Tiny Broadwick: The First Woman to Parachute from an Airplane
A North Carolina Pioneer Who Changed Aviation History
In the early days of aviation, when flying itself was considered impossibly dangerous, one tiny woman from North Carolina took courage to new heights. Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick became the first woman to publicly parachute from an airplane, forever cementing her place in aviation history.
A Small Beginning
Born in 1893 in Greenville County, North Carolina, Georgia Ann Thompson came into the world weighing only 3 pounds. She was the last of seven daughters, and from the start, life wasn't easy. By the time she reached adulthood, she stood just 5 feet tall and weighed only 85 pounds – earning her the nickname "Tiny" that would follow her throughout her remarkable career.
At age 15, Tiny was already a single mother, working grueling twelve- to fourteen-hour shifts in a cotton mill to support herself and her child. But fate had bigger plans for this diminutive woman.
A Life-Changing Encounter
When the Jones Carnival arrived in nearby Raleigh, young Tiny attended with wide eyes. Among the attractions was Charles Broadwick's "World Famous French Aeronauts" – a daring act that involved parachuting from hot air balloons.
Tiny was mesmerized. Charles Broadwick noticed her fascination and, seeing potential in the fearless young woman, offered to train her. Without hesitation, Tiny agreed, eventually taking Broadwick's last name as her own.
Making History
On June 21, 1913, above Los Angeles, California, Tiny Broadwick made history. She became the first woman to publicly parachute from an airplane, jumping from a plane piloted by Glenn Martin (who would later found the Martin Marietta corporation).
The jump was no simple feat. Tiny sat on a trapeze-like swing mounted just behind and beneath the airplane's wing. Wearing a parachute developed by Charles Broadwick, she waited for the signal, then released herself from the seat, plummeting some 2,000 feet before her parachute deployed, carrying her safely to Griffith Park below.
A Legacy of Firsts
Tiny didn't stop there. She went on to:
- Become the first woman to parachute over water
- Make the first free-fall parachute jump (pulling the ripcord herself rather than having a static line deploy the chute)
- Complete over 1,100 jumps in her career
- Demonstrate parachutes to the U.S. Army, helping convince the military of their life-saving potential
Connecting to Our Skies
Here at OBX Airplanes, we're proud to continue North Carolina's rich aviation heritage. While we don't recommend jumping out of our planes, we do invite you to experience the same thrill of flight that captivated Tiny Broadwick over a century ago.
When you soar over the Outer Banks with us, you're following in the footsteps of aviation pioneers – from the Wright Brothers who achieved the first powered flight just miles away in Kitty Hawk, to daredevils like Tiny who pushed the boundaries of what was possible.
Ready to make your own aviation memories? Book your flight today and see the Outer Banks from a whole new perspective.
Sources: First Flight Society, North Carolina History Project