Robert Nietzel Buck
Encyclopedia
Robert Nietzel Buck (January 29, 1914 – April 14, 2007) broke the junior transcontinental air speed record
in 1930 and for a time was the youngest licensed pilot in the United States
.
on January 29, 1914. Emily was Abija's second wife, and she was the daughter of Elizabeth Bellingrath. In 1930 at age 16 he took lessons in a Fleet Aircraft
using a Kinner engine. He received the United States Department of Commerce
license #13478.
On October 4, 1930 Robert beat the junior transcontinental airspeed record of Eddie August Schneider
in his PA-6 Pitcairn Mailwing he named "Yankee Clipper". His time was 23 hours, and 47 minutes of elapsed flying time. The junior record only counts time in the air and excludes time spent on the ground. Robert said on February 6, 2005: "I was the youngest to fly coast to coast and that record still stands. I had my license at 16 and after that, they raised the minimum age to 17. With that change no one could break my record."
In 1937 he began flying for TWA
, became chief pilot in 1945 and flew until his retirement at age 60 in 1974. He took delivery of TWA's first Lockheed Constellation
aircraft in 1945, and in 1970 flew TWA's first 747
revenue flight: flight 800 from New York City
to Paris
. In 1965 he flew around the world from pole to pole in a Boeing 707
along with several other pilots in shifts.
United States Air Force
used Buck to study severe weather, and he was chosen to pilot the B-17G "Two Kind Words". The ship was hardened for flying through severe weather
. He also flew a modified Northrop P-61 Black Widow in that research effort. President Truman
awarded him a civilian Air Medal for his work.
Buck had a son, Rob, who also made a career as an airline pilot, who is now retired. He also had a daughter, Ferris, who now lives in Vermont.
He was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey in 1981.
Transcontinental air speed record
-Transcontinental air speed record:-Junior transcontinental air speed record:-Women's transcontinental air speed record:For the women's record, only in-flight time is counted*1930 Ruth Nichols 13 hours and 21 minutes...
in 1930 and for a time was the youngest licensed pilot in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Biography
He was the son of Abijah Orange Buck (1869–1932) and Emily Nietzel, and was born in Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
on January 29, 1914. Emily was Abija's second wife, and she was the daughter of Elizabeth Bellingrath. In 1930 at age 16 he took lessons in a Fleet Aircraft
Fleet Aircraft
Fleet Aircraft was a Canadian manufacturer of aircraft from 1928 to 1957.In 1928, the board of Consolidated Aircraft decided to drop their light, trainer aircraft and sold the rights to Brewster Aircraft. Reuben H. Fleet founded Fleet Aircraft in Fort Erie, Ontario, to acquire the foreign rights to...
using a Kinner engine. He received the United States Department of Commerce
United States Department of Commerce
The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...
license #13478.
On October 4, 1930 Robert beat the junior transcontinental airspeed record of Eddie August Schneider
Eddie August Schneider
Eddie August Henry Schneider set three transcontinental airspeed records for pilots under the age of twenty-one in 1930. His plane was a Cessna Model AW with a Warner-Scarab engine, one of only 48 built, that he called "The Kangaroo". He set the east-to-west, then the west-to-east, and the...
in his PA-6 Pitcairn Mailwing he named "Yankee Clipper". His time was 23 hours, and 47 minutes of elapsed flying time. The junior record only counts time in the air and excludes time spent on the ground. Robert said on February 6, 2005: "I was the youngest to fly coast to coast and that record still stands. I had my license at 16 and after that, they raised the minimum age to 17. With that change no one could break my record."
In 1937 he began flying for TWA
Twa
The Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
, became chief pilot in 1945 and flew until his retirement at age 60 in 1974. He took delivery of TWA's first Lockheed Constellation
Lockheed Constellation
The Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
aircraft in 1945, and in 1970 flew TWA's first 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
revenue flight: flight 800 from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1965 he flew around the world from pole to pole in a Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
along with several other pilots in shifts.
United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
used Buck to study severe weather, and he was chosen to pilot the B-17G "Two Kind Words". The ship was hardened for flying through severe weather
Severe weather
Severe weather phenomena are weather conditions that are hazardous to human life and property.- Examples Include :Severe weather can occur under a variety of situations, but three characteristics are generally needed: a temperature or moisture boundary, moisture, and , instability in the...
. He also flew a modified Northrop P-61 Black Widow in that research effort. President Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
awarded him a civilian Air Medal for his work.
Buck had a son, Rob, who also made a career as an airline pilot, who is now retired. He also had a daughter, Ferris, who now lives in Vermont.
Legacy
Walter Gunn on Robert Buck:
Captain Robert N. Buck’s accomplishments are legendary ... Certainly, I’ll treasure forever my initial contact with Bob Buck. It came when I received a congratulatory phone call from him soon after I was upgraded to captain. "Never doubted you’d make it," he snapped. "All the best. Welcome aboard!" His personable warmth was often buttressed with a wry sense of humor. That he would take the time, as a Chief Pilot of an airline in the midst of rapid expansion, to pad the ego of a junior pilot revealed much about the man.
He was inducted into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey in 1981.
Timeline
- 1914 Birth in Elizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth, New JerseyElizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
- 1930 (circa) Move to Westfield, New JerseyWestfield, New JerseyWestfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....
- 1930 Pilots license
- 1930 Junior Transcontinental air speed recordTranscontinental air speed record-Transcontinental air speed record:-Junior transcontinental air speed record:-Women's transcontinental air speed record:For the women's record, only in-flight time is counted*1930 Ruth Nichols 13 hours and 21 minutes...
- 1931 Flight to HavanaHavanaHavana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
- 1932 Flight to Mexico CityMexico CityMexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
- 1937 Begins at TWA co-piloting DC-2s and DC-3s
- 1939 Howard HughesHoward HughesHoward Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
buys TWA - 1943 November, flying B-17G "Two Kind Words" for severe weather atmospheric research.
- 1945 Chief pilot at TWA
- 1945 Lockheed Constellation introduced at TWA
- 1965 Pole to pole around the world flight in Flying Tigers B-707-320G
- 1970 First 747 commercial flight for TWA
- 1970 Writes Weather Flying
- 1973 Time magazine reports: "Jumbo Jet Pilot Robert Buck maintains that soaring is no more hazardous than flying in a commercial airliner"
- 1974 Retires from TWA on January 28
- 1974 Living in Vermont
- 1975 Writes Flying Know-How
- 1981 Induction into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey
- 1992 Writes Art of Flying'
- 2000 (circa) The Active Retired Pilots of TWA (TARPA) Award of Merit
- 2000 Writes Pilot's Burden: Flight Safety and the Roots of Pilot Error
- 2002 Appears on NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
Morning EditionMorning EditionMorning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
on April 15 - 2007 died in Vermont on April 14 at the age of 93
Junior transcontinental air speed record
- 1930 Frank GoldsboroughFrank GoldsboroughFrancis Herbert Goldsborough was a record-holding aviator who died in a plane crash in Vermont on his 20th birthday.-Birth:...
- 1930 Eddie August SchneiderEddie August SchneiderEddie August Henry Schneider set three transcontinental airspeed records for pilots under the age of twenty-one in 1930. His plane was a Cessna Model AW with a Warner-Scarab engine, one of only 48 built, that he called "The Kangaroo". He set the east-to-west, then the west-to-east, and the...
- 1930 Robert Nietzel Buck
External links
- Robert Nietzel Buck at Valley Reporter
- Robert Nietzel Buck at Times Argus
- Robert Nietzel Buck at Davis-Monthan Airfield Register
- Robert Nietzel Buck at Aircraft Owners and Pilots AssociationAircraft Owners and Pilots AssociationThe Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is a Frederick, Maryland-based non-profit political organization. Incorporated on 15 May 1939, AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States...
- Robert Nietzel Buck at AVWeb