2019-05-24 Fri

The Day was 24th May 1930. Amy Johnson – the British Aviator – landed at Australia, thus becoming the first woman to fly alone to Australia.

Born on 1st July 1903, Amy Johnson finished her education from Sheffield University and began working as a secretary to a London solicitor where she also became interested in flying. Amy began to learn to fly at the London Aeroplane Club. This hobby of hers became an all-consuming determination.

Her first important achievement, after flying solo, was to qualify as the first British-trained woman ground engineer. For awhile she was the only woman G.E. in the world. Soon, she made up her mind to fly solo to Australia and to beat Bert Hinkler's record of 16 days. The fateful day arrived on 5th May 1930, when Amy set off alone in a single engine Gypsy Moth from Croydon.

On the 24th May, Amy landed in Darwin and finished the epic flight of 11,000 miles. She was the first woman to fly alone to Australia. Amy is remembered in many ways, one of which is the British Women Pilots’ Association award — an annual Amy Johnson Memorial Trust Scholarship to help outstanding women pilots further their careers.

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