Moisant International Aviators, Inc.

Advertisement in Aero and Hydro, September 1914.

Founded by Alfred Moisant with several investors. By 1913, Harold de W. Kantner, was chief engineer and designer; Kantner was also a pilot.

Produced Blériot-type monoplane and Farman-type biplane, both under license. In 1911, produced 12 monoplanes and one biplane, making it one of the top five constructors in the U.S. In 1914, produced the Kantner-designed Kantner-Moisant monoplane, which resembled a Morane-Saulinier but with differences including almost rectangular main planes and a landing chassis of the Blériot-type. Kantner also designed the Bluebird monoplane racer, based on a Morane. By 1915, Kantner is elsewhere and Moisant appears to be no more.

In January 1910, following the death of his brother John on 31 Dec 1909, Alfred Moisant renamed International Aviators, which see, the firm that he had incorporated with John in November 1909, as Moisant International Aviators. New investors were brought in, capitalization was doubled, and the board of directors was increased from three to seven. In June 1916 the board decided to increase the manufacturing and school facilities of the company and to devote its energy to the manufacturing and sale of Moisant aeroplanes. In early 1912, it acquired the property used for the aviation school from Hempstead Plains Aviation Company. While SD indicates company was then called Moissant Monoplane Co., we have not been able to establish the use of this name; however, in contemporaneous accounts, we see references to The Moisant International Aviators, Moisant Aviation Co., and Moisant Co. Kantner went on to design for other companies including Gallaudet, Aeromarine-Klemm, and Fairchild.

References

Names	Moisant International Aviators, Inc., Moisant Aviation Co., Moisant Co.
Country	US
City	Hempstead Plains, near Garden City, Long Island, NY.
Affiliations
Keywords	airplane, monoplane, Gnôme
Started aero	1911
Ended aero	1914
Key people	Alfred Moisant, Harold de W. Kantner
Wikidata id