Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-27
AIR LEGION HERE
FOREMOST IN i. S.
GOO Clubs Rated in Survey
by Aviation Promotion
Society.

The D. c. Air Legion has been desig-
mated as the outstanding flying club in
the United States by the American So
ciety for the Promotion of Aviation, as
the result Of survey of more than 600
American flying clubs, 1t was an
nounced here today.
Notification of the rating of the local
flying club as the best in the country
was received by Alva Sole, president of
the Legion, from Thomas l.. Hill, presi-
dent of the society, national organiza-
ton devoted to the formation and OPP
GRAFTON of flying clubs throughout the
country.
The decision was reached. according
to Mr.. Hill, because of the following ac-
complishments of the d. C. Air Legion
cost of learning to fly in the National
Capital and vicinity to one-half its
former cost, the graduating from
ground school classes of 104 Legion
members, the purchase of two airplanes
out OF income and the soloing of % Le-
gion members during the year.
This record, according to Mr.. Hill, is
all the more creditable when It is con-
Sidered that the Legion is one of the
few clubs in the country that has not
accepted donations Of any sort during
the year.
Cup to Be Presented.
In 1880, Mr.. Hill announced, the
American Society for the Promotion of
Aviation will present a cup to the club
adjudged to be the leading club of the
year.
The D. c. Air Legion was organized
in March, 1928, following a mass meet
ing of nearly 100 young men and wom-
en-. Twenty men and two women COM
posed the charter membership and they
decided to start ground course at
once.
At that time most ground-school
courses consisted of a short talk or
series of talks before the first instruc-
ton flight. The Legion members, how
ever decided that a thorough ground
school course was as necessary to learn
ing to fly as were the actual flying
lessons and organized the Districts
first civilian ground-school class. The
Naval Reserves, consisted of 25 two
hour lectures, based upon ground-school
courses given in the Army and Navy.
Interest in the Legion developed so
rapidly and the membership increased
so that 1t became necessary during the
first Summer to organize a second, a
third and finally, in October, a fourth
ground-School class. BY that time it
was decided that enough members had
completed the ground course to make
the purchase of an airplane advisable
After considering plans for the rails
ing of money it was decided that each
member would pay in as much adj
vanced flying time as he thought he
could obtain, the money to be used for
the purchase of the plane and the value
to be returned to the individual member
in flying time at the rate of SIS per
hour for dual instruction and $40 per
hour for solo time.
BY the end Of October, 1928. suffi-
cient funds had been raised for the
purchase OF Lincoln-Page biplane,
which was flown here early in Novem-
Der, 1928. During that month 80 in
struction hours we're flown, a record
for that time of the year. Since that
time the Legion has flown approx
mately 1000 instruction hours.
Election In 1928.
The first permanent officers were
elected in November, 1928, with Alva
Sole, the first student to solo, as presi-
dent. The members began to solo in
April OF this year. since when % have
made their first flights alone and now
are building up flying time for licenses
as private and commercial pilots.
In April, 1929. Lieut.. Noble C. Shit
was put in charge of the ground school,
which was reorganized to conform to
new curricula for ground schools is
sued by the Department of Commerce.
He organized a limited commercial
ground school course in July, the first
class under the new rules graduating
last month.
Lieut.. w. c. Buell., flight instructor,
has established what is believed to be
a record in this part fthe coun-
try for the soloing of students. Beside
Mr.. Sole, officers of the Legion are: M.
G. Dooley, vice president; Miss Mary
Craig, secretary; T. j. Waggy, treasurer,
and j. Elmer Kreis, Robert D. Burbank,
G. K. Gladhill, H. S. Kempf and c. r.
Rohr, directors.