When America entered World War II, male pilots were at a premium here and abroad. Jacqueline Cochran, an able pilot, lobbied Army Air Corps Gen. “Hap” Arnold and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt to recruit women pilots for the British Air Transport Auxiliary. Among those Cochran recruited was Edith Foltz, who placed second in the first Women’s Air Derby, often flew out of Pearson Field, and won the dead stick landing contest at the 1930 Municipal Field dedication.
Born Edith Margalis, she graduated from Dallas (Texas) High School and studied music, piano and voice at Lenox Hall, hoping to become a singer. After moving to Oregon, she married World War I aviator Joseph Foltz Jr., who ran a barnstorming operation. In 1924, after losing premature twins two years earlier, they had a son, Richard.
Eventually, Foltz came to Vancouver and housed her plane in a Pearson hangar. Dressed in flying togs, Foltz spoke to The Columbian, saying she started flying after selling tickets for airplane rides. Her husband encouraged her to fly. She soloed with just two hours of training in 1928, buying a plane later that year. Orville Wright signed her pilot’s license. In 1929 Foltz flew in the Santa Monica (Calif.) to Cleveland Women’s Air Derby, placing second in the light-aircraft division. Humorist Will Rogers nicknamed the cross-country race “the Powder Puff Derby.”
Among the flyers were women pilots of note and a few record holders. They flew without instruments, radar or control towers. The pilots were given maps identifying the route and made daily stops for rest and food. Most flew open-cockpit biplanes. Foltz flew a new monoplane, the Alexander Eaglerock Bullet, a closed cockpit aircraft many men argued a female couldn’t handle.
