Monthly Archives: December 2014

//December
18 12, 2014

Mary S. Feik

Inducted in 2014

First woman aviation engineer

1924-2016

December 17, 2014 – A beautiful day at Wright Brothers National Memorial as Mary S. Feik was honored and her portrait was added to the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine at Wright Brothers National Memorial.

Mary is the first woman aviation engineer.  But Mary did not stop there.  During WWII, Mary became an expert on many military aircraft and is credited with becoming the first woman engineer in research and development in the Air Technical Service Command’s Engineering Division at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio.  She flew more than 6,000 hours as pilot in fighter, attack, bomber, cargo and training aircraft.  She qualified as a B-29 Flight Engineer and was an engineering analyst in test aircraft for flight and maintenance requirements.

She participated in engineering “mock-up” evaluations for new aircraft prop set for production at the various aircraft manufacturing plants to determine flight and maintenance training requirements.  Mary has authored pilot training and maintenance manuals […]