Posted on 09/20/2005 11:56:10 AM PDT by BenLurkin
YUKON, Okla. - NASA engineer and champion aerobatic pilot Marta Bohn-Meyer was killed Sunday when her plane crashed during practice for next week's National Aerobatic Championships. The crash occurred shortly before noon near Oklahoma City, where she was piloting her home-built Giles G-300 airplane. She had been joined there by her husband and fellow aerobatic pilot, Bob Meyer.
"Flying and doing things with airplanes is my passion," she once said. "Given a choice, I'll go fly airplanes."
According to the International Aerobatic Club, Bohn-Meyer had pulled into a vertical maneuver when the cockpit canopy came off. The airplane then crashed just off airport property. It is believed she was rendered unconscious when the canopy flew off, according to the IAC Web site.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Bohn-Meyer, 48, was the only woman to have flown the SR-71 "Blackbird" as a trained crew member, an experience she discussed in her frequent public speaking engagements.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime dream," she said in an earlier interview. "It made a big difference in my life. I considered myself Jane Average.
"I have the distinction of being one of two people (with NASA pilot Ed Schneider) to fly the last Mach 3 flight in the SR," she said.
The novelty of being the only woman trained to fly the Mach 3 airplane was not the draw for Bohn-Meyer, just the chance to play a role in the cockpit.
"The opportunity to fly in a magnificent airplane was the special thing to me," she said.
At Edwards Air Force Base, employees of NASA's Dryden Flight Test Center remembered Bohn-Meyer as an outstanding pilot.
"She made fantastic contributions not only at Dryden but to women as well," Dryden spokesman Alan Brown said.
Dryden director Kevin Petersen called Bohn-Meyer's death is a loss to the center and to aviation.
"Marta Bohn-Meyer was an extraordinarily talented individual and a most trusted technical expert and manager at NASA Dryden," he said. "She committed her life and career to aviation and the advancement of aeronautics and space in the United States. We at Dryden will miss her tremendously."
Through her experiences in aviation, Bohn-Meyer found herself as a role model for other women entering a traditionally male field, a role she didn't seek out but later found she enjoyed.
She was a frequent participant in local and national events geared toward encouraging children - especially young girls - to study math and science.
"You've got to have trailblazers, you've got to have someone to unclog the pipe," she said. "I am the trailblazer. I'm able to prove that it can be done."
Bohn-Meyer began flying at age 14, after receiving lessons as a Christmas present.
When she graduated from high school in 1975, her first desire was to be a test pilot, a field that wasn't open to women pilots at the time. Instead, she attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., studying aeronautical engineering.
She began working for NASA at Langley Research Center in Virginia while a college student, moving to Dryden Flight Research Center in 1979. She eventually worked her way up to chief engineer.
At Dryden, she met husband, now the associate director for programs. He introduced her to the thrill of aerobatic flying and the two spent much of their free time working on their home-built airplane, practicing the intricate maneuvers and competing.
A former aerobatic national champion herself, Bohn-Meyer was manager for the U.S.A. Unlimited National Aerobatic Team
Thank you for that perspective.
I needed to remember that.
She used to say that "She" (the SR-71, aka the Lady in Black) knew when you were looking out the window and gave you a little bump to remind you that you were working.
Sorry to hear about this outstanding pilot's untimely demise.
That's an awesome looking aircraft!
Thank you.
FYI...
Bob Meyer and family have set up a fund in the memory of Marta. One of Marta's passions in life was getting young women involved in the sciences. She gave many talks to many young women over the years, passing along her interest, knowledge, and the importance of women in the sciences.
Bob would like to honor Marta's passion through a Memorial Fund that would provide capitol for scholarships and education programs for young women interested in science.
Bob has requested no flowers at Marta's memorial services and would appreciate a donation to her fund instead.
The Memorial Fund has been set up at Bank of America. You may go to any location to make a donation. Please provide the following:
Routing #121000358
Acct# 2469941400
and make the contribution to: Marta Bohn-Meyer Memorial Fund
Thank you!!!
My only wish is to die while enjoying that which I love the most......
My worst nightmare is to die in my cubicle at work........
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