Hispanic Pioneers in Travel
Posted by treasurer on Oct. 12, 2023 / Subscribe 0
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! To celebrate the month, we are shining a light on those who were and are pioneers in the travel industry. Hispanic Heritage Month is from September 15 - October 15.
Félix R. Rigau Carrera
Mr. Félix R. Rigau (aka Rigau Carrera) was the first Puerto Rican and first Hispanic fighter pilot in the United States Marines. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy when he was 17 and after his service, he attended the Military Flight School in Seattle, WA. He was the first Puerto Rican pilot to fly over Puerto Rico and introduced aviation to the Puerto Rican people. He was called the "Eagle of Sabana Grande".
Jorge Chávez
Jorge Chávez, a Peruvian aviator, was the first person to fly across the Alps. Chávez attended the school of aviation established by Henry and Maurice Farman and took his first flight in Reims in February 1910. In September 1910, Chávez took off to be the first aviator to cross the Pennine Alps in Italy. He crossed and landed in Domodossola, Italy but his plane crashed at landing.
Olga E. Custodio
Olga. E. Custodio is the first female Hispanic US military pilot and the first female Hispanic commercial airline captain of American Airlines. Custodio was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and was accepted into the US Air Force Office Training School in 1980. She was the first female to become a Northop T-38 Talon UPT flight instructor at the Laughlin AFB. Custodio was hired in 1988 by American Airlines to become one of the first Latina commercial airline captains. She retired in 2008 with over 11,000 flight hours.
Oscar Munoz
Oscar Munoz is a first-generation collage graduate of a Mexican-American family. He worked for US West for five years before and after they merged with Qwest and become the first Hispanic CEO of United Airlines.
Sources:
https://aero.calpoly.edu/hispanic-latinos-aero/
Airwaysmag.com/latino-aviation-pioneers
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