Ep5: Charting Her Own Course.
from May Bradford: Queensland Aviatrix
Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Aviation offered May Bradford a new horizon, but becoming a pilot was only the beginning. In a field dominated by men, holding a pilot’s licence did not guarantee a woman the opportunity to earn a living from flying. May’s response was characteristically resourceful. Rather than abandon her ambitions, she set about acquiring the skills and qualifications she needed to establish an aviation business of her own. This meant travelling to Sydney and undertaking practical training as a ground engineer at Mascot aerodrome, learning the mechanics behind the machines she wanted to fly. Her ambitions came with difficult choices. With limited finances and lack of family support in Sydney, May left the boys with family in Rubyvale while she pursued her training, intending to bring them to her when circumstances allowed. Eventually, she acquired an aircraft and established an air-taxi service. May was no longer simply seeking a place in aviation; she was creating one for herself. This is the story of a woman determined to chart her own course, navigating the obstacles of gender, money and motherhood as she pursued her place in the skies.
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