“Is she for real?”
That’s the question I asked myself when I saw the 1988 made-for-TV movie “The Pancho Barnes Story” starring Valerie Bertenelli. I was a fledgling aviator at the time and just stumbled across this movie. I was transfixed.
The Legendary Life of Pancho Barnes, Aviatrix
Before becoming one of the first Hollywood stunt pilots, Barnes was a debutante who ran away to sea disguised as a man and traveled with revolutionaries in Mexico.
Key Takeaways:
- Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes was an extraordinary aviator and adventurer who defied societal norms, from running away to sea disguised as a man to quickly becoming a skilled pilot after inheriting money.
- She was a pioneering female aviator, competing in the first Women's Air Derby and working as a movie stunt pilot, where she established the Associated Motion Picture Pilots union to improve pay and safety for pilots.
- Barnes founded "The Happy Bottom Riding Club" next to an army base (later Edwards Air Force Base), creating a legendary social hub and resort for military aviators, test pilots, and celebrities.
- Her independent spirit and unconventional life were marked by resilience, including teaching ground school during WWII and facing conflicts that ultimately led to the mysterious destruction of her ranch, though her legacy endures at Edwards AFB.
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