Amy Johnson, Lone Girl Flyer

As Amy Johnson, the daughter of a fish exporter, spent her weekends watching planes taking off at Stag Lane Aerodrome in North London, she would never have believed somebody who informed her of the legendary status that she ended up earning for herself.

Flying was usually a hobby reserved only for the elite, but Amy didn't let this stop her. She worked hard. In fact, she worked hard enough that by the age of 27, she had: her ground engineer’s “C” license and her pilot’s “A” license, giving her the authority to deem aircrafts as ‘safe for flight’ and allowing her to actually fly aircraft herself.

Throughout her career, Amy then went on to set a multitude of flight journey record times, including flights to: Moscow, Japan, Cape Town, and even flights over the Atlantic with her then-husband. And it wasn't just flying that she was good at. Amy also made a significant mark on the world outside of machinery: being honoured with a CBE from King George V, modelling clothes for Elsa Schiaparelli and lunching with President Roosevelt.

Although, her success story is equally tragic. Just 10 years after earning her pilot’s license, at the age of 37, Amy’s life was cut short in an accident whilst doing what she loved. After a brief departure from flying, Amy reignited her passion in World War Two where she took on the role of ferrying aircraft from factories to RAF airbases, and unfortunately, on one extremely foggy day, Amy and her plane tragically disappeared into the Thames Estuary whilst transferring an aircraft. Due to the exceptional environmental circumstances surrounding the crash, her body was never recovered.

Despite this tragedy, Amy is remembered today for her remarkable displays of bravery, her brilliant work ethic, and her record-breaking contributions to the world of engineering and flight. Amy's long-standing influence has helped to pave the way for many other women in the engineering industry today.