1891-1966

American aviator who, with John A. Macready, made the first nonstop flight across the United States. Kelly and Macready flew a single-engine Fokker T-2 monoplane from New York to San Diego on May 2-3, 1923, taking just under 27 hours for the 2,500-mile (4,022 km) flight. Careful planning allowed them to take advantage of a "Hudson Bay High"—a meteorological event that reversed prevailing West-to-East wind patterns over much of the country.