pilot at Genair, a small commuter airline based at Humberside Airport
Humberside Airport
-Cargo flights:Icelandair Cargo operate a weekly Sunday flight from Keflavík which then departs to Liege-Passenger statistics:-Bus service:An hourly daytime bus service runs from Grimsby and Hull to the airport from Monday to Saturday.-External links:**...
.
In March 1984, Harmer joined British Caledonian
British Caledonian
British Caledonian was a private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline, operating out of Gatwick Airport in the 1970s and 1980s...
and flew BAC One-Eleven
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
s for three years. She then started flying the long haul McDonnell Douglas DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
. In 1987, British Caledonian merged with British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
, the airline operating Concorde in the UK. At that time, British Airways employed over 3000 pilots
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, but only 60 of them were women and no woman had ever piloted Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
. Harmer was chosen to undergo the intensive six-month conversion course for Concorde in 1992.
On 25 March 1993 Harmer became the first qualified female Concorde pilot and later that year made her first Concorde flight as First Officer to New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
(JFK). Jacqueline Auriol
Jacqueline Auriol
Jacqueline Auriol was a French aviatrix who set several world speed records.-Biography:...
was the first woman to fly Concorde as a test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
.
By the time Concorde was withdrawn from service in October 2003, Harmer had served 10 years as a pilot flying regular scheduled services. In 2001, an Air France
Air France
Air France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
pilot, Béatrice Valle, had become the second of only two women to fly Concorde on regular routes by making some 35 trips between Paris and New York before the service was withdrawn. After Concorde, Harmer converted to the Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
until taking voluntary redundancy
Voluntary redundancy
Voluntary redundancy is a financial incentive offered by an organisation to its employees with the purpose of attracting volunteers to leave the organisation, due to downsizing or restructuring situations. The purpose is to circumvent union employee regulation laws.-Reasons:A Voluntary Redundancy...
in 2009.
Harmer's interests were not all in the air as she was a qualified commercial yachtmaster
Yachtmaster
A Yachtmaster qualification is a certificate of competence of the ability to handle either a sailing boat or motor boat in certain prescribed conditions...
, often taking part in international events commanding fellow Concorde crew members and winning several races. She also created a Mediterranean-styled garden at her home in Felpham
Felpham
Felpham is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. Although sometimes considered part of the greater Bognor Regis habitation it is a village and civil parish in its own right, having an area of 4.26 km² with a population of 9611 people and still growing .The...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
overlooking the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. Harmer intended to take part in a transatlantic event in 2013 in her yacht Archambault 35 but succumbed to cancer She died at St. Wilfrid's Hospice, Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
, aged 57.