On Sun, 09 Jan 2005 23:59:20 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote:

I'd nominate Jean Batten of NZ for top honors in courage,
skill, and luck:

http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/jean_batten_bio.html

I'm reading Alone In The Sky now.

She wasn't all there psychologically, but neither am I. ;o)

I haven't found anything to support that allegation yet in her book.

I think I read Jean Batten: The Garbo of the Skies when I was
in Auckland (where her most famous plane hangs in the airport).
I didn't bring the book home with me. It traces her peculiar
relationship with her mother from childhood to old age. She
died unknown and was buried in a pauper's grave. No one
knew of her death and burial until years after the fact.

She seem to have had a lot of pluck from an early age, and the skills
and courage to succeed.

Agreed.

My hat's off to her. I wouldn't have
attempted an around the world flight at her tender young age in the
aircraft available in the '30s. In fact, I wouldn't do it now.

She did some amazing solo flights and survived many hardships.
Her single engine quit while she was on a long leg over water to
New Zealand. She kept at it and got the engine restarted in time
to tell the tale. Her navigation was excellent.

Marty