Charles Keeney Hamilton

Charles Keeney Hamilton (May 30, 1885 – January 22, 1914) was an American aviator nicknamed the "crazy man of the air". He was, in the words of the Centennial of Flight Commission, "known for his dangerous dives, spectacular crashes, extensive reconstructive surgeries, and ever present cigarette" He survived more than 60 crashes.

Biography Hamilton was born on May 30, 1885, in New Britain, Connecticut,

In late 1909, Hamilton started taking flying lessons from Glenn Curtiss. In San Diego, he became just the third American flier to remain aloft for at least an hour, crossing the ocean to Mexico and back. The very next day, he went up again, drunk, and "Swooping like a rapacious bird from a height of 500 feet [150 m], the Curtiss biplane, with Charles K. Hamilton, dived into the newly formed lake at The Meadows". on March 25. The next day, he flew to New Westminster and back, covering in 30 minutes. He participated in an air meet in Spokane, Washington between April 1–3. He departed from Governors Island in New York harbor at 7:30 am and reached Philadelphia at 9:26 am. With a stopover in Philadelphia, the round trip took a little over 11 hours, at an average speed of nearly . and, on July 2, 1910, made "the first public flight in the State" there. It was also the first in New England.

Between June and August, Hamilton performed at Knoxville, Nashville and Atlantic City. That same month, he and Moisant parted company, with Moisant keeping his airplane. It was the first plane landing ever in Cleveland and the local newspaper called it at the time "The greatest event in the history of Bradley Country".

Hamilton married twice. He was divorced by his first wife and was survived by his second, Gussie, whom he had married the summer before his death.

Those familiar with his short career claimed he had earned a quarter of a million dollars, but he died almost broke.