Carmela Combe Thomson (1898 – 10 May 1984) was the first Peruvian woman aviator and the second Peruvian to obtain a

driver's license A driver's license, driving licence, or driving permit is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, ca ...

Biography

Carmela Combe was precocious in regard to vehicles, learning to drive a car at age 14. In 1920, she began her apprenticeship as an aviator at the National Aeronautics Company of Lima, a school belonging to the

Curtiss Aeroplane Company The Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (1909–1929) was an American aircraft manufacturer originally founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss and Augustus Moore Herring in Hammondsport, New York. After significant commercial success in its first de ...

, which had its airfield in

Bellavista District Bellavista is a district of the Constitutional Province of Callao in Peru, and one of the seven districts that comprise the port city of Callao. The current mayor of the district is Daniel Malpartida. Geography The district has a total land a ...

. At 20, after completing her aviation course, she enrolled in the Civil Aviation School of Bellavista, where she was a student of the American pilot Lloyd R. Moore. In addition to flying, she had a passion for auto racing, competing in both cars and motorcycles. On 6 May 1921, after four hours of instruction and over the objections of her male colleagues, Carmela Combe had her first solo flight in a

Curtiss Oriole The Curtiss Oriole (Curtiss Model 17) was an American three-seat general-purpose biplane. Design The Oriole fuselage was constructed using laminated wood to form a monocoque body and was powered by either the Curtiss OX-5 V-8 or the Curtiss K-6 ...

. Her aviation career was very short. On 9 July, after transporting money to pay the wages of farm workers in

San Vicente de Cañete San Vicente de Cañete, commonly known as San Vicente or Cañete, is a city and capital of the Cañete Province, in southern Lima Region. With a population of 85,533 (2015 estimate). The warm and peaceful town of Cañete is located just one and ...

, she had to make an

emergency landing An emergency landing is a premature landing made by an aircraft in response to an emergency involving an imminent or ongoing threat to the safety and operation of the aircraft, or involving a sudden need for a passenger or crew on board to term ...

in Chorrillos due to an engine breakdown. The mechanical failure was caused by the use of ordinary gasoline instead of 100-octane fuel. The incident was reported by '' El Comercio'' as "Pilot Moore and Miss Carmela Combe fall from high altitude. The passengers were unharmed." The impact of the landing affected her spine, which resulted in chronic pain and deafness. Despite this, she remained determined to continue flying. She borrowed money from her parents to purchase a Curtiss biplane. However, a few months later it crashed in

Ancash Ancash (; ) is a department and region in western Peru. It is bordered by the departments of La Libertad on the north, Huánuco and Pasco on the east, Lima on the south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. Its capital is the city of Huaraz, an ...

, killing pilot Emilio Romance, to whom she had lent it to transport cargo. This alarmed her mother, who begged her to stop flying. Combe did not give up, and in 1922 she obtained her pilot's license from Elmer J. Faucett, founder of the airline

Faucett Perú Compañía de Aviación Faucett, colloquially known simply as Faucett Perú or Faucett, was a Peruvian airline. Its headquarters were located on the premises of Jorge Chávez International Airport in Lima. History Beginnings Elmer J. Faucett ...

. She traveled to France, where she married Julio Bardi, and was able to fly alongside the famous pilot . In 1932, she retired from aviation. She wrote on social matters for the magazine '' Mundial'' under the pseudonym "Marisabidilla". Combe received two awards for her achievements in aviation. On 27 September 1960, the

Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force (, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru, Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of aerial warfare, air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding i ...

recognized her with the Peruvian Cross for Aeronautical Merit for being a pioneer of civil aviation. Twenty-two years later, on 27 September 1982, the Ministry of Aeronautics presented her with the Jorge Chávez Dartnell merit medal for her contribution to the development of civil aviation. Carmela Combe died on 10 May 1984 after a long illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Combe, Carmela 1898 births 1984 deaths Aviation pioneers Women aviation pioneers Women commercial aviators Peruvian aviators