Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States from September 15 to October 15 each year. This month-long observance honors Hispanic and Latino Americans’ histories, cultures, and contributions. Our department recognizes Elwood “Pete” Quesada for his efforts, exemplary leadership, and dedication to advancing transportation in the aviation industry.
Elwood “Pete” Quesada:
Elwood “Pete” Quesada was born in 1904 to Spanish and Irish American parents. He joined the United States Army in 1924 and received his pilot wings. By 1927, he returned to the service after a three-year break and completed over 150 hours of air travel by 1929. In the years leading up to his success in the aviation industry, he toured the world as an aide and technical advisor for the Army and Air Force.
In August of 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower developed the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) to regulate air traffic, standards, and navigation for flights (civilian and military) in the United States. A few months later, President Eisenhower appointed Elwood Quesada as the agency’s first administrator. Pete was selected because of his military service in the United States Air Force as a General and World War II veteran, where he flew worldwide to complete combat missions, train new pilots and combat systems, and perform tactical fighting air arms. Upon retirement from the Air Force in 1951 as a Lieutenant General, Pete continued his work in the aviation industry in the private sector before he returned to government, working as a special assistant in aviation and chairman of the Airways Modernization Board.
In his new role as the FAA Administrator, he organized the agency by creating a work organization chart for all the roles within the agency, reporting requirements, and strategies for public affairs and congressional liaisons. Throughout his career, he focused on improving aviation safety by updating the outdated safety standards for flight operations, maintenance, and pilot training. He is most known for implementing age limits for pilots, removing pilots from service on their 60th birthdays due to concerns about increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. The change was met with intense controversy from the aviation community, but received support from majority of the American people.
Pete continued to use innovative techniques to improve air traffic control systems, aiding military and civilian planes in tracking flight routes and creating active radar systems to enhance communication between air traffic control and aircraft on the ground during inclement weather or plane malfunctions. The Quesada administration is also responsible for airplanes having distance-measuring equipment to ensure safe landings and reduced speeds when a plane is close to landing and flying below 10,000 feet. At the end of his tenure, the “40,000 employees of the agency continued maintaining 9,500 air navigation and traffic control facilities, including 425 flight service stations, 228 airport traffic control towers, 41 long-range and 21 precision approach radars, 53 airport surveillance radars, and 35 air route traffic control centers. By 1961, U.S. scheduled air carriers were transporting 60 million passengers a year.”
Pete is described as a direct leader with a fiery passion for serving the public by increasing safety through aviation. His commitment to ensuring the growth of aviation through technology, training, and structure still impacts flight travel today in 2024. He was a problem-solver and encouraged his team to think about the long-term goals of advancing aviation and public trust. Pete is one of many Hispanic-American leaders in transportation who we recognize this Hispanic Heritage Month.
Additional Sources:
https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/106101/lieutenant-general-elwood-r-quesada/