By : A hundred years ago last month, pioneering aviatrix Katherine Stinson became the first woman to fly for the U. S. Post Office airmail service, which began with a route between New York and Washington in May 1918. In those days the Post Office operated its own airplanes because there were few commercial airlines.
Authors Janet and Michael Bednarek describe the incident in their 2003 book Dreams of Flight as follows: “On September 26, 1918 Stinson, along with an escort pilot and plane flew the mail route between Washington, D. C. and New York City. The next day she and an escort flew back to Washington. Her flight failed to permanently break the gender barrier barring women from flying the mail. For reasons never explained Katherine Stinson resigned immediately after her one and only airmail flight.”
The matter is remembered differently by Benjamin Lipsner, who was the Washington-based manager of the service. While he was busy planning new routes, the aviatrix arrived in his office one day and announced, “I am Katherine Stinson and I would like to fly the mail.” Dozens of male pilots had already applied to Lipsner through normal channels.
Authors Janet and Michael Bednarek describe the incident in their 2003 book Dreams of Flight as follows: “On September 26, 1918 Stinson, along with an escort pilot and plane flew the mail route between Washington, D. C. and New York City. The next day she and an escort flew back to Washington. Her flight failed to permanently break the gender barrier barring women from flying the mail. For reasons never explained Katherine Stinson resigned immediately after her one and only airmail flight.”
The matter is remembered differently by Benjamin Lipsner, who was the Washington-based manager of the service. While he was busy planning new routes, the aviatrix arrived in his office one day and announced, “I am Katherine Stinson and I would like to fly the mail.” Dozens of male pilots had already applied to Lipsner through normal channels.