First Commercial Female Pilot Takes Fellow Aviator on Final Ride

Bethany Whitfield

Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 12:12 AM ET

Verified

Emily Warner (left) and Helene Dax (right) pose
for a snapshot before Helene’s final flight.

Key Takeaways:

Emily Warner, reportedly the first female commercial airline pilot, organized a special flight to fulfill the last wish of her friend and fellow aviator, Helene Dax, who is suffering from dementia.
Helene Dax had a remarkable aviation career, starting as a teenage air traffic controller during WWII and later becoming a pilot, maintaining a lifelong passion for flying despite her diverse life experiences.
Supported by "Jeremy Bloom’s Wish of a Lifetime" organization, the flight allowed Dax, with Warner and a flight instructor, to soar over the Colorado Rockies and even take the controls of a Cessna 172 one last time.
The flight was a poignant celebration of friendship, shared love for aviation, and the enduring spirit of a pioneering woman in the face of memory loss.

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Despite having logged 21,000 hours over the years, for Emily Warner, her most recent flight was a special one. That’s because Warner, reportedly the first female commercial airline pilot hired by a U.S. scheduled airline, organized the flight to fulfill the last wish of a long-time friend and fellow aviator who has been suffering from dementia for the past several years.

Warner met Helene Dax many years ago at a cocktail party, where they were instantly drawn together by their love of aviation and their history in the field.