Maj. General Joe Engle: A Legendary Aviator
July 12, 2024 - Maj. General Joe Engle, a celebrated American pilot, aeronautical engineer, NASA astronaut, and CAF Colonel Member, passed away on Wednesday, July 10, at 91.
Born on August 26, 1932, in Chapman, Kansas, Engle attended local schools and graduated from Dickinson County High School in 1950. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Kansas in 1955.
Engle's illustrious aviation career began when he entered flying school in 1957 and earned his pilot wings in 1958. He flew the F-100 Super Sabre with the 474th Fighter Day Squadron and the 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron at George Air Force Base, California. Chuck Yeager recommended Engle for the USAF Test Pilot School, from which he graduated in 1961.
Engle was a test pilot in the Fighter Test Group at Edwards Air Force Base, California. From June 1963, he was a test pilot in the X-15 research program. On June 29, 1965, then-Captain Joe H. Engle earned his astronaut wings by flying the X-15 to an altitude of 280,600 feet (85,527 meters or 53.14 miles), becoming the third Air Force pilot and the youngest to earn astronaut wings at age 33. On January 29, 1966, Engle became a CAF Colonel and has remained a Life Member ever since.
In 1977, Engle piloted the orbiter Enterprise. Around that same time, he flew with the CAF’s airshow performance group TORA TORA TORA, often piloting the P-40 Warhawk "Hero" at airshows. He served as Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight at NASA Headquarters from March to December 1982. Engle retained his astronaut flight status and returned to the Johnson Space Center in January 1983. Engle retired from NASA on November 28, 1986, and from the USAF on November 30, 1986. He was promoted to Major General on December 1, 1986. He joined the Kansas Air National Guard in 1986 and was inducted into the Aerospace Walk of Honor in 1992. In 2001, Engle was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
In addition to being a CAF Pilot, Engle's legacy in the organization also includes the formation of the CAF Jayhawk Wing, established on November 21, 1987, at Westport Airport in Wichita, Kansas. The name “Jayhawk Wing” was suggested by Engle himself. In 2017, Engle participated in the debut of the restored P-63 "Test" aircraft at Warbirds in Review at EAA AirVenture, sharing his experiences and the aircraft's history. Throughout his career, Engle flew over 185 different types of aircraft, including 25 different fighters, logging more than 15,400 flight hours, with 9,000 in jet aircraft.
Maj. General Joe Engle's contributions to aviation and space exploration remain a testament to his dedication, skill, and passion for flight.
Check out this video from EAA AirVenture 2017 in which Joe Engle is interviewed at the debut of the (then) newly restored P-63 “Test” assigned to the CAF Airbase Georgia.
