The Curtiss Aviation Book

Glenn Curtiss (1878 - 1930) and Augustus Post (1873 - 1952)

Glenn Hammond Curtiss, of Hammondsport, New York, won the Scientific American Trophy for the first pre-announced and officially witnessed airplane flight in North America when he flew his plane, the June Bug, 5,080 ft on July 4, 1908. In 1910, he was awarded permanent possession of that trophy when he made the first successful long-distance flight, 147 miles from Albany to New York City. He was the holder of the first US pilots' license ever issued, and opened the first flying school in the US. During WWI, most US military pilots got their training on the Curtiss JN-4, popularly nicknamed the "Jenny". Curtiss earned the title of "Father of Naval Aviation" when he developed the first hydroplanes and the first system for planes to take off and land on carrier ships at sea. In 1912, he co-authored the Curtiss Aviation Book with fellow aviation pioneer Augustus Post, detailing his early flights at Hammondsport, and discussing the state of aviation technology as it stood at that time. The book also includes three chapters on specialized uses of the aeroplane, by Paul Beck, Theodore Ellyson, and Hugh Robinson. (Maria Kasper)

Genre(s): Transportation

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 01 Pt 1 Ch 1 - The Coming Airmen, an Introductory Chapter Maria Kasper
00:07:34
Play 02 Pt 1 Ch 2 - Boyhood Days Maria Kasper
00:14:50
Play 03 Pt 1 Ch 3 - Building Motors and Motorcycle Racing Maria Kasper
00:16:40
Play 04 Pt 1 Ch 4 - Baldwin's Balloon Maria Kasper
00:07:29
Play 05 Pt 2 Ch 1 - Beginning to Fly Maria Kasper
00:06:28
Play 06 Pt 2 Ch 2 - First Flights Maria Kasper
00:14:41
Play 07 Pt 2 Ch 3 - The June Bug - First Flights for Scientific American Trophy - First Experiments with Hydroaeroplane Maria Kasper
00:09:30
Play 08 Pt 2 Ch 4 - First Flights in New York City Maria Kasper
00:06:27
Play 09 Pt 3 Ch 1 - The Rheims Meet - First International Aeroplane Contest Maria Kasper
00:21:55
Play 10 Pt 3 Ch 2 - Hudson-Fulton Celebration - First American International Meet, Los Angeles Maria Kasper
00:16:52
Play 11 Pt 3 Ch 3 - Flight Down the Hudson River from Albany to New York City Maria Kasper
00:34:00
Play 12 Pt 3 Ch 4 - Beginning of the Hydroaeroplane Maria Kasper
00:26:07
Play 13 Pt 3 Ch 5 - Developing the Hydroaeroplane at San Diego - The Hydro of Summer 1912 Maria Kasper
00:32:40
Play 14 Pt 4 Ch 1 - Aeroplane Speed of the Future Maria Kasper
00:18:58
Play 15 Pt 4 Ch 2 - Future Surprises of the Aeroplane - Hunting, Travel, Mail, Wireless, Life-Saving, and Other Uses Maria Kasper
00:30:36
Play 16 Pt 4 Ch 3 - The Future of the Hydro Maria Kasper
00:09:08
Play 17 Pt 4 Ch 4 - Future Problems of Aviation Maria Kasper
00:17:40
Play 18 Pt 4 Ch 5 - The Aeroplane as Applied to the Army Maria Kasper
00:22:19
Play 19 Pt 4 Ch 6 - The Aeroplane for the Navy Maria Kasper
00:11:51
Play 20 Pt 4 Ch 7 - Gliding and Cycle-Sailing, a Future Sport for Boys, the Airmen of Tomorrow Maria Kasper
00:08:53
Play 21 Pt 5 -Ch 1 - Teaching Aviators - How an Aviator Flies Maria Kasper
00:27:57
Play 22 Pt 5 Ch 2 - Aviation for Amateurs Maria Kasper
00:13:34
Play 23 Pt 5 Ch 3 - How it Feels to Fly Maria Kasper
00:15:09
Play 24 Pt 5 Ch 4 - Operating a Hydroaeroplane Maria Kasper
00:08:50
Play 25 Pt 6 Ch 1 - Pupils Maria Kasper
00:09:56
Play 26 Pt 6 Ch 2 - A Description of the Curtiss Biplane Maria Kasper
00:08:45
Play 27 Pt 6 Ch 3 - The Curtiss Motor and Factory Maria Kasper
00:15:42