Jimmy Doolittle flew an Army Air Corps NY-2 Husky for the attempt. [Courtesy: Jimmy Doolittle's book - CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED/Wikimedia Commons]
Key Takeaways:
U.S. Army Air Corps pilot Jimmy Doolittle performed the first "blind" (instrument-only) takeoff and landing on September 24, 1929.
The historic flight took place at Mitchel Field in Long Island, New York.
Doolittle piloted an NY-2 Husky with the back cockpit covered, relying solely on instruments like a directional gyro, artificial horizon, and radio navigation to maintain situational awareness.
A safety pilot was present in the front seat, keeping his arms in the air to demonstrate Doolittle's complete control using instruments.
Question: Who was the first to make a ‘blind’ takeoff and landing?
Answer: The first “blind” takeoff and landing—that is, flight without being able to see outside the airplane—was performed on September 24, 1929, by U.S. Army Air Corps pilot Jimmy Doolittle.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
