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Upward Bound

May 16, 2013

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Profile America -- Thursday, May 16th. Flying became more comfortable -- this week in 1930 -- when United Airlines made the first flight with an airline stewardess, Ellen Church. She tended passengers on a May 15th flight from Oakland, California to Chicago. The criteria for the job was that she could be no older than 25, no taller than 5 feet, 4 inches, and weigh no more than 115 pounds and be a registered nurse. The idea caught on, and being a stewardess became one of the most sought after jobs for young women. Today the proper term is "flight attendant," and they are a vital part of the U.S. airline industry. In 1930, there were just under 500 airliners in service. Today, that number is more than 7,800. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 769
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 1069
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/transportation.html