Description

Balloons, parachutes, aeroplanes, gliders, airships –the extraordinary personal tales of the women who led the way in early British aviation!

"A fantastic celebration of the amazing achievement of women in the air and space! All kudos to our foremothers who said 'knickers' to peril and prejudice and went ahead with their ambition regardless." —Dr Alice Bunn CEng, FRAeS, FIMechE, Former International Director at the UK Space Agency

"This lovely book offers a welcome and enjoyable read and provides a timely testament for these unsung pioneers of aviation." —Maggie Appleton MBE, Chief Executive Officer, RAF Museum

"A real celebration of the women who defied tradition and followed their dreams into the sky. Readable and entertaining, this book is a worthy tribute to Britain’s woman aviation pioneers." —Sharon Nicholson FRAeS, Chairwoman of the British Women Pilots’ Association

Just eighteen months after two Frenchmen made the world’s first ever flight, a fearless British woman hopped into a flimsy balloon and flew across the London sky for nearly an hour.

Since then, many other remarkable British women have decided to defy traditional society and follow their dreams to get into the sky. Magnificent Women and Flying Machines tells the stories of the pioneers who achieved real firsts in various forms of aviation: in ballooning, parachuting, gliding, airships and fixed-wing flight – right up to a trip to the International Space Station! Full of entertaining adventure mixed with a wealth of new information, here  is a proper record of Britain’s wonderful women of the air.

About the Author

Sally Smith is a journalist and writer who has worked for Harpers, Daily Mail, BBC News, ABC News in Australia, was named Business Writer of the Year and has had books published by Pelham Books and Rigby Books (Australia). She was British women’s freefall (style) parachute champion; founder and team leader of the world’s first all-girl parachute display team; a member of the British parachute team; member of the Australian ballooning team; was 2nd overall female at world ballooning championships and a commercial balloon pilot. She now lives in Somerset.