Aviator. One of the earliest pilots to fly in the Pacific Northwest, he was one of the pioneers in the industry. Born in an orphanage in San Francisco, he came to Seattle in 1907, and was the first graduate of the Aviation School of the Northwest in November 1915. He became the test pilot for William E. Boeing, and was later put in charge of Boeing's personal plane. During the Vancouver, British Columbia Exhibition of 1919, Boeing and his pilot Hubbard picked up the first bag of air mail to be flown from Vancouver to Seattle. The Boeing Commercial Air Service was formed with Hubbard as pilot. After signing a waiver, passengers could fly with him for 15 minutes for $15. On October 2, 1920, Hubbard was awarded the first air mail contract between Seattle and Victoria, BC, using Boeing's personal plane until he bought a B-1 a few months later. After flying the mail and working part-time for Boeing, he convinced Boeing to build 25 aircraft for the San Francisco-Chicago air mail route. Boeing Air Transport, the forerunner to United Airlines, was formed after this contract was awarded on January 18, 1927. He died in December 1928 from an infection, 25 years and a day after the Wright Brothers' first flight.
Aviator. One of the earliest pilots to fly in the Pacific Northwest, he was one of the pioneers in the industry. Born in an orphanage in San Francisco, he came to Seattle in 1907, and was the first graduate of the Aviation School of the Northwest in November 1915. He became the test pilot for William E. Boeing, and was later put in charge of Boeing's personal plane. During the Vancouver, British Columbia Exhibition of 1919, Boeing and his pilot Hubbard picked up the first bag of air mail to be flown from Vancouver to Seattle. The Boeing Commercial Air Service was formed with Hubbard as pilot. After signing a waiver, passengers could fly with him for 15 minutes for $15. On October 2, 1920, Hubbard was awarded the first air mail contract between Seattle and Victoria, BC, using Boeing's personal plane until he bought a B-1 a few months later. After flying the mail and working part-time for Boeing, he convinced Boeing to build 25 aircraft for the San Francisco-Chicago air mail route. Boeing Air Transport, the forerunner to United Airlines, was formed after this contract was awarded on January 18, 1927. He died in December 1928 from an infection, 25 years and a day after the Wright Brothers' first flight.
Bio by: Steve Willmorth
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