Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-14
NATIONAL AERO ASSOCIATION
TO OBSERVE FIFTH BIRTHDAY
Organization Fostered by
Coffin and Hartney Has
Aided Aviation.
Movement Now Numbers 81
Chapters and Still
Grows.

| vi VVtOs
In another month the National Aero.
| nautic Association will celebrate its
fifth birthday anniversary.
Five years ago. at the organization
| meeting in Detroit, held in conjunction
| with the 1922 national air races, the
banner, Make America First in the
Air." was raised and a small. but
cheering group of optimistic airmen
fell in behind and began a march up
| and down the land.
Converts were hard to get, because
there was little for the "air statesmen
to offer to the public in the way OF
bang.up future. Commercial :lViation
at that time was confined, almost
wholly, to pay hops and wing-walkins
stunts at country fairs. while the MILL
tary services jumped about with war;
time planes and wartime engines.
Slowly the little group EXPANDED I'M
til today there are III chapters
throughout the United States. The
| "NAA," as it is popularity known.
stands for civilian thought and action
| in American aeronautics, and 1t has
played a ma jor part in molding pubic
| opinion, both consciously and uncon'
sciously, on air aftairs.
The rganization has but one object
Ito bring home to the American
| people the vital Importance of aero
nautics." From that objective scores
of methods designed to accomplish the
| desired end, branch out. The NAA as
yet has not occupied the role OF a lob
byist in Congress or disseminasor
| of propaganda. but it has chosen the
more thorough means of first interest
ing the individual and then educating
him in the possibilities of flying.
Once a convert is obtained by this
method, he is never lost. as the pres
ent public attitude toward flying tes-
! titles. according to the association.
Even though the American people,
In the opinion Of the MA officials,
have reached an unbelievable peak
of enthusiasm over flying at the pres
ent moment, there is still much mis-
sionary" work to be accomplished in
this field.
The association authorities are
frank to admit that some Of the chap.
tiers are more active than others and
it follows that the more active ones
have accomplished more. II each
chapter would assume an offensive
campaign for aeronautic development
in it's particular community-such a
campaign to include a municipal air.
port, a place on an air mail or air
transport airway and active local fly.
ing on behalf of the citizens, the eff.
forts Of the national headquarters
| would be directed to some ether field.
1t IL held.
Coffin and Hartaey.
The National Aeronautic Associa.
ton came into being largely through
the efforts OF Howard E. CONN, chair.
| man Of the Aircraft Production Board
during the war and a member of
President Coohdge's Aircraft Board.
Col. Harold K. Hartney, now In civil.
ian life, but during the war, com.
fnander Of the famous list Pursuit
Group In France, was the advance
agent, who. from an Office in the
Mills Building, called upon his former
| war comrades to assemble at Detroit
in the early Fail of 1922 and formally
organize the association.
MIR. Coffin was chosen the first
president, and national headquarters
were opened here, where they have
remained ever since. It In an estab-
lished fact that Mr.. Cofin bore a
large share OF the expenses of the
first year OF the association and then
he stepped out in favor of Fred B.
Paterson OF Dayton. Godfrey l..
Cabot Of Massachusetts. a pioneer in
aeronautics. succeeded Mr.. Patterson
and was reelected for a second term.
In Philadelphia last September he
retired after completing two years in
ONCE and Porter Adams of Boston
who had served as Mr.. Cabot's as.
sistant here for a year, was chosen
president over a movement to make
Col. William Mitchell the head of the
organization.
While Mr.. Adams has not com.
mitted himself on his desires for the
next IL months. it is believed that
when the association holds its an.
nual convention in St. Joseph. No.
september 10 and 20. he will accept
announcer term II 1t is offered to him.
inc convention has been arranged
LOT me foregoing two days to enable
the members to journey out to
spokane. Wash, for the opening of
the national air races and also for
the finish OF the transeontiner+a =,
oeroy and that from San Francisco.
Succeeded Aero Club.
Inc associations contest commit.
zee. headed by Orville Wright OF Dav.
ton' Is an organization before which
an airmen seeking Official records
must perform. Without the contest
committees presence no aerial ner.
Iormance, no matter how startling
s wou,a receive the coveted "o6aciai''
When the association was for,.a
1t took over all the, activities y, ~.
old Aero Club of America, which. from,
1920 to 1922. was inactive. Inc,,,6aH
IN these activities was the autho,i+v
10 enforce regulations Of and contests
hefd under the regulations Of the FED.
eFation Aeronautique Internationale
the world governing body for aircraft
performances. The r. A. 7. fs an
international organization, with perma.
nent headquarters in Paris. corr
posed Of 81 national aeronautica,
clubs or associations. each of which
ID. an integral part of the whole
Therefore. in America, the contest
committee Of the association Is tire
national governing body for aircraft
contests of every recognized descrip.
| ton.
beioIe plot can participate in a
competition for a worlds record. he
must hold pilots certificate issued
by the r. A. I. and also the annual
license OF the association. This
certines that he is an airman In good
standing among airmen and has suf.
ncient nying ability to undertake the
| task before him.
Ohicial observers Of the N. A. A.
| are present for the event. II It he a
nonstop Transatlantic or transpaciffc
hight. the observer personally installs
a Paragraph and seals it. Upon COM
pletion of the fight, the observer, in
all cases except altitude attempts. per-
G. e. e.