The Greatest Pilot that Ever Lived?

Clark1961 said:
The element which may be missing in evaluating the WASP's contribution is a cultural expectation vs individual performance one. If you grow up being told you can't do things because you're a girl (or a guy) and you go do them anyway then it is more of an event compared to a guy (or a girl) doing it. In this event the individual has overcome a greater challenge than the person who is expected to do it. As an absolute measure of skill, both parties completed the same task but one had to travel further to do so.
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They had to travel further to get to the task, once there the task is the same and no big deal. I nominate for greatest pilot those brave women that started publicly smoking to throw of the 'women don't smoke' chains of oppression. :rofl:
 
JHW said:
took me over 300 hours to solo, wonder what that says ?
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You had a medical issue that took three years to rectify during which time you continued to fly with an instructor and learn everything to a caliber one would expect of a Commercial Pilot and potentially you had a ground instructor certificate. Either that or you're dumb as a rock.
 
ClimbnSink said:
They had to travel further to get to the task, once there the task is the same and no big deal. I nominate for greatest pilot those brave women that started publicly smoking to throw of the 'women don't smoke' chains of oppression. :rofl:
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So you believe that smoking and driving an airplane are equal tasks? I believe you are alone in that assessment.
 
Henning said:
You had a medical issue that took three years to rectify during which time you continued to fly with an instructor and learn everything to a caliber one would expect of a Commercial Pilot and potentially you had a ground instructor certificate. Either that or you're dumb as a rock.
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i've been nominated as the latter, but there's also a lot of time to fly between ages 12 and 16
 
I'm going with all the silent non-ego-tripping guys and gals who've safely transported others, accident-free, for a career and then hung up the spurs to go enjoy a good fishing trip.

All these other guys and gals have guts and did some amazing stuff, but heroes to me are normal folks.

Not saying I don't enjoy seeing these "greats" and grabbing an autograph or two. Just isn't my world.

The famous ones almost always flew stuff on someone else's dime. I'm more impressed with the blue collar guy or gal who struggles to save up a couple hundred bucks to fly this weekend while taking care of their family. That's the spirit of the Wrights, still alive today.
 
Correction: I typed "for a career" and forgot "or for recreation". Crap.
 
denverpilot said:
I'm going with all the silent non-ego-tripping guys and gals who've safely transported others, accident-free, for a career and then hung up the spurs to go enjoy a good fishing trip.

All these other guys and gals have guts and did some amazing stuff, but heroes to me are normal folks.

Not saying I don't enjoy seeing these "greats" and grabbing an autograph or two. Just isn't my world.

The famous ones almost always flew stuff on someone else's dime. I'm more impressed with the blue collar guy or gal who struggles to save up a couple hundred bucks to fly this weekend while taking care of their family. That's the spirit of the Wrights, still alive today.
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+1. Well said. "Greatest pilot" ain't just stick-&-rudder skills. It's also judgment, discipline, self-control -- those quaint, old-fashioned kinds of things that keep one out of the newspapers.
 
Velocity173 said:
So when we are talking "Greatest Pilot Who Ever Lived" are we talking stick and rudder or cultural impact? Both?
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For the sake of discussion (there have been countless pilots with great skills and great impact), I am thinking all aspects. That is why I chose Hoover and Doolittle.

Both had top-notch, natural flying skills and ability.

Both were (well, Bob still is) outstanding, non-ego driven people. Jimmy was a driven man, but I never got the feeling that making a name for himself was ever a specific goal of Jimmy's. He was driven to contiuously explore the world of flight and make aviation a better place.

Both were the kind of guys you actually wouldn't mind being in a room with (we all know many pilots who have mad flying skillz but you can't stand to be around.)

Both made significant impacts on aviation: Bob as a test pilot and later inspiring countless pilots to pursue flight. Jimmy as a test pilot, aviation safety pioneer, and an outstanding leader.

Anyway those were my thoughts. I agree with the comments about pilots who fly a lifetime in safety with no recognition are truly great pilots (there are literally thousands out there that meet that criteria), but for the intent of the thread, I am looking for something a bit different than lumping a large ambiguous group together.
 
Our society tends to award those who for no other reason than happenstance are forced to put their best effort forward and succeed, or else!

Worse, like at my old police department, the awards sometimes go to those who by their own dangerous or foolish actions put themselves into a situation which requires heroics to safely exit. Leaders are forced to either award them or discipline them, or sometimes both. Entirely too many dumb****s walking around with ribbons above their shirtpocket.

Often ignored are the silently competent individuals who through their professionalism avoid the situations that would excite the reaction often necessary for recognition. Of course combat, SAR missions etc. change the equation somewhat but examples there exist too.

There was a short story written some time ago which artfully expanded on the imaginary hypothesis that in heaven one is awarded for his potential and not his actions, or his actions not just the impacts - the theory being that when one goes to his final reward he should not be penalized for lack of opportunity. The blind beggar in some village in Elbonia besting Beethoven even though he never had an earthly audience of more than one.

Bonus if you can name the story :wink2:
 
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Clark1961 said:
So you believe that smoking and driving an airplane are equal tasks? I believe you are alone in that assessment.
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If you believe breaking taboos is relevant to piloting skill, then I pity you.
 
alaskaflyer said:
Leaders are forced to either award them or discipline them, or sometimes both. Entirely too many dumb****s walking around with ribbons above their shirtpocket.
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Reminds me of the EP-3 pilot who made the emergency landing on Chinese soil after colliding with the interceptor.

He got a Distunguished Flying Cross awarded at the White House.....and his naval career was effectively ended.




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ClimbnSink said:
If you believe breaking taboos is relevant to piloting skill, then I pity you.
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You're the one who made the analogy. I just observed it and commented on your analogy.
 
USCG pilots who, until Katrina and Coast Guard Alaska, served without much notoriety, flying in all types of weather, risking their lives, to save some hapless soul who strayed into trouble. Any pilot who flies SAR or EMS especially those in war zones, who "just do it". Jolly Greens, dustoffs, FACs all come to mind. Life flight pilots who donate their time and aircraft to help a stranger. Pilots who donate their time to fly pet rescues. Eagle and Young Eagle pilots donating their time to introduce people to the art and thrill of flying.
You may find your greatest in the lists above who helped advance aviation but it's the unsung heroes who deserve the title.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Reminds me of the EP-3 pilot who made the emergency landing on Chinese soil after colliding with the interceptor.

He got a Distunguished Flying Cross awarded at the White House.....and his naval career was effectively ended.




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Shane Osborn is from Nebraska. He ran for State treasurer and won, then had to resign due to family problems. Divorce, and he got the kids. His wife is a nut job, falsely accusing him of beating her after he caught her with an old boyfriend. Not sure what he is doing now, working at an insurance company I think. He is a great guy that married a waco wife. He was awarded custody of the kids over her objection, but the judge decided she was unfit. Pretty ugly for all concerned.
 
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Geico266 said:
Shane Osborn is from Nebraska. He ran for State treasurer and won, then had to resign due to family problems. Divorce, and he got the kids. His wife is a nut job, falsely accusing him of beating her after he caught her with an old boyfriend. Not sure what he is doing now, working at an insurance company I think. He is a great guy that married a waco wife. He was awarded custody of the kids over her objection, but the judge decided she was unfit. Pretty ugly for all concerned.
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That is really sad.


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Geico266 said:
He flew the X-1a, first one to break the sound barrier. Still think he is a contender for greatest pilot. Lots of unknowns to get to where they were able to get it done. Lots of pilots died in the process.
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First one to officially break the sound "barrier" was the X-1, on October 14, 1947. The X-1A first flew in 1953.
 
roncachamp said:
First one to officially break the sound "barrier" was the X-1, on October 14, 1947. The X-1A first flew in 1953.
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I've heard stories the XP86 actually did it in a dive a few times before Yeager did.
 
DavidWhite said:
I've heard stories the XP86 actually did it in a dive a few times before Yeager did.
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Yes, one of them earlier in the day of Yeager's flight. There are tales of other aircraft exceeding Mach 1 before Yeager but the XP-86 is the only credible one.
 
roncachamp said:
Yes, one of them earlier in the day of Yeager's flight. There are tales of other aircraft exceeding Mach 1 before Yeager but the XP-86 is the only credible one.
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I've heard stories about ME262s doing it in dives too, but apparently no one ever lived to tell the tale.
 
5 pages and nothing from The Right Stuff?

"Who's the greatest pilot that ever lived?

Well, you're looking at him."

Seriously, R.A. Bob Hoover gets my vote, a fine stick and a finer gentleman.

'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
5 pages and nothing from The Right Stuff?

"Who's the greatest pilot that ever lived?

Well, you're looking at him."

Seriously, R.A. Bob Hoover gets my vote, a fine stick and a finer gentleman.

'Gimp
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See post # 22. I know my Right Stuff.
 
Geico266 said:
Oops, I should have said X planes. :redface:

He flew the X-1a, first one to break the sound barrier. Still think he is a contender for greatest pilot. Lots of unknowns to get to where they were able to get it done. Lots of pilots died in the process.
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FWIW

The X1A is not what Yeager flew when he first broke the sound barrier. On that October in 1947 he flew the X1. Later the X1A was built that incorporated changes that were learned from the initial X1 flights. And yes, Yeager did fly the X-1A when it came out and in 1953 broke Crossfield's Mach 2 record. Which also means that the X1A was not even the 2nd plane to break the sound barrier.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_X-1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_X-1#X-1A
 
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