Neta Snook
Encyclopedia
Neta Snook Southern was a pioneer aviator
who achieved a long list of firsts. She was the first woman aviator in Iowa, first woman student accepted at the Curtiss Flying School in Virginia, first woman "aviatrix
" to run her own aviation business and first woman to run a commercial airfield. Yet "Snookie", as her friends called her, was fated to be remembered for her relationship to Amelia Earhart
. Her autobiography I Taught Amelia to Fly aptly captures the essence of her fame, she was forever linked to the Earhart mystique as her first instructor.
. She was interested in machinery at an early age, spurred by a fascination with her father's automobiles. At the age of four, she would sit on her father's lap and help him steer his Stanley Steamer
up and down the hills of their small Illinois town. As she grew older, he taught her the inner workings of cars. After the family moved to Ames, Iowa
in 1915, Snook attended Iowa State College (now Iowa State University
), taking extra courses in mechanical drawing, combustion engines and farm machinery repair. With the excitement engendered by the first machines in the air, she read all she could about aeroplanes (as they were called then) and wanted to learn to fly.
, and was denied admittance with the application stamped: "No females allowed." The following year, reading an advertisement for the Davenport Flying School in Iowa, brought her back home where she became one of the first female student pilots. After a major crash in which the school's president was killed, the school closed and "Curly," as she had been dubbed by fellow students, went looking for another flight training school. In 1917, Snook eventually gained entry into the Curtiss-Wright
Aviation School and put in many hours in the air until civilian flights in the United States were banned for the duration of World War I
. Briefly, in 1918, she worked for the British Air Ministry
in Elmira, New York
as an expeditor putting her mechanical skills to good use, inspecting and testing aircraft parts and engines on their way to combat in Europe.
After purchasing a wrecked Canuck, a Canadian version of a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
, Snook had it shipped back to Ames, Iowa, and spent two years rebuilding the plane in her parents' backyard. In 1920, Snook soloed in her rebuilt Canuck, flying from a nearby pasture and received her pilot's license and, shortly after, entry into the Aero Club of America
and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
(FAI). Barnstorming
throughout the Midwest in her Canuck, she made a living furtively hauling sightseers and "passengers" although her licence did not allow it. With the onset of a bitter Iowa winter, Snook decided to head out to California where she could fly year-round. She disassembled the Canuck for shipping and ended up in balmy Los Angeles.
In 1920, Snook approached "Bert" Kinner
for a job as an instructor in his newly constructed airport, Kinner Field in Los Angeles, which offered aerial advertising (towing banners and flying billboards) and flight instruction. Bringing with her a background in mechanics made her an invaluable assist to Kinner. After a brief trial period, she became the first woman to run a commercial airfield.
In 1921, Amelia Earhart, along with her father, walked onto the airfield and asked Neta, "I want to fly. Will you teach me?" The agreement struck between Amelia and her parents was that only a woman pilot would teach her to fly. "For $1 in Liberty bonds per minute in the air, Neta Snook taught Amelia Earhart to fly, but above that, they became friends." The first five hours in the air were paid for by Earhart but the next 15 were entirely unpaid as Snook took her new pilot up in the Kinner Airster that Amelia had purchased.
At first her pupil was not the best flyer. Earhart stalled the Airster while trying to clear a grove of eucalyptus trees on takeoff. Snook thought to herself, "Perhaps I had misjudged her abilities." However their friendship held sway and this first crash was soon forgotten. They flew together for over a year. Snook became close with the entire Earhart family and often spent time at the family home.
At the age of 25, she married Bill Southern in 1922, became pregnant and gave up flying, selling her business. Not much was heard about Neta Snook Southern in the years following her retirement but after Earhart disappeared during her famous flight in 1937, Snook began lecturing and speaking about her career in aviation and, later, wrote her autobiography, I Taught Amelia To Fly. Neta flew for the first time in decades, when she was invited to pilot a replica of Charles Lindbergh
's Spirit of St. Louis
in 1977. In 1981, she was acknowledged as the oldest woman pilot in the United States. Neta died at age 95 on March 23, 1991 at her ranch home in California. One year after her death, Neta Snook Southern was inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame.
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...
who achieved a long list of firsts. She was the first woman aviator in Iowa, first woman student accepted at the Curtiss Flying School in Virginia, first woman "aviatrix
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...
" to run her own aviation business and first woman to run a commercial airfield. Yet "Snookie", as her friends called her, was fated to be remembered for her relationship to Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Mary Earhart was a noted American aviation pioneer and author. Earhart was the first woman to receive the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for becoming the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean...
. Her autobiography I Taught Amelia to Fly aptly captures the essence of her fame, she was forever linked to the Earhart mystique as her first instructor.
Early life
Mary Neta Snook (she rarely used her full name) was born on February 14, 1896 in Mount Carroll, IllinoisMount Carroll, Illinois
Mount Carroll is a city in Carroll County, Illinois, United States-History:Shimer College was established in Mt. Carroll in 1853, but mounting debts forced a move to Waukegan, Illinois in 1979. The campus now is home to several organizations, most notably the Campbell Center for Historic...
. She was interested in machinery at an early age, spurred by a fascination with her father's automobiles. At the age of four, she would sit on her father's lap and help him steer his Stanley Steamer
Stanley Steamer
The Stanley Motor Carriage Company was a manufacturer of steam-engine vehicles; it operated from 1902 to 1924. The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced.-Early history:...
up and down the hills of their small Illinois town. As she grew older, he taught her the inner workings of cars. After the family moved to Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
in 1915, Snook attended Iowa State College (now Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
), taking extra courses in mechanical drawing, combustion engines and farm machinery repair. With the excitement engendered by the first machines in the air, she read all she could about aeroplanes (as they were called then) and wanted to learn to fly.
Flying
During her sophomore year at college, Snook applied to the Atlantic Coast Aeronautical Station, the Curtiss-Wright Aviation School, in Newport News, VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and was denied admittance with the application stamped: "No females allowed." The following year, reading an advertisement for the Davenport Flying School in Iowa, brought her back home where she became one of the first female student pilots. After a major crash in which the school's president was killed, the school closed and "Curly," as she had been dubbed by fellow students, went looking for another flight training school. In 1917, Snook eventually gained entry into the Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
Aviation School and put in many hours in the air until civilian flights in the United States were banned for the duration of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Briefly, in 1918, she worked for the British Air Ministry
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in Elmira, New York
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
as an expeditor putting her mechanical skills to good use, inspecting and testing aircraft parts and engines on their way to combat in Europe.
After purchasing a wrecked Canuck, a Canadian version of a Curtiss JN-4 Jenny
Curtiss JN-4
The Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny" was one of a series of "JN" biplanes built by the Curtiss Aeroplane Company of Hammondsport, New York, later the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. Although the Curtiss JN series was originally produced as a training aircraft for the U.S...
, Snook had it shipped back to Ames, Iowa, and spent two years rebuilding the plane in her parents' backyard. In 1920, Snook soloed in her rebuilt Canuck, flying from a nearby pasture and received her pilot's license and, shortly after, entry into the Aero Club of America
Aero Club of America
The Aero Club of America was a social club formed in 1905 by Charles Glidden and others to promote aviation in America. It was the parent organization of numerous state chapters, the first being the Aero Club of New England. It thrived until 1923, when it transformed into the National Aeronautic...
and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale is the world governing body for air sports and aeronautics and astronautics world records. Its head office is in Lausanne, Switzerland. This includes man-carrying aerospace vehicles from balloons to spacecraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles...
(FAI). Barnstorming
Barnstorming
Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, either individually or in groups called a flying circus. Barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of flight...
throughout the Midwest in her Canuck, she made a living furtively hauling sightseers and "passengers" although her licence did not allow it. With the onset of a bitter Iowa winter, Snook decided to head out to California where she could fly year-round. She disassembled the Canuck for shipping and ended up in balmy Los Angeles.
In 1920, Snook approached "Bert" Kinner
Winfield Bertrum Kinner
Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner was an American aircraft engine designer and constructor. Kinner founded Kinner Airplane & Motor Corporation in Glendale, California which produced radial engines and aircraft....
for a job as an instructor in his newly constructed airport, Kinner Field in Los Angeles, which offered aerial advertising (towing banners and flying billboards) and flight instruction. Bringing with her a background in mechanics made her an invaluable assist to Kinner. After a brief trial period, she became the first woman to run a commercial airfield.
Amelia Earhart
At first her pupil was not the best flyer. Earhart stalled the Airster while trying to clear a grove of eucalyptus trees on takeoff. Snook thought to herself, "Perhaps I had misjudged her abilities." However their friendship held sway and this first crash was soon forgotten. They flew together for over a year. Snook became close with the entire Earhart family and often spent time at the family home.
Later years
Neta Snook became the first woman to enter a "men's" air race at the Los Angeles Speedway in February 1921, finishing fifth and telling the media, "I'm going to fly as cleverly, as audaciously, as thrillingly as any man aviator in the world."At the age of 25, she married Bill Southern in 1922, became pregnant and gave up flying, selling her business. Not much was heard about Neta Snook Southern in the years following her retirement but after Earhart disappeared during her famous flight in 1937, Snook began lecturing and speaking about her career in aviation and, later, wrote her autobiography, I Taught Amelia To Fly. Neta flew for the first time in decades, when she was invited to pilot a replica of Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
's Spirit of St. Louis
Spirit of St. Louis
The Spirit of St. Louis is the custom-built, single engine, single-seat monoplane that was flown solo by Charles Lindbergh on May 20–21, 1927, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris for which Lindbergh won the $25,000 Orteig Prize.Lindbergh took off in the Spirit from Roosevelt...
in 1977. In 1981, she was acknowledged as the oldest woman pilot in the United States. Neta died at age 95 on March 23, 1991 at her ranch home in California. One year after her death, Neta Snook Southern was inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame.