Fran Bera
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Fran Bera | |
|---|---|
 Fran Bera (left) | |
| Born | Frances Sebastian December 7, 1924 Mulliken, Michigan |
| Died | February 10, 2018 San Diego, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Years active | 1945-1985 |
| Known for | World altitude record for class C-l-d, established in June 1966 in Long Beach, California |
| Awards | The Elder Statesmen Award for Aviation, Winner of the Palm to Pines All Women's Air Race in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2005 |
Fran Bera (December 7, 1924[1] in Mulliken, Michigan[2] – February 10, 2018),[3] was an American female aviator and record setting pilot.[4] She is the first woman to fly a helicopter without a tail rotor.[5]
Early life[edit | edit source]
Frances Sebastian was born, in 1924, to Hungarian immigrant farmers in Mulliken, Michigan, the youngest of eight children.[2] She graduated from high school in Lake Odessa, Michigan, but was then rejected from the Women Airforce Service Pilots due to her height (4'9'').[2]
She earned her pilot's license at age 16 and became a designated examiner to certify new pilots at age 24.[6] She was the youngest, and one of the first women pilot examiners.[7]
Career[edit | edit source]
Bera was a test pilot and became the first saleswoman for Piper and Beech aircraft.[8] Fran was a CFII for over 50 years and administered over 3,000 check ride exams for new pilots and advanced rated pilots. She primarily flew fixed wing and helicopters through much of her life. She stopped logging her flight hours after 25,000. A member of the Ninety Nines, she estimated she had spent the equivalent of three years in the pilot's seat. In 1993, she flew her Piper 235 Cherokee from California to Siberia "just for the fun of it".[6] Bera flew her 1966 pink and white Piper Comanche, PA 24 – 260, with “Kick Ass” printed under the tail section, until she was 91 years old.[6][9]
Records and recognition[edit | edit source]
Bera held a number of aviation records and began winning air races shortly after she began competing in the 1950s. During her race career, she recorded seven wins in the All-Women's Transcontinental Air Races (commonly known as the Powder Puff Derby) in the 1950s[10] as well as seven wins in the Palm to Pines All Women's Air Race.[6]
On July 16, 1966, she set the record for the highest altitude in a normally aspirated aircraft (40,154+ feet in a Piper Aztec) in Long Beach, California. This record remains current as of May 2024.[11]
Additional awards and honors[edit | edit source]
- 2005 - Livingston Award, presented by the Whirly-Girls for contributions to women in helicopter aviation[12]
- 2006 - The Elder Statesman Award for Aviation, presented to her in Washington, D.C. by former Senator Bob Dole[13]
- 2006 - Women In Aviation (WIA) award for outstanding female aviator
- 2006 - Inductee, Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame[14]
- 2006 - FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award[15]
- 2008 - Inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.[16][17]
- 2011 - The Katharine Wright Award for over 50 years in aviation with no aviation accidents or incidents[18]
External links[edit | edit source]
- "Hearts Above Clouds" an aviation documentary about women pilots, featuring Bera.[19]
- C-1d altitude record from Fédération Aéronautique Internationale.
References[edit | edit source]
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Welch 1998, p. 18.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2
- ↑ SD99s History. Retrieved 3 March 2018 from San Diego Ninety-Nines
- ↑ Records | World Air Sports Federation. Retrieved 2024-05-22 from fai.org
- ↑
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3
- ↑ Pilots: Fran Bera. (2013-05-08) Retrieved 2024-05-22 from www.aopa.org
- ↑ Flyovers to honor Fran Bera, 93, jet-setting aviation pioneer. Karen Pearlman. (2018-03-22) Retrieved 2024-05-22 from San Diego Union-Tribune
- ↑ Fran Bera honored by hundreds in El Cajon. Karen Pearlman. (2018-03-22) Retrieved 2024-05-22 from San Diego Union-Tribune
- ↑ AWTAR 1951 race. Retrieved from link
- ↑ Records | World Air Sports Federation. Retrieved 2024-05-22 from fai.org
- ↑ Achievement Awards – Whirly-Girls International. Retrieved 2024-05-22 from link
- ↑ NAA: National Aeronautic Association. (2007-06-26) Retrieved 2024-05-22 from link
- ↑ Flyovers to honor Fran Bera, 93, jet-setting aviation pioneer. Karen Pearlman. (2018-03-22) Retrieved 2024-05-22 from San Diego Union-Tribune
- ↑ Pilots - The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Awards - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-22 from www.faasafety.gov
- ↑ Sprekelmeyer, Linda, editor. These We Honor: The International Aerospace Hall of Fame. Donning Co. Publishers, 2006. <templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>ISBN 978-1-57864-397-4.
- ↑ San Diego Air & Space Museum - Historical Balboa Park, San Diego. Retrieved 2024-05-22 from sandiegoairandspace.org
- ↑ Katharine Wright Trophy. Jetpack. Retrieved 2024-05-22 from link
- ↑ Long Beach women aviators are the focus of new documentary airing on PBS. Cheantay Jensen. (2022-05-24) Retrieved 2024-05-22 from the Hi-lo
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- 1924 births
- 2018 deaths
- American women aviators
- People from Eaton County, Michigan
- Aviators from Michigan
- 21st-century American women
- American people of Hungarian descent
- American test pilots
- Flight instructors
- Aviation record holders
- Aviation records
- Air racing champions
- Air racers
- Hall of fame inductees
- Women helicopter pilots