Wiley Post, The Unlikely Aviator

In a remarkable feat that took place over 90 years ago, Wiley Post accomplished the world’s first solo, around-the-world flight. Using a plywood aircraft called the Winnie Mae, he landed in New York City on a summer night in 1933 after circling the globe in just seven days, 18 hours, and 49 minutes, with only 11 stops along the way.

The event was filled with confetti, ticker tape, and the excitement captured by newsreels. Amongst all the celebrations, there stood a modest man with an endearing smile and a sense of urgency, knowing that any delay could have meant the difference between success and failure.

Wiley Post was a visionary who saw boundless opportunities in the skies above. He was the inventor of the first pressurized aviation suit, which laid the foundation for modern spacesuits and paved the way for future moon visits and scientific discoveries.

However, Post’s remarkable accomplishments and revered reputation were unexpected. He was a one-eyed oil driller who had dropped out of school in the sixth grade, hailing from humble beginnings in Texas and Oklahoma.

Post’s family, who were sharecroppers, moved to southwestern Oklahoma near Maysville during the time of statehood. Although he grew up as a farm boy, he found no joy in the laborious farm life. Instead, he was fascinated by tinkering with the mechanical gadgets and machinery that kept the farm running smoothly.

Stories about early air travel captivated him—the tales of peculiar machines soaring into the vast blue sky, such as the Wright brothers’ historic flight in 1903 or the magical contraptions disappearing into the clouds. Rather than focusing on academic subjects, Post found solace in carving model airplanes with his trusty pocket knife, and eventually, he decided to forego further education.

It is said that around the age of 11, Post left home and found work as a mechanic, repairman, and drilling crew floorhand in the Oklahoma oilfields. In 1913, at the county fair in Lawton, Oklahoma, Post witnessed his first airplane in flight. He also acquired knowledge in radio technology during World War I, although the war ended before he completed his training.

In October 1926, an accident occurred when a shard of steel from a co-worker’s sledgehammer pierced Post’s left eye while he was working in Seminole, Oklahoma. Despite multiple attempts to save his severely infected eye, the efforts were futile. However, this tragic incident played a significant role in shaping Post’s aviation journey, as he received compensation of around $1,800. With this money, he purchased his first airplane, a Curtiss JN-4 Canuck.

Shortly after, Post secured a job working for F. C. Hall, an oilman from Chickasha, Oklahoma, who was associated with the Phillips Petroleum Company. Hall sent Post to California to buy a new Lockheed Vega airplane named after his daughter, Winnie Mae Hall.

By 1930, Post grew tired of barnstorming and longed for more significant challenges in long-distance and experimental flights. His ultimate dream was to circumnavigate the globe by air. Post managed to convince Hall to support him in this audacious endeavor.

In 1931, Post embarked on his first around-the-world flight with Australian navigator Harold Gatty aboard the Winnie Mae. The remarkable journey was completed in eight days, 15 hours, and 51 minutes, taking off from Roosevelt Field airport in Westbury, New York, and making stops in Newfoundland and Labrador, England, Germany, Russia, Alaska, and Canada before returning to New York City on July 1, 1931. This achievement instantly transformed both pilots into celebrated heroes.

Significantly, Post’s flight marked one of the earliest instances of autopilot utilization. This emerging technology enabled pilots to achieve greater accuracy during flights, reducing the risk of human error. Although Post encountered some issues with the Sperry Gyroscope Company autopilot, he persevered. He faced challenging weather conditions and a palpable sense of danger hanging in the air, but nothing deterred him.

Post navigated his way through Siberia, the Bering Strait, and Alaska, where he became lost for seven hours. While he failed to find Nome, Alaska, he spotted the village of Flat and decided to land. Unfortunately, the soft sand caused the plane to tip over, resulting in minor damages and a bent propeller. A replacement propeller was flown in from Fairbanks, repairs were swiftly completed, and an exhaustingly exhausted Post bravely continued his journey. To prevent himself from falling asleep, he tied a wrench to his finger. If he began dozing off, the wrench would drop to the floor and jolt him awake.

Despite various setbacks, Post’s unwavering determination allowed him to complete the 15,596-mile trip in just seven days, 18 hours, and 49 minutes. When he landed at Floyd Bennett Field, he became the toast of the planet, drawing in a crowd of approximately 50,000 ecstatic individuals. He had successfully shattered the record he and Gatty had set, surpassing it by over 21 hours.

Wiley Post emerged from the hatch on top of his plane, fully aware he had become a global sensation. Over 50,000 people had gathered at the field, eagerly awaiting a glimpse of this exceptional aviator, with a patch over his sightless eye, and the remarkable machine that defied the limits of human capability.

In the midst of the Great Depression, Wiley Post became America’s new hero. New York City exuberantly showed their support, showering him with tons of confetti and endless ticker tape as he triumphantly paraded through a maze of towering iron and steel skyscrapers.

During his incredible journey, Post set three remarkable records: the fastest trip around the world, the first solo flight around the world, and the fastest flight from New York to Berlin, covering a distance of 3,900 miles in just 25 hours and 45 minutes.

However, Post was not content with his accomplishments; he yearned to fly faster, higher, and farther. Yet, he faced a significant obstacle at higher altitudes—the lack of pressurization within the aircraft cabin. Rather than giving up, Post chose to pressurize himself. In collaboration with the B. F. Goodrich Company in 1934, he developed the world’s first practical flight pressure suit, made from rubberized parachute fabric.

In another daring flight attempt, Post adorned his oxygenated suit and took off from Burbank, California, destined for Cleveland, Ohio, covering a distance of 2,035 miles on March 15, 1935. Throughout the journey, he reached a maximum speed of 340 miles per hour, completing the flight in just 7 hours and 19 minutes.

Unfortunately, fate had a tragic twist for Post and his companion, Will Rogers. On August 15, 1935, while navigating from Fairbanks to Barrow, they encountered heavy rain, dense fog, and engine trouble, making the flight extremely challenging. Post noticed smoke rising from an Eskimo fishing village and decided to land in a shallow river. After dinner, repairing the plane’s engine, and receiving navigation instructions for Barrow, they resumed their journey. However, the engine failed immediately, causing the airplane to crash into the river, resulting in the loss of both their lives.

Oklahoma mourned the loss of two of its most prominent citizens, while America bid farewell to two remarkable individuals. Wiley Post was only 36 years old, and Will Rogers was 55. Approximately 8,000 people gathered at the Oklahoma City airport as Post’s body was brought back, making it one of the largest funerals in the state’s history.

As a young boy, Wiley Post yearned to be part of the broader world, and airplanes became his gateway to escape. In the process, he pushed the boundaries of aviation and left an enduring legacy. Each advancement in aeronautics and air travel bears a small piece of his dream. Today, his historical aircraft, the Winnie Mae, is proudly displayed at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.