HerStory
Deborah HICKS
Also known as: née Hicks, Debbie, Deborah Jeppesen
Special Achievements:At age 16 Deborah Hicks was the youngest female pilot in Australia to fly solo.
Flight Lieutenant Williams and Flying Cadet Hicks were the first female pilots to graduate from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 30 June 1988. Only 18 graduated out of 34 candidates including four wome, Robyn being dux of the course. Robyn later became the RAAF's first female lead test pilot.
Resources
-
Image - Deborah Hicks
Women's Museum of Australia
-
Image - Deborah Hicks and Robyn Williams
Graduation RAAF Pearce
Women's Museum of Australia
-
Image - Deborah Hicks and Robyn Williams
Women's Museum of Australia
-
Image - Deborah Hicks
Copyright unknown
-
Image - Deborah Hicks
Copyright unknown
-
References
The Top Gun Girls: RAAF’s first female fliers. newspaper unknown. date unknown:page unknown.
Hall, Therese. (1982, August 11). Taking off on a solo flight…at 16. The Australian Women’s Weekly, 33.
Debbie the latest Hicks with wings. Nambucca Guardian News. June 18, 1982:1.
(1988, September). Girls Make R.A.A.F.History. Airnews, 30-31.
Hooker, Peter. Women recruits fly into history. The West Australian. June 29, 1988:1.
(date unknown). Special Award. Australian Women Pilots’ Association, page unknown.
GE Reports. “Flying in the jet stream of the RAAF’s first female pilots”. accessed 29 January 2020.
Australian Aviation. “RAAF’s 2FTS Hosts Female Pilot Forum”. accessed 29 January 2020.
Royal Australian Air Force. “Female “Firsts” in the Air Force”. accessed 29 January 2020.
