Margaret Ringenberg
Encyclopedia
Margaret Ray Ringenberg (June 17, 1921, Fort Wayne, Indiana
– July 28, 2008, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
) was an American aviator
, who had logged more than 40,000 hours of flying time during her career.
She became interested in flying as an eight-year-old when she saw a barnstormer
land in a field near her family's farm. She trained at a flight training school and had her first solo flight in 1941 as a 19-year-old. Ringenberg began her aviation career in 1943 during World War II
when she became a ferry pilot with the Women Airforce Service Pilots
(WASP). Although WASP pilots were not allowed to fly combat missions, they served grueling, often dangerous duties, such as ferrying, test flying, and target towing. The WASP corps was disbanded at the end of 1944. Ringenberg went on to become a flight instructor in 1945 and flew as a commercial pilot and instructor for the rest of her life. After the war, she answered phones at an airport.
She began racing airplanes in the 1950s. She raced in every Powder Puff Derby
from 1957 to 1977, every Air Race Classic since 1977, the Grand Prix and the Denver Mile High and many others, garnering over 150 trophies for her accomplishments. She completed the Round-the-World Air Race in 1994 at age 72, and in March 2001 at the age of 79 she flew in a race from London
to Sydney
.
Tom Brokaw
devoted a chapter to Margaret Ringenberg in his book The Greatest Generation. During an interview with Brokaw she said, “I started out flying because I wanted to be a stewardess—you call them flight attendants nowadays—and I thought ‘what if the pilot gets sick or needs help? I don’t know the first thing about airplanes’ and that’s where I found my challenge. I never intended to solo or be a pilot. I found it was wonderful.” Following her death, Brokaw said, in a telephone interview "Margaret was one of my favorites".
She authored her own book titled Girls Can’t Be Pilots. In 1999 she received the NAA
Elder Statesman in Aviation Award in a presentation ceremony in Washington, DC.
Margaret Ringenberg was married to banker Morris Ringenberg in 1946. He preceded her in death in 2003. They had two children and five grandchildren. All of her children have flown with her in races and all have been in the winner’s circle with her to receive trophies.
annual airshow. She was representing the WASPs.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
– July 28, 2008, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
) was an American aviator
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, who had logged more than 40,000 hours of flying time during her career.
Career and accomplishments
Barnstorming
Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, either individually or in groups called a flying circus. Barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of flight...
land in a field near her family's farm. She trained at a flight training school and had her first solo flight in 1941 as a 19-year-old. Ringenberg began her aviation career in 1943 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
when she became a ferry pilot with the Women Airforce Service Pilots
Women Airforce Service Pilots
The Women Airforce Service Pilots and its predecessor groups the Women's Flying Training Detachment and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron were pioneering organizations of civilian female pilots employed to fly military aircraft under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces...
(WASP). Although WASP pilots were not allowed to fly combat missions, they served grueling, often dangerous duties, such as ferrying, test flying, and target towing. The WASP corps was disbanded at the end of 1944. Ringenberg went on to become a flight instructor in 1945 and flew as a commercial pilot and instructor for the rest of her life. After the war, she answered phones at an airport.
She began racing airplanes in the 1950s. She raced in every Powder Puff Derby
Powder Puff Derby
The Powder Puff Derby was the name given to a transcontinental air race for women pilots inaugurated in 1947. For the next two years it was named the "Jacqueline Cochran All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race"...
from 1957 to 1977, every Air Race Classic since 1977, the Grand Prix and the Denver Mile High and many others, garnering over 150 trophies for her accomplishments. She completed the Round-the-World Air Race in 1994 at age 72, and in March 2001 at the age of 79 she flew in a race from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
devoted a chapter to Margaret Ringenberg in his book The Greatest Generation. During an interview with Brokaw she said, “I started out flying because I wanted to be a stewardess—you call them flight attendants nowadays—and I thought ‘what if the pilot gets sick or needs help? I don’t know the first thing about airplanes’ and that’s where I found my challenge. I never intended to solo or be a pilot. I found it was wonderful.” Following her death, Brokaw said, in a telephone interview "Margaret was one of my favorites".
She authored her own book titled Girls Can’t Be Pilots. In 1999 she received the NAA
National Aeronautic Association
The National Aeronautic Association of the United States is a non-profit 501 organization and a member of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale , the international standard setting and record-keeping body for aeronautics and astronautics. NAA is the official record-keeper for United States...
Elder Statesman in Aviation Award in a presentation ceremony in Washington, DC.
Margaret Ringenberg was married to banker Morris Ringenberg in 1946. He preceded her in death in 2003. They had two children and five grandchildren. All of her children have flown with her in races and all have been in the winner’s circle with her to receive trophies.
Death
Ringenberg died in her sleep of natural causes on July 28, 2008 while attending the Experimental Aircraft AssociationExperimental Aircraft Association
The Experimental Aircraft Association is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception it has grown internationally with over 160,000 members and about 1,000 chapters worldwide....
annual airshow. She was representing the WASPs.