The current King of the Netherlands has been secretly flying as a commercial co-pilot for 21 years, and has been doing so even after ascending to the throne in 2013.
pilots
Chuck Yeager broke two of his…
Chuck Yeager broke two of his ribs two nights before a test flight. Worried an injury would have him removed, he told almost no one and snuck a broom handle into the plane to help him seal the hatch. He then proceeded to become the first human being to break the sound barrier.
In 1958 two pilots flew an aircraft for more than two…
In 1958 two pilots flew an aircraft for more than two months without landing, refueling by matching speed with a truck driving down a road. Their record has not been broken.
A pilot named William Overstreet flew his P-51…
A pilot named William Overstreet flew his P-51 between the legs of the Eiffel Tower in pursuit of a German fighter, shooting down the plane and raising morale of French resistance fighters.
During the Korean war, pilot James Risner chased a Russian…
During the Korean war, pilot James Risner chased a Russian MiG pilot back to his base in China and while flying between hangars and avoiding anti-aircraft fire, he shot it down into parked fighters.
The pilot who successfully ditched Flight 1549 in the…
The pilot who successfully ditched Flight 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009 was an expert on airline safety, an NTSB accident investigator, published a paper on airline crew psychology in a crisis, and had his pilot’s certificate in gliders.
In 1956, for a bet, while drunk, Thomas Fitzpatrick stole…
In 1956, for a bet, while drunk, Thomas Fitzpatrick stole a small plane from New Jersey and then landed it perfectly on a narrow Manhattan street in front of the bar he had been drinking at. Then, two years later, he did it again after a man didn’t believe he had done it the first time.
Russian pilot Semyon Bychkov served both in the Soviet Air…
Russian pilot Semyon Bychkov served both in the Soviet Air Forces and the Luftwaffe and was stripped of all Soviet awards posthumously.
Colin McGregor, brother of Star Wars actor…
Colin McGregor, brother of Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor, is a British RAF pilot and goes by the call-sign “Obi Two”.
Beate Uhse was a stuntwoman and Luftwaffe pilot in WWII…
Beate Uhse-Rotermund was a stuntwoman and Luftwaffe pilot in WWII, ferrying around planes and jet fighters. After the war she started a mail order business sending out pamphlets teaching young girls about the rhythm method, which became the world’s first sex shop and later a €280 million business.