Contents of the Collection
The Norah O'Neill Papers highlights the 1973-2005 flight career of aviation pioneer and pilot Norah O'Neill. The collection includes three (3) pilot log books for 1973-1976, eight (8) photographs depicting Norah in her pilot uniform and casual dress, serials and newsletters from professional organizations such as the Ninety-Nines, and a few job-related documents, such as two (2) commendation letters from supervisors and an e-mail related to sexual harassment that O'Neill experienced from a male pilot. Additionally, there are a few book reviews for her memoir, Flying Tigress.
The collection also includes a scrapbook, compiled by O'Neill, which includes an introduction written by Norah in March-April 2017. It primarily contains photocopies of articles written about O'Neill at various points in her career, as well as photocopies of photographs, some original clippings, and a 2013 article by O'Neill's daughter about growing up with a pilot mom.
Dates
- Creation: 1973-2017
Creator
- O'Neill, Norah, 1949-2017 (Former owner, Person)
Language of Materials
All materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research and is accessible in the Dahlberg Research Center by appointment. For more information contact us.
Conditions Governing Use
The Museum of Flight (TMOF) Archives is the owner of the physical materials in the archives and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from TMOF archives before any publication use. TMOF does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners. Consult repository for more details.
Biographical Note: Norah O'Neill
Norah Ellen O'Neill was born on August 23, 1949 to Jack and Bertha Moore O'Neill in Seattle, Washington. She learned to fly in 1973 and embarked on a thirty-five year aviation career.
O'Neill was an aviation pioneer who garnered many firsts starting in 1974 when she was the first woman pilot hired by Alaska Central Air. In 1976 O'Neill became the first woman pilot hired for the Flying Tigers, a commercial cargo airline. In 1977 she was the first woman in the world to pilot the Douglas DC-8 and in August 1980 the first to fly passengers on a Boeing 747. O'Neill also was the first woman pilot to land in Korea, Japan, the Phillipines, Malayasia, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong.
O'Neill was active in her professional field as a mentor and a lecturer. She was also an active member of the Ninety-Nines (99s), Women in Aviation, Mensa, the Airline Pilots Association, and the Flying Tigers Association. Additionally, she was one of the founding members of the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, serving as vice-president for two years and as historian for twenty years.
Upon her retirement in 2005, O'Neill wrote her memoir, Flying Tigress and spent time with her family. On September 22, 2017, O'Neill passed away after an extended battle with cancer.
Sources and further reading:
Biography derived from collection materials and obituary published in the Seattle Times on October 6 or 7th, 2017.
O'Neill, Norah. Flying Tigress: a memoir. Seattle, WA: Ascending Journey, 2005.
Extent
0.7 Cubic Feet (1 half width legal size document box and 1 flat box)
Abstract
Norah Ellen O'Neill (1949-2017), from Seattle, Washington, was a commercial pilot and an aviation pioneer. The collection contains a scrapbook, book reviews, newsletters and serials, photographs, pilot log books, and correspondence related to her flight career and personal life.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Materials from this collection have been digitized and are available at The Museum of Flight Digital Collections.
Separated Materials
The following materials have been separated from the archival component and are kept in Objects storage:
- One (1) Flying Tigers Captain's uniform jacket with epaulets and wings, pants, shirt and blue rose tie
- One (1) Flying Tigers pilot's leather suitcase
- One (1) Wings pin-back button
- Tigerview, Vol. 30, No. 9, December 1976
- Tigerview, Vol. 31, No. 1, January-February, 1977
Subject
- Happ, Douglas E. (Person)
- International Society of Women Airline Pilots (Organization)
- Flying Tiger Line (Organization)
- Egan, William A. (Person)
- Ninety-Nines (Organization) (Organization)
- Alaska Central Air (Organization)
- O'Neill, Norah, 1949-2017 (Person)
Genre / Form
- articles
- booklets
- certificates
- clippings (information artifacts)
- correspondence
- logs (records)
- newsletters
- photographic prints
- scrapbooks
- serials (publications)
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Norah O'Neill Papers
- Status
- Completed Level 3
- Author
- J. Parent
- Date
- 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Edition statement
- 1st Edition
Repository Details
Part of the The Museum of Flight Archives Repository
9404 East Marginal Way South
Seattle Washington 98108-4097
206-764-7874
curator@museumofflight.org