Beryl Markham, 1902-1986
Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from
London to North America. Born in England, Beryl spent most of her life in
Kenya. As a young woman, she hitched a ride on an airplane piloted by
well-known, big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton. She got hooked on
flying, and Finch Hatton’s death from a plane crash steeled her resolve to
learn to fly. Soon Beryl received her pilot's license and became the first
woman in Kenya to receive a commercial pilot's license. The
adventuresome Beryl launched another career as bush pilot, flying solo to
deliver supplies, passengers, and mail to remote regions of Kenya. Beryl
returned to England and wanted to be the first to fly solo from London to
New York. However, because the jet-stream travels from west to east
(which “pushed” Lucky Lindbergh along on his historic flight), the flight
from east to west was fraught with risk. In a borrowed airplane with no
radio, Beryl’s nearly completed trip ended in Nova Scotia. Soon
afterwards, she gave up her wings and returned to Kenya to raise and
train horses. Beryl’s memoir about her flying career, West with the Night,
conveys the sense of adventure typified by her remarkable life.
Beryl Markham was the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic from
London to North America. Born in England, Beryl spent most of her life in
Kenya. As a young woman, she hitched a ride on an airplane piloted by
well-known, big-game hunter Denys Finch Hatton. She got hooked on
flying, and Finch Hatton’s death from a plane crash steeled her resolve to
learn to fly. Soon Beryl received her pilot's license and became the first
woman in Kenya to receive a commercial pilot's license. The
adventuresome Beryl launched another career as bush pilot, flying solo to
deliver supplies, passengers, and mail to remote regions of Kenya. Beryl
returned to England and wanted to be the first to fly solo from London to
New York. However, because the jet-stream travels from west to east
(which “pushed” Lucky Lindbergh along on his historic flight), the flight
from east to west was fraught with risk. In a borrowed airplane with no
radio, Beryl’s nearly completed trip ended in Nova Scotia. Soon
afterwards, she gave up her wings and returned to Kenya to raise and
train horses. Beryl’s memoir about her flying career, West with the Night,
conveys the sense of adventure typified by her remarkable life.
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