Who was the most famous female pilot of the early 20th century?

The most famous female pilot of the early 20th century was Amelia Earhart. Her record-setting flights, public advocacy for women in aviation, and mysterious disappearance made her an enduring global symbol of flight.

Earhart became the first woman to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean in May 1932, completing the journey from Newfoundland to Northern Ireland in about 15 hours. She had already crossed the Atlantic in 1928 as a passenger, but the 1932 flight established her as a pilot in her own right. She also set records for solo flights across the United States and other long-distance journeys.

Her fame was amplified by newspapers, books, lectures, and her partnership with publisher George Palmer Putnam. Earhart helped found The Ninety-Nines, an international organization for women pilots, and encouraged women to pursue careers in aviation.

A common mix-up is calling her the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air without qualification: in 1928 she was a passenger, while in 1932 she became the first woman to fly the crossing solo. She disappeared over the Pacific in 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the globe, and was declared legally dead in 1939.