Ed Musick

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edwin C. Musick (c. 1894, St. Louis, Missouri – January 11, 1938, Pago Pago, American Samoa) was Chief Pilot for Pan American World Airways and pioneered many of Pan Am's transoceanic routes including the famous route across the Pacific Ocean on the China Clipper.

Musick learned flying at a flying school in Los Angeles in the years leading up to World War I. In 1917 he joined the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps (later called the United States Army Air Service) in San Diego as a flight instructor. During the war he taught at airfields in Wichita Falls, Texas, and Miami, Florida. It was in Florida after the war that Musick founded his own flying school and surpassed the 10,000 flying hours mark.

Cover flown and autographed by PAA Capt. Edwin Musick on the first northbound flight of FAM 4 from Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida. October 29, 1927 (The Cooper Collections)

In October of 1927, Musick joined Pan American as it was just starting operations. He made the company's inaugural mail flight to Havana, Cuba from Key West, Florida, that same year. Musick was promoted to chief pilot for Pan American's Caribbean Division in 1930.

In 1934, Musick was chosen to make the trial flights for the new Sikorsky S-42 flying boat. During these stringent test flights, Musick collected 10 world records for seaplanes. Musick's work on these trials led to him piloting the first two trans-Pacific survey routes for Pan American in 1935.

Because of his exploits with Pan American, Musick was one of the best known pilots of the 1930s, even making the cover of Time Magazine on December 2, 1935. Also that year, he received the Harmon Trophy. At one point during the 1930s, Musick held more flying records than any other pilot.

Musick and his crew died on the S-42 Samoan Clipper over Pago Pago, American Samoa, on a survey flight to Auckland, New Zealand. Sometime after take-off the aircraft experienced trouble and Musick turned it back toward Pago Pago. As the crew began dumping fuel in preparation for an emergency landing a spark in the fuel pump caused an explosion that tore the aircraft apart in mid-air.

Musick Point in Auckland Harbour is named after him.