03/08/2024
In honor of Women's History Month, we would like to highlight the first female test pilot, Alma Heflin.
Alma's story began as a child when she witnessed the emergency landing of a small plane in a field near her home. That experience inspired her to become a pilot, and after earning her bachelors degree in education in 1936, she qualified as a private pilot. Soon after, she purchased a new Piper and traveled to Lock haven, PA, to take delivery.
She impressed the founder William T. Piper. And as a result he offered her an apprentice mechanic position. Initially she was ground crew but eventually she moved into sales and began flying the aircraft around the country to potential buyers. She flew extensively and attended air shows and other events.
In 1940 she and Margie McQuin took Heflin's Piper J-4 across country to Alaska. It took the pair 13 days to cross the United States. On her return Heflin committed to helping the war effort by becoming the test pilot for the Piper O-59 Grasshoppers being produced in Lock Haven for the United States Army. She took her first test flight on 12 November, 1941. As a result she is believed to be the first female commercial test pilot in history.
I became a helicopter test pilot almost 50 years to the day after Alma! Thanks form paving the wave for us!!!
Exciting to be particioating again in the Women in Internation Aviation conference and seeing “old” and new friends and hanging out with my Women in Military Aviation!!
