Shropshire, Helen

Helen Shropshire obtained her private pilot's license from Artie Clay in Monterey, Calif., in 1956. Jack Jella was her instructor for her multi-engine instrument, commercial, and instrument ratings in 1957, 1958, and 1959. She was inspired to get her pilot license from one of her customers. In 1965, Shropshire and Zoe Dell Nutter organized the formation of the Monterey Bay Chapter of The 99s, and Shropshire served as the first chairman. She enjoyed the competition of air racing and entered several of the Powder Puff Derby/All Women Transcontinental Air Races. She and her partner placed second in 1972. Shropshire also received much recognition for chairing a Monterey County Air Tour for government officials. One of her most memorable flights occurred while producing a movie for the Guatemalan Tourist Bureau. While in their country, she had the opportunity to photograph the inside of a volcano from a bomber with the bomb bay doors open and not strapped in. The bomber had been purchased from the U.S. by Guatemala for $1 and was co-piloted by her husband, Frank. Shropshire filmed the inside of the volcano while lying on her stomach. Her fascination for the inside of volcanoes brought her into the Crater of the Sun (Haleakala) in Hawaii for aerial photographs. She died 17 Dec. 2001 in Monterey, Calif.