Aero Club of America

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The Aero Club of America was an organization based in New York promoting aeronautics and aviation. It emerged out of the Automobile Club of America in 1905 and was reincorporated in 1910.

After 1910 the presidents were Allan A. Ryan (1910–1911), Robert J. Collier (1911–1913), and Alan R. Hawley (1913–1919).[1]

In 1912 the organization began publishing an official bulletin, which became known as Flying.

1905–1910

For more information see Aero Club of America (1905–1910).

Cortlandt Field Bishop was president for most of this period.

Reincorporation

On becoming a membership corporation in New York State 16 Feb. 1910, a new Aero Club of America succeeded the original Aero Club of America, which see, founded 1905. The new incorporation certificate was published in the 1910 annual; an amended certificate was in the 1911 annual. In March 1910 and again in May 1911, it moved to new headquarters. In early 1910, totaled 328 active and 9 honorary members and 18 affiliated clubs, the first four affiliates having been announced 9 Apr. 1908.[2]


Affiliations

In July 1916, Flying magazine listed 26 affiliates. In 1921, during the Omaha meet, a new body, the National Air Association, was formed, but it proved only a preliminary attempt to enlist all the aeronautic interests in the U.S. During the next national meet, at Detroit, 12-14 Oct. 1922, the job was completed when the National Aeronautic Association was formed. Shortly after the NAA's incorporation 14 Oct. 1922, both the ACA and the National Air Association merged into the NAA and it succeeded the ACA in sanctioning aerial contests in the U.S. under FAI license.[2]

At the FAI Conference Statutaire in October 1910, the ACA representative reported not only the gas consumed by balloons in the USA but also reported 15 aeroplanes in the country. The club house at 297 Madison Ave. had been built ca. 1904 as the residence of Col. R. M. Thompson and was leased to the club in 1911 through Messrs. Pease and Elliman for $5,000 a year. In 1911, the club recognized the flying grounds of the Aero Club of New York on Long Island as its official aerodrome.[2]

Affiliated with FAI on 14 Oct 1905; predecessor was founding member.

Articles of Affiliation of Aero Clubs in the U.S. with the ACA published in the 1911-1912 ACA annuals provided that the ACA and its members and affiliated clubs could take part in events organized by the ACA, or by other affiliated clubs with the consent of the ACA, or by the National Council, or by FAI member clubs. Beginning with the 1913 ACA annual, there is no mention of the National Council. Flying, published Jan. 1912-July 1921, was the official publication of the ACA, AC of Illinois, AC of Pennsylvania, Aerial League of the World, and others.[2]

Issues

The Aero Club backed the Wright Brothers in their patent war and backed events only if they complied with Wright Company demands.[3]

Officers

The first officers of the new Aero Club of America included Cortlandt Field Bishop, president; Samuel H. Valentine, Dave H. Morris, and Clifford B. Harmon, VPs; Charles Jerome Edwards, treasurer; William Hawley and Charles H. Heitman, secretaries. New officers including Allan A. Ryan, pres., served Nov. 1910-Nov. 1911. Robert J. Collier was elected president in November 1911 and 1912 but resigned at the start of his second term.[2]

In November, 1918, the officers were Alan R. Hawley, president; Henry A. Wise Wood, vice-president; Lieut. Godfrey L. Cabot, vice-president; rear admiral [Bradley A. Fiske]], vice-president; Charles Jerome Edwards, vice-president; Charles Elliott Warren, treasurer; and William Hawley, secretary.[4]

Committee chairs included Albert Francis Zahm (Aerodynamics), Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary (Aeronautical Map), Russell A. Alger (Affiliated Clubs), [[Henry Woodhouse (Dirigible & Kite Balloons; Publicity); Cortlandt F. Bishop (Foreign Relations and Trans-Atlantic Flight), Cornelius Vanderbilt (Military & Naval), Alberto Santos-Dumont (Pan-Americas), General Theodore A. Bingham (Public Safety), George M. Myers (Spherical Balloons), and Raymond B. Price (Technical).[4]

  • Address: 12 East 42nd St., NYC (1908-1910); United Engineering Societies Bldg., 29 West 39th St., Ninth Floor, NYC (1910-1911); new clubhouse and offices in a five-story formerly private dwelling at 297 Madison Ave., at 41st Street, NYC (15 May 1911 to at least 1919).
  • Cable address=Aeroclub New York (1910-1920 or later); Aeroamerica (1910-)
  • Phone=Murray Hill 71 and 72; 4321-31 (1910-)

References

  1. Robie, 1993, p. 307.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 1908 NTY, 10 Apr.; ACA annuals (1909-1917, 1919); 1910 NYT, 13 Jan., 6 & 8 Feb., and 24 May; 1910 Hartford Courant, 17 Feb.; 1 Aircraft 67 (1910); 1911 Aircraft, 1 May; 1911 NYT, 5 & 16 May, 15 June, and 5 Nov.; 3 Aeronautics (NYC) 194 (1911); 1 FAI Conference Statutaire Proces-Verbaux (1910, 1912); FAI Conference Extraordinaire, 19-21 May 1919; Sommaire, FAI Reunion, 23-24 Oct 1919, in 1:1 Bulletin Officiel de la FAI (Jan. 1920); 1:1 Bulletin Officiel de la FAI (Jan. 1920); Dir1920; 2:11 Flying 34 (1913); 5 Flying 250 (1916); 15 Aerial Age 583 (1922); www.naa.aero/html/ aboutnaa/; www.loc.gov/rr/ mss/text/aero.htm; www.fai.org/about/history
  3. Freudenthal, 1949, Flight into history, pp. 235–236.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Flying, vol. 7, November 1918, p. 923.


Organization names Aero Club of America (ACA) (II)
Entity type
Country US
City New York City, New York
Affiliated with FAI
Scope National Federation and Local Club
Started aero 1910
Ended aero 1922, name change
Keywords airplane, publicity, US
Key people Henry A. Wise Wood, Henry Woodhouse, Albert Franics Zahm, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Alan R. Hawley, William Hawley, Cortlandt Field Bishop, Charles Jerome Edwards
Wikidata id Q4688121


People affiliated with Aero Club of America

Organizations affiliated with Aero Club of America

Publications by or about Aero Club of America

Aero Club of America participated in these events: