San Diego Girl, 24, Sets Flight Mark. Entrant In Sun's Contest Establishes Light Plane Altitude Record Fort Woman Flyers. Circling to an altitude of more than 18,000 feet over San Diego, Miss Ruth Alexander, 24, student at the T. C. Ryan Flying school today established a world record for women aviators. The record is for light planes, Marvel Crosson having set the women's altitude record for heavy planes. Miss Alexander was in the air but one hour and 50 minutes, landing at the Ryan airport shortly afternoon. Exact altitude obtained on the flight will not be known until the sealed barograph carried in the plane has been calibrated in Washington, officials of the National Aeronautical Assn., sponsors of the flight, said. Miss Alexander said she experienced no trouble on the flight. Temperature at 18,000 feet was about 24 degrees, she said. She wore a fur lined flying suit to protect herself from the cold. Dr. H. T. Kumm [sic], Tom Bomar, Howard Morin and William Van Dusen, officials of the National Aeronautical Association, checked the flight. Miss Alexander used standard Oil Co. products. Miss Alexander was one of the entrants in the girls' flying contest last August conducted by The Sun. Yesterday she easily passed the rigid tests of the National Aeronautical Association and F. A. I. in the Great Lakes plane and plans were immediately completed for her altitude attempt today. A barograph was procured from Los Angeles and officials appointed by William Van Dusen, local representative of the N.A.A. Miss Alexander enrolled as a student at the Ryan school after working day and night to save money for the course of instruction. High compliments have been paid her ability to fly and on the completion of her test yesterday, old time pilots said she was a natural pilot. In the test yesterday she climbed to a height of 6,500 feet where she did figure eights, stalls and other stunts, and then shut off her motor to glide onto the field. She was only required to land within 100 yards of a mark, but the tape showed she came to a stop within 36 feet. This was declared an exceptional feat. It is said she is probably the only student flyer in the country to hold the two licenses. Miss Alexander's former home was in Kansas. Newspapers throughout her home district have carried many features about her during her course of Instruction.

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30 January 2023

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