Lane - FIRST WORLD FLIGHT: The Odyssey of Billy Mitchell

Published by

U. S. PRESS

Standard Address Number SAN 253-8776

www.firstworldflight.com

e-mail: info@firstworldflight.com

Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) 2001117171

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication

Lane, Spencer.

First world flight : the odyssey of Billy Mitchell / Spencer Lane.1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Mitchell, William, 18791936. 2. Air pilotsUnited StatesBiography. 3. GeneralsUnited StatesBiography. 4. AeronauticsUnited StatesHistory. 5. Flights around the world. I. Title.

2011 by Spencer Lane

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

E-Book ISBN: 978-1-61397-260-1

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Cover design and interior by John Wincek,
Aerocraft Charter Art Service (aerocrafter@home.com)

DEDICATION

To our grandchildren;

Lily, Rachel, Sarah, Elliott, Edith, Emmett, Max, and Niko.

May they be blessed with a better world than the one we leave them.

Contents

Few books about aviation history are written without assistance and valuable input from dedicated aviation enthusiasts, historians, creative professionals, family and friends. This book is no exception.

I am grateful to Lowell Thomas who, within days of the World Flights conclusion, faithfully preserved the original diaries and recorded the reminisces of the airmen who participated in it.

I am most appreciative of the efforts of Charles Schwartz and George Kirkman, enthusiastic and dedicated archival historians of the Museum of Flying at the Santa Monica Airport, formerly Clover Field, from where the flight started and returned. They shared with me their treasured collection of original notes, drawings, letters, photographs, and a unique day by day compilation of several years of newspaper coverage of both American and foreign world flights, as well as related domestic events.

I thank the very talented writer, William Hoffman, whose enthusiasm for the adventures in this book, storytellers soul, and uncompromising content editors intellect gently prodded me into the seemingly endless rewrites which have made a good book better.

I am grateful to Naomi Shulman who, in her last months as an expectant mother, has taken the time and effort to edit the text, and to John and Rhonda Wincek of Aerocraft Charter Art Service whose enormously creative design talents are evident in the book you hold.

I deeply appreciate the efforts of Paul H. Poberezny, the legendary honored airman and founder of the E.A.A., who reviewed the completed text for technical and historical accuracy.

Most of all I am grateful to my wife, Dee, who has encouraged me to persevere and guided me through the difficult periods when the task seemed endless and the rewards small. Without her support it is doubtful if this book would have ever been completed.

B illy Mitchells lone voice, fearless and heroic as his efforts were, could not withstand the assault of the anti-aviation forces arrayed against it and the country paid a dear price. American general aviation survives today as the sole remaining base of vigorous, robust, and affordable general aviation activity only through the organizational efforts of a few far-sighted individuals. Joining with their fellow airmen, they formed a brotherhood of those who believe the freedom of Americas skies belong to all Americans. It is largely through the continuing efforts of two American aviation organizations that access to the nations heritage of flight has been preserved.

On May 15, 1939 a small group of airmen founded the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which dedicated itself to keeping general aviation safe, affordable, and fun for all Americans. It was the civilian pilot training programs of AOPA that supplied many of the early pilots and flight instructors when the Second World War began. These brave men held the line in the air against the enemy until government trainees became available.

On January 1, 1991, Phil Boyer succeeded John Baker to become the third President of the A.O.P.A. Phil has flown well over 6,000 hours in single and multi-engine propeller and jet aircraft. Formerly a senior Vice President with ABC TV, he brought to AOPA communication skills which have proved invaluable in empowering and achieving the organizations objectives. On February 13, 1992 Phil was elected President of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations representing fifty-five national AOPA organizations and over 420,000 pilots around the world.

With boundless energy, Phil started frequent Pilot Town Meetings in 1992. They take him through virtually every center of general aviation activity listening to members opinions, aspirations, and local problems, and bringing the resources of A.O.P.A. to find solutions.

AOPA monitors all aviation legislation and Phil has made numerous appearances before Congress vigorously protecting his members interests. With AOPAs Air Safety Foundation efforts, general aviation has achieved a greatly improved safety record. Through Phil Boyers leadership AOPA has grown to over 370,000 members, representing over half of the licensed pilots in the United States.

I ts easy enough to recount the exploits of heroes, but Spencer Lane has accomplished a far more difficult feat. He has made his hero come alive for the readeralive in all the complexity of the heros character and the challenges, both brutal and subtle, that were thrown against him.

This is an exciting and inspiring story. It should serve as inspiration to all involved in aviation and particularly to those of us in general aviation. We, too, must often fight to defend our right to fly in freedom. Like Billy Mitchell, we find selfish economic and political interests nearly as formidable as wartime opponents.

In the 1980s, for example, the great piston-engine segment of general aviation was almost destroyed by outrageous judgments against aircraft manufacturers. Many of them were simply forced to shut down production lines. The resulting lack of new aircraft and even of parts to repair the aging fleet made this a consumer issue, hurting pilots and small operators as well as the manufacturers. It took a full decade of intense advocacy by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and others to get Congress to set reasonable limitations on aviation product liability suits. The bill is rightly known as the General Aviation Revitalization Act. Our struggle was long and tough, but like Billy Mitchell, we never gave up and, in the end, we were justified.

For many years, successive administrations kept the Aviation Trust Fund locked, refusing to spend the aviation tax revenues it held in surplus in order to make the federal deficit appear smaller. General aviation suffered along with other sectors of civil aviation, but we never gave up. Finally, in 2000, the 106th Congress accepted the justice of our argument and passed AIR-21, the Aviation Investment and Reform Act, which unlocked the trust fund and set more reasonable standards for funding the national air transport system.