The First Female Commercial Pilot — and How She Changed Aviation
In a time when flying was considered too dangerous for most people, let alone women, one woman stepped into the cockpit and changed aviation history forever.
Her name? Helen Richey.
In 1934, she became the first female pilot hired to fly for a commercial airline in the United States.
What she faced in the sky was turbulent. What she faced on the ground? Even more so.
Who Was Helen Richey?
Born in 1909 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, Helen Richey took to aviation with fierce ambition.
She soloed at age 20, quickly earning her pilot’s license at a time when women made up less than 1% of licensed flyers.
She wasn’t just flying for fun, she set records, performed daring aerobatics, and even flew in women’s air races alongside legends like Amelia Earhart. Richey was known for her fearless flying skills and bold personality, refusing to be grounded by societal norms.
Breaking Into Commercial Aviation
In 1934, Central Airlines (a predecessor to United Airlines) hired Helen Richey to fly mail and passenger routes. She became the first woman in the U.S. to fly a scheduled commercial airliner.
Her aircraft? A Ford Trimotor, affectionately known as the “Tin Goose.”
It was loud, rugged, and had no autopilot. Richey flew the same routes, under the same conditions, as her male counterparts.
And yet, the sky wasn’t the hard part.
The Icy Reception from Male Pilots
Despite her qualifications, Richey faced intense pushback from her male peers and the pilots’ union. They objected to a woman in the cockpit, claiming she wasn’t fit to handle commercial flying.
Under pressure from within the airline and unions, Richey was ultimately forced to resign after just 10 months, despite having a perfect flight record.
Her resignation wasn’t a reflection of her skills, it was a reflection of the era.
But She Didn’t Stop There
Even after leaving commercial service, Richey continued to break new ground:
She became the first woman to co-pilot a commercial airliner on a transcontinental route, flying from New York to San Francisco.
She flew in the Bendix Trophy Race, one of the most prestigious and dangerous air races of the day.
During WWII, she joined the British Air Transport Auxiliary, ferrying military aircraft including Spitfires and bombers across war zones.
Her courage was constant, whether she was flying mail across Appalachia or delivering fighter planes across the Atlantic.
Her Legacy: Opening the Cockpit Door
Helen Richey didn’t just fly, she challenged the norms of who was allowed to.
Though her commercial career was cut short, her impact was lasting. Her story inspired generations of women to pursue aviation careers, even when the industry tried to keep them out.
In 1973, nearly 40 years later, Emily Howell Warner would become the first woman since Richey to be hired as a commercial pilot for a major U.S. airline.
Today, thousands of female pilots around the world are flying because Helen Richey refused to accept the words “you can’t.”