Air Commerce Act (1926), 32, 80, 81
Airline Pilots’ Association, 88
Air-marking program, 93–95, 101, 173n, 174n
Air-mindedness, 24–25, 36, 44, 48, 81
Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, 116
Akin, Stella, 100, 176n
Alliance for Progress, 120, 126
American Conservative Union, 129
American Party, 129
Armstrong Field, 29, 33, 35
Audemars, Edmond, 26
Bachman, Senator Nathan, 77
Baker, Senator Howard, 136
Barnes, Florence “Pancho”: air racing of, 54, 56–57, 70, 162n, 164n
friend of Phoebe, 127, 131, 165n
Women’s Air Reserve (WAR), 77, 88–89, 169n
Barrier, Rene, 26–27
Beard, Rep. Robin, 136
Bendix Trophy Race, 95–96, 99
Bennett, Floyd, 29–30
Blair, Emily Newell, 75
Bleriot, Louis, 25, 26, 154n
Bowman, Martie, 64, 65, 72
Branch, Harlee, 106–7
Buffington, H. Glenn, 123–25, 128, 130, 144
Carraway, Senator Hattie, 89
Central Airlines, 87–88
Central States Aero Company, 36–37
Cessna, Eldon, 69, 70
Chicago and Southern Air Lines, 98, 175n
Civil Aeronautics Act (1938), 104
Civil Rights Act (1964), 123
Cold War, 115–16
Commerce, Department of Aeronautic Branch of, 32, 77–80, 83, 170n
Air Safety Board, 105–7, 177n
Bureau of Air Commerce, 32, 49, 170n
Civil Aeronautics Authority, 104, 105–9, 112–17
Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), 106, 107, 109, 112–17
Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), 104–5, 108, 120, 177n
Ground Servicemen’s Training Program, 107–8, 120
low-cost airplane development, 81–86
menstruation issue, 88–90, 172n
tricycle landing gear, 84–86, 171n
War Training Service (WTS), 105, 108, 114
Communism and anticommunism, 116, 118–19, 123, 125–27, 129
Cone, Carroll, 88, 90
Congress for Freedom, 130
Coolidge, President Calvin, 30, 35
Cord Cabriolet automobile, 68, 72–73, 167n
Cotham, Lisa, 144–45
Crosson, Marvel, 50, 51, 55, 56, 162n, 163n, 164n
Crump, E. H., 30, 35, 77, 96
Curtiss, Glenn H., 25–26
Curtiss, Lena (Mrs. Glenn H.), 26
Curtiss Northwest Company, 8, 10, 12, 16
Curtiss planes: Flying Boat, 8
Headless Pusher, 6, 25–26
JN4D biplane (Jenny), 8, 9, 13, 36, 148n
Oriole, 12, 14, 18
Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 45–46, 66
Davis, Rep. Clifford, 120
Democratic Party, 74, 75, 76, 78, 96, 118, 142
Dewson, Mary W. “Molly,” 75–78, 101–3, 105–6, 142
Dirksen, Senator Everett, 122
Dixie Derby (1930), 64–66
Doolittle, Jimmy, 95, 127
Earhart, Amelia, 3, 66, 77–78, 79, 121, 143
air marking, 93
air racing of, 48, 50, 53, 54, 56, 58, 59, 95, 99–100, 162n, 164n
last flight of, 103
Ninety-Nines, 61–62
Education: segregation of, 122–23, 126, 130
state control of, 120–23, 125–28
Eisenhower, Dwight, 118–19
Elder, Ruth, 50, 53, 59, 162n, 164n
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) (1965), 122–23
Engle, Lavinia, 75, 77
Equal Rights Amendment, 129
Fahy, Claire, 54, 55, 162n, 164n
Fain, Sarah Lee, 75–76, 168n
Fairgrave, Andrew E., 4, 10, 15, 147n, 183n
Fairgrave, Madge Traister, 4, 10, 15
Fairgrave, Paul, 4–5
barnstorming of, 10, 15, 21–22
split with Phoebe, 132, 151n, 183n
Falkner, Maud, 99
Farley, James, 77
Faulkner, Dean, 90, 92–93
Faulkner, John, 99, 175n
Faulkner, Louise Hale, 91
Faulkner, William, 90, 93, 98
Flying Faulkners, 91, 92
Pylon, 91–92
“William Faulkner’s (Famous Author) Air Circus,” 91
Federal Airways System, 80, 170n
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 135, 137
Folkerts, Clayton, 36
Foltz, Edith, 56, 58, 162n, 164n
Ford, Edsel, 43
Ford, Rep. Harold, 136
Ford Reliability Air Tour, 33, 38–44, 49, 157n
Fox, Col. Herbert, 113
Fox Motion Picture Company, 9, 10, 20, 150n
Frisbee, John J., 26
Garros, Roland, 26, 154n
Gore, Senator Thomas P., 78
Graf Zeppelin, 49, 74, 162n
Guggenheim Fund, 29–30, 156n
Haizlip, Mary, 52, 53, 54, 58, 72, 164n
Hamilton, Charles K., 26
Hammond Aircraft, 86
Hardin, Charles, 9, 10, 14, 15
Lifepack parachute of, 9, 149n
Hardin, Kathryn, 10
Harkness, Nancy, 94
Hartley-Frazier, Della May, 131–33, 145
Heath, Lady Mary, 60
Henderson, Cliff, 99, 127
Hinckley, Robert H., 105, 106–7, 109
Hoover, Herbert, 30, 63–64
Hopkins, Nancy, 64
Ingalls, Laura, 64, 65, 99
John Birch Society, 129
Jones, Rep. Ed, 136
Jones, Jesse, 107
Jones, Willie “Suicide,” 91
Kacarides, James T., 134–37
Keith-Miller, Jessie “Chubby,” 49, 53, 56–58, 60, 162n, 164n
Kittridge, Dr. Emma, 88–89
Kunz, Opal, 50, 53, 162n, 164n
La Rene, Jean, 70
Langdon, Charity, 64
Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, 79, 81, 83–85
Law, Ruth, 6, 7, 23, 153n
Liberty Amendment, 129
Liberty Award, 129
Lindbergh, Charles: barnstorming of, 151n
Memphis, visit to, 34–35, 158n
solo flight of, 33
Spirit of St. Louis, 34–35
Transcontinental Air Transport, 66
Locklear, Omer, 9, 149n
Luscombe, Don, 36
Mars, J. C., 26
Marsalis, Frances, 87, 172n
McCloskey, Helen, 94
McDonald, W. Percy, 36, 101, 109, 111, 113, 124, 175n
McEwen, George “The Black Eagle,” 91
McKellar, Senator Kenneth D., 29, 77, 101, 106
Mechanic Arts High School, 4, 5, 10, 22, 148n
Memphis: Aero Club, 28–29, 30, 31, 35–36, 101
as air minded, 24–25
air shows, 25–27, 29, 46, 66
Arlington Hotel, 24
as aviation hub, 25, 33, 46
Businessmen’s Club, 28, 155n
North Memphis Driving Park, 28, 155n
Park Field (Millington), 22, 24, 28, 29, 153n
Princess Theater, 22
Tri-State Fairgrounds, 22, 25–28, 30
Memphis Municipal Airport, 30, 35–36, 66, 73
air express at, 74
airmail at, 73–74
Airport Authority, 135–37
American Airways at, 73, 74
Chicago & Southern Air Lines at, 73
Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 45–46, 66
grand opening of, 45–46
Mid-South Airways at, 30, 33, 36, 45, 67, 73, 74
Pacific Seaboard at, 73
Universal Aviation at, 45, 66–67, 73
Messer, Glenn, 19–22, 152n, 153n
Memphis Municipal Airport, 67, 73, 74, 90, 99, 10
1, 175n
Mid-South Airways at Armstrong Field, 30, 33–34, 36, 45, 46, 101
Miller, Izetta Jewell, 100
Miller, Ray, 6–8, 10–11
Mississippi River flood of 1927, 30–32
Moisant, Alfred, 26
Moisant, Johnny, 26–27, 155n
Moisant International Aviators, Inc., 26–27, 154n
Mono Aircraft, Inc., 37, 140
Monocoupe, 36–37, 67, 84, 167n
Chiggers (Monocoupe 90), 38, 40–45, 140, 160n
Miss Memphis (Monocoupe 140), 63, 64, 69, 72, 73, 75
Miss Moline (Monocoupe 110), 45, 47, 50, 60
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), 78–81, 84–86, 99, 179n
National Air Races, 161n, 165n
Chicago (1930), 63, 65
Cleveland (1929), 48–49, 58–61
Cleveland (1931), 67, 71–72
Los Angeles (1936), 95
Women’s Air Meet (1934), 87, 172n
National Women’s Air Derby (1929), 47–61, 164n
Navigation, aerial: air marking, 93–95
airport systems, 80, 81, 93, 110, 111, 115, 116
pilotage, 39, 44, 49, 51, 60, 68, 94, 104, 105
New Deal agencies: Civil Works Administration, 80
Works Progress Administration, 82, 94, 95, 101, 107
Nichols, Ruth, 49, 50, 58, 59, 162n, 164n
Ninety-Nines, International Organization of Women Pilots, 61–62, 130, 165n
air marking of, 176n
Memphis chapter of, 133, 134, 135
menstruation issues of, 88–89
Museum of, 141, 144
Nixon, President Richard, 125, 129
Noble, Edward J., 105
Noyes, Blanche: air marking of, 100, 174n, 176n
air racing of, 57, 58, 59, 60, 63–64, 69, 99–100, 162n, 164n
O’Donnell, Gladys: air racing of, 50, 51, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 68, 69, 70, 162n, 164n
Omlie, Phoebe Fairgrave: air racing of, 38–44, 47–61, 64–66, 72–73, 162n, 164n
air-marking program of, 93–95, 101, 173n, 174n
alcoholism, rumors of, 183n, 184n
autobiography of, 115, 127, 128, 130–32, 148n
aviation records of, 18–19, 45–47, 161n
awards and winnings of, 59–61, 65–66, 72–73, 95, 164n
barnstorming by, 12–14, 16–19, 20–23, 152n
Communism, concern with, 115–19, 125–29
Constitutional amendment proposed by, 122
death of, 133
education, concern for, 101, 104, 120–23, 125–28
employment in federal government of, 55, 76–78, 80–84, 86, 88, 90, 93–95, 96, 101–3, 106–7, 173n, 174n (see also Commerce, Department of)
family of, 3–4, 10, 15, 132, 133, 147n, 151n, 183n
first plane of, 9–11, 150n
flight instructors’ school of, 108–9
gender issues of, 41, 43, 51, 63–64, 85, 86–90, 94, 102, 103, 105, 106, 108–12, 176n
health of, 115, 130–33
licenses, pilot and mechanic, of, 28, 32–33, 157n
marriage to Vernon Omlie, 12, 22, 90, 96, 97–98, 106, 173n (see also Omlie, Vernon Cleophas)
Mid-South Airways, 29–30, 34, 36, 66, 74, 156n, 168n
mishaps and injuries of, 17–18, 20, 21, 34, 41, 44, 60, 65
Mono Aircraft Corp, consultant for, 36–38, 73 (see also Monocoupe)
nautical mile issue, 116–17, 126, 180n
Ninety-Nines, association with, 61–62, 88–89, 130, 133–35
parachute-jumping of, 9–10, 14–15, 16–17, 18, 21–22, 23, 121, 141, 151n, 156n
Phoebe Fairgrave Fliers, 16, 19, 22
post-1964 travels of, 121–28
poverty of, 76, 129, 131, 132, 133, 182n
presidential campaigns of (1932 and 1936), 74–76, 100–101, 168n, 174n
resignation of, 117
retirement in Mississippi of, 119
The Silent Majority Speaks Out, 125–28
states’ rights, 118, 122, 129
stunts for movies of, 9, 10, 16, 20, 21, 22–23, 150n, 152n
stunts in Memphis of, 29, 66, 156n
Tennessee Aviation Act (1937), 101, 104
Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame, 138
Tennessee Civil Pilot Training Program (TCPTP), 101, 104–5
Omlie, Vernon Cleophas: barnstorming of, 13–23
death of, 97–98
early aviation career, 12
flying with Faulkners, 90–93
marriage to Phoebe, 12, 22, 34, 44, 72–73, 90, 96, 98, 173n
Mid-South Airways, 30, 34, 46, 67
military career of, 12, 150n
Omlie Tower, 135–37, 139–40
Overton, Watkins, 35–36, 158n
Paris, Neva, 58, 162n, 164n
Peabody Hotel, 30, 35, 90
Perkins, Frances, 76–77, 95
Perry, Margaret, 57, 162n, 164n
Pidgeon, Patrick, 140
Pro America, 129
Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO), strike (1982), 137
Putnam, G. P., 50
Pylon, 91–92
Rasche, Thea, 48, 49, 54, 55, 58, 59, 162n, 164n
Ratcliffe, Jeanira, 131–32
Rawson, Barney, 69
Reagan, President Ronald, 136–37
Rentzel, Delos W., 116
Rex, Janette, 115
Richey, Helen, 87–88, 99–100, 174n
Rickenbacker, Eddie V., 72
Roark, Eldon, 121, 134
Roche, Josephine, 89, 95
Rogers, Will, 40, 51
Roosevelt, Eleanor: assisting Phoebe, 77–78, 89, 101–3, 105–7, 142
campaign (1932), 74–76
Roosevelt, Elliot, 75, 77, 78
Roosevelt, Franklin D.: assisting Phoebe, 77–78, 105, 106
campaign (1932), 74–76
campaign (1936), 96, 99–100
supporting aviation, 81, 101, 104
Roper, Daniel C., 77–78
Rowland, Earl, 69
Sasser, Senator James, 136
Scharlau, Gene Slack, 142
Seymour, Joseph, 26–27
Simon, Rene, 26
Smith, Elinor, 50
Social Security, 126, 133, 143
Stewart, Ruth, 69
Stinson, Eddie, 40–41
Stinson, Estelle (Mrs. Eddie), 40–42
Tait, Maude, 72
Taxpayer’s Lobby, 129
Taylor, Swanee, 115
Tennessee Aeronautics Commission, 36, 101, 104
Tennessee Aviation Act (1937), 101, 104
Tennessee Bureau of Aeronautics, 104, 109, 112, 113
Tennessee Civilian Pilot Training Program (TCPTP), 101, 104
Thaden, Louise, 48, 49, 50
air-marking program, 94, 100
air racing of, 52, 54, 55, 58–59, 99, 162n, 164n
friend of Phoebe, 121, 125, 127, 129, 130, 133, 144
Ninety-Nines, 61–62
records of, 45, 47, 50, 162n
Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), 66–67, 166n
Transcontinental Handicap Sweepstakes Air Derby (1931) 67–70
Trout, Bobbi, 53, 58, 59, 127, 162n, 164n
Townley, Arther C., and the Non-Partisan League, 12, 14, 150n
Udet, Major Ernst, 71–72
Velie, Willard L., 37, 73
Vidal, Eugene L., 78, 81–82, 84–86, 98, 103
Vidal, Gore, 86
Voelter, Karl, 127
Von Mach, Mary, 50, 53, 162n, 164n
Waco airplanes, 30, 31, 34, 44, 67, 90, 91, 92, 156n
Walker, Vera Dawn, 64, 162n, 164n
Wallace, George, 129
Wanamaker, Walter, 71
Warren, D. C., 73
Webb, Pat Thaden, 121, 144
Weick, Fred E., 83–84, 171n
Wendell, Philip, 127
Westover, General Oscar, 89
White, Sue Shelton, 75–76
&n
bsp; Whitehead, Dr. Roy E., 90
Willard, Charles, 26
Williams, Al, 71
Wilson, Woodrow, 5, 7
Women’s Air Reserve (WAR), 77, 88–89, 169n
Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), 109, 112, 113
Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), 108
Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), 108
World War I, 5, 7, 12, 28, 29, 71–72, 90
World War II, 104–14
Wright, Theodore P., 114–15
Wright brothers, 25
Zimmerling, Barney, 45, 47
Walking on Air Page 27