The Lockheed Vega aircraft nicknamed the Winnie Mae transformed the trajectory of Wiley Post, serving as the vessel for his record-setting circumnavigations of the globe. Born in Van Zandt County in 1898, he transitioned from oilfield labor to the barnstorming circuit, eventually pioneering high-altitude techniques that fundamentally expanded the reach of early aviation technology.
Early Career and Training
Post developed an interest in aviation after witnessing a flight at a Lawton, Oklahoma, fair in 1913. He subsequently enrolled in the Sweeney Automobile and Aviation School in Kansas City. Despite his desire to pilot aircraft during World War I, he served in the U.S. Army Air Service as a radio technician. Following the war, he worked in the Oklahoma oilfields before joining Burrell Tibbs and His Texas Topnotch Fliers as a parachutist. In 1926, an industrial accident cost him his left eye, but he used his settlement funds to purchase his first aircraft.
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In 1931, Post and navigator Harold Gatty completed an aerial circumnavigation in the Winnie Mae in 8 days, 15 hours, and 51 minutes, covering 15,474 miles. This feat surpassed the previous record held by the Graf Zeppelin. Following the success of this flight, Post utilized a Sperry Gyroscope Company autopilot and a radio direction finder to perform the first solo flight around the world in 1933. He arrived back at Floyd Bennett Field on July 22, completing the journey in 7 days, 18 hours, and 49 minutes.
High-Altitude Research
With backing from Frank Phillips of the Phillips Petroleum Company, Post turned his focus to high-altitude flight in 1934. In collaboration with Russell S. Colley of the B.F. Goodrich Company, he developed an early pressure suit. The final design consisted of three layers, including a rubberized parachute fabric outer shell and an aluminum-and-plastic diver's helmet. During his research into flight at extreme altitudes, he discovered the existence of the jet stream.
Final Flight
On August 15, 1935, Post and the humorist Will Rogers died when their aircraft crashed on takeoff from a lagoon near Point Barrow, Alaska. At the time of his death, Post was 37 years old. His contributions to aviation were formally acknowledged posthumously in 1969 with his induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 1898, Van Zandt County
- Died: 1935, Point Barrow
- Primary Aircraft: Lockheed Vega (Winnie Mae)
- Significant Achievement: First solo flight around the world
- Key Discovery: Jet stream
- Notable Awards: National Aviation Hall of Fame (1969), Harmon Trophy, Distinguished Flying Cross
Questions readers ask
What aircraft did Wiley Post use for his records?
He flew a modified Lockheed Vega nicknamed the Winnie Mae.
Did Wiley Post develop special equipment for high-altitude flight?
Yes, he worked with B.F. Goodrich to develop one of the world's first practical pressure suits.
Achievements
- National Aviation Hall of Fame — 1969
- Worked as aircraft pilot and explorer
