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Ellen ChurchSupposedly the world's first flight attendant.
Country:
 USA |
Content:
- Ellen Church - The First Stewardess
- Formation of the First Stewardess Group
- Service During World War II
Ellen Church - The First Stewardess
Ellen Church (1904, Cresco, Iowa - 1965) is believed to be the first stewardess in the world. After completing nursing courses, Church worked at a hospital in San Francisco and privately took flying lessons. In 1929, she offered her services to the airline company "Boeing Air Transit" (now United Airlines). The company managers, who were planning to introduce the position of a steward on passenger flights, took inspiration from German airlines and thought that female stewards would be a successful publicity move. The presence of young women who were not afraid to fly would reassure both passengers and their relatives on the ground. Additionally, nursing skills could come in handy during the flight, especially considering that the low-flying planes of that time experienced significant turbulence, causing discomfort to many passengers.
Formation of the First Stewardess Group
Ellen Church was proposed to recruit a group of seven nurses under the age of 25 and weighing no more than 115 pounds (approximately 52 kg) who were willing to become stewardesses for a decent salary of $125 per month by the standards of that time. After several months of training, the stewardesses began their flights. Church herself made the first flight in this group on May 15, 1930, on the San Francisco - Cheyenne route. The introduction of stewardesses indeed contributed to the popularization of commercial aviation.
Service During World War II
During World War II, Ellen Church served as a nurse on a medical plane, evacuating wounded soldiers from North Africa and Italy, and later on a sanitary train in France. She was awarded several medals for her service. An airport in her hometown of Cresco, Iowa, was named in her honor.
