Today in Aviation History: Jacqueline Cochran Sets New Women’s Speed Record

On this day in aviation history, 88 years ago (July 26, 1937), pioneering aviator Jacqueline Cochran set a new speed record for women pilots in the United States. Flying a Beechcraft D17 Staggerwing (registration NC17081, serial number 136), she reached a top speed of 203.895 miles per hour. Her record-setting route took her from Union Air Terminal in Burbank, California, to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and back.

Jacqueline Cochran was a trailblazing American aviator and businesswoman, known for her fearless pursuit of aviation excellence. She participated in numerous record-setting flights and refused to be limited by the expectations placed on women in aviation. In her autobiography The Stars at Noon, she wrote: “A woman in the air, therefore, had a choice of flying around in a light plane for pleasure or of obtaining for herself new fast and experimental equipment and determining the maximum that could be obtained from its use. I followed the second course.”

Jackie was known not only for her bold ambitions but also for her exceptional skill and discipline in the cockpit—a rare combination that set her apart. The aircraft she flew that day, the Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing, was one of the premier executive aircraft of the 1930s—the equivalent of a modern-day Learjet or Gulfstream. The D17’s unique biplane design featured the upper wing staggered behind the lower, improving both pilot visibility and aerodynamic performance. Powered by a 450-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 “Wasp Junior” radial engine, the Staggerwing could reach speeds up to 212 miles per hour and cruise comfortably at 202 mph. It had a range of 582 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 25,000 feet.

On the day of her record flight, Cochran and the Staggerwing formed a perfect pairing—an aviation “dream team.” Their achievement represented more than just a speed record; it was a bold statement about the capabilities of women in flight and the technological sophistication of American aircraft. Today, both Jackie Cochran’s legacy and the legend of the Staggerwing endure. Dozens of Beechcraft D17s remain airworthy, continuing to inspire awe at airshows around the world—just as they did nearly nine decades ago.