The second book in our theme of Aviation was Pancho: The Biography of Florence Lowe Barnes by Barbara Hunter Schultz.

Pancho Barnes was one of the most colorful characters in Southern California history. Her grandfather was Thaddeus Lowe (much more about him in our next email). She was one of the first female pilots and, although married to a Protestant preacher, she lived a life that flouted the conservative society of early 20th Century Pasadena.

She was portrayed by actress Kim Stanley in the movie, The Right Stuff. Pancho ran the Happy Bottom Riding Club, a bar and restaurant catering to the test pilots of Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert. In the movie, the actor playing the bartender was Chuck Yeager, the real test pilot played by Sam Shepard in the movie.

As a pilot Pancho broke a speed record held by Amelia Earhart. She also used her flying talents in motion pictures and had many Hollywood friends.

Accompanied by her grandfather, she attended the 1910 Air Show in Los Angeles and lived long enough to see her good friend Buzz Aldrin walk on the moon.