Round-the-World Flights


United Airlines makes Pole-to-Pole Round-the-World Flight



Page 6gg (rev: 1001)

Flown Cover Flight Details Flown Cover Arnott Autograph United DC-8-62
Pix #1 Pix #2 Pix #3 Pix #4 Pix #5

	William Sleeper Arnott was born September 15, 1921, in Montana. He got
his private pilot license before WW-II and after the end of the war began
working with a military charter operation in California.  He landed a position
with United Airlines testing aircraft coming out of overhaul.  This lead him
to checking out Howard Hughes before he flew his Spruce Goose for the first
and only time.  Bill returned to United Airlines and later became a Captain.

	Bill began to teach navigation at Mount San Antonio College (Mount SAC)
and initiated his "Classroom in the Sky" combining instruction with hands-on
in-flight experience. This program began modestly and reached it's peak with
the 1973 flight, "Fourteen Days Round-the-World" in a chartered United DC-8
(62-5824), N8972U.  It began in Ontario, Canada on June 24, 1973 and overflew
both the north and south magnetic poles becoming the first commercial
aircraft to do so.  United Airlines received some favorable publicity with the
completion of this round-the-world over-the-poles flight on July 7, 1973 in
Honolulu, Hawaii. This chartered flight was crewed by Captain's Arnott and H.
Linayes with D.R. Prestin and A.B. Lumley as flight officers, B.W. Gibbs as
S/O and Candi Smith and Barbara D. Newlin as stewards.

	With the support of his co-workers. Bill spearheaded the creation of
the United Airlines Historical Foundation in 1993. It's museum, located at
United's Flight Center in Denver, Colorado became the focal point for the
various United Airlines employees groups and for the display of United's
historical past. Bill passed away on December 14, 1998 but will always be
remembered for his desire for "Preserving the Past to Inspire the Future" as
his legacy to future generations in the important aviation history of these
United States.


RETURN to Home Page.

eMail: WINGNET