Richard Wiese, Sr.

Richard Wiese (born September 25, 1929) entered the record books on August 14, 1959 when he became the first pilot to solo an airplane across the Pacific Ocean. The route was from San Francisco, California to Brisbane, Australia. The New York Times (January 30, 1983) referred to him as the "Lone Eagle of the Pacific".^[1]

The flight time for the 7,730 mile flight was 42½ hours over 6 days. (August 6, 1959 - Special to The New York Times. - Article)

Wiese was a pilot for Pan American Airlines at the time. He used an alias during his flight as not to draw attention to his feat.

Personal Life

Wiese's son, Richard Wiese, is a known explorer, environmentalist, and children's television host.

References

1. New York Times article abstract