PILOT STORIES: Cox, Arthur
S.
| Air Mail
Service Began: |
October 21, 1920 |
| Air Mail
Service Ended: |
March 31, 1921 |
| Assignments: |
College Park, Maryland |
| |
November 16, 1920 –
Cheyenne, Wyoming |
Cox was flying de Havilland airmail airplane #182
on December 15, 1920 when, while landing, "a puff of
wind from the quarter skidded me into a small pole on top
of the wireless tower, hooking the left wing near the end.
I immediately jammed on full right rudder but to no avail
as the drag was too much for me to overcome and the ship hit
the ground, left wing first and slewed around coming to a
complete stop." Fortunately, Cox was uninjured in this
crash.
Cox's positive attitude was well regarded
among his peers and bosses. On January 27, 1921, Arthur Cox
left Rock Springs, Wyoming at 1:40 pm. When he reached the
highest point of the Wasatch mountain range, he encountered
heavy snow storms and low hanging clouds which he struggled
in for one hour, searching up and down the eastern edge of
the storm for a hole. He flew through this at an altitude
of 8,500', barely clearing some of the peaks.
According to his boss, Cox flew that trip on a freezing cold
day, without a flying suit but, "nevertheless [arrived
here] wearing a cheerful disposition."
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