by John Ostrem
EAA Chapter 54
We have many new members of EAA Chapter 54 and they see the “Speed Holman” Chapter 54 logo on our materials. So who is this “Speed” Holman guy?
Charles Willis “Speed” Holman, born 1898, was a famous Minnesota aviator from St Paul, flying in the 1920s until his death in 1931. “Speed” got his nickname as a motorcycle racer but in 1918, after seeing Walter Bullock land a plane on the ice of Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis, Holman was determined to learn to fly. He joined Bullock and did free mechanical work for flight lessons and became a wing walker and parachutist in Bullock’s airshows. Later, in 1927 he received his actual pilots license from none other than Orville Wright! Holman often did airshows during the day and flew the mail from Minneapolis to Chicago every night. He was an early investor in Northwest Airlines and was actually the first pilot hired by the company.
“Speed” also became a famous air racer, winning most of the National prizes induing the National Pulitzer Race in St Louis, and the Thompson Air Trophy in 1930, with an average speed of 201 mph. He took second in the Minneapolis to Detroit race and won the Spokane to New York City race in 1926. An unusual stunt was completing 1,433 consecutive loops in 5 hours over St Paul, Minnesota!
Holman was in demand for his daredevil airshows and in 1931 he flew to Omaha, Nebraska to help open a new airport with his show. He was performing for 20,000 spectators when he crashed inverted and died in the wreckage. His funeral in St Paul was attended by 100,000 citizens who were lined up for the procession. Pilot friends dropped thousands of roses along the funeral route and he is buried in Acacia Park, Mendota Heights, Minnesota. The St Paul Airport was renamed the Holman Municipal Airport in his honor and a plaque at the airport honoring his short flying career states: “He Belonged To The Heights And The Heights Claimed Him.” He is in the Minnesota Aviation Hall Of Fame.
In the mid 1950’s the EAA (Experimental Aviation Association) was getting started across the United States and the local Chapter 54 founders, many from the 3M Company in St Paul, decided to name our group the “Speed Holman Chapter.” Today there are nearly 1,000 EAA Chapters.
To carry on the “Speed” Holman tradition we understand that veteran Chapter member Bob Collins will be attempting to break the 1,433 loop record over the Lake Elmo Airport as soon as his Van’s RV 12 homebuilt is ready to go!
