Scott, Sheila (1927-1988), was a British actress and aviator. She set the record for the longest solo flight in a single-engine airplane when she flew around the world in 1966—a journey she completed three times in her life. Though she had not flown a plane before 1959, Sheila Scott learned quickly, and soon began winning races. Over the next decade, she set more than 100 flying records and won numerous air races. In 1971, she became the first person to fly solo over the North Pole in a light aircraft, during her third round-the-world flight. She wrote three books about her experiences as an aviator: I Must Fly (1968), On Top of the World (1973), and Barefoot in the Sky (1974).
Scott was born Sheila Christine Hopkins on April 27, 1927, in Worcester, England. She worked as a nurse before starting her acting career in 1946. Her acting career included parts in films and television as well as repertory and West End theater. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE), an award for public service from the British government, in 1968. She died on Oct. 20, 1988.
