Brien Singleton Wygle

Born August 23, 1924, in Seattle, Brien Singleton Wygle moved to Canada with his family in 1927 and grew up on a farm near Calgary, Alberta, with his two brothers, Hugh and Monte, with whom he was close. Hugh was killed in WWII. Brien graduated from Kathryn H.S., Canada in 1942. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and served as a pilot in Europe, India and Burma, where he “flew the hump”. After completing his service in 1946, he attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, graduating in 1951 with a B.S.M.E. degree with an aeronautics option in 1951. That same year, he joined the Boeing Airplane Company in Wichita as a Flight Test Pilot. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 1953 and was transferred to Seattle. He worked for Boeing for 39 years, retiring as Vice President of Flight Operations in 1990.

During his 28 years as an active test pilot he test flew all Boeing airplanes from the B-47 through the 757 and 767. He piloted the maiden flight on the 737, the most successful Boeing airplane ever made, and served as co-pilot on the first flight of the 747. He was elected a Fellow of both the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

In May, 1947, he married his wartime navigator’s sister, Norma Renton, of Vancouver, Canada. Brien and Norma travelled the world together. They had four daughters: Kathleen (Barry Irwin), Janet (Barry Luboviski), Patsy (Keith Moore, deceased), and Gail, all of Blaine County, Idaho, and one grandson, James Moore Wygle, of New York City. Norma passed away in 2003. After Norma’s death, Brien had a 10-year friendship with Nancy Colbert before she passed away in 2015.

Brien had hobbies. From 1957-1959, he was an intrepid unlimited hydroplane driver, driving the Thriftway Too and Hawaii Kai III, and racing in the Gold Cup, the Diamond Cup, the Sierra Cup, and other unlimited hydroplane races. Just before he retired, Brien took to flying aerobatic biplanes. After retiring, he and some partners built and flew a Glasair 2RG. He flew that little plane between Seattle and Sun Valley at 200 mph! He loved flying and only gave it up when his hearing finally required it at age 84.

Brien gave back. He sponsored minority engineering students at the University of Washington. He volunteered to tutor adults seeking their GEDs. He was one of the founders of the Museum of Flight and sat on its boards for many years. He worked to advance women and minority engineers. He assisted less fortunate people with gifts of tuition or cash. He donated annually to numerous official charities.

In 2017, Brien sold his home on Meydenbauer Bay, Medina, that he had had built in 1966, and moved to The Bellettini, a retirement and assisted-living facility in downtown Bellevue. He enjoyed the companionship and activities there for several years. In mid-August Brien contracted pneumonia and commenced hospice care at his apartment. All four of his daughters were with him when Brien S. Wygle took his final flight on September 15, 2020 at the age of 96.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider making a donation to The Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA or The Population Connection. You may also want to view or leave a comment or picture on www.brienswygle.forevermissed.com.