In the Cockpit with Cliff Robertson

In the Cockpit with Cliff Robertson is the third volume in the Passion for Flight series. These short biographies (20,000 words or less) tell the stories of notable pilots who inspire young and old alike to take to the skies.

Cliff Robertson appeared in more than one hundred roles in his career as an actor, including a young John F. Kennedy in “PT 109,” his Academy Award winning performance in “Charly,” astronaut Buzz Aldrin in the autobiographic “Return to Earth,” Henry Ford in “The Man and the Machine,” and most recently, Uncle Ben from “Spider-Man.”

Cliff always felt more comfortable in a plane than in Hollywood. His fascination for aviation began as a child. He accrued several thousand hours in the cockpit and held single-engine land and sea, multiengine, instrument and commercial licenses, as well as balloon, gliding and seaplane ratings. Over his lifetime he owned a variety of planes, including a Beech Baron 58, Messerschmitt Me 108, Stampe SV4, three Tiger Moths and a Spitfire Mk.IX.

He gave others the opportunity he had as a youth when he became involved with the Experimental Aircraft Association. Within EAA, he founded the Cliff Robertson Work Experience, helped launch EAA’s Young Eagles program in 1992, and served as its first national honorary chairman. At EAA AirVenture 2002, he was presented with the inaugural Key to the City Award, created by EAA and the city of Oshkosh, to honor distinguished personalities for significant contributions to the promotion and support of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the aviation community.