09/01/2026
For this week’s , we celebrate Anne Morrow Lindbergh, a pioneering aviator, author, and aviation advocate whose achievements helped expand the role of women in early aviation.
Anne first became interested in aviation through her husband, Charles Lindbergh, but she soon established an impressive aviation career of her own. In 1930, she earned her glider pilot’s license and later became a licensed airplane pilot, embracing the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly evolving era of flight.
In 1933, Anne and Charles embarked on a landmark aerial expedition across the North Atlantic, flying from New York to Greenland, Iceland, Denmark, and onward to Europe. Anne served as co-pilot, navigator, radio operator, and photographer, demonstrating the technical skill and endurance required for long-distance aviation. She became the first woman to receive the U.S. National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal, recognizing the expedition's accomplishments.
Anne continued flying with Charles on surveying and exploration missions throughout the 1930s. Together, they traveled extensively throughout Asia and the Pacific, helping map potential commercial air routes and gathering information that contributed to the development of international aviation.
Beyond her accomplishments in the cockpit, Anne became an influential writer and thinker. Her 1955 book, Gift from the Sea, became a widely celebrated reflection on women's lives, identity, and the balance between personal and professional aspirations. She also wrote extensively about aviation, exploration, family, and the changing role of women in society.
