Round-the-World Flights

Max Conrad Round-the-World Over-both-Poles Flight Attempt (#3)

Page 5u (rev: 1000)

Max & Plane	Pole Station Card	Max Autograph	Into the Wind	Max on Pin-Back

	Maximilian A "Max" Conrad was born on January 21, 1903 in Winona MN, the third of seven 
children.  A year after he got his pilot's license in 1928, Max was hit by a spinning prop 
while trying to save a child.  He sustained brain damage severely impacting on his ability 
to read, write and speak.  Although despondent, he overcame these difficulties and followed 
his love of flying.
    Max enjoyed his preference of flying alone and over the years set six light plane distance 
and endurance records.  In 1954 he repeated Lindbergh's solo flight from New York to Paris 
flying a Piper Apache across the north Atlantic in 22H 23M.  He went on to ferry more than 150 
light aircraft across the Atlantic and 30 over the Pacific.  Between June 2/4, 1959 he flew 
non-stop from Casablanca to Los Angeles CA in 58H 38M in a Piper Comanche (Let's Fly - N110LF) 
setting a distance/endurance record. 
    Max's name and face was used on Piper's advertising stating that Piper's little planes could 
do things that people thought only big planes could do.  In 1961 Max with Richard Jennings flew 
west from Miami FL round-the-world in a twin engine Piper Astec (New Frontiers - N4445P) making 
13 stops.  
    In 1966 Max and David N. Shefler visited 34 nations flying round-the-world in a twin engine 
Piper Comanche (Rendezvous Expo-67 - N7003Y) carrying greetings and promoting Expo-67 that was 
to be held in Montreal Canada in 1967 between April 28th and October 27th.  Expo-67 was a world's 
fair that saluted the 100th birthday of Canada as a nation.  With all the advance promotion over 
50 million people from around the world attended making it an enormous success.
    In 1968 Max began a round-the-world flight over both the north and south poles.  On November 
1, 1968 he left Saint Louis MO on a direct flight to Calgary Alberta Canada.  From there he flew 
to Fairbanks AK, Arctic Research Foundation (ARF) and over the North Pole.  He then flew south to 
Nord Greenland, Akureyri Iceland, Paris France, Casablanca Morocco, Abidjan Ivory Coast, across 
the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro Brazil, Buenos Aires Argentina, Rio Gallegos Argentina, Arenas 
Chile to Adelaide Antarctica.  After a very long wait for acceptable flying  weather, Max finally
decided to give up his round-the-world over both poles flight and return to the States. He arrived 
back in Saint Louis MO on January 21, 1969.  He decided to continue this polar round-the-world 
flight on November 30, 1969.  He departed Winona MN flying to Honolulu HI.  After Honolulu he was 
forced to land on Johnson Atoll for repairs.  Still experiencing engine problems he diverted to 
Espiritu Santo in the New Herbrides and on to Christchurch New Zealand.  Max flew via McMurdo 
Sound to the South Pole arriving there on January 21, 1970.  Severe cold, high altitude, heavy 
fuel weight, and deteriorating weather conditions all contributed to Max's crash on take-off.  
He survived but his plane was beyond repair. He returned to Winona MN with defeat in his heart.  
The "Flying Grandfather" passed away in 1979.    

"I fly because I have an airplane and not a rockingchair."

Link here for more information on Max Conrad at the "SouthPole" or for more info on the "Palmer Station".

Departed St Louis, MO 11/01/68 
   Calgary, Alberta Canada 
   Fairbanks, Alaska 
   Artic Research Foundation (ARF) 
   (over North Pole) 
   Nord, Greenland
   Akureyri, Iceland 
   Paris, France 
   Casablanca, Morocco 
   Abidjan, Ivory Coast 
   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 
   Buenos Aires, Argentina 
   Rio Gallegos, Argentina 
   Punta Arenas, Chile
   Adelaide, Antarctic (attempt voluntarily ended) 
   Santiago de Chile
   Panama
Arrived St Louis, MO 01/21/69

Departed Winona, MN 11/30/69
   San Francisco, CA
   Honolulu, HI
   Johnson Atoll
   Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides
   Christchurch, New Zealand
   Invercargill, New Zealand
   McMurdo Sound
   South Pole 01/21/70
   Crashed on take-off from South Pole
Returned to Winona, MN via military/commercial flights   

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