Wiley Post

Wiley Hardeman Post (November 22, 1898 ? August 15, 1935) gained international fame as the first pilot to fly solo around the world. Also known for his work in high altitude flying, Post helped develop one of the first pressure suits. His plywood airplane, the Winnie Mae, and his pressure suit are displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, USA. On August 15, 1935, Post and American humorist Will Rogers were killed when Post's plane crashed on takeoff from a lagoon near Point Barrow, in Alaska.

Around the world

With Harold Gatty

Like many pilots at the time, Post disliked the fact that the speed record for flying around the world was not held by an airplane, but by the Graf Zeppelin, piloted by Hugo Eckener in 1929 with a time of 21 days. On June 23, 1931, Post and his navigator, Harold Gatty left Roosevelt Field on Long Island, New York in the Winnie Mae with a flight plan that would take them around the world, making fourteen stops along the way in Newfoundland, England, Germany, the Soviet Union, Alaska, Alberta, Canada and Cleveland, Ohio before returning to Roosevelt Field. They arrived back on July 1 after travelling 15,474 miles in the record time of 8 days and 15 hours and 51 minutes. The reception they received rivalled Lindbergh's everywhere they went. They had lunch at the White House on July 6, rode in a ticker-tape parade the next day in New York City, and were honored at a banquet given by the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America at the Hotel Astor. After the flight, Post acquired the Winnie Mae from F.C. Hall, and he and Gatty published an account of their journey titled, Around the World in Eight Days with an introduction by Will Rogers.

Related Topics:
Graf Zeppelin - Hugo Eckener - 1929 - June 23 - 1931 - Roosevelt Field - Long Island, New York - Newfoundland - England - Germany - Soviet Union - Alaska - Alberta, Canada - Cleveland, Ohio - July 1 - Lindbergh's - White House - July 6 - Ticker-tape parade - New York City

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First solo pilot

After the record-setting flight, Post wanted to open his own aeronautical school, but could not raise enough financial support because of doubts many had about his rural background and limited formal education. Motivated by his detractors, Post decided to attempt a solo flight around the world and to break his previous speed record. Over the next year, Post improved his airplane by installing an autopilot device and a radio compass that were in their final stages of development by the Sperry Gyroscope Company and the United States Army. In 1933, he repeated his flight around the world, this time using the auto-pilot and compass in place of his navigator and becoming the first to accomplish the feat alone. 50,000 people greeted him on his return to Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field on July 22 after 7 days, 19 hours -- 21 hours less than his previous record, and he was given a second ticker-tape parade in New York.

Related Topics:
Autopilot - Compass - Sperry Gyroscope Company - United States Army - 1933 - Brooklyn - Floyd Bennett Field - July 22

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