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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
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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