The Story of Sheila Scott

 

 

The Story of Sheila Scott


The first Jersey Aero Club Rally had been in 1954 and only 7 years later in 1961 was well known in Europe. That year 1961 a guest of honour was Sheila Scott, who already by that time was becoming well known worldwide as a solo long-distance aviator.

The rally of May 1961 saw Sheila arrive in her DH82 Thruxton Jackaroo G-APAM, she had named it “Myth”, her arrival as it turned out caused something of a stir.

 

Sheila Scott 1961 Jersey Air Rally


DH82 G-APAM during conversion to Thruxton Jackaroo

It gets very hot behind a Gypsy Major engine so Sheila had slipped off her shirt and shoes in flight thinking she would have plenty of time to get it on again after landing, and before anyone saw her. Sheila had forgotten however that an ancient biplane landing always draws a crowd. She had just managed to pull the shirt over her shoulders when the door was opened by a photographer!  As it was, she still looked dishevelled but the vital parts were covered.      

That 1961 Jersey Air Rally saw Sheila receive her first trophy, it was only an Order of Merit presented by Lord Brabazon of Tara, but Sheila was thrilled. Sheila went on to receive many more trophies and hold over 100 solo long-distance records.



Jersey Air Rally


G-APAM converted back to DH82 today operated by Myth group

 

In April 1965 she bought her Piper Comanche 260B G-ATOY named Myth Too in which Sheila set ninety world records. Her first solo round the world flight commenced at London Heathrow on 18 May 1966 and returned on 20 June 1966, having covered approximately 31,000 miles (49,890 kilometres) taking 189 flying hours in 34 days.

 

PA24 Myth G-ATOY





In 1968 Sheila received the OBE in that year’s new year’s honours list.

 

In 1969 she flew solo around the world in the same aircraft a second time. This aircraft was severely damaged in 1979 (after she sold it in 1971) and the remains are on display in the collection of the National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, East Lothian, Scotland. She later used a borrowed Piper Comanche 400 N8515P to set more records.

 



G-ATOY National Museum of Flight

 

In 1971 she bought a twin-engine Piper Aztec 250 G-AYTO named Mythre in which Sheila completed her third solo round the world flight in the same year. This aircraft was destroyed in a flood at the Piper factory in Lock Haven in 1972.


Mythre G-AYTO

 

Sheila Scott planned to not only fly around the world but to fly from the Equator, over the North Pole, and back to the Equator again. She flew her Aztec from London, England, to Nairobi, Kenya, where she began the Equator–North Pole–the Equator flight.

 

Mythre G-AYTO over the north pole

 

Sheila took off from Nairobi on 11 June 1971 and headed northward to Khartoum, Sudan; Benghazi, Libya; Malta; arriving back at London on 21 June. From there she continued to Bodø, Norway; Andøya, Norway; Station Nord, Greenland; across The North Pole on 28 June; then southward to Barrow, Alaska; arriving at Anchorage, Alaska, on 3 July; San Francisco, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, on 11 July. She recrossed the Equator heading south to Canton Island. On 23 July, Mythre arrived at Nadi, Viti Levu, Fiji, and then flew on to Noumea, New Caledonia. After a stop at Townsville, Queensland, Scott arrived at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, 1 August. From there she continued to Singapore; Madras, India; Karachi, Pakistan; Bahrain; Athens, Greece; and finally completed her journey at London on 4 August. The trip took 55 days.

During the circumnavigation, Sheila Scott set seven Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Records for Speed Over a Recognized Course: Andøya, Norway, to Station Nord, Greenland, 213.61 kilometres per hour (132.73 miles per hour)  Nord to Barrow, Alaska, 183.73 km/h (114.16 mph) San Francisco, California, to Honolulu, Hawaii, 236.56 km/h (146.99 mph) Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, to London, England, 160.19 km/h (99.54mph). Three of these records remain current.

For a lady with such an exciting life with many aviation achievements she should have looked forward to a long life after aviation, sadly this was not to be, for Sheila passed away in obscurity and forgotten in London on 20th October 1988 at the age of 66. 

 

A lady who lived her life to full.

 

 

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