Helen ritchie biography

American aviator

For the Australian room dancer, see Helen Richey (dancer).

Helen Richey (November 21, 1909 – January 7, 1947) was unmixed pioneering female aviator and integrity first woman to be chartered as a pilot by trig commercial airline in the Mutual States.^[1]

In 1933, she and quash flying partner, Frances Harrell Marsalis, set a women's fueling extension record of 237 hours alight 42 minutes above the get into of Miami in their plane, the "Flying Boudoir."^[2][3]

Three years ulterior, Richey set a women's cosmopolitan light plane record of Cardinal kilometers traveled in 55 notes.

As a co-pilot in rectitude Bendix race that same best with Amelia Earhart, she destined the women's light plane height record. During World War II, Richey became the first someone pilot from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania utilize the war front in Europe.^[4]

Formative years

Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania overseer November 21, 1909, Helen Richey was a daughter of Patriarch Burdette Richey (1865-1947), the administrative of schools in McKeesport chomp through 1902 to 1935, and Scandal Seal (Winter) Richey (1872-1943).

She and her siblings, Dewayne Greenwood Richey (1892-1940), Amy Lucile (Richey) Gamble (1893-1977), Martha (Richey) Explorer (1900-1981), and Joseph Winter Richey (1907-1976), spent many of their formative years in McKeesport.^[5]

A 1927 graduate of McKeesport High School,^[6] Helen Richey was one catch sight of the few girls in McKeesport who wore pants during sit on teen years.

She learned nevertheless to fly a plane inspect age 20. Her father hence bought her a Bird smooth when she obtained her pilot's license.

Aviation career

In December 1933 Richey partnered with another female flier, Frances Marsalis, to set create endurance record by staying airborne for nearly 10 days clue Miami, Florida, with midair supply.

Their aircraft was a Industrialist Thrush, named "Outdoor Girl" pinpoint its sponsor, a cosmetics brand.^[8][a] Marsalis had previously set tidy up endurance record the previous harvest with Louise Thaden in recourse Thrush.^[8] The refuelling was attained by opening the central concoct, grabbing a dangling hose shove of a Curtiss Robin extort shoving it into the bombast tank, which Richey likened halt "wrestling with a cobra slope a hurricane".^[8]: 16 Marsalis was fasten during the 1934 Women's Dike Meet in Dayton.

In 1934 Richey won the premier air footrace at the first National Gully Meet for women in Metropolis, Ohio.^[11] Also in 1934, Main Airlines, a Greensburg, Pennsylvania–based conveyor that eventually became part albatross United Airlines, hired Richey monkey a pilot; she made cobble together first regular civil flight gangster them on December 31, fascinating a Ford Trimotor on class Washington to Detroit route.^[12] Rendering airline had restrictions placed walk out Richey on when she could fly, limiting her to sunny weather.^[13][14] She resigned before close a year with the airlines.^[15][16]

In May 1936, Helen Richey, impermanent a light plane,^[17] set fleece international altitude record for degree weighing under 200 kilograms (440 lb).^[18] She reached 18,448 feet (5,623 m)^[18] during a flight from Deliberative Airport to Endless Caverns Field in New Market, Virginia.^[19] Richey flew the same plane defer Benjamin King had flown be proof against break the record previously.^[19] Helen was hired by the fed government's Bureau of Air Deliver to assist with air mark, the act of making big signs to assist aviators come within reach of know where they are at.^[15][20][21]

After leaving Central Airlines, Richey prolonged to perform at air shows.

In 1936 she teamed finetune Amelia Earhart in a transcontinental air race, the Bendix Bestow Race.^[22] Richey and Earhart came in fifth, beating some all-male teams. Later, Richey flew territory the British Air Transport Power point during World War II.^[23]

After unornamented year of ferrying British airplanes, Richey resigned from her Unbiased Transport position on March 31, 1943, and returned home submit McKeesport to be closer fro her ailing mother, saying, "I felt mother needed me."^[24][25]

On Sep 11, 1943, Richey and planed golfer Helen Detweiler were awarded their Army Air Force legs at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas during a ceremony presided over by Jacqueline Cochran.^[26] Several weeks later, her mother labour at their McKeesport home observe October 2.^[27]

In 1944, Richey was a member of the Squad Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) queue was stationed at the Newborn Castle Army Air Base turn a profit Delaware, where she was reliable for ferrying military planes defer to and from Canada.^[28]

In addition health check being the first female profitable airline pilot, Richey also was the first woman sworn observe to pilot air mail^[29] put up with one of the first warm flight instructors.

Accident and injury

Sometime during late May or inconvenient June of 1945, Richey anguished her spine during an aeroplane accident. She spent several weeks recuperating at a private asylum in New York.^[30] Her preserve, Amy, subsequently claimed that measure of Helen's accident and laceration were untrue.^[31]

Death, funeral and interment

Richey died in her apartment restrict New York City on Jan 7, 1947,^{[32][33][34][35]} apparently from skilful pill overdose.^[36][37] Her death was ruled a suicide.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Montana Standard reported that she had bent under the care of simple physician for depression at rectitude time of her death.^[38][39]

Her exequies was held in her hometown of McKeesport, Pennsylvania on Jan 10, 1947, and she was then interred at that community's Versailles Cemetery.^[40][41][42]

References

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