“Well, I guess that’s the last we’ll hear from her.”
October 1, 2014 2:07 PM Subscribe
Geraldine "Jerrie" Mock, the first woman to fly solo around the globe, has died. She was 88 years old. In 1964, housewife and amateur pilot Jerrie Mock took on the task of completing what Amelia Earhart had attempted over a quarter century earlier: flying around the world. To the surprise of many, she was successful.
She began and ended her journey at Port Columbus in Columbus, Ohio, an airport built on a site selected by Charles Lindburgh and where Amelia Earhart had been a passenger on the airport's maiden flight.
She encountered bad weather, mechanical problems, culture clashes, governmental red tape and a husband who at times seemed more concerned with publicity than her safe return, but managed to complete the trip in 29 days. She returned to cheering crowds, media appearances, and the presentation of the FAA's Gold Medal by President Lyndon Johnson.
In the course of her round-the-world flight and subsequent trips, she set these official world records:
1964
* Speed around the world, Class C1-c
* Speed around the world, Feminine
1965
* Speed over a closed course of 500KM, Class C1-b
1966
* Distance in a straight line, Feminine
1968
* Distance in a closed course, Class C1-c
* Distance in a closed course, Feminine
* Speed over a recognized course
1969
* Speed over a recognized course
She also was recognized as first to do the following:
* First woman to fly solo around the world
* First woman to fly around the world in a single engine plane
* First woman to fly U.S. – Africa via North Atlantic
* First woman to fly the Pacific single-engine
* First woman to fly the Pacific West to East
* First woman to fly both the Atlantic and Pacific
* First woman to fly the Pacific both directions
She later wrote a book about her round-the-world flight, Three-Eight Charlie, republished on the 50th anniversary of her trip.
Her Cessna C-180, formally named "Spirit of Columbus" (but nicknamed "Charlie" by Mock in reference to the plane's tail number, N1538C) is on display in the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
She began and ended her journey at Port Columbus in Columbus, Ohio, an airport built on a site selected by Charles Lindburgh and where Amelia Earhart had been a passenger on the airport's maiden flight.
She encountered bad weather, mechanical problems, culture clashes, governmental red tape and a husband who at times seemed more concerned with publicity than her safe return, but managed to complete the trip in 29 days. She returned to cheering crowds, media appearances, and the presentation of the FAA's Gold Medal by President Lyndon Johnson.
In the course of her round-the-world flight and subsequent trips, she set these official world records:
1964
* Speed around the world, Class C1-c
* Speed around the world, Feminine
1965
* Speed over a closed course of 500KM, Class C1-b
1966
* Distance in a straight line, Feminine
1968
* Distance in a closed course, Class C1-c
* Distance in a closed course, Feminine
* Speed over a recognized course
1969
* Speed over a recognized course
She also was recognized as first to do the following:
* First woman to fly solo around the world
* First woman to fly around the world in a single engine plane
* First woman to fly U.S. – Africa via North Atlantic
* First woman to fly the Pacific single-engine
* First woman to fly the Pacific West to East
* First woman to fly both the Atlantic and Pacific
* First woman to fly the Pacific both directions
She later wrote a book about her round-the-world flight, Three-Eight Charlie, republished on the 50th anniversary of her trip.
Her Cessna C-180, formally named "Spirit of Columbus" (but nicknamed "Charlie" by Mock in reference to the plane's tail number, N1538C) is on display in the Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
I had never heard of her -- good OP.
posted by tavella at 2:15 PM on October 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by tavella at 2:15 PM on October 1, 2014 [2 favorites]
Air & Space Magazine published a brief interview with her in May.
posted by djb at 2:49 PM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by djb at 2:49 PM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Linked from the Wikipedia article is this charming essay by her granddaughter. Some great photos there too.
posted by GrammarMoses at 3:59 PM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by GrammarMoses at 3:59 PM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
Also, this is the first I'm hearing of her. Thanks so much for this post!
posted by GrammarMoses at 4:02 PM on October 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by GrammarMoses at 4:02 PM on October 1, 2014 [3 favorites]
I had never heard of her until I saw her story on a recent episode of Broad &High.
As someone who has lived in Columbus for most of my life (just south of you, 1367), that makes me sad.
posted by crumbly at 4:08 PM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
As someone who has lived in Columbus for most of my life (just south of you, 1367), that makes me sad.
posted by crumbly at 4:08 PM on October 1, 2014 [1 favorite]
The number of amateur pilots who've flown small planes around the world is quite small, a few hundred. Doing it solo is even more unusual; Earthrounders lists about 50, of which Ms. Mock was #6. Being the first woman is a singular achievement, but I'm pretty impressed with anyone who's managed it.
Flying over various oceans in a single engine plane is particularly optimistic. I wonder if she did her own maintenance too? One of the hardest things about this kind of trip is the lack of ground support in much of the world. Even getting fuel is a challenge, much less parts or finding a qualified mechanic.
posted by Nelson at 2:02 AM on October 2, 2014
Flying over various oceans in a single engine plane is particularly optimistic. I wonder if she did her own maintenance too? One of the hardest things about this kind of trip is the lack of ground support in much of the world. Even getting fuel is a challenge, much less parts or finding a qualified mechanic.
posted by Nelson at 2:02 AM on October 2, 2014
Nothing to add but I wanted to say thanks for this excellent post. I've a fascination with the great age of air exploration, roughly 1900-1940, and this is right in line with that.
posted by LastOfHisKind at 10:17 AM on October 2, 2014
posted by LastOfHisKind at 10:17 AM on October 2, 2014
Go! Girl! Go!
posted by QueerAngel28 at 4:07 PM on October 2, 2014
posted by QueerAngel28 at 4:07 PM on October 2, 2014
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posted by 1367 at 2:11 PM on October 1, 2014 [5 favorites]