Breaking Boundaries, Aiming Higher, Shinji Maeda the One-Eyed Pilot

Breaking Boundaries, Aiming Higher, Shinji Maeda the One-Eyed Pilot

By Ryoko Kato
NAP Contributor

Translation by Bruce Rutledge
NAP General Manager

Shinji Maeda
Born in Hombetsu, Nakagawa District, Hokkaido, Japan, Shinji Maeda graduated
from Japan Aviation High School (in Kai, Yamanashi, Japan) and entered the
Department of Aerospace Engineering at Nihon University (in Chiyoda, Tokyo,
Japan). At age 18, he lost vision in his right eye due to an accident. Refusing to
give up his dream of becoming a pilot, he moved to the U.S. and earned a
master’s degree in aviation safety and crisis management from Embry-Riddle
Aero Nautical University in Dayton Beach, Florida. After working for ShinMaywa Industries, he joined Boeing, where he worked in aircraft manufacturing.
Determined to fly again, he obtained both a commercial pilot’s license and a
certified flight instructor license in the U.S. In 2016, he founded the nonprofit
organization Aero Zypangu Project to offer lectures and flight training, and to
inspire younger generations.

In February, Japanese-born pilot Shinji Maeda became the first Asian recipient of the prestigious Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Aviation Inspiration Award, presented by theAircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) at an award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

The award honors individuals who have made outstanding achievements in aviation while inspiring those around them. The annual ceremony, held every March in Washington, D.C., brings together aviation leaders and policy makers from across the U.S.

Lucy, the aircraft that circumnavigated the globe.

Maeda said he was deeply touched by a heartfelt message from Gen. McGee’s family that said, “My father would be so proud to see his legacy continued through such inspiring work.” Another attendee praised him by saying, “It’s powerful to recognize someone regardless of race—this is the strength of America, and you embody it.”

“I was deeply moved to receive this award as someone whose native language and ethnicity are different,” Maeda said. “It means so much to have my name included in the history of American aviation.”

In May 2021, Maeda completed a round-the-world flight in one month. His aircraft, Lucy, is a 1963 Beechcraft Bonanza. With years of preparation and technical modification, Maeda approached the challenge using his deep knowledge of aviation engineering and physics.

Charles E. McGee Aviation Inspiration Award plaque.

Day 22 of the world flight — Egypt’s pyramids. Photo credit: Shinji Maeda.

Maeda wanted to equip his plane with auxiliary fuel tanks, but the Federal Aviation Authority nixed the idea due to safety concerns. The pilot adjusted his plans and became the only person ever to complete a global flight without additional fuel tanks.

To conserve fuel, he flew at high altitudes where thinner air reduces consumption. While most pilots cruise below 12,500 feet to avoid hypoxia, a condition that deprives the body of adequate oxygen, Maeda ascended to 16,500 feet. Relying on oxygen tanks, he carefully adjusted his oxygen intake every 30 minutes. He also limited his baggage to 32kg (70.5 lbs.) and lost 10kg (22 lbs.) of body weight before the flight to reduce the load, allowing for optimal fuel efficiency.

Lucy’s cockpit.

Maeda also had to confront possible failure. If he were to die on the flight, he wanted to make sure his body would be returned to his home. He imagined an engine failure over the frigid waters of the Bering Sea (southwest of Alaska) or the Sea of Okhotsk (east of Russia). To prepare, he practiced in Puget Sound (Washington State), putting on his dry suit and life vest in less than 10 minutes, about the time he could expect his aircraft to float.

Maeda has faced death in the sky more than once. Every time he has survived, he says he has had a sense of being given a mission to fulfill. One such moment came during a flight from Okinawa, Japan to Korea. As he flew over the East China Sea where the Japanese battleship Yamato was sunk in 1945 by American war planes, he instinctively brought his hands together in prayer. “At that moment, I felt overwhelming gratitude,” he recalled. “Gratitude for those who died in the war, without whom today’s Japan would not exist, and gratitude to America for allowing me to pursue my dream of becoming a pilot despite my visual disability.

“I want to honor the souls of those who died for both countries. And I believe I was spared so I could pass on this deeply emotional experience to the next generation.”
This summer marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Maeda plans to undertake a new mission: a Japan–U.S. friendship flight. One of the destinations will be to Wendover, Utah—where American B-29 bombers departed for Japan. “Yes, there was once a fierce war between our nations,” Maeda said, “but it’s precisely because of that history that we must face the past, give thanks, and build a culture of respect so that such tragedy is never repeated.”

“My everything—my treasure,” Maeda says of his family photo. Photo credit: Shinji Maeda.

Safety equipment training with children.

Maeda’s passionately felt message is this, “You’ll never know what’s possible unless you try.” He warns that the negative words of parents can easily crush children’s dreams. He urges adults to break free from fixed mindsets and embrace more open-minded thinking.
With that belief, Maeda established the nonprofit, Aero Zypangu Project, where he draws on his years of experience to offer a unique hands-on flight program. He hopes this initiative will become a catalyst not just for future aviators, but for unlocking hidden potential in people across all fields.

In the U.S., anyone can learn to fly if an instructor is on board. There are no age or license restrictions. “Come, sit in the cockpit, and give it a try!” Maeda invites.

Recently, he even had an 80 something-year-old colleague’s mother take the controls. “She said it was the most exciting moment of her life, her eyes shining,” he recalled.
Maeda’s journey is far from over. Even after completing a round-the-world flight and receiving national honors, he continues to aim higher. “People may say it’s impossible but you won’t know unless you try. If I can ignite that small spark of curiosity in someone and turn it into a flame, there’s no greater joy.”

His relentless curiosity and passion remind us of the power of courage and the hope that comes from daring to challenge the impossible.