FIRST-CLASS NAVIGATOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22318, 16 January 1936, Page 3

FIRST-CLASS NAVIGATOR

WOMAN FLIER'S RECORD Miss Pauline Gower told me to-night, in the home of her father, Sir Robert Gower, at Sandown Court, that she had just had from the Air Ministry the greatest news of her life, states a writer in the Daily Telegraph of December 10.

She had received the Air Ministry's first-class air-navigation certificate, i a unique distinction, for she is the only woman to hold that diploma. She also told me that yesterday she piloted her 20,000 th passenger. In 1930 Miss Gower and Miss Dorothy Spicer formed a company under the style of "Air Trips, Limited." Realising that there might be prejudice against the employment of women as pilots —particularly young girls—they employed themselves. They took out amateur pilot's certificates and bought a three-seater biplane. Obtaining further certificates, they rented a field in Berkshire and began to take up passengers in air taxis. They lived in a caravan and flew from morning to night. Now they own two aeroplanes and a flourishing air taxi business. They are getting more machines. She paid a great tribute to Captain Gerald Ferguson, of Heston, who instructed her and helped her to acquire the knowledge which enabled her to obtain the Air Ministry's first-class certificate. "Captain Ferguson was most patient with me," she said, "and I owe him a great debt of gratitude." Miss Dorothy Spicer, her partner, was the first woman in the world to secure the Air Ministry's certificate for aviation constructional engineering.