Born: 1901 (New York City)
Died: 1960
Biography:
Ruth Rowland Nichols (February 23, 1901 – September 25, 1960) was an American aviation pioneer. She is the only woman yet to hold simultaneous world records for speed, altitude, and distance for a female pilot.
Nichols was born in New York City to Erickson Norman Nichols and Edith Corlis Haines. Her father was a member of the New York Stock Exchange and had served with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. Ruth was sent to the Masters School, a private preparatory school for young women. On her graduation from high school in 1919, her father’s graduation present to her was an airplane ride with Eddie Stinson, Jr., which sparked her interest in becoming a pilot.
After her graduation from the Masters School, she attended Wellesley College, where she studied pre-medical and graduated in 1924. While a student at Wellesley College, Nichols secretly took flying lessons. Shortly after graduation, she received her pilot’s license and became the first woman in the world to obtain a hydroplane license.
Nichols first achieved public fame in January 1928, as the co-pilot for Harry Rogers, her flying instructor, on the first non-stop flight from New York to Miami, Florida. Due to her socialite upbringing and aristocratic family background, Nichols became known in the press as the Flying Debutante, a name she detested.
Following this achievement, Nichols was hired as a sales manager for Fairchild Aviation Corporation. In 1929, she became a founding member of the Ninety-Nines, an organization of licensed women pilots that also included Amelia Earhart.
In August 1929, Nichols and Earhart participated in the Women’s Air Derby, also known as the Powder Puff Derby, which was the first official women-only air race in the United States. The race began in Santa Monica, California, and ended in Cleveland, Ohio. Unfortunately, Nichols crashed during the race while Louise Thaden emerged as the winner, and Earhart finished third in the heavy class.
During the 1930s, while working for Fairchild and other aviation companies, Nichols made several record-setting flights, primarily in a Lockheed Electra plane named New Cincinnati, which was on open loan from millionaire radio industrialist Powel Crosley, Jr. In December 1930, she broke Charles Lindbergh’s record time for a cross-country flight, completing the trip in just 13 hours and 21 minutes.
In March 1931, Nichols set the women’s world altitude record of 28,743 feet (8,760.9 m). The following month, in April 1931, she established the women’s world speed record of 210.7 miles per hour (339.1 km/h) in Detroit.
In June 1931, Nichols attempted to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. However, her daring endeavor ended tragically when she crashed in New Brunswick, severely injuring herself and breaking at least two vertebrae in her back. Despite this setback, she continued to make significant contributions to aviation.
After her recovery, Nichols worked as a flight instructor, a test pilot, and an executive for various aviation companies. She played a crucial role in advocating for the use of airplanes to transport mail, which led to advancements in the aviation industry. Her commitment to the field of aviation helped pave the way for future generations of female pilots.
Ruth Rowland Nichols passed away on September 25, 1960, leaving behind a lasting legacy as an aviation pioneer and a trailblazer for women in a predominantly male industry.