Martha The Aeronaut

Martha has always dreamed of flying. Discouraged by her father, she becomes a school teacher, but still dreams of flying. Eventually she follows her dream and builds an aircraft. Follow Martha on her airborne quest for adventure where things don’t always go as planned. Adventures which lead her to new places and new relationships.

Yet again, Abela has published a book which shows young girls that they can do anything they set their minds to. You only have to look at the feats of Amelia Earhart, Amy Johnson, Jean Batten and Nancy Bird Walton, all pioneering Aviatrixes in the early part of the 20th C. Nancy Bird Walton became the youngest Australian woman to gain a pilot's licence and also founded the Australian Women Pilots' Association. In 1929 Amy Johnson earned her pilots “A” license and also earned a ground engineer's "C" licence. Then in 1930 Johnson became the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia. She paved the way for Jean Batten who, in 1936, made the first-ever solo flight from England to New Zealand.

So the myth about flying and engineering being a male domain, was firmly debunked by these pioneering woman in the 1920’s and 30’s.