Mira Slovak, whom while the an early journey pilot in 1953 escaped Communist Czechoslovakia of the hijacking his personal industrial flight to help you West Germany, died into June 16 at his family from inside the Fallbrook, Calif. Slovak, which proceeded being good hydroplane rushing champion, good stunt flyer and a trip airplane pilot, was 84.
The cause try tummy disease, told you David Williams, the exec director of your own Hydroplane and you will Raceboat Museum for the Kent, Tidy. Williams got interviewed Slovak many times recently getting a good planned biography.
Slovak, after that in the very early 20s, try the new head out of a great Czechoslovak Air companies DC-step three when, on the night of March 23, 1953, the guy and some anybody else aboard carried out the newest hijacking. That they had spent months believed they.
After takeoff, with more than 20 passengers up to speed, Slovak closed his co-airplane pilot out of the cockpit. He then grabbed the newest airplanes toward a sharp dive to aid subdue someone else and miss this new flat to below step one,100 foot, where radar would not place they.
Brand new flat, arranged so you’re able to fly out-of Prague so you’re able to Brno, Czechoslovakia, landed on an armed forces feet within the Frankfurt around an hour after. Slovak said he previously navigated the night time trip to the help out-of moonlight significantly more than and neon lights of people less than, digital facts which he had entered south-west.
Mr
Asking for governmental asylum, he had been asked inside the European countries and You for several months prior to getting permitted to real time easily in the united states. But his updates once the a good Communist initial stopped him from delivering a professional pilot’s permit, Williams told you. Thus Slovak discover one way to travel that called for couples credentials: dusting plants.
Till the ten years try done, he had flown crop dusters from inside the efforts over the West, doused wildfires on the heavens and has worked as the a personal airplane pilot to possess Bill Boeing Jr., guy of Boeing Organization’s inventor.
Boeing brought him so you’re able to hydroplanes
Because of the later 1950s, Slovak is skimming along side water’s skin within more than 150 mph on the way to help you activities-page fame, a few of it at helm regarding Boeing’s ship, Skip Wahoo.
When you look at the 1958, Slovak won a national championship riding Skip Bardahl, belonging to an effective Seattle oil organization. The second seasons he had been driving Skip Wahoo when he obtained the fresh new President’s Glass for the Potomac River when you look at the Washington, D.C. The guy continued race compliment of 1967, successful other federal championship. (The guy took their last lap when you look at the a good hydroplane on ages 81, reaching 140 yards.p.h.)
When you look at the 1959, when he decided to go to benefit Continental Air companies just like the a pilot; the guy compensated off, seemingly talking, performing precisely the periodic stunt for the a biplane. Flying under bridges, inverted and you may http://www.datingmentor.org/massachusetts palms above, are exactly how the guy casual. Their daring feats won him the fresh moniker the latest Traveling Czech.
Mira John Slovak came into this world towards the Oct. twenty five, 1929, about town of Cifer, which had been after that when you look at the Czechoslovakia which can be now in Slovakia. His moms and dads have been farmers whom hid Jewish refugees in Nazi industry. Slovak informed Williams one to a train range holding Jews to help you concentration camps introduced near their land. He recalled getting smoking cigarettes and you may dinner to help you Nazi soldiers so you can victory the faith, next providing tobacco and you will food into the Jews towards train.
The guy registered this new Czechoslovak Air Force after The second world war, as he are 17, and flew bombers from the 19. He was advertised so you can head from the 21, simply just like the brand new Communist regulators is substitution officers exactly who is aimed with Allied forces within the conflict. By the time he had been 21, he was piloting industrial routes for Czechoslovak Airlines.
He or she is lasted from the their spouse Ingrid Bondi, a former flight attendant to possess Continental that have exactly who he stayed to have nearly thirty years. Slovak’s a couple of marriages finished inside breakup.
Williams told you Slovak had flown 38,500 days in various airplanes, regardless if more often than not try into the much time routes for Continental. The guy generated over 800 Pacific crossings into the journey ahead of retiring within the 1986. He later on brought in and you may offered airplanes, some of them made in Czechoslovakia.
Slovak lasted several accidents in the ships and planes. For the hydroplane racing he bankrupt a supply, a leg along with his back; destroyed most of their teeth; and you can busted his kidneys before he had been out of his 30s. He invested his recovery time thought their go back to the fresh cockpit, even as certain competition towards h2o passed away racing.
Inside the 1968, he strung a system from an excellent Volkswagen Beetle towards a great glider and you can travelled they more 8,000 miles, from West Germany so you can Ca. The guy damaged 19 feet in the runway at the their final interest, Santa Paula. He invested several days for the a good coma.
“I’m in love with one individual,” Slovak advised Recreations Depicted within the 1966. “Which is Mira Slovak. Really don’t need to kill myself, however, things can happen once you mess around having speed. The law of averages grabs right up.
“Us,” he added, “had been banged up, burned, bounced doing. We are all happy to face the consequences. I’ve and i am, however, I usually return for more.”