Elinor Smith: Born to Fly

She continuously inspired others to reach for the stars.
In 1930, Elinor Smith was voted, "best female pilot" by her peers, a group that included Amelia Earhart. Smith's aviation records for endurance, altitude and speed in the 1920s and 30s led to worldwide fame.

"I remember so vividly my first time aloft that I can still hear the wind sing in the wires as we glided down," she wrote in her autobiography, "Aviatrix" (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1981). "By the time the pilot touched the wheels gently to earth, I knew my future in airplanes and flying was as inevitable as the freckles on my nose."

An unexpected first for Smith was in 1934, when she became the first woman to appear on a Wheaties cereal box.

In 1928, Elinor Smith, then 16, earned national recognition as the youngest pilot to receive a license from the Federal Aviation Administration. Orville Wright signed her license.

"She is a part of history now and will be that beautiful, excited, young 15-year-old forever," said Jarrett. "That is a history we can each hope for."

Her lecture took place at the Pearl Young Theatre, which was named for the first female professional at Langley -- Pearl I. Young.

"Elinor wowed us all with her energy and joy of life at age 89," said Liz Ward who hosted Smith's visit as the education and outreach lead for Langley's General Aviation Programs. "It's been almost 10 years since she was here, but those who met her would remember. I keep her picture on my office bookshelf to remind me of her example of living life to the fullest."

Smith's visit made a lasting impression on Hank Jarrett, then, manager of the AGATE program. He recalls her eagerness at lunch to get to the Hanger. "She really wanted to get in the planes and see what we were doing with them," he said.

"She was a beautiful, vital woman and I would never have believed she was 89," said Jarrett. "She deserves to be remembered for all the contributions she made to aeronautics and as a
wonderful human being."

Jarrett sent Smith a copy of her book, and she returned it to him with a note in the flyleaf. "I keep the book, her picture and a couple of other special books in the shelf next to my desk," Jarrett said. "I will really miss her, but she is in good company."

Her eventful arrival to Langley was followed by an eventful exit when the vehicle in which she was riding in was hit broadside just outside of the gates of Langley. "I honestly think it is one of the reasons we finally got a new intersection and a light out there," said Jarrett.

"Maybe we should dedicate the gate intersection as the Elinor Smith light," he proposed. For the record, Smith wasn't behind the wheel and wasn't injured.

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