Heroes in Flight: Chuck Yeager
Image: Wikipedia
Chuck Yeager
Chuck Yeager – fighter pilot and world record breaker – is our Hero in Flight in this post. Find out more about the man who was the first to break the sound barrier!
Growing up
Charles “Chuck” Elwood Yeager was born February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia. His parents, Susie Mae and Albert Hal, were farmers, and had five children in total: Roy, Hal Jr., Pansy Lee, and Doris Ann (who was sadly shot by accident aged two by Roy, who was just six at the time).
Chuck grew up on the farm and graduated from high school in June 1941, having already had a taste of the military. He’d spent the summers of 1939 and 1940 at Citizens Military Training Camp at Indiana’s Fort Benjamin Harrison.
Just three months after graduation, Chuck signed up for military service with the US Army Air Forces, but went on to train as an aircraft mechanic as he was too young to train to fly, nor did he have the right qualifications. However, war would change everything for Chuck.
World War II
When America entered World War II, the USAAF had to relax its policies to meet the number of trained pilots needed to fight. Chuck Yeager may not have had the age or education to fly, but he had the eyesight, and was accepted for flight training once it was revealed he had 20/10 vision!
Yeager impressed his seniors with his natural talent and was soon promoted to Flight Officer. He went on to have a hugely eventful war, which included being shot down over France, being rescued by the French Resistance, helping them to build bombs, escaping to Spain with their help and helping another airman (who been maimed in the escape) cross the Pyrenees to safety. He was also the first in his group to make an “ace in a day” (downing five enemy aircraft in one mission). By the end of the war, Yeager had been promoted to Captain.
Breaking the sound barrier
After the War, Yeager stayed in the Air Force as a functional test pilot of repaired aircraft. At the time, the NACA was researching high-speed flight and was ready to test the Bell XS-1 in an attempt to break the sound barrier. Yeager wasn’t the first choice to fly; it was only when Bell Aircraft’s test pilot demanded $150,000 (the equivalent of £1.6m today!) to fly the plane, the company turned to Yeager.
On October 14, 1947, the time came for Yeager to attempt the record in the Mojave Desert. Little did his superiors know, however, he’d broken two ribs two days before when he fell off a horse! He was in such pain, he couldn’t seal the X-1’s hatch alone and had to ask Jack Ridley, a friend and fellow pilot, to assist.
Once inside, Yeager was ready to fly. He managed to fly the X-1 at Mach 1.07 over the Rogers Dry Lake at an altitude of 45,000 ft, breaking the sound barrier in the process. This record was the first of many speed and altitude records set by Yeager.
Retirement from USAAF
After retiring from the military in 1975, Yeager still flew occasionally as a test pilot. In the 1980s and ‘90s, he tested for Piper Aircraft, setting a number of light general aircraft records, including ones for speed and endurance.
He celebrated the 65th anniversary of breaking the sound barrier by doing it again (this time as a passenger!), aged 89. When recently asked on Twitter if he’d made any plans for the 70th anniversary, humorously he replied, “No, and I don’t buy green bananas either”!
Chuck Yeager has been an inspiration to many, but has he inspired you to fly? Why not book a discovery flight at CTI Professional Flight Training today and see what it’s all about?
