Chuck Yeager sues over use of his name

Aviation pioneer and retired Air Force Brigadier General Charles ‘Chuck’ Yeager, the pilot who initially broke the speed of sound, has filed a lawsuit against Virgin America for using his name in an advertisement to promote new on-board wireless internet without his permission.

Virgin America used Chuck Yeager’s name in an advertisement campaign along with Buzz Aldrin’s, according to a complaint filed in San Francisco yesterday.

Lawyers representing General Yeager said that at no time did he give his permission to the defendants to use his name.

Yeager, now 86, rarely’ if ever permits his image or name to be used for corporate purposes or to be associated with commercial products or services in the aviation industry.

It is claimed that Yeager is seeking a court order preventing Virgin America from using his name and awarding him profits earned by Virgin from using his name.

Yeager was a fighter pilot in World War II and became the first human to fly faster than the speed of sound. He was profiled in the 1979 Tom Wolfe Book, The Right Stuff, which was later made into a movie.

The San Francisco based low-cost carrier Virgin America is part owned by Sir Richard Branson.