The Air Navigation Community

Albert Hegenberger served as navigator on the first successful flight to Hawaii and developed navigational equipment for the Air Corps. He consulted with P. V. H. Weems on matters related to celestial navigation.

In 1937, noted British distance flier Amy Johnson sought out Weems as a navigational instructor.

In 1930, P. V. H. Weems recommended Harold Gatty to Charles Lindbergh as a tutor for his wife Anne Morrow. She undertook the instruction while in her third trimester of pregnancy and then acted as navigator with Charles on a transcontinental flight.

Charles Blair used pre-computed navigation tables made by P. V. H. Weems on the first solo trans-polar flight. Blair made the flight in a modified P-51 Mustang named Excalibur III, now on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

In the 1940's and early 1950's, Charles Zweng managed the Pan Am Airlines navigation service. P. V. H. Weems taught him air navigation in the late 1930's.

Curtis LeMay learned navigation under Harold Gatty at Rockwell Field, California in the early 1930's. Before becoming the architect of the fire bombing campaign and a temperamental Air Force Chief of Staff at the height of the Cold War, LeMay pioneered navigational techniques for bombers in the late 1930's. His efforts culminated in the interception of the Italian liner Rex in May 1938.

Flight simulator pioneer Ed Link developed several navigational training tools with his close friend P. V. H. Weems, including the A-12 sextant.

As navigator, Fred Noonan helped pioneer transpacific airline service with Pan American Airways. He learned air navigation from P. V. H. Weems and Mary Tornich. He later went on to become Amelia Earhart's navigator on her 1937 around-the-world flight, and disappeared with her as they approached Howland Island.

One of the first professional air navigators, Harold Gatty instructed such aeronautical elites as Anne Morrow Lindbergh in air navigation and invented new equipment. He developed the Gatty drift indicator for use in aircraft. Gatty served as Wiley Post's navigator on his record breaking around the world flight. He had been trained in air navigation by P. V. H. Weems and managed the Weems System of Navigation while Weems was on sea duty during the Depression. Gatty and Lindbergh convinced Pan American Airways to adopt the Weems System. Gatty became the Army Air Corps' chief navigation engineer.

One of the first professional air navigators, Harold Gatty instructed such aeronautical elites as Anne Morrow Lindbergh in air navigation and invented new equipment. He developed the Gatty drift indicator for use in aircraft. Gatty served as Wiley Post's navigator on his record breaking around the world flight. He had been trained in air navigation by P. V. H. Weems and managed the Weems System of Navigation while Weems was on sea duty during the Depression. Gatty and Lindbergh convinced Pan American Airways to adopt the Weems System. Gatty became the Army Air Corps' chief navigation engineer.

One of the first professional air navigators, Harold Gatty instructed such aeronautical elites as Anne Morrow Lindbergh in air navigation and invented new equipment. He developed the Gatty drift indicator for use in aircraft. Gatty served as Wiley Post's navigator on his record breaking around the world flight. He had been trained in air navigation by P. V. H. Weems and managed the Weems System of Navigation while Weems was on sea duty during the Depression. Gatty and Lindbergh convinced Pan American Airways to adopt the Weems System. Gatty became the Army Air Corps' chief navigation engineer.

Chief Pilot for Eastern Airlines Henry "Dick" Merrill learned air navigation under P. V. H. Weems' tutelage.

P. V. H. Weems' first client for navigational instruction was polar explorer Lincoln Ellsworth. Ellsworth was then a critical early investor in the Weems System of Navigation.

Romanian baroness Lisette Kapri undertook air navigation instruction with P. V. H. Weems for her distance flying attempts.

Mary Tornich taught the Weems System of Navigation to civil and military students, including Amelia Earhart's navigator, Fred Noonan. She also authored a popular air navigation textbook.

Chief TWA navigator Peter Redpath learned his trade under P. V. H Weems and was briefly an instructor himself for the Weems System of Navigation.

E-6B developer Philip Dalton created dead reckoning navigation computers in collaboration with P. V. H. Weems.

Philip Van Horn Weems became a "guru" of air navigation and was often consulted by some of the most famous pilots during the 1920's and 1930's.

P. V. H. Weems advised Richard E. Byrd on celestial navigation techniques. Byrd wanted Weems to volunteer as navigator on his 1933 Antarctic expedition, but he turned the offer down as he was occupied keeping his business afloat.

In the late 1930's, Thomas Thurlow served as the U.S. Army Air Corps navigation engineer. He helped establish the navigation programs that would allow the Army Air Forces to graduate over 50,000 navigators during World War II. P. V. H. Weems advised him on celestial navigation issues.