The first flight off a ship deck

American pilot Eugene Ely made aviation history by becoming the first man to land on and take off from the deck of a ship. He later received the distinguished flying cross...

American pilot Eugene Ely made aviation history by becoming the first man to land on and take off from the deck of a ship. Kathleen Hanser tells his story

Eugene Burton Ely was born on a farm in Iowa in 1886 and was mechanically inclined from an early age. He became intrigued by the newly invented automobile and learned to take apart engines and put them back together again before the age of 16. Ely worked as a chauffeur to a priest, driving him around Iowa at breakneck speed until he crashed the $3,000 Franklin car.

Become a Premium Member to Read More

This is a premium article and requires an active Key.Aero subscription to view.

I’m an existing member, sign me in!

I don’t have a subscription…

Enjoy the following subscriber only benefits:

  • Unlimited access to all KeyAero content
  • Exclusive in-depth articles and analysis, videos, quizzes added daily
  • A fully searchable archive – boasting hundreds of thousands of pieces of quality aviation content
  • Access to read all our leading aviation magazines online - meaning you can enjoy the likes of FlyPast, Aeroplane Monthly, AirForces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, Aviation News, Airports of the World, PC Pilot and Airliner World - as soon as they leave the editor’s desk.
  • Access on any device- anywhere, anytime
  • Choose from our offers below