Ruth Alexander
Encyclopedia
Ruth Blaney Alexander was a female aviation pioneer in the United States.
with an introductory flight. Within a short period of time she became the 65th licensed woman pilot in the U.S. Less than 24 hours after attaining her license, Ruth took off from Lindbergh Field on November 18, 1929, in a Great Lakes
biplane and continued climbing to what she believed was an altitude of better than 18,000 feet over the skies of San Diego. This was later recognized as a new official altitude record for women in light planes of 15,718 feet. On February 16, 1930, Ruth Alexander qualified for a United States second-class glider license from the slopes of Mount Soledad, near La Jolla, California. In doing so she followed Anne as the second woman in the United States to achieve this distinction. Ruth made a perfect flight using a primary glider lasting 2 minutes, 33 and 2/5 seconds. On July 4, 1930, Ruth Alexander flew her Barling NB-3 light aircraft (serial number 52, U.S. Department of Commerce registration number 880M) to 21,000 feet, however this was an unofficial record. In the spring of 1930, she became a glider instructor and, in so doing, became the first woman in the United States to hold this position.
On July 11, 1930, Ruth took off at 1:34 p.m. in the Barling from Lindbergh Field. After briefly losing consciousness at extreme altitudes, she established a new world record in light planes (both men and women) of 26,600 feet at the apex of the flight. The American record held prior to Ruth’s flight was set by D. S. Zimmerly (male) at an altitude of 24,074 feet over St. Louis, Missouri
on February 16, 1930.
via Wichita, Kansas
. She was eulogized as a "pioneer of the airways of this epic age."
Achievements
Ruth’s flying career started on September 9, 1929 at Ryan Field in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
with an introductory flight. Within a short period of time she became the 65th licensed woman pilot in the U.S. Less than 24 hours after attaining her license, Ruth took off from Lindbergh Field on November 18, 1929, in a Great Lakes
Great Lakes Aircraft Company
Great Lakes Aircraft Company is an aircraft manufacturer known for the 2T-1A Sport Trainer biplane. The company has a long history of building both private and military aircraft.- Origins :...
biplane and continued climbing to what she believed was an altitude of better than 18,000 feet over the skies of San Diego. This was later recognized as a new official altitude record for women in light planes of 15,718 feet. On February 16, 1930, Ruth Alexander qualified for a United States second-class glider license from the slopes of Mount Soledad, near La Jolla, California. In doing so she followed Anne as the second woman in the United States to achieve this distinction. Ruth made a perfect flight using a primary glider lasting 2 minutes, 33 and 2/5 seconds. On July 4, 1930, Ruth Alexander flew her Barling NB-3 light aircraft (serial number 52, U.S. Department of Commerce registration number 880M) to 21,000 feet, however this was an unofficial record. In the spring of 1930, she became a glider instructor and, in so doing, became the first woman in the United States to hold this position.
On July 11, 1930, Ruth took off at 1:34 p.m. in the Barling from Lindbergh Field. After briefly losing consciousness at extreme altitudes, she established a new world record in light planes (both men and women) of 26,600 feet at the apex of the flight. The American record held prior to Ruth’s flight was set by D. S. Zimmerly (male) at an altitude of 24,074 feet over St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
on February 16, 1930.
Death
Ruth Alexander died when her NB-3 Barling struck a hillside shortly after takeoff on September 18, 1930 from Lindbergh Field, San Diego on a scheduled cross-country flight to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
via Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. She was eulogized as a "pioneer of the airways of this epic age."