Billy Robinson (aviator)

[1] Robinson was born in Redfield, South Dakota, and moved to Grinnell, Iowa in 1896 at age 12.

In 1914 he set a record for non-stop flight, carrying mail from Des Moines to Kentland, Indiana.

Robinson perished while flying his biplane, attempting to set an altitude record on March 11, 1916.

Hypoxia was suspected among other reasons for the crash, but the fire made it impossible to verify the exact cause.

[2] On June 18, 1988, the Grinnell Regional Airport was dedicated and named Billy Robinson Field.