July 22

In 1933 acclaimed aviator Wiley Post already held the world’s record for an around-the-world flight by a heavier than air craft. In 1931 Post, and navigator Harold Gatty, had flown around the world in 8 days, 15 hours and 51 minutes, breaking the record previously set by the Graf Zeppelin in 1929, which had a time of 21 days. On this date, when Post set his plane, the Winnie Mae, down at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York he not only bettered his old record by completing the circumnavigation in 7 days, 18 hours and 45 minutes, he also established a new record, because this trip he had made alone!