Fran Bera (December 7, 1924[1] in Mulliken, Michigan[2] – February 10, 2018),[3] was an American female aviator and record setting pilot.[4] She is the first woman to fly a helicopter without a tail rotor.[5]
Fran Bera | |
|---|---|
 Fran Bera (left) | |
| Born | December 7, 1924 Mulliken, Michigan |
| Died | February 10, 2018 San Diego, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Years active | 1945-1985 |
| Known for | World altitude record for class C-l-d, established in June 1966 in Long Beach, California |
| Awards | The Elder Statesmen Award for Aviation, Winner of the Palm to Pines All Women's Air Race in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005 |
Early life
editFrances Sebastian was born, in 1924, to Hungarian immigrant farmers in Mulliken, Michigan, the youngest of eight children.[2] She graduated from high school in Lake Odessa, Michigan, but was then rejected from the Women Airforce Service Pilots due to her height (4'9'').[2]
She earned her pilot's license at age 16 and became a designated examiner to certify new pilots at age 24.[6] She was the youngest, and one of the first women pilot examiners.[7]
Career
editBera was a test pilot and became the first saleswoman for Piper and Beech aircraft.[8] Fran was a CFII for over 50 years and administered over 3,000 check ride exams for new pilots and advanced rated pilots. She primarily flew fixed wing and helicopters through much of her life. She stopped logging her flight hours after 25,000. A member of the Ninety Nines, she estimated she had spent the equivalent of three years in the pilot's seat. In 1993, she flew her Piper 235 Cherokee from California to Siberia "just for the fun of it".[6] Bera flew her 1966 pink and white Piper Comanche, PA 24 – 260, with “Kick Ass” printed under the tail section, until she was 91 years old.[6][9]
Records and recognition
editBera held a number of aviation records and began winning air races shortly after she began competing in the 1950s. During her race career, she recorded seven wins in the All-Women's Transcontinental Air Races (commonly known as the Powder Puff Derby) in the 1950s[10] as well as seven wins in the Palm to Pines All Women's Air Race.[6]
On July 16, 1966, she set the record for the highest altitude in a normally aspirated aircraft (40,154+ feet in a Piper Aztec) in Long Beach, California. This record remains current as of May 2024.[11]
Additional awards and honors
edit- 2005 - Livingston Award, presented by the Whirly-Girls for contributions to women in helicopter aviation[12]
- 2006 - The Elder Statesman Award for Aviation, presented to her in Washington, D.C. by former Senator Bob Dole[13]
- 2006 - Women In Aviation (WIA) award for outstanding female aviator
- 2006 - Inductee, Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame[14]
- 2006 - FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award[15]
- 2008 - Inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.[16][17]
- 2011 - The Katharine Wright Award for over 50 years in aviation with no aviation accidents or incidents[18]
External links
edit- "Hearts Above Clouds" an aviation documentary about women pilots, featuring Bera.[19]
- C-1d altitude record from Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
References
edit- ^ Welch 1998, p. 18.
- ^ a b c Slotnik, Daniel E. (12 April 2018). "Fran Bera, Competitive, Record-Breaking Aviator, Is Dead at 93". The New York Times. p. A28. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- ^ "SD99s History". San Diego Ninety-Nines. Archived from the original on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
- ^ "Records | World Air Sports Federation". fai.org. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Rowley, Betty (February 1999). "99 Fran Bera has done it all and she just keeps on going and going and going". 99 NEWS MAGAZINE. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
- ^ a b c d Slotnik, Daniel E. (2018-04-11). "Fran Bera, Competitive, Record-Breaking Aviator, Is Dead at 93". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Pilots: Fran Bera". www.aopa.org. 2013-05-08. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Pearlman, Karen (2018-03-22). "Flyovers to honor Fran Bera, 93, jet-setting aviation pioneer". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Pearlman, Karen (2018-03-22). "Fran Bera honored by hundreds in El Cajon". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "AWTAR 1951 race".
- ^ "Records | World Air Sports Federation". fai.org. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Achievement Awards – Whirly-Girls International". Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "NAA: National Aeronautic Association". 2007-06-26. Archived from the original on 2007-06-26. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Pearlman, Karen (2018-03-22). "Flyovers to honor Fran Bera, 93, jet-setting aviation pioneer". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ "Pilots - The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Awards - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov". www.faasafety.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Sprekelmeyer, Linda, editor. These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame. Donning Co. Publishers, 2006. ISBN 978-1-57864-397-4.
- ^ "San Diego Air & Space Museum - Historical Balboa Park, San Diego". sandiegoairandspace.org. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Jetpack. "Katharine Wright Trophy". Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Jensen, Cheantay (2022-05-24). "Long Beach women aviators are the focus of new documentary airing on PBS". the Hi-lo. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
Bibliography
edit- Welch, Rosanne (1998). Encyclopedia of Women in Aviation and Space. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-87436-958-8.
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