CONVERGENCE MAR-APR2017

TURI WIDERØE
APRIL 30
Chronicles
Picture by Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)
NORWAY'S FIRST FEMALE
PILOT MAKES HISTORY!
Aviation was in her blood but
Norwegian Turi Widerøe did a short
stint designing magazine pages before
she finally realised her true calling was
to fly the skies.
of aeronautics for the year. She also
received the Amelia Earhart medal,
given by Ninety-Nines, an international
organisation of women pilots founded
by Amelia Earhart.
After getting her professional pilot
license in 1967, she worked with her
family's airline, Widerøe, a regional airline
founded by her father and operating in
Nordic countries since 1934.
But, Turi made headlines across the
Western world in 1969. She was
Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)'s
first female pilot and the first woman
to fly for a Western airline.
On 30 April 1969, she flew her first
scheduled flight. In the same year, she
was awarded the Harmon International
Trophy for outstanding international
achievement in the arts and or science
During her career, Turi flew the Convair
440 Metropolitan, SAS's jet aircraft, the
Caravelle and the DC-9.
After 10 years at SAS, she retired and
became a radio journalist before
returning to publishing and corporate
communications. She has also
illustrated books and has a master’s
degree in history from the University of
Tromsø in Norway.
Oslo-born Turi turns 80 this year. Her
first officer’s uniform is on display at the
National Air and Space Museum in
Washington DC, United States.
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