Wiley Post (1898-1935)（July 22：美国历史上的今天）

内容提要：美国著名的独眼飞行员Wiley Post的介绍。他打破了由自己创造的世界纪录并自创了一套液压服。

Before 1930, not many people had heard about the one-eyed pilot named Wiley Post. In the last five years of his life, he became world-famous. 

Wiley grew up in Oklahoma. In 1926, at age 28, he made his first solo单独的 flight. It was one of the biggest thrills强烈的兴奋 of his life. The same year he lost his left eye in an accident working in the Oklahoma oilfields. He had to prove that he could still fly with just one good eye. 

In 1930, he won the Los Angeles to Chicago air derby (同城大赛），beating many well-known pilots. The next year, he flew around the world with Harold Gatty as his navigator（导航员）. The pair broke the world s record. They made the trip in 8 days, 15 hours, and 51 minutes. 

Two years later, Wiley broke his own time record and became the first man to go around the world alone. He took off on July 15, 1933. On July 22, he landed in New York after 7 days, 18 hours, and 49 minutes. 

He made history again in 1934 when he set a new altitude海拔 record. He wore a pressurized suit (增压服）he had made himself. It was much like the space suits the astronauts wore to the moon 30 years later. 

Wiley also discovered that his plane raveled faster in the higher altitude. This set the pattern for modern flight levels.

On August 15, 1935, Wile’s plane crashed in Alaska. With him was Will Rogers. Both men were killed. 

Many aviation航海 old timers (老前辈）said Wiley Post was 20 years ahead of his time.

本文内容选自上海外语教育出版社引进出版的《听读美国小故事》第7册（7月）。如需购买，可到当当、亚马逊、京东等网上书城去看看。