'''Helen Richey''' (b. [[1909]] – d. [[1947]]) was a pioneering female aviator and the first woman to be hired as a [[airline pilot|pilot]] by a commercial [[airline]] in the [[United States]].

Richey was born in [[McKeesport, Pennsylvania]]. Her father, Joseph B. Richey, was superintendent of schools in McKeesport from 1902 to 1935.

During her teens, Richey was one of the few girls in McKeesport who wore pants.

She learned how to fly a plane at age 20. Her father bought her a plane when she obtained her pilot's license.

In [[1932]] Richey partnered with another female pilot, [[Frances Marsalis]], to set an endurance record by staying airborne for nearly 10 days, with midair refueling.

Richey won the premier air race at the first National Air Meet for women in [[Dayton, Pennsylvania]] in [[1934]].

[[Capital Airlines|Central Airlines]], a [[Greensburg, Pennsylvania]]–based carrier that eventually became part of [[United Airlines]], hired Richey as a pilot in 1934. She eventually was forced to step down from the [[cockpit]] by the all-male pilots union.

In addition to being the first female commercial airline pilot, Richey also was the first woman sworn in to pilot [[air mail]] and one of the first female [[flight instructor]]s.

After leaving Central Airlines, Richey continued to perform at [[air show]]s. In [[1936]] she teamed with [[Amelia Earhart]] in a transcontinental air race, the [[Bendix trophy|Bendix Trophy Race]]. Richey and Earhart came in fifth, beating some all-male teams.

Richey flew with the [[British Air Transportation Authority]] during [[World War II]].

Richey died in her apartment in [[New York City]], apparently from a pill overdose. Her death was ruled a [[suicide]].

==References==

* [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06250/719481.stm Belser, Ann. (2006, September 7). ''Historic McKeesport aviator to be profiled in documentary''. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

[[Category:Female aviators|Richey, Helen]]
[[Category:Aviators who committed suicide|Richey, Helen]]
[[Category:People from Pennsylvania|Richey, Helen]]
[[Category:1909 births|Richey, Helen]]
[[Category:1947 deaths|Richey, Helen]]