Breaking Through the Clouds: The First Women’s National Air Derby is the inspiring true story of twenty women, including Amelia Earhart, who raced across America in the summer of 1929.

With just a compass and a road map to guide them, these brave female pilots navigated through rough weather, mechanical failures, public scrutiny, and rumors of sabotage. Wearing breeches and goggles in the day and ball gowns in the evening, the contestants challenged stereotypes by proving women could be independent, competitive, selfsufficient, intelligent, competent, graceful and above all, really good pilots.

Whether fighting fire from the cockpit, landing in a field full of cows, or consoling each other after the death of a beloved colleague, the women flew in the face of adversity, establishing themselves as ambassadors of flight in the golden age of aviation. Backstories of several pilots are included in this awardwinning documentary as well as bonus footage not seen in the PBS version.

Producer Director Heather Taylor received the Combs Gates Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame for this documentary.

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