[Fall 2004] Dorothy Rungeling has published her
fourth book "Life and Works of Ethelwyn Wetherald".
Congratulations, Dorothy!
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Dorothy Rungeling at her latest book signing.. |
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Dorothy
Wetherald Rungeling, C.M.
Ridgeville, Ont.
Member of the Order of Canada
Once billed as
"Canada's Flying Housewife", she dared to challenge convention and
secured a place in aviation history. From her base at the Welland
Airport, she earned her pilot's licence in 1949, followed by her
commercial licence in 1951, instructor's certification in 1953,
her senior commercial pilot's licence in 1954 and her Airline
Transport Licence in 1958. She was the first woman in Canada to
hold the ATL. In addition, she became the first Canadian woman to
conduct a solo helicopter flight. Her life-long passion has been
to promote the safety of flying when private aviation was still in
its infancy and to interest women in learning to fly. Now in her
90s, she remains active as a writer, having published two books in
the last two years, and is an instructor of computer skills to
senior citizens.
DOROTHY WETHERALD RUNGELING (Article written by
Shirley Allen)
Dorothy Rungeling- one of the first 99s, East Canada Section
Governors (photo: courtesy of The Dorothy Rungeling Collection)
Dorothy was one of Canada’s most illustrious
women pilots in the early fifties. She served as Governor, East
Canada Section for two terms, yet very little mention can be found
in the 99s International History books of this remarkable lady who
opened many doors for women in aviation, particularly in the world
of Air Racing.
Dorothy owned her own motorcycle. She was active
in trap and skeet shooting, she also trained horses. She held both
Canadian and American horse show judging licenses. Then she
discovered flying! After her first white knuckled plane ride with
her husband and 4 year-old son in 1948, she signed up at the Welland
Flying Club and soloed in five and a half hours, obtaining her
licence P-237 in August, 1949. Her husband, Charles, who was her
greatest supporter, gave her a 2-place Luscombe Silvaire 8A (cost
$2,500 new, in 1949) which she traded a year later for a 4-place
Piper PA 20 to fly her first long distance flight to Cuba in 1950,
in order to build hours.
There was no stopping her now, she got her
Commercial Licence in 1951 and flew her first International Air
Race, the Angel Derby, from Orlando, Fla. to Windsor, Ontario.
Dorothy flew with many well-known Canadian women pilots - Lorna
deBlicquy, Felicity McKendry and others. (The only other Canadian
entry in the 1951 Angel Derby was Margaret Carson who won this race,
with Betty McCanse as her Co-Pilot.) In 1952, Dorothy placed 2nd
out of 25 entries, flying another Air Race from St. Augustine, Fla.
To Welland, Ontario. She was involved in getting this and other
International Races to come to Welland.
In 1953 Dorothy got her Instructor’s Rating and
flew her Piper Pacer solo to win the Governor General’s Cup A
26-mile closed course around 5 pylons off shore at the National Air
Show in Toronto. (There were 10 entries, she was the only woman
pilot.)
Above, Dorothy, winner of the 1953 and 1956
Governor General's Cup (photo, courtesy of S. Allen Collection)
She chaired all International Air Races which
either started or finished in Canada - there were five.
Above, Dorothy Rungeling, Lorna deBlicquy,
Betty McCanse and Marg Carson, in front of Dorothy's Piper Pacer,
on the way to the 1953 Angel Derby (from Florida to Windsor)
(photo, courtesy of Dorothy Rungeling Collection)
In the 1950s as a Flt Lieutenant, she taught aviation to the Girl
Guides.
She was one of three women in Canada to obtain a
Senior Commercial Licence on August 19, 1954 In 1955 she added a
multi engine Rating then flew a Tri-Pacer from Washington, D.C. to
Havana, Cuba in another International Air Race and a
Transcontinental Air Race (AWTAR) from California to Massachusetts
(the only Canadian plane in the race) Dorothy placed 3rd
in the Governor General’s Cup that same year (1955) - again, the
only woman pilot in the race!
In 1956 Dorothy was named CANADA’S AVIATRIX OF
THE YEAR" She won the Governor General’s Cup for the SECOND time and
flew two more Races, one from California to Michigan, another from
Hamilton, Ont. to Havana Cuba.. She chaired the Race from Hamilton
and received a Good Luck Feather from the Six Nations Tribe Chief.
(She came in 4th)
Above, Evelyn Garfield, Hettie Hutchinsen,
Dorothy Rungeling, and Eugenia Haise (Intl President, 99s) in
1957, in front of Dorothy's Bonanza. (Photo, courtesy Felicity
McKendry)
Dorothy was now flying a Cessna 170 and a 172.
Two years later she traded up to a Beech Bonanza G35 CF-KKD. January
23rd 1958 she was the first woman in Canada to achieve a
Class I Instrument Rating, then an Airline Transport Licence
YZA-815, she was the only woman in Canada with an ATL at that time.
She topped off the year by going solo in a Bell G2 Helicopter after
4 ½ hours instruction.
A formidable list of flying achievements!
(N.B. The International Air Races listed above,
were all limited to women pilot participants. Otherwise known as
Angel Derbies, AWTAR and the famous Powder Puff Derbies. The Powder
Puff was flown for the last time in 1976, Ska))
During these busy years, Dorothy Rungeling wrote
about the Air Transport Industry in her weekly aviation column in
the Welland Tribune. She wrote a series of "HOW TO FLY" articles and
had many others published in Canadian and American magazines. Won a
nation wide contest for Aviation Writing, run by the A.I.T.A
(Airlines Industry and Transport Association)
She was a well-known speaker at Rotary and
Kinsmen functions.
One of her dreams was to own a Charter Flying
business at Welland Airport, but when it wasn’t feasible she
continued to boost aviation and started a crusade to get Welland air
marked on the huge roof of Atlas Steels, near the Airport. This was
the very FIRST air marking in Eastern Canada (1959) Dorothy’s next
mission was to SAVE the Airport which was running into severe
financial difficulties. She was appointed Business Manager of the
Flying Club. The Club survived and so did the Airport, flourishing
to this day.......
This intrepid lady pilot was truly the embodiment
of all that COPA represents.
In the Sixties, Dorothy continued to fly, but as
she once said to me every now and then, one has to get "re-potted"
and pursue other interests. Her flying licenses lapsed in 1975 and
she traded flying for sailing, celestial navigation, politics and
painting.
The First Canadian Chapter awarded her an Amelia
Earhart Medallion in the early 80's in recognition of all her many
aviation achievements over the years.
She was inducted into the International Forest of
Friendship, Atchison, Kansas in 1999, sponsored by her husband
before he died. This, she said, was the last of his wonderful gifts
to her.
She is still a very active person, has an
overwhelming interest in computers, teaches Seniors, plays bridge
on-line with people all over the world and has just had a book
published "The Road to Home" (tales of rural life in the early
1900's.) Dorothy will be 91 this year, has one son, 3 grandsons, and
four great grandchildren.
"LAST FLIGHT"
I’ve flown beneath the moon and stars
And felt the night’s sweet kiss
But all the while I wondered
What’s beyond all this?
So when I break Earth’s tethers
For that last fantastic flight
I’ll soar above the stars and moon
And look down at the night
d.r.
