{"id":616210,"date":"2026-09-30T09:22:09","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T09:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/616210\/"},"modified":"2026-09-30T09:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T09:22:09","slug":"jean-batten-the-superstar-aviator-who-twice-chose-seclusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/616210\/","title":{"rendered":"Jean Batten: The superstar aviator who twice chose seclusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 1928, Charles Kingsford Smith made the first flight across the Tasman Sea, flying from Sydney to Christchurch.<\/p>\n

\"JeanJean Batten was a superstar of aviation. Photo \/
\nAuckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19340613-40-02<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was mind-blowing stuff for people,\u201d Waugh said.<\/p>\n

Batten, born in Rotorua in 1909, was one of several famous pioneering female aviators, along with Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe women made a splash because it was unusual. Jean, I think, knew how to play the media. She probably knew how to market herself,\u201d Waugh said.<\/p>\n

\u201cJean Batten was one of the great aviation megastars of the 1930s,\u201d the late biographer Ian Mackersey wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cDriven by an extraordinarily ambitious and reckless force, she maintained an image of awesome perfection. Her crowded years of glory, however, were brief.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mackersey wrote that Batten disappeared in 1937, going off to resume a nomadic life with her mother.<\/p>\n

\"JeanJean Batten attracted crowds and attention at many events in the 1930s and at visits such as this one to a centre for blind people in Auckland. Photo \/ Auckland Weekly News<\/p>\n

But she returned to public life in the late 1960s.<\/p>\n

Waugh said his mother bumped into Batten in about 1977 and the aviator was very famous then.<\/p>\n

Waugh said Mackersey\u2019s biography captured the \u201cunusualness\u201d of Batten\u2019s personality.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe admire her courage and skills on the international stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

But he said it was also important to remember the many other pilots, engineers and administrators who built New Zealand\u2019s civil aviation system.<\/p>\n

Batten\u2019s achievements are being celebrated at Auckland Airport and the Museum of Transport and Technology (Motat).<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Percival Gull, in which Jean Batten made the first solo trip from England to New Zealand in 1936, at Auckland Airport. Photo \/ Brett Phibbs<\/p>\n

\u201cJean Batten\u2019s arrival at M\u0101ngere Aerodrome was one of the defining moments in New Zealand aviation history, taking place at the site that is now Auckland Airport,\u201d the airport\u2019s chief operations officer Chloe Surridge said.<\/p>\n

As part of the anniversary programme, Motat will present a special evening on Thursday dedicated to Batten\u2019s life, achievements and global impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cJean Batten\u2019s achievements remain an extraordinary example of courage, determination and innovation,\u201d Motat director of collections Alba Letts said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNinety years on, her record-breaking journey continues to inspire New Zealanders and aviation enthusiasts around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JeanJean Batten with her cat Buddy. Photo \/ NZME<\/p>\n

The celebrations will continue on October 18 when Motat will have a special showcase of heritage aviation technology across the museum.<\/p>\n

Batten\u2019s achievements will form a central theme of the day.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re proud to care for and share the stories and objects that connect us to her legacy,\u201d Letts said.<\/p>\n

Mackersey wrote that Batten retreated from public life in 1982, shortly before dying in Mallorca, one of Spain\u2019s Balearic Islands.<\/p>\n

\u201cBitten by a dog, she had refused medical attention,\u201d Mackersey wrote.<\/p>\n

An infection spread to her lungs as she spurned antibiotics.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmong the Spanish hotel staff, ignorant of her former great celebrity, she had died a needless death, overwhelmed by a pulmonary abscess,\u201d Mackersey wrote.<\/p>\n

She was buried anonymously in January 1983.<\/p>\n

Her relatives later installed a plaque at her Spanish grave site<\/a>.<\/p>\n

John Weekes<\/a> is a business journalist covering aviation. He also has experience covering consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.<\/p>\n

Stay ahead with the latest market moves, corporate updates, and economic insights by subscribing to our Business newsletter<\/a> \u2013 your essential weekly round-up of all the business news you need.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In 1928, Charles Kingsford Smith made the first flight across the Tasman Sea, flying from Sydney to Christchurch.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":616211,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[69207,303559,19102,67069,424,111,43,139,69,164760,49519,223,17251,1299],"class_list":["post-616210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-aviator","tag-batten","tag-chose","tag-jean","tag-life","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-seclusion","tag-superstar","tag-the","tag-twice","tag-who"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=616210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/616210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/616211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=616210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=616210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=616210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}