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Helene DutrieuBelgian aviator, one of the first female pilots
Date of Birth: 10.07.1887
Country:  Belgium |
Content:
Biography of Hélène Dutrieu
Hélène Dutrieu was a Belgian aviator, one of the first female pilots. She was born on July 10, 1877, in the Belgian city of Tournai. Her brother, Eugène, was one of the leading cyclists in Northern France, and it was through him that Hélène became interested in racing. Before becoming a pilot, Dutrieu participated in bicycle races as part of the "Simpson Lever Chain" group, setting several speed records from 1897 to 1899. She also engaged in motorcycle and automobile sports. However, during a competition in Berlin, she was involved in a car accident and had to undergo six months of treatment.
Early Aviation Career
In December 1908, Dutrieu took her first flight in a light Santos-Dumont "Demoiselle" aircraft and crashed. This incident prompted her decision to become a pilot, and she enrolled in the "Farman" school. She successfully passed her flight exam on August 23, 1910, but her French license was deemed invalid for unknown reasons. She later retook the exam in Belgium on November 25, 1910. In September of the same year, she attracted public attention with her forty-five-kilometer non-stop flight from Blankenberge to Bruges and back. What amazed the audience was that Dutrieu was accompanied by her mechanic, Bo. In 1911, she received a cup from the Italian king at the Florence competition. In the fall, Dutrieu participated in competitions in the United States, where she won a prize for the longest flight.
Aviation Achievements
In 1910, she won the Coupe Femina competition, flying for one hour and seven minutes (the first woman to stay in the air for over an hour!). A few days later, she broke her own record, flying for two hours and thirty-five minutes and covering over 167 kilometers. In 1911, Hélène again emerged victorious, flying 254 kilometers in two hours and fifty-eight minutes. In 1913, for her aerial achievements, she became the first woman to be knighted in the French Legion of Honor.
World Wars and Later Life
During World War I, Dutrieu participated in the defense of Paris against German aircraft attacks. Officially undocumented, it is known from memoirs that she flew as an observer. After the war, she became a driver for a sanitary automobile. During World War II, Dutrieu led a field hospital. In 1922, she married Pierre Mortier, a Frenchman, and acquired French citizenship. Later, she became the vice-president of the Women's Section of the French Aeronautical Club and established a prize of 200,000 francs for women who completed the longest non-stop flight. The first Belgian aviatrix passed away on June 27, 1961.
