Jennifer Murray
Jennifer Murray | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1940 |
| Known for | First helicopter circumnavigation of the globe by a woman |
| Spouse | Simon Murray |
| Children | 3 |
Jennifer Murray (born June 1940 in Providence, Rhode Island) circumnavigated the globe aboard a Robinson R44 helicopter the distance of 36,000 miles in 97 days in 2000, earning her the Guinness World Record for the first helicopter circumnavigation by a woman.
Fastest circumnavigation
In August 1997, Murray became the first woman to fly a helicopter around the world, when she co-piloted her Robinson R44 with Quentin Smith on the eastward circumnavigation.[1] The 97-day flight was also an eastbound speed record for a piston-powered helicopter.[2][3] The flight departed from Denham, UK, on 10th May 1997, and her stopover at Oakland Airport, Ca., USA on 20th July is commemorated at the Oakland Aviation Museum. On 6 September 2000, Murray became the first woman to make a solo flight around the world in a helicopter and the first person to do so without autopilot.[2]
Pole to pole
In 2007, Murray and co-pilot Colin Bodill became the first to land a helicopter on both North and South Poles, their second attempt. Their first, in 2003, ended in a near fatal crash in Antarctica, after Murray had just becomes the first woman to fly a helicopter to the South Pole.[2][4]
Racing the Planet Nepal
At 71, Jennifer was an entrant for Racing the Planet Nepal, a 250 km Ultramarathon starting on 20 November 2011. She withdrew after stage two.[5]
Family
She is the granddaughter of Sir William Mather, the British industrialist who was chairman of Mather & Platt.[6]
She married prominent Hong Kong businessman Simon Murray in 1965.
Awards and honours
- Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame Inductee 2005
- The Gambia issued a postage stamp in her honour in 2004
- Royal Aero Club - 1997 Silver Medal, 2000 Britannia Trophy
- Brabazon Cup
- Harmon Trophy
- Inducted in Forest of Friendship
References
- ^ FAI rules, i.e. no equatorial crossing, no antipodes
- ^ a b c "World beater: marking Jennifer Murray's special helicopter feat". Helicopters. 3 August 2017.
- ^ "Piston-powered Helo Makes it Around the World". Flying. No. Nov 1997. p. 34.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-12-07. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Himalayan challenge left tough competitor stricken | Ross-shire Journal | News". Ross-shire Journal. Retrieved 2018-09-10.
- ^ Fiona MacCarthy Last Curtsey p370
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
