Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, passed away today at age 97, according to family. The legendary test pilot became the first human to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947, when he piloted the Bell X-1 test plane, which Yeager named “Glamorous Glennis,” in honor of his wife, to a speed of Mach 1.05. His exploits were later popularized in Tom Wolfe’s novel about the early days of America’s space program, The Right Stuff, along with the 1983 movie of the same title.
Even after retirement, Yeager continued piloting Air Force planes on occasion until he was almost 90 years old. His widow, Victoria said that his was “an incredible life well lived – America’s greatest Pilot, and a legacy of strength, adventure, and patriotism will be remembered forever.”