Feliksas Vaitkus

Feliksas Vaitkus (* 1907 in Chicago, Illinois, † July 25, 1956 in Wiesbaden) was an American pilot of Lithuanian origin and the sixth man who crossed the Atlantic in solo flight.

The son of Lithuanian immigrants embarked on a military career and served in the U.S. Air Force until 1931. Thereafter, he worked in the aviation school of his father- in Kohler, Wisconsin. After the failure of the first attempt by plane Lituanica members of the Lithuanian community in Chicago did not want to give up the attempt crossing the Atlantic. The Lituanika II, a Lockheed Vega, was baptized on 22 April 1934. First was another pilot to attempt to cross the Atlantic in solo flight, has been chosen; after he had canceled but surprisingly, the choice fell on Vaitkus.

The Lituanika II has been equipped with additional tanks, radio compass, and other refinements in order to guarantee success. It took a long time, so technically only a start in May 1935, to imagine. The weather conditions were so bad for months that Vaitkus could start from Floyd Bennett Field in New York City until September 21. However, he had to contend with rain, fog and ice, and finally had to admit that he, due to high fuel consumption on the road could not achieve its underlying objective of Kaunas. So he decided to create a landing in Ireland. In the crash landing near Ballinrobe, the aircraft suffered serious damage, but Vaitkus remained miraculously unharmed. While the Lituanika II was transported for repair in the U.S., he traveled by land and sea continue to Kaunas.

Although his actual projects had failed, Vaitkus was the only person who had flown over the Atlantic in 1935, and sixth worldwide pilot, who had crossed the Atlantic in solo flight, celebrated.

In 1940 he returned to the Army. He became chief test pilot at Boeing in Seattle; his task was to test the B -17 and B-29 bombers.

Another time he returned at the time of the Korean War in the active military service back.

• Pilot
• Americans
• Born 1907
• Died in 1956
• Man