Marie Allen, Mary Bobeck, Agnes Nohava and Velma Maul probably
couldn't imagine a day when women would pilot airplanes and perform
aircraft maintenance.
On April 19, 1933, these four women were selected from more than 1,500
applicants to serve as the first flight attendants initially called
stewardesses — for American Airways, which later became American
Airlines. After a three-day orientation, which included an airplane
ride to St. Louis, Missouri, and a briefing on basic inflight issues,
the women took to the air.
During World War II, American dropped its trained nurse requirement
and allowed women with two years of college to work as flight
attendants. The airline also began offering intensive formal training
for its flight attendants and established the American Airlines
Stewardess College in 1957. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, the college
was the world's first facility dedicated to flight attendant training.
In the years since 1933, American expanded job opportunities for
women, who now serve as ticket agents, pilots, mechanics and
executives. Women found their place in the flight deck in 1973, when
American became the first major carrier to hire a female pilot.
Bonnie Tiburzi Caputo, along with 213 men, was recruited from a pool
of 1,800 candidates. After eight weeks of training, Bonnie became a
flight engineer on a Boeing 727 aircraft, the first woman in the
world to earn that designation. At the time, the entrance to the
pilot's lounge read "male crew members only." But on the day of
Bonnie's first flight, a penciled message on the door added, "and
Bonnie, too."
In late 1986, American assigned Beverley Bass, the first woman in
the airline industry to earn captain's stripes from a major airline,
to lead the industry's first all-female crew. Along with co-pilot
Terry Claridge and flight engineer Tracy Prior, Ms. Bass embarked on
a flight from Washington, D.C., to Dallas-Fort Worth.
While women were making an effect in the air, they also were making an
impression on the ground as gate agents and other airline personnel.
The airline industry actively encourages women to become mechanics,
who are in short supply across the country. The company has its share
of women executives as well. In 1951, Carlene Roberts Lawrence was
elected vice president of American, becoming the first woman to hold a
high-ranking office in the airline industry. On Nov. 13, Evita “Evie”
Garces was named the airline's new FAA-certificated Director of
Maintenance (DOM). She made history as the first woman and the first
Latina team member to occupy this position.
From cabin to flight deck, from maintenance hangars to boardrooms,
women have helped shape the legacy and future of American. Their
courage, resilience, and determination continue to inspire the next
generation of aviation professionals. The sky is no longer the limit —
it's just the beginning.
Carlene Roberts Lawrence
Evita "Evie" Garces