ʃiː tˈʊk hɜː fˈɜːst lˈɛsənz ɪnˈɪʃəli sˈiːkɹᵻtli wˌaɪlst hɜː hˈʌsbənd plˈeɪd ɡˈɑːlf wɪð ɪnstɹˈʌktɚ tʃˈɑːɹlz mˈæθɛsən ˌɔn sˈɪks ˈɔːɡəst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi ænd ɡˈeɪnd hɜː pɹˈaɪvət pˈaɪləts lˈaɪsəns wɪðˌɪn ðə jˈɪɹ.
She took her first lessons (initially secretly whilst her husband played golf) with instructor Charles Matheson on 6 August 1930 and gained her private pilot's licence within the year.