Celebrating 100 Years of Female Flight at Farnborough Airshow

Farnborough Airshow attendees are being invited to an exclusive preview of a ground-breaking new book - “The 100 Greatest Women in Aviation” on Wednesday, July 16 at 12 noon. Authors, aviation journalist Liz Moscrop and partner Sanjay Rampal will participate in a photocall at the Aviation Bookshop (next to aircraft static, Site  No. 76, close to the fighter jets near Food Court 2).

Published by Aerocomm, the book mirrors some key 2008 Airshow themes. This year's Farnborough Airshow sees several important aviation anniversaries, including a Century of female flight. A hundred years ago the first women took to the air as passengers in powered aircraft, flown by luminaries such as Wilbur Wright. The book costs £19.99 and there are pre-launch copies available exclusively at the show.

“The 100 Greatest Women in Aviation” is a series of biographies, highlighting the first passengers (Therese Peltier and Mrs Hart O Berg in 1908) through to aspiring present day record breakers such as Jo Kelland, who is aiming to be the youngest ever female airline pilot and Aisha Al Mansoori and Salma Al Balooshi. They made history last year when they became the first female pilots to be recruited by Etihad Airways from the UAE. The book follows progress from early wood and canvas bi-planes to the space age.

International in scope, the book features well-known names such as Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson, as well as forgotten heroines, like Li Xiapeng and Hilda Yan, young Chinese pilots who barnstormed America during World War II to protest against the Japanese occupation of their country.

Liz Moscrop said, “We loved writing this book. There are some epic tales: Jackie Cochrane, the first woman to break the sound barrier; and tragic tales – Caroline Aigle, the promising French fighter pilot, who died of cancer so that her child could live. One of our particular favourites was a fun story – American Pancho Barnes, a minister’s wife who was so bored on Sundays that she ‘buzzed’ her husband’s congregation.”

Liz and Sanjay have thrown down the gauntlet with their book, which they hope will provoke people into choosing their own personal favourite women aviators. British women featured in its pages are (in chronological order): Hilda Hewlett, Mrs Victor Bruce, Amy Johnson, Pauline Gower, Lettice Curtiss, Diana Barnato Walker, Shelia Scott, Anne Welch, Barbara Harmer, Judy Leden, Polly Vacher, Mandy Pantall, Michelle Goodman, Jennifer Murray and Jo Kelland.

As an added bonus to attendees of the preview at Farnborough, Aero Toy Store is gifting a copy of the book to the CEO of every leading company at the show. Aero Toy Store is one of the largest pre-owned corporate aircraft dealers in the world.

Also at 4.45pm on 16th July Liz and Sanjay will also be presenting the first copy of the book to the Royal Aeronautical Society, which is organising a press visit to Britain’s new National Aerospace Library at Farnborough at 15.45pm, departing from the Media centre. The gift copy is to commemorate the opening of such an important historical archive.

See other recent news regarding: Travel News Asia, Promotions, New Hotels, Airshow, Women, Farnborough