Whirly-Girl #13

Why It Matters

The Whirly Girls illustrate how pioneering women can drive technological adoption and diversity in aviation, a critical factor as vertical‑flight and urban air mobility reshape transportation.

Key Takeaways

• Jean Ross Howard founded Whirly Girls in 1955, uniting women pilots.
• Helicopter evolution stemmed from autogyros, culminating post‑WWII commercial use.
• Larry Bell's Bell 47 offered affordable, easy‑to‑manufacture rotorcraft.
• Sikorsky envisioned helicopters in every garage, a mid‑century flying‑car dream.
• Whirly Girls now provide mentorship, training, and scholarships for pilots.

Summary

The Smithsonian’s Air Space episode spotlights the Whirly Girls, an organization of women helicopter pilots founded in 1955 by Jean Ross Howard. Howard, a former fixed‑wing pilot and wartime aviation enthusiast, gathered the thirteen licensed women pilots of her era to create a network that still thrives today. The program also traces the tangled origins of vertical flight, noting that helicopters emerged from early 20th‑century autogyros and reached practical form by World War II. Key innovators like Larry Bell, whose Bell 47 became the first mass‑produced civilian rotorcraft, and Igor Sikorsky, who famously promised a helicopter in every garage, are highlighted as catalysts for the post‑war boom in medevac, news, and police operations. Jean Ross Howard’s personal narrative provides vivid color: from a high‑school airplane ride in 1913 to a career spanning airline reservations, Red‑Cross service, and finally a Bell‑certified helicopter rating. Her determination led to the inaugural Whirly Girls meeting at Washington’s Mayflower Hotel, where bylaws were typed on borrowed stationery. The episode also features curator Roger Connor’s explanation of advanced air mobility, linking historic vertical‑flight concepts to today’s three‑dimensional urban transport vision. The story underscores how early female aviators broke gender barriers and helped shape a sector now poised for resurgence through electric‑VTOL and urban air‑mobility initiatives. The Whirly Girls’ mentorship, training, and scholarship programs continue to cultivate talent, ensuring women remain integral to the next wave of aerial innovation.

Original Description

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, helicopters were creating quite a buzz. After limited use during World War II, manufacturers ramped up production and enthusiasm for vertical flight soared. Although the dream of “a helicopter in every garage” never quite materialized, more civilian pilots earned their helicopter ratings. One of them was Jean Ross Howard, who became the 13th woman in the world to do so. In 1955, Jean brought together every woman helicopter pilot she could find to form an organization known as the Whirly-Girls.

Today on AirSpace, Matt and Emily take a whirlwind tour of 20th-century helicopter history with the Museum’s curator of vertical flight, before diving into the story of the Whirly-Girls—from their founding and early years to the work the organization continues to do today.

Thanks to our guest in this episode:

• Dr. Roger Connor, Curator of Vertical Flight, National Air and Space Museum

Find the transcript for this episode and more information at s.si.edu/AirSpaceS11E12 (https://s.si.edu/AirSpaceS11E12) .

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AirSpace is made possible with the generous support of Lockheed Martin.