Thomas Fitzpatrick ( born Thomas Fitzpatrick ; nickname - Tommy Fitz ; 1930 - 2009 ) is an American pilot who landed twice on the streets of New York .
| Thomas Fitzpatrick | |
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| Date of Birth | |
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| Citizenship |  USA |
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| Children | Three sons |
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 | Fitzpatrick Aircraft at 191st Street |
Biography
Born in 1930 in an Irish family.
He served as a marinesman and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal during the Korean War . He was married, three sons grew up in a family. Had a pilot license.
September 30, 1956, having drunk pretty much in one of the New York bars, he made a bet that he could get from New Jersey to New York in 15 minutes. To do this, early in the morning he stole a light aircraft from the Teterboro School of Aeronautics and, without lights and radio communications, flew to New York, landing near St. Nicholas Avenue on 191st Street, not far from the betting bar. [1] Fitzpatrick was fined $ 100 for his illegal flight , as the owner of the aircraft refused to charge him.
Two years later, when the bartender of another institution did not believe in the veracity of the story told by Fitzpatrick, he repeated his “feat”. On the night of October 4, 1958, the pilot again stole a plane from the same school and landed at the intersection of 187th Street and Tenth Avenue (at that time Amsterdam Avenue ) opposite Yeshiva University . [2] Judge John A. Mullen sentenced Fitzpatrick to six months in prison for a second flight on a stolen plane.
He died in 2009. In honor of him was named alcoholic drink "Late Night Flight" ( Eng. Late Night Flight ). [3]