On April 16, 1912, Harriet Quimby landed on a beach in Équihen-Plage, France, becoming the first woman to pilot an aircraft across the English Channel. Navigating with only a compass and a watch, she completed the crossing in 59 minutes, yet her accomplishment was overshadowed by the sinking of the Titanic just one day earlier.
Journalism and Early Career
Born in 1875, Quimby spent her early years in Michigan before moving to San Francisco. She initially explored acting, using the pseudonym Hazel Quimby for theater productions like Romeo and Juliet. By 1902, she shifted to journalism, contributing to the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Call. In 1903, she relocated to Manhattan to serve as a theater critic for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly, where she published over 250 articles.
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Quimby’s interest in flight began after attending the 1910 International Aviation Meet at Belmont Park. She enrolled at the Moisant Aviation School, where Alfred Moisant served as her instructor. On August 2, 1911, she earned Fédération Aéronautique Internationale certificate No. 37, becoming the first woman in the United States to receive a pilot's license. She subsequently joined the Moisant International Aviators exhibition team, touring the United States and Mexico.
Film and Commercial Work
In 1911, Quimby authored seven screenplays produced as silent film shorts by Biograph Studios under director D.W. Griffith. Her writing career complemented her public image as an aviator, which she maintained through commercial endorsements, including advertising for Vin Fiz grape soda. Throughout her aerial exhibitions, she continued contributing as an aviation editor for Leslie’s, authoring articles such as 'The Dangers of Flying and How to Avoid Them.'
The Final Flight
Quimby's career ended abruptly on July 1, 1912, during the Third Harvard-Boston Air Meet held at Squantum Point, Massachusetts. While piloting her aircraft at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet, she suffered a fatal accident. She was 37 years old at the time of her death and was subsequently buried at Kensico Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1875, Arcadia, Michigan
- Died: July 1, 1912, Squantum, Massachusetts
- First American woman to earn a pilot's license: 1911
- Screenwriter for Biograph Studios: 1911
- National Aviation Hall of Fame induction: 2004
- Michigan Women's Hall of Fame induction: 2013
- Burial site: Kensico Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What record did Harriet Quimby hold in 1912?
She was the first woman to successfully fly an aircraft across the English Channel.
What was her primary occupation before becoming a pilot?
She was an established journalist and theater critic for Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly.
Achievements
- Michigan Women's Hall of Fame — 2013
- National Aviation Hall of Fame — 2004
- Worked as aircraft pilot, journalist and screenwriter
