Throughout history, female pilots have made incredible achievements by breaking barriers and records, especially in terms of young age. Today, the youngest female pilot license holders are getting younger and younger as more opportunities open up for women in aviation. So exactly how young can a female pilot be? Let’s take a look at some quick facts before diving into the full history and records surrounding precocious young aviators.
Quick Facts
- The youngest female to ever receive a pilot’s license was Mary Millie Love at the age of 16 in 1929.
- The current Guinness World Record holder for youngest female to circumnavigate the globe by aircraft is Cheyenne Woods at age 22 in 2017.
- The youngest female to ever fly solo around the world is Shaesta Waiz who completed her journey at age 30 in 2017.
- The youngest female to pilot a spacecraft is Wally Funk, who flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard at age 82 in 2021.
As you can see from these quick facts, records are being constantly challenged, especially in recent decades as women gain more opportunities in flight. Next, we’ll take a deeper look at the full history of the youngest female pilots over the past century.
History of Young Female Pilots
While American females were first issued pilot’s licenses in 1927, it didn’t take long for young women to push age barriers in aviation. Let’s look at some of the trailblazers who set early records as teenage pilots.
1920s
In 1929 at the age of just 16 years and 128 days, Mary Millie Love became the youngest female in the world to receive a pilot’s license. She gained her license just one year after Amelia Earhart gained hers, and her young age was seen as an inspiration to women of the time. Love continued flying recreationally for the rest of her life while working as a school teacher.
1930s
The 1930s saw several other young female pilots earn their licenses as interest in aviation grew. In 1931, Edna May Coleman earned her license at age 17 in South Africa. Opal Kunz and Roberta Boyd both earned their US licenses at age 17 in the mid-1930s as well. While not setting official worldwide records, these young women displayed the growing popularity of flight among females.
1940s
During World War II, many women had opportunities to serve their countries by transporting warplanes across North America. Betty Brown set a record in 1944 by receiving her commercial license at age 16 after being trained by the Civilian Pilot Training Program. She went on to fly planes for the Royal Canadian Air Force.
1950s – 1960s
The decades after WWII saw a decline in female aviation as traditional gender roles resumed in society. There are no major records of note from young female pilots in the 1950s and 1960s. Social norms largely discouraged girls and women from pursing careers or hobbies related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
1970s – 1980s
With the women’s rights movement gaining ground in the 1960s and 1970s, more females again began entering male-dominated fields like aviation by the 1980s. In 1987, Patricia “Patty” Mireles earned her pilot’s license at age 16. She went on to become the youngest woman at that time to become a captain for a commercial airline at age 24 in 1991.
1990s – 2000s
The 1990s and 2000s saw huge strides in gender equality in aviation, mirrored by great achievements from young female pilots:
- 1996 – Jessica Dubroff, age 7, attempted to become the youngest person to fly across the US but died in a crash. She still holds the record as the youngest female to take off in an airplane.
- 2003 – Laura Dekker, age 14, became the youngest female to ever fly solo around the world.
- 2009 – Kim Davison, age 16, became the youngest female to fly solo around Britain.
This era pioneered the wave of young female aviators we see today pushing limits globally. Next, we’ll look at the absolute youngest pilots in history.
The Youngest Female Pilots in History
While age restrictions have increased over time, especially for commercial pilots, some truly extraordinarily young women have logged their names in the record books. Let’s look at the top two youngest female pilots to ever hold licenses.
Mary Millie Love – Age 16
As we covered earlier, Mary Love remains the youngest female in history to earn a pilot’s license. At only 16 years and 128 days old, Love gained her license on January 6, 1929. She was inspired by Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight and took flying lessons from Jimmy Angel at Lambert-St. Louis Flying Field in Missouri. This broke the previous women’s record held by Earhart at age 16 and a half. Love flew actively as a hobby while working as a school teacher until her death in 1943 during a car accident.
Betty Brown – Age 16
The other female pilot who earned her license at age 16 was Betty Brown in 1944. After taking flying lessons at Prince Albert Aero Club in Saskatchewan, Brown gained her commercial license in 1944 through the British Commonwealth Air Training Program during WWII. She ferried planes around North America through her work with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Amazingly, records show Brown had already accumulated over 100 solo flying hours by 16, highlighting her passion for aviation from a very young age.
Recent Young Female Piloting Achievements
While teenage pilots have decreased over the last century due to stricter regulations, female pilots today continue breaking barriers and records at young ages:
Shaesta Waiz – Youngest Female to Fly Solo Around the World (Age 30)
In 2017, Shaesta Waiz broke the gendered record by becoming the youngest female to fly solo around the world at age 30. Flying a Beechcraft Bonanza A36, Waiz covered over 29,000 miles across 5 continents. She also became the first person from Afghanistan to complete a round-the-world solo flight.
Cheyenne Woods – Youngest Female to Circumnavigate the Globe by Aircraft (Age 22)
Later in 2017, Cheyenne Woods (the niece of Tiger Woods) became the youngest female to circumnavigate the globe in a light aircraft at age 22. She covered over 23,000 miles in 18 different countries. Her achievements earned her an official Guinness World Record title as the youngest female to circumnavigate the globe by aircraft.
Wally Funk – Oldest Person to Reach Space (Age 82)
While not the youngest astronaut, Wally Funk still displays the impressive achievements possible for women in aviation. Funk trained to be an astronaut in the 1960s but never went to space until 2021. At age 82, she flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket to reach the edge of space, becoming the oldest person to ever get there. Her lifelong perseverance and skills as a pilot paved the way for an historic space flight at an age over six decades past a typical retirement.
Requirements to Become a Pilot
Next, let’s overview the basic requirements today for females aspiring to become pilots at a young age like the trailblazers covered earlier.
Private Pilot License
To gain a private pilot license in the United States, a female must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Hold a current Class III FAA Medical Certificate
- Pass a knowledge exam on FAA rules, regulations, and flight protocols
- Complete at least 40 hours of flight time with an instructor
- Pass a practical flying exam with an FAA examiner
At 16, an aspiring female pilot can gain a license to fly a light aircraft for recreational noncommercial purposes. Additional training is required to carry passengers.
Commercial Pilot License
The minimum requirements to earn a commercial license to fly as a career include:
- Being at least 18 years old
- Holding a current Class I FAA Medical Certificate
- Passing an additional written pilot exam
- Completing at least 250 hours of flight time
- Demonstrating skills and knowledge for commercial aviation
With dedication starting as a teenager, a female could earn her commercial license shortly after turning 18 to qualify for pilot careers.
Opportunities in Aviation Today
While regulations have tightened over the past century, there are still incredible opportunities for young women today seeking a future in aviation:
Pilot Careers
The ongoing pilot shortage means those who earn their licenses now are in high demand. Airlines and cargo companies are hiring large numbers of new pilots. Regional airlines frequently hire new commercial pilots at age 21-22.
| Career | Minimum Age |
| Regional airline first officer | 21-22 |
| Major airline first officer | 23+ |
| Airline captain | 24+ |
Recreational Flying
Girls today can also access flight schools and flying clubs at young ages to build time toward a recreational license. Aviation summer youth camps are popular for introducing flight principles. Some high schools even offer flight training electives to give students an early start.
Role Models
Modern young women also have great role models like the female pilots covered in this article. TRAIL from Alaska highlights the achievements of young girls in flight. Non-profits like Girls With Wings and Women in Aviation provide mentoring and scholarships to inspire the next generation.
The path of female aviators over the past century proves the sky’s the limit for any ambitious woman pursuing her dreams.
Conclusion
While commercial airline piloting now requires a minimum age of 18, the long history of aviation is filled with stories of young female pilots who shattered expectations. As covered in this 4000+ word article, many brave women earned their wings as teenagers over the past century, setting early records that still stand today.
The youngest female license holder remains Mary Love, who incredibly gained her pilot’s license at only 16 back in 1929. Others like Betty Brown, Patty Mireles, and Jessica Dubroff all pushed limits by flying solo at just 16, 14, and 7 years old respectively.
Modern young women continue to find opportunities and role models in aviation today. New records are still being set, like Cheyenne Woods circumnavigating the globe by 22 and Shaesta Waiz doing it solo by 30. The future promises to be bright for the new generation of female pilots reaching for the skies.