The changing role of women in aviation

For Bev Hartsock, aviation offered a chance to see the world beyond her backyard in the tiny village of Kenney.

Bev was one of many Midwesterners referred to us by her friends who knew her dream of learning to fly.  People we talked to during research for our exhibit and later, a book on aviators and aviator lovers, were eager to tell us Bev’s story. After all, isn’t there something daring and magical about people who want to fly?

 

Bev graduated high school in the 1950’s during a time of limited career opportunities for women. After her goal of going to flight school was set aside for financial reasons, Bev looked at becoming a stewardess.

“I wasn’t interested in getting married, being a teacher or any of the other options open to most women,” Bev told me over a cup of coffee at her kitchen table.

Bev’s story, included in Prairie Flyers of Central Illinois: A Century of Aviation in America’s Heartland, illustrates the rise and fall of women’s efforts to earn a living in the field of aviation. Bev found her way to a career with Ozark Airlines in an unexpected, behind the scenes job.  Her story will resonate with women who experienced similar challenges on their way to living the dream of a career in aviation.