Out in the mist on that fog-laden day of April 15, 1912, something else was happening while the Titanic sank deep into the Atlantic Ocean. As the ship went down into the ocean’s darkest deep - a pilot yearned to venture up where few had gone and little was known. Harriet Quimby prepared herself and her plane to claim the record for the first female to pilot across the English Channel. Quimby already earned the title of first American woman to earn a pilot’s license and now she was off on another adventure.

Inclement weather delayed her flight for many days and she waited for it to clear before attempting the daring feat. It was a dangerous journey in a new era of aeronautics particularly with the icy water of the treacherous North Sea looming nearby. Further west on the same coast of England, where Quimby began her flight, the Titanic started its fated journey across the icy North Atlantic Ocean. On April 16, 1912, as news of the Titanic spread across the Headlines, Harriet Quimby crossed the English Channel from Dover in England, to Calais in France. Her successful adventure was overshadowed by the dreadful loss of life on the mighty Titanic.

For her bold crossing she flew a 50 horsepower single-seat Bleriot XI monoplane borrowed from Luis Bleriot. She had hopes of purchasing a two-seat 70hp Bleriot from France but none were available. Anxious to avoid rumors of her activities and the risk that someone would beat her to the task; she planned in secret. Fellow pilot Gustov Hamel had recently flown across the channel with a woman passenger dashing Quimby's hope of claiming first woman to cross. He offered to fly for her in disguise but she declined. She did however accept his services checking her plane's readiness and the use of a compass. This new tool allowed her to keep course in the heavy fog and avoid the threat of the North Sea.

Harriet Quimby was born May 11, 1875, in Michigan. She relocated to San Francisco, California around the turn of the 20th century. Quimby never married nor had any children. Before her flying days an interest in journalism brought her to New York where she got a job working at Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. There she developed a name and a flair for expression as a photojournalist.

One day in October of 1910 she received an invitation to go to the Belmont Park International Aviation Tournament on Long Island in New York. The flying even t fascinated Quimby and she decided to take lessons. In May, a year later, Quimby and her friend Matilde Moisant entered an aviation school operated by Moisant's brothers. Quimby learned to fly in 1911 and that same year on August 1 she earned her pilot’s license. There were only 46 licensed pilots in America and Quimby was the first female.

Harriet Quimby generated public interest with her daring flights. She attracted further attention with her beauty, dignity, and the hooded purple satin flight suit she wore. Few women ventured into aeronautics in its early days and many felt that it was not a woman’s place to fly.

The only available flight uniform at the time was the one worn by men. To wear a man’s style of dress was unthinkable in that era and a dress was impractical in a plane. Quimby had a designer fashion a suit that would convert from pants, used while flying, to a skirt, when on the ground. It was a practical compromise. Her new fashion image immerged as this purple one-piece satin outfit, with full knickers below the knee, a hood with mesh earflaps, and flying goggles.

Quimby, donning her trademark purple flight suit, and her friend Matilde Moisant joined the Moisant International Aviators Exhibition Team. They introduced flight to Mexico during the festivities for their new president. Quimby did not continue to tour Mexico with the group and returned to New York to plan her channel crossing.

After her English Channel flight Quimby remained active in early aviation events until her death in 1912. An aviation career became her passion --but it was short lived. She died while piloting a plane in Boston, Massachusetts on July 1st. Quimby and passenger were thrown from her new two-seat Bleriot the plane during an exhibition flight.

The tragedy initiated concerns for safety needs on airplanes. Some people felt the use of some sort of seat harness would have prevented them from being thrown to their death. Aviation planes and flying were in the very early stages in 1912. It has been only nine years since the Wright Brothers flight in 1903.

Many flights were promotional and their purpose was to captivate the world’s attention with this new and exciting invention. In these early days of plane production few knew what mechanical and safety hazards would be encountered. Harriet Quimby’s plane crash was the first to get a detail ed investigation.

Quimby's death generated concern for fliers' safety and talk of possible seat belts or harnesses. The Titanic’s sinking introduced the same safety concerns for passengers on a ship. In this new age of travel there was a tremendous push to conquer the air and sea - but it was not without adversity.

Harriet Quimby was willing to venture into the little known and her ambitions led the way for others in this new field of flight. She moved the era beyond the surface of the earth. And her bravery and daring opened the door of opportunity for women in this new age of Growth in Motion.

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