February 10, 1929 Bobbi Trout dueled with Elinor Smith for the title of longest flight by a woman. Trout took off from Mines Field in Los Angeles and landed 17 hour 5 minutes later. Newspapers proclaimed “Tomboy’ Stays in Air 17 Hours to Avoid Washing Dishes.”
Elinor would settle the score in April with a flight that lasted over 26 1/2 hours, a record that still stands. Elinor and Bobbi were friends and with Elinor at the controls and Bobbi at the gas line they became the first women to refuel a plane in flight.
l. to r. Elinor and Bobbi
