Nancy Hopkins (aviator)

Birth

She was born as Nancy Hopkins on May 16, 1909 in Washington, D.C.. Her father was Alfred Francis Hopkins I (1879-1955) who was born in Wayne, Pennsylvania and worked as an antique salesman. Alfred was said to be related to the Hopkins family that started Johns Hopkins University; Alfred's father was from Maryland, and his mother from Maine. Nancy's mother was Anne DeWolf Gibson (1877-1963). Nancy had a brother, Alfred Francis Hopkins II (1914-1988), an illustrator, and two sisters, Frances and Betty. She was a niece of Lady Nancy Astor and her uncle, Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944), was the creator of the Gibson Girl.

First flight

In November 1927 she had her first flight from Hoover Field in Arlington, Virginia, and in 1929 she received limited commercial license #5889 at Roosevelt Field in New York. In 1930 she listed her occupation as "aviation air pilot". That same year her father was working as an "antique salesman" and her mother was not listed as living in the household.

1930 National Air Tour

In 1930 she entered the Women's Dixie Derby, 2,000 mile air race from Washington, District of Columbia to Chicago, Illinois. She flew her Viking Kitty Hawk B4 biplane, NC30V. That same year she was one of four women in the 5,000-mile Ford National Reliability Air Tour, and the only woman pilot.

Marriage

She married Irving Vanderroest Tier (1902–1978) on February 24, 1931 in Connecticut.

Recover from spin

On a ride during the winter of 1931 her plane was in a flat spin and would have crashed. She climbed out of the cockpit preparing to parachute but her weight on the wing tilted the aircraft enough to take her out of the spin. She climbed back into the cockpit and regained control at 200 feet. This got her a job at Viking as a spokeswoman. In 1931 she also received her transport license.

Later years

She joined the Connecticut Civil Air Patrol in 1942 and rose to the rank of Colonel.

Death

She died in Sharon, Connecticut on January 15, 1997.

Air races