Jessie E. Woods (27 January 1909 – 17 March 2001) was one of the first female pilots in the United States.
Jessie E. Schulz was born 27 January 1909, in Stafford County, Kansas, the daughter of William and Clara (Miller) Schulz. She also lived in Wichita, Kansas, where she garnered a love for aviation from childhood, watching aircraft come and go, very often every day, as they were manufactured nearby.
In 1928, at the age of 19, Jessie left home with her boyfriend, Jimmie Woods, and they married on 28 August 1928 in Wichita. The Woods' then went on to form the Flying Aces Air Circus, which lasted until 1938, setting a record for the longest-lasting air circus of all time. The Woods and other pilots performing with them flew every weekend at different places.
Woods was a daredevil. She was also the circus lady, flying aircraft on the circus show, often performing dangerous landings. She also walked on the wings of flying aircraft, parachuting off, or dangling below them, with her knees holding a rope ladder. Once while wing walking, she fell off at ; ordinarily, she did not wear a parachute, but this time she did. The circus closed in 1938.