Anne Burns
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER (1915 - 2001)
Anne Burns was a glider pilot and an
aeronautical engineer known for her groundbreaking
success and expertise of Clear Air
Turbulence and its relevance to safety
hazards. She studied at Oxford University,
receiving a first-class degree in engineering
science. There after she proceeded to work
for the Royal Aircraft Establishment as an
assistant, where her talents were quickly
recognised, and she was promoted to
Principal Science Officer. She was the first
flight test engineer to use strain gauges and
was involved in the investigations into the
Comet disasters of the 1950s and was
awarded the Queen's Commendation for her
bravery and contribution to the cause. Burns'
expertise was also instrumental in making
planes safer.
Sheila Leather
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER (1898 - 1983)
Sheila Leather was a trainee at the aircraft
factory, part of the engineering courses run by
the Women's Engineering Society, where she
learned and prepared material for the war
effort. Within the factory Leather was
promoted from shopfloor to a higher position
with more responsibility in planning and
production. She continued to progress and
was soon employed by the Ministry of Labour
to work as a Technical Officer, managing the
recruitment of women in the manufacturing
heavy industry. In 1944, Leather joined the
Women's Engineering Society where she met
Verena Holmes, with whom she set up
Holmes & Leather Ltd in 1946. The company
only employed women engineers, who worked
in manufacturing and producing small
guillotines to cut paper with.
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