Hélène Dutrieu

Hélène Dutrieu, born on 10 July 1877 and died on 26 June 1961, was a Belgian cycling world champion, stunt cyclist, stunt motorcyclist, automobile racer, stunt driver, pioneer pilot, wartime ambulance driver and director of a military hospital. Born in Tournai, she became a professional track cyclist and won the women's world speed championship in Ostend in 1896 and 1897, then moved into variety shows and stunt work on bicycles and motorcycles. She learned to fly on a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle monoplane in 1910 and on 25 November 1910 became the first Belgian woman licensed as an aeroplane pilot, the fourth woman in the world, with Aero-Club de Belgique licence number 27. Her air show appearances earned her the nickname the Girl Hawk.