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An Epitome of the Work of
The Aeronautic Society of New York
from July, 1908, to December, 1909
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WITH the close of they year, The Aeronautic Society has thought it would be interesting, and perhaps, useful, also, to put on record some account of the doings of the Society during the past eighteen months. In the following pages, therefore, will be found a brief story of the accomplishments and efforts of the Society in the first year and a half if its existence.
Considered solely from the standpoint of public demonstrations, the period of 1908-1909 which this short narrative covers had been one of the most striking in the history of man. During this periods he has made the most wonderful of all his conquests-he has mastered the secret of flight, he has brought beneath the grip of his mighty genius the last and most subtile of the powers of nature-he has learned to fly! This is a period which all ages yet to come will look back upon with admirations and delight.

In making the above statement, and without going full into the history of the Art, which would be out of place in this brochure, it is highly essential that at least a passing reference should be made to the remarkable private demonstrations of Prof. Samuel P. Langley with his power-driven models in 1896, and his later experiments with his full-sized, man-carrying, power-driven aeroplane in 1903, and we must furthermore give the fullest consideration the well-known attempts at flight of Mr. (now Sir) Hiram S. Maxim in 1894, and M. Clement Ader in 1897, with their man-carrying, power-driven, aeroplanes.

Of the part that stye have had in this great period the members of The Aeronautic Society of New York may indeed be proud.

Given in summary form alone, the activities of the Society constitute a list which may well still a thrill of pride to-day in those to whom it is due, and which, in years to come, will be turned back to with equal pleasure in the annals of the Metropolis.

In no fewer than a dozen ways, at least, The Aeronautic Society of New York has led the entire world and set examples that all other similar bodies are now following.

The Aeronautic Society of New York was the first organization the world formed for the practical pursuit of the problem of mechanical flight by man. It was the first aeronautical body in the world to do things, as well as talk things.

It was the first organization in the world to have flying grounds. It was the first in the world to provide for its members grounds, workshops, sheds, and tools. It was the first to provide its members with the use of motors wherewith to try out their machines. It was not only the first in the world, it is to-day, still, the only similar body in the world provides such assistance.

It was the first aviation society in the world to give a public exhibition of flying machines.

It was the first aeronautical society in the world to look around months the young inventors in its country, and to give to one of the most promising. Glenn H. Curtiss, a commission to build a flying machine. And it gave the commission to him at his own price, and paid him a large time in hand to help him start upon the work. And the pleasing result of this was that, in competition with the most successful inventors and fliers of the Old World, America was able to win the greatest aviation trophy of the year.

The Aeronautic Society of New York was thus the first aeronautical body in the world to purchase a flying machine. It was, therefore, the first body in the world to put aviation on a commercial footing. And it did so at at time when a few could foresee the solid financial basis upon which the flying machine rests to-day.