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Beverly Bass is an American aircraft pilot and was the first female captain of an American Airlines commercial plane. She was hired in 1976 by American Airlines as their third female pilot. In 1986, Bass became the first female captain of a commercial plane at American Airlines and later that year she captained the first all-female crew in the history of commercial jet aviation, on an American Airlines flight from Washington D.C. to Dallas, Texas.
Bass and pilot Stephanie Wallach founded the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, which began as a group of women aviators but later changed into a program providing career support and mentorship to aspiring pilots.
Her revolutionary career became even more newsworthy when she was forced to land in the remote town of Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to US airspace closures. After several days there, she flew her crew and passengers safely home.
Bass's incredible life is now immortalized in the hit Broadway musical Come from Away. She is also the author of "Me and the Sky," an autobiographical picture-book that tells her story and inspires children to pursue their dreams.
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