First to Jet Across America & Father of a QueenFirst to Jet Across America & Father of a QueenNajeeb Halaby’s Syrian-American Story

Najeeb Halaby was a Syrian-American pioneer in aviation with an extraordinary journey. He was the first to make a nonstop jet flight across the US and led the largest American airline. He was also the father of the first American-born Arab Queen. How much do you know about Najeeb Halaby?

Najeeb Elias Halaby was born in 1915 in Dallas, Texas to a prestigious Christian family with roots in Aleppo, Syria. His father, a Damascus-born immigrant, ran an interior design business, whereas his grandfather was a provincial treasurer or magistrate in Ottoman Syria. At a young age, Halaby showed a strong passion for aviation; he completed his first solo flight in a biplane when he was just 16, and he earned his pilot’s license a year later.

Having graduated with degrees in Political Science and Law, he worked as an attorney for two years while also taking flying lessons. However, after the outbreak of WWII, he joined the US Navy and became a pioneer test pilot. About six years later, on May 1, 1945, Halaby entered the annals of American history by making the first continuous transcontinental jet flight across the US, taking off in the west in California and landing in the east in Maryland, a flight which lasted five hours and 40 minutes.

Following the end of WWII, Halaby embarked on a remarkably successful career, serving in various prominent roles. For example, he was the head of the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA), the agency that oversees all aspects of US civil aviation, for more than four years. During his tenure, he oversaw the modernization of the American air traffic system, and he was instrumental in ending racial segregation in all airport terminals across the US. Later, he served as CEO of Pan American (1969-1972), the largest American airline at the time.

After leaving Pan American, he was hired by King Hussein of Jordan as an aviation consultant to help in launching an airline. Through this work, Halaby had many opportunities to interact with the Royal family of Jordan, ultimately leading to his daughter Lisa meeting King Hussein. She and King Hussein married in 1978, and Lisa Halaby became Queen Noor. In Jordan, she launched numerous projects that focus on education, culture, women and children’s welfare, and environmental conservation. After his retirement, Najeeb Halaby served in various public and charitable institutions, and he carried on flying well into his eighties. His legacy continues to inspire aerospace professionals around the world.