Dorothy Rungeling Records
Similar to the scrapbook of Grant, Dorothy Rungeling chronicled her achievements in a traditional style by collecting clippings, photographs, and notes. Each moment of her time flying the skies is documented with an extensive collection of newspaper articles, magazine features, photographs, and travel logs.
Rungeling was born in Fenwick, Ontario in 1911 and remained in the Niagara region until her death at the age of 106. It was in the late 1940s that she acquired a passion for flying, obtained her pilot's license, and bought her first plane. Rungeling proceeded to obtain a Commercial Pilot Licence in 1951, an Instructor’s Licence in 1953, and a Senior Commercial Licence in 1954. She participated in many air races in the 1950s including the All Women’s International Air Races, the Women’s Transcontinental Air Races, and the Canadian Governor-General’s Cup Air Race. Each of these memories is documented in her scrapbooks that follow her journey as a trailblazing female pilot in the 1950s.
Dorothy Rungeling later used the preserved items of her scrapbook to recount her experiences in her book The Flying Housewife. Not only was she able to reference the many photographs and certificates, but also the numerous articles she wrote. Many of the newspaper articles that she included in her scrapbook were authored by Dorothy. She not only documented her time as a pilot in pictures and pieces, but also in her own words, creating a diary like experience when reading through these first person accounts of her amazing career as a pilot.
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