Maryse Bastié is known for being the first French woman to cross the South Atlantic Ocean on a solo flight. Maryse was born in 1898 into a poor French family. Her father died when she was eleven so she had to start working to provide for her family. She worked in a shoe factory in her youth and had an unsuccessful early marriage that left her with child and little money. Maryse married a World War I pilot, who introduced her to the power of flight. She became very passionate about flight, earning her pilot's license and hoping to buy her own plane. After her husband died in 1926 in an airplane accident, Maryse began performing aerobatics to earn a living. In 1927, she earned enough to buy her first plane, a Caudron C.109 (Maryse piloted a women's duration record of 26 hours and 47 minutes long flight in her C.109 in 1929).
A Caudron C.109 aircraft
By 1935 Maryse opened her flying school at the Orly Airport. She served in the French Air Force during World War II, logging over 3,000 hours in the air, and earning the title Captain. Among a few of her awards are the Harmon Trophy, which she received in 1931, and the honor of being named a commander of the Legion of Honor. In 1952, Maryse died in a airplane accident. As she was taking off, her plane crashed on the airfield. She was buried in Paris.
Maryse Bastié was a hero for future female aviators. She was as passionate about serving her country as other leading male aviators during the war. I was kind of surprised at how involved women during tis time were involved in aviation. Maryse seems very similar to Amelia Earhart, who was also very influential in aviation.
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