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[[2 images]] WALTER P. MILLER, JR. President Chamber of Commerce Greater Phila. W. LENNIG TRAVIS Chairman Aviation Committee Chamber of Commerce CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GREATER PHILADELPHIA CO-SPONSOR OF THE 1955 NATIONAL AIRCRAFT SHOW PRIONEERED IN THE PROMOTION OF AVIATION THE Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia was the first body of its kind in America to form an Aviation Committee. That was 33 years ago—in 1922 to be exact—when the air was filled primarily with barnstorming planes, survivors of World War I. But Philadelphia, cradle of the Nation's liberty, even then had the foresight—through its business leaders—to know that aviation was certain to play a predominant part in commerce and transportation as well as in war and in the mere spectacular. It is therefore fitting that the 1955 National Aircraft Show should be held in Philadelphia, co-sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia. The Chamber in recent years has played a major role in helping provide this great metropolitan area with an adequate airport, terminal facilities and air service to and from all pars of the world. The International Airport, where this 1955 show is being held, was opened in December 1953, climaxing years of effort by businessmen serving on the Aviation Committee. It was one of the accomplishments of the Chamber's World War II post-war program. It was approximately 10 years ago that the Aviation Committee started a determined drive to have the 951 acres on Hog Island, a Government reservation, transferred to the City of Philadelphia as the site for its great airport. Prior to this time, the City of Philadelphia had been paying ground rent for such land and the process was very expensive. But the transfer of ownership was finally accomplished in 1954 when President Eisenhower signed a bill giving the tract to the city. There has been a continued and progressive development of commercial airline service in Philadelphia since the Chamber's Aviation Committee rolled up its sleeves and went to work in conjunction with city officials. These efforts have brought about establishment of trans-Atlantic services by Pan-American Airways and by Trans-World Airlines. Just recently Seaboard & Western Airlines, an all-cargo carrier, was authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Board to provide Philadelphia with trans-Atlantic service. The progressive improvement in the character and frequency Philadelphia's existing domestic service has been accompanied, from time to time, by many new airline service to important points. Furthermore, these efforts by Philadelphia business interests are being continued in important proceedings now before the Civil Aeronautics Board. Typical cases are those involving improved services to the Mid-West, Southwest and Atlantic Seaboard It is worth to note that Walter P. Miller, Jr., now president of the Chamber, served as chairman of its Aviation Committee in 1949 and 1950. He displayed as much interest then, and today, as did Samuel B. Eckert, who pioneered the committee back in 1922. In recent years other chairmen of the Aviation Committee included Lawrence P. Sharples, of the Sharples Corporation, and Mr. Eckert, of the Sun Oil Company, who came back as head of the committee in 1951. Today the committee is ably headed by W. L. Travis, of the Atlantic Refining Company. AIR FOUNDATION CO-SPONSOR OF SHOW A Non-Profit Organization Created to Encourage Public Recognition of Aviation [[image]] F. C. CRAWFORD President Air Foundation LATE in 1945, after the close of World War II, four Clevelanders organized at the Chamber of Commerce the unique, non-profit, tax-free Air Foundation to encourage public recognition of aviation. In 1946, the original sum which the founders (the late A. C. Ernst of Ernst & Ernst and W. T. Holliday, Chairman of the Board of The Standard Oil Company [Ohio], with Frederick C. Crawford and A. J. Weatherhead, Jr.) had contributed to the Air Foundation was increased by the added gifts of some 60 other leading manufacturers. Air Foundation is a fund which may provide underwriting to self-liquidating activities conducted for the promotion of aviation in all its phases. The trustees of the fund are the donors; the executive committee is those donors elected by the trustees to control its decision. It has no payroll and no fixed expenses; it is an Ohio corporation not-for-profit and is tax free. As some of its activities since 1946, it: Underwrote the first successful National Aircraft Show held in January, 1946, in Cleveland Public Auditorium, resulting in a $75,000 profit for the Air Force Relief Society. Underwrote 5 National Air Races, the combined budgets of which total over $2,000,00. Through these successful promotions, over $450,000 was made possible for the payment of civilian prize money. Also, over $150,000 has been paid to service relief organizations through events it has underwritten. Has for many years maintained annual scholarships at Case Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois. With the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, the Air Foundation is underwriting the 1955 National Aircraft Show. It underwrote the 1953 and 1954 National Aircraft Shows in Dayton resulting in a balance of over $21,000 the first year and $24,000 the second year, which was divided among the three service relief societies. Air Foundation has also sponsored local and national model plane contest for youth education. It has furnished the management for various events sponsored by other groups, such as the 1949 National Air Fair, Chicago; for the Air Force Association and for New York City's 50th Anniversary of Powered Flight celebration at Mitchel Field in 1953. Through various events with this foundation's support, millions of people in the United States have been brought the story of aviation's progress by TV and radio from air races and aircraft shows. NATIONAL AIRCRAFT SHOW 49