William Edward Boeing: Sky King

On Jan. 2, 1910, leading aviators from around the globe converged on Dominguez Hills near Los Angeles for the Los Angeles Air Meet. During the 10-day event, 226,000 spectators saw a dazzling display of airplanes and flight. Many world records were shattered; one pilot soared to 4,164 feet, while Glenn Curtiss hit a blistering 55 mph with a passenger on board. The planes so fascinated one onlooker, 29-year-old William Edward Boeing, that he left a lucrative business and embarked on a new career, aviation, and forever changed the world of flight. Award-winning author Daniel Alef brings Boeing to life in this biographical profile of a great aviation pioneer and namesake of the Boeing jets flying around the globe. [1,396-word Titans of Fortune article]