One Chance for Glory: First Nonstop Flight Across the Pacific

Edward T. Heikell and Robert L. Heikell mix history with some fiction to create a well-rounded view of lesser known pilot Clyde Pangborn in "One Chance for Glory: First nonstop flight across the Pacific" (ISBN 1468006088). Pangborn was the first pilot to successfully cross the Pacific Ocean nonstop, but his accomplishment was lost in the shuttle of other pilots who accomplished great things and became household names. The Heikell brothers contacted sources who were associated with Pangborn during the time of his flight, and all questioned why Pangborn's incredible feat was never advertised in history books. During the era of pilots like Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and Jimmy Doolittle, Pangborn was overlooked; however, some suspect it was a result of a gag order placed on him by the sponsors of his trip. The Heikells use emotions and fictitious conversations to piece together what sketchy historical information existed about the flight and link the emotional stresses that must have existed between Pangborn and his loved ones. "The book is based on history, but some of it had to be fiction," Edward Heikell says. "Actual pictures of the event have been included, but all of the conversations, emotions, some people and sub stories were made up to make a complete story out of the fragmented history trail." Pangborn and his co-pilot Hugh Herndon Jr. ventured on their trip to save the barnstorming business and make a name for themselves. A dangerous journey within itself, Pangborn was shocked when he discovered Herndon was not the flyer he appeared to be, thus nearly killing them on numerous occasions. The discovery of situations like this prompted the Heikells to add in made-up emotions that would present a complete story of Pangborn.

Edward (Ted) Heikell and Robert (Bob) Heikell are brothers born in Yakima, Washington, and raised in Wapato, Washington, about seventy miles southwest of the town of Wenatchee. Ted was born in 1938. He graduated from Wapato High School and later from the University of Washington with a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Bob was the oldest of five Heikell children and was born in 1933. He graduated from Wapato High School and then went on to obtain his Masters degree in Education at the Central Washington College of Education in Ellensburg, Washington. Ted worked for The Boeing Company in Seattle for thirty-four years in both their commercial and military divisions. He ended up being the proposal manager and technology manager for a prestigious military contract. His leisure time was mostly spent hiking, skiing, fishing, hunting. He also enjoyed flying in his spare time and was a part owner of a Cessna 182 for fifteen years. Since his retirement in 1996, he obtained his commercial instrument license but later got out of private flying as he advanced in age. This is his first attempt at literature, but he has two DVDs on the market pertaining to hunting and fishing. Bob was born in 1933 and worked most of his years as the principal of several intermediate and grade schools-primarily in the Moses Lake, Washington, area, which is located about forty miles southeast of the town of Wenatchee. Bob also holds a commercial pilots license. During six of his years since retiring from public schools, he served as the center director for the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Moses Lake. He loves the opportunity to verbally communicate to crowds and organized groups. His leisure time was mostly spent hiking, hunting, flying, and building model airplanes. To aide the Wenatchee annual event with its sister city, Misawa, Japan, Bob built a twelve-foot wingspan radio-controlled model of the Miss Veedol airplane, a J-300 Bellanca Long-Distance Special. In doing so, he became more and more familiar with the story of Clyde Pangborn and Hugh Herndon Jr. His model-building skills became quite well-known as he received many national awards for his model’s physical and flying accuracy. One of these models hangs from the rotunda dome inside the city hall of East Wenatchee.