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Early Life

Wiley Hardeman Post was born in 1898 in the American South and grew up in a family that moved into the Southwest, where farm work, practical mechanics, and the rugged rhythms of frontier towns shaped his early years. He came of age when aviation was still young, and the sight and sound of early airplanes sparked a fascination that would define his life. As a young man he took odd jobs, learned the value of improvisation, and developed the hands-on mechanical skills that would later serve him in the cockpit and in the workshop. These formative experiences gave him a self-reliant bent and a willingness to take calculated risks in pursuit of something larger than himself.

Path to Aviation

Post's first taste of flight came in the barnstorming era, when traveling pilots and flying circuses brought aerial spectacle to small towns. He worked around airplanes, jumped as a parachutist, and learned to fly in the late 1920s, developing a reputation for coolness under pressure. An oil-field accident cost him his left eye, a setback that would have ended most flying dreams. Post, however, pressed on. The accident left him with the iconic eye patch that became part of his public image, but it also sharpened his determination to master the science, navigation, and discipline needed to operate safely despite monocular vision.

The Winnie Mae and the Hall Connection

A turning point came when Oklahoma oilman F. C. Hall employed Post as a pilot and acquired a Lockheed Vega that would become famous under the name Winnie Mae. Hall's support provided both a modern aircraft and the resources to plan ambitious long-distance flights. Post, with Hall's backing and the help of skilled mechanics, turned the Vega into a fine-tuned instrument for record-breaking travel. The partnership between the practical, self-educated pilot and the civic-minded businessman gave Post access to the best materials and ideas of the day, linking him to engineers at Lockheed and others who could modify the airplane for endurance and reliability.

Round-the-World Flights

In 1931 Post pursued the bold goal of circling the globe. He teamed with the master navigator Harold Gatty, whose deep experience with charts, dead reckoning, and the then-new techniques of radio navigation complemented Post's piloting skill. Together they completed a round-the-world flight in a little over eight days, traversing North America, Europe, Asia, and Alaska before returning to the United States. Their achievement captivated the public, demonstrated the practical reach of modern aircraft, and earned them acclaim in New York and Washington. The partnership between Post and Gatty became a model of how piloting and navigation expertise could combine to extend the frontiers of flight.

Post did not stop there. In 1933 he set out alone in the Winnie Mae, aiming to do what no one had yet done: circle the globe solo. He upgraded his equipment, relying on a Sperry automatic pilot and a radio direction finder to ease the workload of long, exhausting legs. Flying solo, he completed the journey in less than eight days, a feat that required not only stamina and skill but an ability to trust instruments and systems at a time when much long-distance flying remained seat-of-the-pants. The solo circumnavigation made him a household name and proved that a single pilot, properly equipped, could shrink the planet.

Technology and High-Altitude Pioneering

Post's curiosity extended beyond records to scientific and technical exploration. He wanted to fly faster and farther by climbing above weather and into the high, cold air where drag fell and winds could be strong. That ambition faced a human limit: altitude sickness and low temperatures. Working with B. F. Goodrich engineer Russell Colley, he developed a practical pressure suit with a sealed helmet and articulated joints, one of the first of its kind. With this suit and modifications to the Winnie Mae, Post made high-altitude flights to around 50, 000 feet, among the highest of the era. He experimented with high-level routes and observed the powerful rivers of air now known as the jet stream, noting the remarkable ground speeds possible when those winds were favorable.

The technical circle around Post included not only Colley but also specialists at the Sperry Gyroscope Company and talented mechanics who adapted instruments, fairings, and engine setups to the demands of long-range and high-altitude operations. Post translated their ideas into practice, providing flight data and operational feedback that helped refine autopilots, radio navigation aids, and pressure systems. This collaboration between a daring pilot and inventive engineers exemplified how aviation advanced through iterative testing and shared problem-solving.

Public Recognition and Influence

Post's flights drew huge crowds and official honors. He and Harold Gatty were celebrated for their 1931 achievement, and the 1933 solo circumnavigation cemented Post's status as a global figure. Parades, speaking tours, and meetings with national leaders elevated him from regional pilot to symbol of American ingenuity. Importantly, he used the platform to advocate for practical air routes, instrument training, and the thoughtful application of new technology. Airlines, manufacturers, and navigators took note, learning from the operational lessons he distilled from experience: weight management, fatigue mitigation, dependence on reliable instruments, and the value of careful ground support.

Final Explorations and Death

Even after setting records, Post remained drawn to new horizons. In 1935 he explored prospects for northern air routes and surveyed remote regions that demanded improvisation and bush flying skills. During that period he flew in Alaska with the nationally beloved humorist and writer Will Rogers, a friend who shared his curiosity about the world and his affection for ordinary people met along the way. The two men planned to visit small communities and gather stories, flying in a modified aircraft suited with floats for northern waters.

In August 1935, near Point Barrow, Alaska, a takeoff from a lagoon ended in disaster when the aircraft faltered at low altitude and crashed, killing both men. The loss stunned the nation. Post was mourned not only as a record-setter but as a pioneer who had matched boldness with method, and Rogers was remembered as a voice of wit and humanity. Their deaths underscored the risks of remote flying at a time when weather, equipment, and terrain left little margin for error.

Legacy

Wiley Post's legacy rests on a trio of achievements: demonstrating the feasibility of global air travel, advancing instrument and autopilot use for long-distance solo flying, and pushing the physiological and technical boundaries of high-altitude flight with his pressure suit. The Winnie Mae became an icon of capability when married to careful preparation, while his partnership with Harold Gatty showed how pilot and navigator could jointly conquer complexity. His collaboration with Russell Colley and other engineers anticipated the era of pressurized cabins and protective suits, linking the cockpit to aerospace frontiers yet to come.

Remembered in museums, airfields, and the lore of flight, Post stands as a bridge between barnstorming boldness and the disciplined, technology-driven aviation that followed. He proved that vision, teamwork, and relentless iteration could turn distant ambitions into accomplished milestones, and he inspired generations of pilots, engineers, and explorers to look higher, plan better, and keep going when the path ahead was thin air.