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Jimmy Doolittle, namesake of Achievement 6, was the first airman to do what?

Fly 'blind,' using instruments alone.

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  1. Fly faster than the speed of sound
  2. Fly 'blind' using only instruments ✔
  3. Fly nonstop around the world

Why: Doolittle proved a pilot could fly with no view outside, trusting only the instruments. That skill lets pilots fly safely through clouds today.

Huh, didn't know that: In 1925 he was one of the first people to earn a doctorate in aeronautics at MIT.

The dad joke
Why did the pilot close the curtains? He wanted to see how the instruments felt about it.
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References

Answer: Fly 'blind' using only instruments. Doolittle proved a pilot could fly with no view outside, trusting only the instruments. That skill lets pilots fly safely through clouds today.

  1. Cadet achievement page: Achievement 6, Doolittle (Civil Air Patrol) www.gocivilairpatrol.com/programs/cadets/stripes-to-diamonds/doolittle
    being the first airman to fly "blind," using instruments alone.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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