The Birdman of West Virginia

When you have a conversation about aviation in West Virginia, chances are the name that immediately comes to mind is General Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager from Lincoln County. And with his many accomplishments that would be a great starting point for sure! But for this time, I want to step back a little bit further and tell the story of another aviation pioneer who you are probably not familiar with.

Paul Peck was born in the Fayette County town of Ansted in 1889. His father worked for the railroad, so he also spent time as a youth in Hinton and later Charleston.  Paul developed quite an interest in machinery as a young boy, and as the automobile became more commonplace he began to tinker with the motors. A bit later he would even work as a chauffeur for Isaac T. Mann, one of the famed millionaires of Bramwell, West Virginia.

At the age of 22, Peck started taking flight lessons, and in seven days he became the first licensed pilot in the state of West Virginia and the 57th in the nation! But as impressive as that is, the list of his accomplishments as a pilot is nothing short of amazing.

• Less than two weeks after getting his license, Peck recorded his first flight record.
• Was likely the first to fly in West Virginia, and it is believed he was the first to land a plane in Raleigh County (1911).
• Was the first person to fly over the United States Capitol, while also setting a speed record of  24 miles in 25 minutes.
• He set an early flight endurance record, flying over Boston for four hours, 23 minutes and 15 seconds.
• Was an instructor in the nations first military aviation school in College Park, MD in 1911.
• Set a world endurance record in a biplane (with a rotary motor) that he designed and built himself.
• Was one of the first to deliver U.S. Mail by air.

As you can see, the title Birdman of West Virginia is a perfect fit for Peck. His accomplishments in early aviation should make all West Virginians proud. That pride was evident at an air show at the South Charleston ball field. Thousands turned out for the 3 day spectacle which the Charleston Gazette called “the greatest entertainment ever witnessed by the people of Charleston and Kanawha County.” And as a hometown hero of sorts, Peck was a huge part of the show.

One of the most thrilling maneuvers  he performed for crowds was what he called the ocean roll, in which he performed a series of up and down movements. The thrill was greatly enhanced because with each dip he would cut power to the engine, the start it before climbing again. Can you imagine the excitement for the spectators below who were still amazed at these new flying machines?

Two months later, in Chicago, Peck was at another air show, preparing to wow the crowd in excess of 5,000 just as he had in South Charleston. The wind was rather strong that afternoon and a storm was brewing. However, the show would go on. As Peck was doing his ocean roll, he developed a problem about 500 above the ground, and in just a few short seconds the plane impacted the ground, Peck, only 23 years old at the time, died about an hour later at a local hospital. 

The Birdman died doing the thing that brought him joy. While in Charleston, that was evidenced by his answer to a reporters question as to what it feels like when he was flying. “Well, a young lady once asked me that question, and I asked her how she felt when she received her first proposal of marriage. She said she couldn’t tell me. And that’s the way it is with me.”

Even though his life ended way too soon, the Birdman of West Virginia was still making history after the crash. His funeral was the first featuring automobiles in Washington, DC. which featured a motor hearse and motor wagon covered in flowers, and approximately thirty other autos.

This West Virginian’s story is far too amazing to be so unknown. I hope you will take the time and share it with others so the story of this pioneer aviator can be told as it is such an important part of not only West Virginia history, but that of the United States as well.