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Chuck Yeager autobiography.


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After being given his 1985 Autobiography written by himself and Leo Janos, I read from front cover to back and was truly impressed by his accomplishment given his limited academic background. His life is something that would not happen in this day because of his limited education. However, it shows back then that one's abilities was much more important and valued than your pedigree. Another thing I got from Yeager is how humble the guy is. He could have really cashed in, especially after "The Right Stuff", but didn't. After reading I thought if he never got the breaks and opportunities he did because of his limited academics, how many more months or years it would have taken finally break the sound barrier.

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Breaking the sound barrier would have happened on or about the same time as it did; Yeager happened to be the guy who flew the plane that day; a number of other pilots (Bob Hoover comes to mind) could have stepped in and did the same thing. He didn't design or build the X-1, he didn't even design the flight profile used IIRC - he flew it.

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Per the book, it was indeed he and Hoover (IIRC) who worked out the flight test plan and then submitted it for rubber-stamp approval. By all rights though he *shouldn't* have been the one to fly that day given his broken ribs, but he got lucky that his broom-handle idea to close the door latch actually worked. If it hadn't, though, the sound barrier would still have been broken that day - except Bob Hoover would be the one everyone knows about, and Chuck Yeager would be just another post-war test pilot only aviation nuts know about.

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That was one amazing book. Talk about being in the right place at the right time practically EVERY time. I loved the fact that the guy got through life with his practical knowledge...something you can't always learn in a classroom. He may not have gone through the ivory-covered halls of academia but, then again, some of the dumbest people I've ever met, I met while I was in college. Yeah, I'll even throw myself in that group.

College taught me a lot of theories and histories but when I graduated, there's no way I could have even fixed a toaster let alone a piece of farm equipment or an aircraft for that matter.

Eric

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A good inspirational story. He could have let himself be a professional victim....BooHooo, but he pulled himself out of some huge bumps and moved on to achieve his goals through perseverance. Great read.

Cheers

Paul

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A good inspirational story. He could have let himself be a professional victim....BooHooo, but he pulled himself out of some huge bumps and moved on to achieve his goals through perseverance. Great read.

Cheers

Paul

Agreed :thumbsup: !

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Another thing I got from Yeager is how humble the guy is.

Yeager has certainly led a charmed life. However, having met him in person, I would hardly describe him as humble.

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Yeager has certainly led a charmed life. However, having met him in person, I would hardly describe him as humble.

I've heard multiple comments of that nature. Doesn't sound like he was particularly well liked by a lot of folks.

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I read his autobiography back when it was first published in 1985. I was a sophomore in high school at the time and for a kid who wanted a career in aviation it was certainly an inspirational read...also, "The Right Stuff" had come out just a couple years prior and although not completely historically accurate, he was a bit of a hero to me (though I joined the Navy because of that scene with Alan Shepard making that approach to the carrier!).

Several years later, just prior to going off to P-3 flight engineer school, I re-read it for a bit of inspiration, recalling that a lot of what kept him in the game was that he was a systems guy, and being a P-3 flight engineer is all about knowing your systems. I tried to apply his way of doing things to my job and learning the bird...being of limited edjumacatin myself! :)/> Know your systems and it'll keep you (and the rest of your crew) alive.

I know that in person he's had a reputation (particularly in his later years and with the new wife) for being a bit of a jerk but as we've said, anyone of those guys could have broken the sound barrier and been catapulted into "fame"...none of which any of them wanted I'm sure, so I cut him a bit of slack in that regard. He's made the obligatory public appearances, made the speeches, and signed the autographs from 1947 (or '48, they didn't make it public for a few months) on. In this day and age of people being famous or attaining "celebrity" for the sake of being a celebrity, I have a hard time discounting his achievements in aviation for the lack of his wanting to be a celebrity.

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Great book, read it back when it was first published. IIRC, there were even a series of Chuck Yeager model kits in the day!

Saved that book all these years and had my 12 year old son read it. He was inspired by it as well.

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Per the book, it was indeed he and Hoover (IIRC) who worked out the flight test plan and then submitted it for rubber-stamp approval. By all rights though he *shouldn't* have been the one to fly that day given his broken ribs, but he got lucky that his broom-handle idea to close the door latch actually worked. If it hadn't, though, the sound barrier would still have been broken that day - except Bob Hoover would be the one everyone knows about, and Chuck Yeager would be just another post-war test pilot only aviation nuts know about.

Bob Hoover has made a legacy that can be equaled by very, very few. His post military career is not easy to match...While at North American/Rockwell...IIRC he flew an Aero Commander from Wichita, KS to DC to show the FAA it was indeed everything with one of the props locked in the luggage compartment. Don't try that a your local airfield.

Edited by #1 Greywolf
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Another thing I got from Yeager is how humble the guy is.

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He could have really cashed in, especially after "The Right Stuff", but didn't.

Oh, c'mon, he totally did.

And Northrop put him on the payroll to shill the F-20 in the hope that on the strength of his recommendation foreign customers would beat a path to Northrop's door, checkbooks in hand.

65a7369dd3590d946314000a3c19efec.jpg

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Bob Hoover has made a legacy that can be equaled by very, very few. His post military career is not easy to match...While at North American/Rockwell...IIRC he flew an Aero Commander from Wichita, KS to DC to show the FAA it was indeed everything with one of the props locked in the luggage compartment. Don't try that a your local airfield.

As I said, people like us, those interested in aviation, *we* know this... but my original point still stands: ask ten random people off the street, I doubt any will know who he was, whereas most will at least recognise Yeager's name.

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