April 16, 1912 Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel when she took off from Dover, England and landed 59 minutes later in Calais, France. Her accomplishment was overshadowed by the sinking of the Titanic the day before.
A year earlier Quimby had become the first American woman to earn a pilot’s license. Quimby was the spokesperson for the Vin Fizz soft drink company and always wore a bright purple flight costume to advertise the drink.
