The flying craze permeated popular culture with films, dolls, games, and songs celebrating aviators.
Pilots like Houdini became popular figures sought after by the emerging newsreel industry.
Katherine Stinson: The Flying School Girl
Early Life and Flight Training
Fourth woman in America to obtain a pilot's license.
Known as the "flying school girl" due to her youthful appearance.
At 21, despite initial rejection from a local flight instructor due to her gender, she convinced him to take her for a trial flight.
Solo flight achieved after just 4 hours of instruction.
Achievements and Milestones
Katherine and her sister Marjorie both qualified as flying instructors.
Katherine became the first woman to perform a loop, successfully completing it over 500 times.
First woman to fly in both China and Japan.
First female certified as an air mail carrier.
In 1918, flew mail to Edmonton, Canada, becoming the first pilot to deliver mail by air in Western Canada and setting a Canadian distance and endurance record.
World War I and Fundraising
Offered her services as a fighter pilot during WWI but was turned down due to her gender.
Flew a Curtis JN 4D Jenny and a Curtis Stinson spia to raise funds for the Red Cross.
Used the right control system with side-mounted levers and top-mounted controls for her stunt flying.
Flying Exhibitions and Competitions
Performed flying exhibitions worldwide, often racing against top cars of the time.
Later Life and Legacy
Contracted tuberculosis in 1920, leading to the end of her flying career.
Transitioned to a career in architecture.
Her achievements in aviation inspired her brothers to establish the Stinson Aircraft Company, which operated for over 30 years.