National Council of the Aero Club of America
Formed on 23 June 1910 by the 26 aero clubs (apparently 36 clubs if those in the Intercollegiate Association are counted individually) who withdrew 22 June 1910 from the convention of the American Aeronautical Association and then met to establish a temporary organization called the National Council of Affiliated Clubs of the Aero Club of America. Made permanent the next day as the National Council of the Aero Club of America, it immediately gained supreme charge of aviation meets and records in the US and the ACA retained its representation in the IFA and the right to hold international meets in the US, thus ending prospects for the same by the new Aeronautic Federation of America. An NC constitution and bylaws were drafted 12 July 1910 for submission at its annual meeting in December, but it appears their adoption was not until 4 Apr. 1911, at which time the official name was changed to National Council of the Aero Clubs of America and the ACA became an NC member on equal footing, except that the ACA remained the FAI representative.
Initial council officers elected 23 June 1910 included Clifford B. Harmon, chair, exec. comm.; W. B. Strang (AC Kansas), Albert H. Lambert (AC St. Louis), Dr. John C. Eberhardt (Dayton Aeroplane Club), and Dr. Albert F. Zahm (AC Washington), vice chairs; Col. J. H. Joyce, Baltimore, treas.; Jerome S. Fanciulli, sec.; and George H. Harrison (AC Pasadena), ass't sec.; Henry M. Neely (AC Pennsylvania) was named chair, contests comm. On 4 May 1911, the ACA refused ratification until the NC added a clause that no organization could join the NC unless affiliated with the ACA. (It appears that shortly afterwards, the Automobile Club of America asserted that the Aero Club was but a section of the Automobile Club and could not enter into an agreement with the NC or any other organization without the consent of the auto club.) By 21 May, it appeared that the NC had adopted the language desired by the ACA. In November 1911, the NC's chair, Robert J. Collier (elected in December 1910), was elected president of the ACA.
On 6 Dec. 1910, new officers elected included Robert J. Collier, ch.; J. H. Joyce, treas.; and J. K. Duffy, sec. The first tournament presided was Atlantic City, 4-5 July 1910. Sanctioned its first long-distance aeroplane race, the New York Times-Chicago Evening Post race, which began in Chicago 8 Oct. 1910. The original 36 participating clubs were said to represent over 3,300 individuals when they formed the NC. (A back story of the formation of the NC is that after the delegates of the Aeronautic Federation of America were finally seated at the meeting of the American Aeronautic Association on 22 June, a break was called. A number of delegates went to dinner with a member of the ACA (its Board of Governors had also met that day) and at dinner the idea of forming an ACA national council was proposed. Upon convening of the meeting that evening, over half of the delegates walked out. Those who exited met at the ACA and perfected what became the NC and the ACA retained its representation in the International Aeronautic Federation (FAI).)
(Need to determine role in Motor Travel, a publication of the Automobile Club of America.)
Sources
- 1910 NYT 23-25 June, 22 July, 7 Dec.
- 1911 NYT 2-4 Apr. & 5-6, 10, 16, 20-21 May & 19 Nov
- 7 Aeronautics (NYC) 52-53 (1910)
- 8 Aeronautics (NYC) 26-27, 84, 163-164 (1911)
| Organization names | National Council of the Aero Club of America (For continuation, see entry National Council of the Aero Clubs of America.) |
|---|---|
| Entity type | |
| Country | US |
| City | New York City, New York |
| Affiliated with | ACA |
| Scope | National |
| Started aero | 1910 |
| Ended aero | Name change 4 Apr. 1911 |
| Keywords | |
| Key people | |
| Wikidata id |
- Address: ACA Headquarters, United Engineering Socieities Bldg., 29 West 39th St., NYC (1910)
|Cable address= }}
