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Amy Johnson ( July 1 , 1903 – January 5 , 1941 ) was a notable English Aviatrix who was born in Kingston Upon Hull . EARLY LIFE Having graduated with a Bachelor Of Arts in Economics from the University Of Sheffield , Amy Johnson went to work in London as secretary to the solicitor William Charles Crocker. She was introduced to flying as a hobby, gaining a pilot's licence at the London Aeroplane Club in late 1929. In that same year, she became the first British woman to gain a ground engineer's license. NOTABLE FLIGHTS She achieved worldwide recognition when, in 1930, she became the first woman to fly from England to Australia . She left Croydon on May 5 of that year and landed in Darwin, Australia on May 24 after flying 11,000 miles. Her aircraft for this flight, a De Havilland Gipsy Moth (registration G-AAAH) named Jason, can still be seen in the Science Museum Of London . She received the Harmon Trophy as well as a CBE in homage to this achievement.
DEATH In 1938, Johnson divorced Mollinson. In 1940, during World War II , she joined the newly formed Air Transport Auxiliary , whose job was to transport Royal Air Force planes around the country. On January 5, 1941, whilst flying an Airspeed Oxford to RAF Kidlington near Oxford , she went off course in poor weather. She drowned after bailing out into the Thames estuary. Although she was seen alive in the water, a rescue attempt failed and her body was lost. She was the first member of the Air Transport Auxilary to die in service. In 1958, a collection of Amy Johnson souvenirs and mementoes were donated by Amy's father to Sewerby Hall . The hall now houses a room dedicated to Amy Johnson in their museum. TRIVIA Her flight to Australia was the subject of a contemporary popular song composed by Horatio Nicholls and recorded by Harry Bidgood, Jack Hylton, Arthur Lally, Arthur Rosebery and Debroy Somers in June 1930. She was the guest of honour at the opening of the first Butlins holiday camp, in Skegness in 1936. She was the subject of a £500,000 question on the UK version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire , in which the contestant failed by answering that the plane she flew solo from England to Australia was called ''Pegasus'' (correct answer is ''Jason''). Scots singer songwriter Al Stewart sings about her in his song "Flying Sorcery" from his Year Of The Cat album. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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