Noel Wien

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Noel Wien (1899 – 1977) was a pioneer aviator in the U.S. state of Alaska and founder of Wien Air Alaska, Alaska's first airline. Born in Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin, Wien learned to fly from Ray Miller in 1921 and became a barnstormer in Clarence W. Hinck's Federated Fliers Flying Circus. Wien saw an opportunity to fly in Alaska and migrated there with his brothers. In 1924, with his pilot license No. 39 signed by Federation Aeronautique Internationale Official Orville Wright in hand, Wien flew his Misso Standard biplane to Alaska and began servicing the gold-rich territory.^[1]

A legend among legendary pilots, when Wien first arrived in Alaska he had 538 hours of barnstorming and aerial circus stunt flying under his belt. He went on to build up a long list of firsts: he was first to fly from Fairbanks to Seattle, Fairbanks to Nome, and beyond the Arctic Circle, across the Bering Strait and was first to make a round-trip flight between Alaska and Asia.

The Noel Wien Public Library in Fairbanks, Alaska is named after him. Flying runs in the family: his sons, Noel Merrill Wien and Richard Wien, and grandsons Kurt and Kent all became pilots also.

Noel Wien was inducted into the Minnesota Aviation History Museum Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum Hall of Fame in 2000.