Honored 1973
Doris Millie Langher was born March 21, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois. In 1933, she told her dad that she wanted to fly in a plane, and he gave her a Christmas gift of a plane ride, which made a lifelong impression on her.
She soloed in 1934, learned aerobatics, bought a half interest in a Great Lakes trainer and gained valuable flying experience as a barnstormer and air racer. Employed by United Airlines as an accounting clerk, she enrolled in the company’s home study courses in navigation, meteorology and radio direction finding.
From 1936 to 1939 she competed in over 100 closed-course races, and by 1941, she had achieved her instrument rating. She was the pilot for presidential candidate Estes Kefauver in 1956, and thereafter received her Air Transport Rating, being only the 9th woman in the world to get one.
In 1966, Doris attained her helicopter rating and was appointed to the President’s Women’s Advisory Committee on Aviation. She competed in 18 Powder Puff Derbies and eight international air races, placing second in the New Orleans to Nicaragua race in 1970.
With over 12,000 flying hours, Doris Langher held ratings in single and multi-engine, balloon, sailplane, helicopter, and all ground instructor ratings. With her wealth of experience she eventually became a skilled flight simulator operator at United’s Denver flight training center.
Doris was killed in the crash of a Lear Jet near Greeley, Colo., in August 1974, while on an instructional flight from Denver to Cheyenne.
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