Pilots
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The job of a pilot is considered to be one of the most lucrative and glamorous ones in the aviation industry. Ask any little kid what they want to be when they grow up, and pat comes the reply, “pilot!” But despite the glamour quotient attached with the profession, it goes without saying that being a pilot comes with tremendous responsibility. The Wright brothers are widely regarded as the first pilots in the modern sense of the word though many before them had attempted to fly, often with disastrous results. Coming to more recent times, James H. Doolittle, Noel Wien, and Charles A. Lindbergh are counted amongst the best pilots of the early years of the 20 century. While initially flying was considered exclusively a man’s field, French woman Raymonde de Laroche broke all traditions to become the first woman in the world to receive an aeroplane pilot's licence. Not long after, American aviator Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel. Despite dying young, she played a major role in encouraging women to take up aviation. Intrigued to know more about pilots? Check out this section to know about some of most famous pilots of the world.
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1
Howard Hughes(Film Producer and an Important Figure in the Aviation Industry Who Became Known for His Ecentric Behavior)
Birthdate: December 24, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Humble, Texas, United States
Died: April 5, 1976
A multi-talented personality, Howard Hughes was one of the richest person of his time. A business tycoon, he made big investments in films and aviation industry. Passionate about flying, he set numerous flying records, and also risked his own life in process. Howard Hughes who inherited his family business and became millionaire at the age of 18, was later on troubled with mental illness and turned recluse.
2
Amelia Earhart(The First Female Aviator to Fly Solo Across the Atlantic Ocean)
Birthdate: July 24, 1897
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Atchison, Kansas, United States
Died: January 5, 1939
Amelia Earhart became the first female pilot to complete a solo trans-Atlantic flight, in 1932. A champion for equal rights, Amelia later wrote best-selling memoirs and contributed to the women pilot’s group The Ninety-Nines. In 1937, Amelia disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean and was later declared dead.
3
Buzz Aldrin(American Astronaut, Fighter Pilot and the Second Person to Set Foot on the Moon)
Birthdate: January 20, 1930
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Glen Ridge, New Jersey, United States
Buzz Aldrin became the second person to set foot on the Moon, as the pilot of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission, 19 minutes after Neil Armstrong stepped on the Moon, on July 21, 1969. Aldrin has also been a U.S. Air Force officer and flew fighter jets in the Korean War.
4
Charles Lindbergh(Remembered for Making the First Nonstop Solo Flight Across the Atlantic)
Birthdate: February 4, 1902
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: August 26, 1974
Charles Lindbergh shot to fame after completing the first solo, and the longest, trans-Atlantic flight, in 1927. In his later years, his son’s highly publicized kidnapping and murder broke him completely. He also participated in World War II and worked on inventions that made flight navigation and heart surgeries easier.
Birthdate: May 2, 1892
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Wrocław, Poland
Died: April 21, 1918
Manfred von Richthofen, also known as Baron von Richthofen and the "Red Baron,” was a German Air Force fighter pilot who won more than 80 World War I battles. He was part of the fighter wing unit Jagdgeschwader 1, which was also known as "The Flying Circus" or "Richthofen's Circus.”
Birthdate: August 17, 1929
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Jenkins, Kentucky, United States
Died: August 1, 1977
Francis Gary Powers was an American pilot. His Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) U-2 spy plane was shot down in what came to be known as the 1960 U-2 incident. He was performing photographic aerial reconnaissance deep inside Soviet territory when the incident occurred. He survived and later worked as a helicopter pilot for KNBC in Los Angeles.
Birthdate: March 6, 1937
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bol'shoe Maslennikovo, Russia
Former cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is currently part of the Russian State Duma. In 1963, she became the first woman to fly into space when she went on a solo mission aboard the Vostok 6. She has won many honors, such as the Hero of the Soviet Union.
8
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.(United States Naval Aviator and Eldest Son of Joseph P. Kennedy SR and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy)
Birthdate: July 25, 1915
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Hull, Massachusetts, United States
Died: August 12, 1944
Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was a US Navy lieutenant. The eldest of the famous Kennedy siblings, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. was groomed by his father from a very young age to become the president of the United States. After his death during World War II at age 29, John F. Kennedy took it upon himself to materialize his father's dreams.
9
William Conrad(Actor, Producer, and Director Who Worked in Radio, Film, and Television for Over Fifty Years)
Birthdate: September 27, 1920
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Died: February 11, 1994
William Conrad was an American actor and filmmaker whose entertainment career in radio, television, and film spanned five decades. He achieved popularity after starring as Frank Cannon in the popular detective television series, Cannon. In 1997, William Conrad was posthumously inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
10
Douglas Bader(Royal Air Force Flying Ace During the Second World War)
Birthdate: February 21, 1910
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: September 5, 1982
Sir Douglas Bader was a RAF pilot during World War II. Although he lost both his legs in an aerobatics accident in 1931, he recovered and rejoined the RAF. Following the war, he joined the oil industry. The film and book Reach for the Sky details his life.
Birthdate: February 23, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Quincy, Illinois, United States
Died: November 1, 2007
12
Tom Harmon
(American Football Players)
Birthdate: September 28, 1919
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Rensselaer, Indiana, USA
Died: March 15, 1990
Birthdate: December 4, 1912
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, United States
Died: January 11, 1988
14
Chesley Sullenberger
(Aviator)
Birthdate: January 23, 1951
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Denison, Texas, United States
15
Billy Mitchell
(Military General)
Birthdate: December 29, 1879
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Nice, France
Died: February 19, 1936
Birthdate: February 7, 1919
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Died: December 14, 1989
Birthdate: July 1, 1903
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died: January 5, 1941
18
Robert Taylor
(Actor, Pilot)
Birthdate: August 5, 1911
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Filley, Nebraska, United States
Died: June 8, 1969
Birthdate: July 22, 1922
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Beggs, Oklahoma, USA
Died: September 22, 1987
20
Steve Fossett
(The First Person to Fly Solo Nonstop Around the World in a Balloon and in a Fixed-Wing Aircraft)
Birthdate: April 22, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Jackson, Tennessee, United States
Died: September 3, 2007
Apart from being the first solo balloonist to circumnavigate the world, Steve Fossett also competed the first non-stop solo flight across the world. The adventurer also owned a securities company. His plane went missing on a 2007 mission in western Nevada, and he was declared dead on the discovery of the wreckage.
Birthdate: September 23, 1910
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: October 27, 1990
22
Ilan Ramon
(Fighter pilot)
Birthdate: June 20, 1954
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ramat Gan, Israel
Died: February 1, 2003
23
Hanna Reitsch(Aviator, Test Pilot, and the First German Woman to Win a Captain’s Licence)
Birthdate: March 29, 1912
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Jelenia Góra, Poland
Died: August 24, 1979
It is believed Hanna Reitsch, eager to fly, had almost jumped off her balcony at 4. She was named Stratosphere by her flying-school classmates. A Nazi aviator and test pilot, she was given poisonous capsules by Hitler when the Red Army was taking over Berlin, but didn’t commit suicide.
24
Beryl Markham
(Renowned aviator and author who was the first woman to fly an east-to-west solo route across the Atlantic Ocean)
Birthdate: October 26, 1902
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rutland, England, United Kingdom
Died: August 3, 1986
25
Jake Pavelka
(Television personality)
Birthdate: January 27, 1978
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States
26
Roland Garros
(aviator, rugby union player)
Birthdate: October 6, 1888
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Saint-Denis
Died: October 5, 1918
27
Edward O'Hare
(American Naval Aviator Who Became the United States Navy's First Fighter Ace of World War II)
Birthdate: March 13, 1914
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Died: November 26, 1943
Edward O'Hare was an American naval aviator who became the United States Navy's first fighter ace of World War II in 1942, when he single-handedly took on an intimidating formation of nine heavy bombers. Edward O'Hare shot down five enemy bombers, making him the first naval aviator to receive the prestigious Medal of Honor in the Second World War.
Birthdate: July 12, 1957
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Amarillo, Texas, United States
Died: February 1, 2003
29
Mathias Rust
(German Aviator)
Birthdate: June 1, 1968
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Wedel, Germany
30
Richard Bong
(Aircraft pilot, Military personnel)
Birthdate: September 24, 1920
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Superior, Wisconsin, United States
Died: August 6, 1945
31
Reza Pahlavi, Crown Prince of Iran
(Founder and leader of the self-styled National Council of Iran)
Birthdate: October 31, 1960
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
Reza Pahlavi is the oldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, and his wife Farah Diba. He was the crown prince before the Iranian Revolution overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty in 1979. He is the founder of the self-styled National Council of Iran and a prominent critic of Iran's Islamic Republic government.
32
Jacqueline Cochran
(The First Female Pilot Who Broke the Sound Barrier)
Birthdate: May 11, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Muscogee, Cantonment, Florida, United States
Died: August 9, 1980
A pioneer in women’s aviation, US pilot Jacqueline Cochran was the first female pilot to break the sound barrier. She was also the first woman to lead the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale as its president and the first female Bendix race competitor. She held several other records and also led the organization WASP.
33
Fred Trump Jr.
(Aircraft pilot)
Birthdate: October 14, 1938
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Queens, New York, United States
Died: September 26, 1981
Birthdate: December 27, 1919
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
Died: July 16, 2004
35
Sultan bin Salman Al Saud
(Saudi Prince and Former Royal Saudi Air Force Pilot)
Birthdate: June 27, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Sultan bin Salman Al Saud is a Saudi prince best known for his service as a fighter pilot in the Royal Saudi Air Force. A payload specialist, Sultan flew aboard one of NASA's Space Shuttle missions. The first Arab and the first Muslim in space, Sultan has been honored with many prestigious awards, including the NASA Space Flight Medal.
Birthdate: October 8, 1890
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: July 23, 1973
Eddie Rickenbacker was an American fighter pilot who played an important role in World War I. With 26 aerial victories under his belt, Rickenbacker was the most decorated and most successful US flying ace of the First World War. A multi-talented personality, Eddie Rickenbacker was also an automotive designer and race car driver.
37
Eugene Bullard
(American Military Pilot Who Played an Important Role During World War I)
Birthdate: October 9, 1895
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Columbus, Georgia, United States
Died: October 12, 1961
Eugene Bullard was an American military pilot who played an important role during World War I. He was among the few black combat pilots at that time and one of the first African-Americans to become a military pilot in the US, although he flew for France during his career. Eugene Bullard was the recipient of several prestigious honors.
38
Don Herbert
(Television Host)
Birthdate: July 10, 1917
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Waconia, Minnesota, U.S.
Died: June 12, 2007
39
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
(German Aviator, Religious Leader, and Airline Executive)
Birthdate: November 6, 1940
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ostrava, Czech Republic
40
Geraldyn M Cobb
(American Aviation Pioneer Who Was the First Woman to Pass Astronaut Testing)
Birthdate: March 5, 1931
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Norman, USA
Died: March 18, 2019
American aviation pioneer Geraldyn M. Cobb was part of the pathbreaking Mercury 13 program and scripted history as the first female candidate to pass astronaut testing. She had a pilot’s license by 18 and later found new air routes to the Andes and the Amazon rain forests and immersed herself in humanitarian work.
41
Lydia Litvyak
(Fighter pilot)
Birthdate: August 18, 1921
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: August 1, 1943
42
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen
(German World War I Flying Ace Who Rose to the Rank of 'Generalfeldmarschall' in the Luftwaffe During World War II)
Birthdate: October 10, 1895
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bartoszówek, Poland
Died: July 12, 1945
Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen was a German army officer. A flying ace in World War I, Richthofen was promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall while serving in Luftwaffe, Wehrmacht's aerial warfare branch, during World War II. Widely regarded as a visionary in aerial warfare, Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen was honored with several prestigious awards, such as the Eastern Front Medal.
Birthdate: January 28, 1919
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oil City, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: January 31, 2002
Birthdate: April 26, 1896
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Died: November 17, 1941
45
William Stephenson
(Canadian Fighter Pilot, Soldier, Spymaster, and Businessman)
Birthdate: January 23, 1897
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: North Point Douglas, Winnipeg, Canada
Died: January 31, 1989
46
Louis Blériot
(Aviator, Engineer, Inventor, Aerospace engineer)
Birthdate: July 1, 1872
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cambrai
Died: August 2, 1936
Louis Blériot was a French aviator, engineer, and inventor. He is credited with developing the first workable headlamp for cars. He is also credited with making the first working, piloted monoplane. Blériot achieved worldwide fame in 1909 when he became the first person to fly across the English Channel. Louis Blériot also founded the successful aircraft manufacturing company, Blériot Aéronautique.
Birthdate: March 9, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire, England
Died: January 30, 2001
48
Rahul Mahajan
(Entertainer)
Birthdate: July 25, 1975
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: India
Birthdate: November 30, 1970
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Delhi, India
50
Nadiya Savchenko
(Politician, pilot)
Birthdate: May 11, 1981
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kyiv, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)