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Early female pilots rivaled Earhart in courage

Quick ReadAmelia Earhart was one of many female pioneers, some from Long Island, in the early days of flight.

Miss Elinor Smith, 17 years old, waving to

Photo credit: Newsday File photo | Miss Elinor Smith, 17 years old, waving to the crowd of thousands, just after she landed after establishing a new women's flight endurance record, 26 hours, 21 minutes, 32 seconds. She flew a Bellanca cabin monoplane. Undated photo taken on LONG ISLAND, NY

The release of a feature film has renewed attention to the aviator Amelia Earhart, but there were other notable women who shared the skies with her in the early days of flying - some of them from Long Island.

Earhart, who was born in 1897 in Kansas, was just a teenager when two women entered the books as the first female solo aviator.

Who's first?

Blanche Stuart Scott began taking...

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