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Source Collection
Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie collection, Special Collections Department, University Libraries, University of Memphis
Identifier
sc.0491.001_028.019
Description
Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie inside the cockpit of an aircraft during her U.S. Government association years, between 1934 and 1936. Photographer unknown.
Phoebe Omlie was noted for her accomplishments as an early female aviator. Omlie was the first woman to receive an airplane mechanic's license, the first licensed female transport pilot, and the first woman to be appointed to a federal position in the aviation field.
In 1922 she married her instructor, Vernon Cleophas Omlie (1895-1936), a talented pilot who has been an instructor during the war, while both were working for the Curtiss Field in Minneapolis. In 1925, the couple moved to Memphis, Tennessee, leasing the Millington airfield to establish a flying school and a chartered commercial air service. Vernon would later become the manager of Memphis Municipal Airport. During the Mississippi flood in 1927, Vernon and Phoebe flew rescue missions.
Date Created
2023
Date
circa 1935
Recommended Citation
"Phoebe Fairgrave Omlie, circa 1935" (2023). Images. 7.
https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/speccoll-mss-phoebefomlie1/7
Keywords
Omlie, Phoebe Fairgrave, 1902-1975--Photographs.
Rights Statement
Archival Statement
This item was created or digitized prior to April 24, 2026, or is a reproduction of legacy media created before that date. It is preserved in its original, unmodified state specifically for research, reference, or historical recordkeeping. This material is part of a digital archival collection and is not utilized for current University instruction, programs, or active public communication. In accordance with the ADA Title II Final Rule, the University Libraries provides accessible versions of archival materials upon request. To request an accommodation for this item, please submit an accessibility request form.
