Early Life & First Flights
1887–1916
The formative years that shaped Reuben H. Fleet’s character, curiosity, and entry into aviation.
The Beginnings of an Aviation Pioneer
Reuben Hollis Fleet was born on March 6, 1887, in Montesano, Washington, a logging town on the edge of the great forests of the Pacific Northwest. His childhood was shaped by the frontier spirit of the region—resourceful, hardworking people who built their lives through determination and ingenuity. Fleet absorbed these values early, and they would define his character throughout his life.
He grew up in a family of educators and civic leaders, surrounded by conversations about duty, community, and public service. Yet even as a boy, he was drawn toward mechanics, machines, and innovation. Long before he ever saw an airplane, Fleet was fascinated by motion, engineering, and the idea that technology could transform the future.
First Encounters With Flight
When the Wright brothers first demonstrated powered flight in 1903, Fleet was a teenager. Like many young men of his generation, he followed the growing stories of aviation with fascination. Aircraft were rare sights in the Pacific Northwest, but the idea of flight had already captured his imagination.
Fleet’s first real exposure to aviation came in the 1910s, during the earliest public exhibitions and Army interest in military flight. The sight of a fragile machine lifting into the sky was enough to shift the trajectory of his life. He became convinced that aviation was not a novelty—it was the future.
The Decision to Learn to Fly
Fleet entered the world of aviation through military service. At a time when the United States Army was only beginning to consider the airplane as a tool of war, Fleet saw its potential clearly. He enrolled in the Army’s fledgling aviation program, joining a small group of men willing to learn to fly when the risks were high and the training was experimental.
His early flying lessons were conducted in aircraft made of wood, fabric, and wire—machines that demanded both courage and finesse. Fleet quickly distinguished himself with steady nerves, mechanical intuition, and a deep respect for the unforgiving nature of early aviation.
A Natural Aviator and Leader
From the moment he took the controls of an airplane, Fleet demonstrated a rare blend of skill and judgment. He understood machinery, he understood risk, and he understood responsibility. These qualities made him not only a pilot, but a person the Army trusted—and soon, a man they would put in charge of other pilots.
His early flights prepared him for roles far beyond the cockpit. He was not simply an aviator learning the mechanics of flight; he was becoming a leader who saw aviation’s potential to reshape the nation, the military, and the world.
Foundations of a Lifelong Passion
Every chapter of Fleet’s later life—test pilot, innovator, safety advocate, founder of Consolidated Aircraft—was rooted in these first encounters with flight. What began as curiosity became a calling. What began as an experiment became a mission.
His earliest flights were not just personal milestones; they were the foundation of an aviation career that would influence the course of American history.