Louise McPhetridge Thaden, a native of Arkansas, has left an indelible mark on the world of aviation, yet remains lesser-known compared to her contemporaries like Amelia Earhart. Born in Bentonville in 1905, Thaden’s love for flying took off after a chance plane ride with a barnstormer. She went on to become the fourth woman in the US to earn a Transport Pilot rating, and set multiple aviation records for women, including altitude, solo endurance, and speed.
Thaden made history by winning the first National Women’s Air Derby, beating out famous aviators such as Earhart. She also made history by becoming the first woman to win the Bendix Transcontinental Air Race, setting a new record from New York to Los Angeles with her co-pilot Blanche Noyes.
Beyond her achievements in aviation, Thaden had a lasting impact on the industry, working with the Bureau of Air Commerce to mark landmarks with navigation signs, and later joining her husband’s engineering company and the Civil Air Patrol.
Thaden’s legacy lives on in Arkansas, where the Bentonville airport was renamed Louise M. Thaden Field in her honor. In 2017, the Thaden School opened in honor of her and her husband, and in 2019, she was inducted into the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame. A breakfast and lunch cafe, Louise, is also named in her honor at the Thaden Fieldhouse.
Louise Thaden passed away in 1979, but her pioneering spirit and accomplishments continue to inspire future aviators and women in her home state and beyond.
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Photo credit www.kark.com
