American Aeronautical Association
The American Aeronautical Association was temporarily organized 23 May 1910 at a meeting at the Aero Club of America by 8 affiliated aero clubs that opposed recent agreements between the ACA and the Wright brothers re the exhibition of machines that the Wrights alleged infringed on their patents. The ACA-Wright agreements made it impossible for any city to hold an aviation meet under ACA sanction without a license from the Wrights. While news reports called the new group the American Aeronautic Association, its correspondence used American Aeronautical Association. The number of clubs appears to have fluctuated: on 2 June, there were said to be 12; on 17 June, there were said to be 10. Officers elected 23 May were to serve until 22 June when the AAA would meet. On 2 June 1910 at a meeting at different dissidents, some 39 aero clubs formed the Aeronautic Federation of America and planned to meet jointly with the AAA on 23 June to form one permanent group after both had met separately on 22 June. However, the AFA took over the 22 June meeting of the AAA and that evening session, 36 clubs walked out. Those who exited perfected what became the National Council of the ACA. Ten of those remaining formed the American Aeronautical Federation.
Temporary officers elected on 23 May 1910 to serve until 22 June 1910 included George M. Meyers, (Kansas City Aero Club), president; A. B. Lambert (St. Louis Aero Club), 1st vice president; J. V. Martin, (Harvard Aeronautical Society), 2nd vice president; Victor Lougheed (Aero Club of Illinois), secretary; and Jerome H. Joyce (Aero Club of Baltimore), treasurer. By 18 June, the American Aeronautic Association represented 10 aero clubs, including those of St. Louis, Kansas City, Peoria, Indiana, Illinois, Harvard University, Buffalo, Balitmore, and Colorado.
In the contemporary news, both the names "American Aeronautic Association" and "American Aeronautical Association" appear. Our research suggests American Aeronautic Association was used more frequently; however, the correct name appears to be "The American Aeronautical Association." A 23 May 10 letter to the ACA, informing it of the new organization, is signed "The American Aeronautical Association, per Victor Lougheed, Secretary. [The letter is reprinted in the SLPD, 24 May 1910 and at 7 Aeronautics (NYC) 20 (July, 1910).] Also, the U.S- Air Force Academy Library holds a "Rough draft of proposed Constitution and By-Laws for the consideration of the organization and convention committee of the Aeronautic Federation of America and the American Aeronautical Association, to be presented and acted upon at the convention of June 22, 1910 . . . " [The NYT, 18 June 1910, reported these documents had beend drafted and distributed to the delegates on 17 June by Thomas A. Hill, sec. pro tem., AFA; Victor Lougheed, AC of Ill. (whom we know as the AAA secretary) and James E. Plew, acting pres., AC of Ill.] Yet, we read in the NY Trib., 23 June 1910, that the name "American Aeronautic Association" was incorporated 22 June 1910.
Sources
- 1910 NYT, 24 Apr.; 24 May; 3, 18 & 23-25 June; 1910 WP, 24 May; 1910 St. Louis Post Dispatch, 24 May; 1910 New York Tribune, 23 June; 7 Aeronautics (NYC) 20-21, 52-53 (1910); OCLC WorldCat
| Organization names | American Aeronautical Association; aka American Aeronautic Association |
|---|---|
| Entity type | |
| Country | US |
| City | New York City, New York |
| Affiliated with | |
| Scope | National |
| Started aero | 1910 (23 May) |
| Ended aero | 1910 (22 June) |
| Keywords | |
| Key people | |
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