Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart is probably the world’s most famous aviatrix. A lot of her fame however came, not from her outstanding piloting skills (which, although competent, was at time highly questionable). Nor were her records necessarily any more impressive than those accomplished by other female pilots. This is not at all to minimise her achievements. Simply to highlight why the memories of other aviatrixes have faded into history, whilst Earhart is still a household name.

Largely, her place was sealed in history through her relationship and marriage to Mr George Putnam - one of the most ruthless and cleaver publicists of the time.

Earhart had her own fashion line and designed a luggage chain. For a time she was even the aviation editor of Cosmopolitain magazine - yes aviation often had a section in many newspapers and women’s magazines at the time.