Onita Thorley Topping, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Robert A. Thorley of Cedar City, was a popular and noted pilot of the 1930s era. She learned to fly at the Von Hoffman School of Aviation at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Mo., earned her pilots license in 1930, her commercial rating in 1931, and then a rating as Master Mechanic. For a while, she was the only woman pilot in the entire state of Utah, where she learned how to fly in snowstorms. She participated in one of the most important air events of the coast states. The event was the air navigation derby for the Shell trophy for which only members of the 99s club were eligible. The derby was over a 124 mile course from Glendale to San Diego. The derby winners were judged for ability to gauge speed and altitude on the course from Glendale to Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano Point and on an inland ranch lookout point near Oceanside, and then to the Lindbergh Field at San Diego.
From the description of Onita Thorley Topping collection, 1931-1939. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71254646
