Pancho Barnes
Pancho Barnes lived a life of daring exploits, fierce independence, and infectious love of adventure. Born in 1901 to a wealthy Pasadena family, Florence Leontine Lowe, later to be known as Pancho, enjoyed a privileged upbringing but was far from your typical debutante. Right from her childhood, she flouted convention, especially those imposed on women at the time. She loved adventure from an early age: she used to ride horses, hunt, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities that in those times were supposed to be only for boys. That spirit of rebellion would seal her whole life.
The Aviation Years and Speed Records
Pancho's life took a sharp turn in the 1920s when she became fascinated with aviation. She became interested in flying following a visit to Mexico, in which she met the revolutionary soldiers and was christened "Pancho." Soon after that, she was back in America learning to fly and buying her first airplane, a Travel Air 4000. She quickly became an extremely skilled pilot and was soon ranked among the best fliers of her day. Pancho Barnes wasn't content just to fly for fun-she wanted to compete. In 1930, she broke Amelia Earhart's airspeed record at 196.19 mph indicative of audacity and flying skill. That made her an overnight sensation, and within a very s hort time, she was admired by other fliers and the public in general.Hollywood Stunt Pilot
Pancho performed aerial tricks in films such as Hell's Angels overseen by Howard Hughes in 1930. Famous for her boldness, she was unafraid to advocate for higher wages for stunt pilots, leading to disagreements with the film industry.Happy Bottom Riding Club
Pancho's next venture would seal her as a legend beyond anything in the world of aviation. But by 1935, when the Great Depression hit her in the wallet, she'd moved to the Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base and had founded the Happy Bottom Riding Club. But not just any ranch-this was a cross between a dude ranch, a bar, and a restaurant, with airstrips for her pilot friends. As the skies got tamed in the post-war era of aviation technology during the 1940s and 1950s, it soon became a hangout for the military test pilots stationed at Edwards in general.Test pilots like Chuck Yeager, who gained the distinction of being the first person to break the sound barrier, were oft guests. The Happy Bottom Riding Club easily became the place where they could unwind after a dangerous day of test flights. The parties at Pancho's ranch were legendary-rowdy affairs with dancing, drinks, and practical jokes galore that allowed the usually grim-faced aviators to let their hair down, bond with one another, and exchange stories. Given her generosity and love for these airmen, she was something of a den mother to this fraternity of daredevils, and the club became synonymous with the golden era of test flying.
Legal Battles and Decline
With all that camaraderie and joy, Pancho's Happy Bottom Riding Club ran into some trouble in the 1950s. As Edwards Air Force Base began to expand, the government wanted her land, claiming eminent domain and offering her compensation that she felt was unfair. Never one to back down from a fight, Pancho launched an aggressive legal battle against the government. The dispute continued to drag on for many years and ended with Pancho being forced to sell the property. In 1953, as the dispute was finally drawing to a close, a mysterious fire razed much of the Happy Bottom Riding Club, effectively ending its legendary run. Whispers said it was no accident, but it did irreparable harm to Pancho, who never quite recovered.Until her death in 1975, Pancho Barnes was an important aviation figure, but her influence reached much farther than flying. Magnetic was her personality, and her life an example to be followed by many. She was an icon feminist, before such a term was used, really a breaker of stereotypes in a world ruled by men. Her boldness both in aviation and her personal life made her a symbolic figure in freedom and independence.
Eventually, it caught Hollywood's attention, the mega-life story of Barnes, and in 1988 came the TV movie entitled Pancho Barnes, starring Valerie Bertinelli. The movie chronicled her phenomenal life, but even Hollywood had to struggle to fit the real scope of her wild and adventurous spirit. Today, her contributions to aviation are celebrated at Edwards Air Force Base, where a street is named after her, while she remains a legendary figure in the annals of aviation history.
Pancho performed aerial tricks in films such as Hell's Angels overseen by Howard Hughes in 1930. Famous for her boldness, she was unafraid to advocate for higher wages for stunt pilots, leading to disagreements with the film industry. The fact is, at the end of it all, Pancho Barnes was far more than a stunt pilot, a ranch owner, or a speed record holder-she was a real American original. Flying under bridges for fun and throwing infamous parties in the desert, her antics were part of only one life lived on her terms. She inspired generations of women and men alike to push boundaries, defy expectations, and most importantly, never to let anyone tell them what they couldn't do.
Boron
Muroc
Edwards AFB
