On October 16th 1936, Jean Batten, New Zealand aviator, completed the first solo flight from England to New Zealand.

Trained to fly in England, Jean Batten, was an extraordinary and courageous aviator in the early years of Flight. On this particular world record she had left Kent, England at 4.20 a.m. on 5 October 1936.

She was flying a low-winged monoplane, a Percival (Vega) Gull.

She arrived at Auckland’s Mangere Aerodrome at about 5 p.m.on October 16th, 10½ hours after leaving Sydney, and was greeted by a crowd of 6000.

You can read more about that flight here: Jean Batten reaches Auckland after epic solo flight

And here for more about the life of Jean Batten: Jean Batten