Viewing page 5 of 10

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[left margin]]
FROM THE
FLYING PIONEERS BIOGRAPHIES
OF HAROLD E. MOREHOUSE
[/left margin]]

a Curtiss Model D biplane.

In 1916 Burns operated a flying school at Los Angeles and taught several students.

During World War I he was commissioned Lieutenant United States Navy, and on November 28, 1917 obtained F.A.I. Exper Pilot License No. 133. For a time during 1918 Burns was an instructor at Rockwell Field, North Island, San Diego, California. In December 1919, Lt. Burns, U.S. Naval Reserve, flew a Curtiss Model MF flying boat, owned by the Sid Chaplin Aircraft Corporation of Los Angeles, in the 1919 Curtiss Marine Trophy event, when he flew 650 miles in 9 hours, 10 minutes at San Pedro on December 31st. This did not quite win the event but was indeed a fine day's effort.

In 1922 Burns was flying for Pacific Marine Airways on a service between Los Angeles and Catalina Island using a flying boat. In 1925 he carried passengers for the season at Avalon Bay, California, using a 3-place Hisso-powered Curtis flying boat. In 1929 he became one of the founder members of the Early Birds.

In 1936 Burns was chief of TWA west coast pilots. At that time he was living in Glendale, California. In 1945 he moved to Banning, California where he lived for the remainder of his life. In 1948 he was with the Air Carrier Branch of the Civil Aeronautics Administration where he remained until retirement. He passed away on May 19, 1970 in a Banning hospital following an extended illness, at age 77. He was survived by his wife and a sister. Cremation followed his burial service. He was a member of the World War I Veterans and the Masonic Lodge.

Flying Pioneer, Early Bird Arthur C. Burns made many valued contributions to American aviation history. Plane builder, self-taught pilot, World War I Naval aviator officer, barnstormer, air line pilot and Federal Aviation Safety Inspector it is claimed he had 12,000 hours of flying time.


2