Amy Johnson was a pioneer airwoman in Britain. She was born on July 1, 1903, in Yorkshire and lived there until 1923 when she went to Sheffield University to study for a BA. After graduation she took a job as a secretary to a London lawyer. At the same time she became interested in aviation, and to succeed in some project which would prove to the world that women could be as competent as men in a male-dominated field in those days.
Early in 1930, she chose her objective: to fly solo to Australia and to break the previous record of 16 days. Her parents and some of her friends lent her money to buy a used airplane.
Amy set off on May 5, 1930. Her route took her over Vienna and Baghdad. She was caught in a sandstorm and had to make an emergency landing in the desert. Six days later she landed in India. After experiencing much hardship, she finally reached Australia o