Barbara Harmer

Barbara Harmer (14 September 1953 – 20 February 2011 ) was the first qualified female Concorde pilot.

Early life Born in Staples Road, Loughton, Essex, the youngest of four daughters, she was raised in Bognor Regis, a seaside resort in West Sussex, England, where she attended a convent school. She left school aged 15 to pursue a career in hairdressing. She obtained A levels in Geography, English Law, Constitutional Law and Politics. She also began flying lessons, gained her Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and became an instructor at Goodwood Flying School.

By the time Concorde was withdrawn from service in October 2003, Harmer had served 10 years as a pilot flying regular scheduled services. After Concorde, Harmer converted to the Boeing 777 until taking voluntary redundancy in 2009. She died at St. Wilfrid's Hospice, Chichester, aged 57.