Aviation Career Spanned Six Decades

A pioneer of women in aviation has Gone West. Doris Lockness passed away recently at the age of 106 in Folsom, CA.

The Sacramento Bee reports that Lockness had an aviation career spanned some 60 years, including service in the Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII. She became the 55th woman in the world to earn a commercial helicopter rating, and was also rated in seaplanes, gliders, hot-air balloons and gyroplanes.

WAI named Lockness as one of the 100 most influential women in aviation. She was enshrined in the Women in Aviation Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2002, and was a member of the Smithsonian Institute of Aviation.

She became a flight instructor, and owned nine aircraft over the course of her aviation career, including a Vultee-Stinson warbird "Swamp Angel".

According to WAI, Lockness' "contributions to the promotion and public acceptance of women as pilots in general aviation have been honored by the Ninety-Nines in its "Forest of Friendship" and by the OX-5 Pioneers, which has recognized her with both its Legion of Merit Award, Pioneer Women’s Award and Pioneer Hall of Fame. She has also been honored with the Whirly Girls Livingston Award in 1995, and a certificate of honor from the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), as well as the organization’s Elder Statesman of Aviation Award (1991 and 1995). In 1997 Doris was honored again by the NAA, receiving its Katherine Wright Memorial Award. Doris’ aeronautical achievements have inspired many to set higher goals and stretch to reach them, encouraging countless women over more than seven decades to put on their wings and fly."

FMI: www.wai.org/pioneers/2002/doris-lockness