Edward Hubbard

A pioneer air mail pilot whose ideas bore Boeing's commercial airplane success. Born in San Francisco as Edward Hubback, he moved to Seattle in 1907 at the age of 18. In November, 1915, the 26-year-old mechanic enrolled as the first pupil of the Aviation School of the Northwest and was the first to obtain an aviator's license from the Aero Club of America. An error on his license led Hubback to use the name Hubbard instead. Hired by Boeing Airplane Company as a mechanic in January 1917, he soon became their test pilot. After convincing his boss Bill Boeing that people would pay them to deliver their mail by plane, the two of them flew to Vancouver, British Columbia, and on March 3, 1919, brought back 60 pieces of mail to Seattle. One of those historic pieces of mail from this, the very first North American international air mail flight, recently sold for $7,300. In October 1920, Hubbard was awarded a contract to fly mail between Seattle and Victoria, B.C. In November of that year, strong headwinds caused him to run out of fuel, forcing him to land his B-1 sea plane in the bay off Seattle. He drifted for an hour and a half before being spotted by a man ashore, who then came to his rescue in a small boat. In December, he fought 90 mph gale winds to make his mail flight. In seven years of flying over the commonly foggy Strait of Juan de Fuca, he never missed a mail flight. By 1927, Boeing was still mass-producing only military aircraft, but after encouraging Boeing to bid for the San Francisco-Chicago mail and passenger route, Hubbard then convinced the company to build its own mail planes. This push by Hubbard was the start of Boeing's commercial aircraft success. The following year, Eddie Hubbard died at age 39 from complications due to stomach surgery. His estate was worth over one million dollars. His B1 Flying Boat, the only one ever built, is currently on display at the Seattle Museum of History and Industry.