Nancy Ellis

Nancy Lorna Leebold (née Ellis) (2 November 1915 – 13 July 1982) was an Australian aviator and the first female commercial pilot in Australia.

Her mother was Emilene May, née Webber and her father, John Eric Ellis, ran a garage in Vaucluse where Nancy became a skilled motor mechanic.

After graduating from Cleveland Street High School, Ellis's father gave her control of his second garage at Narrabeen.

Following the outbreak of World War II, Ellis studied to be draftsman and began working at De Havilland.

[6] In 1953, she was the only Australian member of the Ninety-Nines and the winner of their Silver Jubilee Scholarship in the United States of America in 1954.