Aviation in Maryland
Encyclopedia
Maryland's first aeronautical event was the flight of 13 year old Edward Warren from Baltimore
in Peter Carne's tethered hot air balloon
in 1784.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in Peter Carne's tethered hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
in 1784.
Events
- 1909 On 9 October, Wilbur Wright demonstrated "Miss Columbia", the first U.S. Government aircraft, on five flights.
- 1909 On 22 October, Charles Elvers flies the first aircraft built in Maryland, a modified self-made Curtiss pusher style at Owings Mills.
- 1909 On 29 October, 28 year old Sara Van Deman becomes the first woman to fly in a powered aircraft with Wilbur Wright at College Park.
- 1911 The Army Signal Corps Aviation School is founded in College Park.
- 1912 Lieutenant Alfred Austell Cunningham reported to the Naval Aviation Camp in Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, MarylandAnnapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
starting Marine aviationUnited States Marine Corps AviationUnited States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
. - 1922 The Berliner HelicopterBerliner HelicopterThe Berliner Helicopters were a series of experimental helicopters built by Henry Berliner between 1922 and 1925. The helicopters had only limited controllability but were the most significant step forward in helicopter design in the USA until the production of the Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 helicopter...
makes a controlled flight of a helicopter at College Park. The 1922 flights of the Berliner and the de Bothezat H1De Bothezat helicopter|-See also:-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Lambermont, Paul Marcel. Helicopters and autogyros of the world. London: Cassell, 1958....
were the first by manned helicopters. - 1925 Jimmy DoolittleJimmy DoolittleGeneral James Harold "Jimmy" Doolittle, USAF was an American aviation pioneer. Doolittle served as a brigadier general, major general and lieutenant general in the United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War...
beats a British Gloster IIIGloster III|-See also:-Notes:In addition, the Air Ministry also placed an order with Supermarine for the S.4 monoplane.-Bibliography:*"". Flight. 24 September 1925. pp.609-614.* "". Flight. 29 October 1925. p.703.* "". Flight. 5 November 1925. pp.726-732....
in the Schneider TrophySchneider TrophyThe Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider was a prize competition for seaplanes. Announced by Jacques Schneider, a financier, balloonist and aircraft enthusiast, in 1911, it offered a prize of roughly £1,000. The race was held eleven times between 1913 and 1931...
race held at Baltimore Bay Shore amusement parkNorth Point State ParkNorth Point State Park is a Chesapeake Bay waterfront park located in Edgemere, MD. The park is situated on the grounds that once were the home of Bay Shore Amusement Park, which was one of the premiere amusement parks in Maryland from 1906 - 1947...
. The sole Supermarine S.4Supermarine S.4|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Aldgate, Anthony and Jeffrey Richards. Britain Can Take it: British Cinema in the Second World War. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2nd Edition. 1994. ISBN 0-7486-0508-8....
crashed in trials prior to the race. - 1927 Charles LindberghCharles LindberghCharles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
lands the Spirit of St. Louis at Baltimore's Logan Field - 1927 Van Lear BlackVan Lear BlackVan Lear Black was an American Publisher and civil aviation pioneer.- Early life :Black was born in Cumberland, Maryland as part of a wealthy family with a linage to the American Revolution. He married Jessie Gary and had four children. Gary was the daughter of James A. Gary, Postmaster General...
, Chairman of the Baltimore Sun starts record setting international charters in the Fokker named "Maryland Free State". - 1940 Howard UniversityHoward UniversityHoward University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
is one of four schools chosen for training African American pilots for the Civilian Pilot Training ProgramCivilian Pilot Training ProgramThe Civilian Pilot Training Program was a flight training program sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military preparedness....
in CroomeUpper Marlboro, MarylandUpper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
. - 1996 Nathan "Bill" Morris, founder of Kentmorr Airpark, passes away at 98. He was one of the world's oldest active pilots at 98 years old.
- 2001 The September 11 attacks, caused the formation of the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone, temporarily closing, then permanently restricting air operations over central Maryland.
- 2011 The University of Maryland Gamera Human Powered HelicopterUniversity of Maryland Gamera Human Powered Helicopter|-See also:right|thumb|The 1907 Breguet Gyroplane with a quad rotor design-External links:***...
made an attempt at the Sikorsky PrizeSikorsky PrizeThe Sikorsky Prize is a $250,000 reward established in 1980 by the American Helicopter Society to the first controlled flight of a human powered helicopter. It was named in honor of Igor Sikorsky. The prize has not yet been won...
for human powered helicopter flight.
Aircraft Manufacturers
- Allied AviationAllied AviationThe Allied Aviation Corporation was established in Cockeysville, Maryland during World War II to manufacture laminated plywood components for aircraft. The firm also developed its own flying boat transport glider for the US Navy, the LRA, which was built in small number for testing, but the larger...
, Cockeysville, MarylandCockeysville, MarylandCockeysville is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 19,388 at the 2000 census.-History:...
Built the Allied Aviation LRAAllied Aviation LRA|-See also:-External links:*...
flying boat-glider in World War II. - Berliner-Joyce AircraftBerliner-Joyce AircraftBerliner-Joyce Aircraft was an American aircraft manufacturer. It was founded on 4 February 1929 when Henry Berliner and his 1922 company, Berliner Aircraft Company of Alexandria, Virginia, joined with Temple Nach Joyce....
, Dundalk, MarylandDundalk, Maryland-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,306 people, 24,772 households, and 16,968 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,689.5 people per square mile . There were 26,385 housing units at an average density of 1,985.9 per square mile...
1929-1933, Built the Berliner-Joyce P-16Berliner-Joyce P-16-References:NotesBibliography* Baugher, Joe. American Military Aircraft, 7 June 1998. Retrieved: 10 June 2011.* Dorr, Robert F. and David Donald. Fighters of the United States Air Force: From World War I Pursuits to the F-117. New York: Military Press, 1990. ISBN 0-51766-994-3.* The Illustrated...
fighter, the company was bought buy North American AviationNorth American AviationNorth American Aviation was a major US aerospace manufacturer, responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, the X-15 rocket plane, and the XB-70, as well as Apollo Command and Service...
. - Brown Aeronautical Company, Curtiss Bay Maryland, 1910-1911 - Built the "Lord Baltimore I & II" amphibious aircraft.
- Curtiss-CaproniCurtiss-CaproniCurtiss-Caproni was a Italian-American aircraft manufacturer formed in the late 1920s to produce Caproni aircraft in America as part of the Curtiss-Wright aviation conglomerate....
, Dundalk, MarylandDundalk, Maryland-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,306 people, 24,772 households, and 16,968 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,689.5 people per square mile . There were 26,385 housing units at an average density of 1,985.9 per square mile...
1929-1930 - Built a 200,000 sq ft factory to produce CaproniCapronithumb|right|300px|[[Caproni Ca.316]] seaplane at its moorings.Caproni was an Italian aircraft manufacturer founded in 1908 by Giovanni Battista "Gianni" Caproni....
aircraft, but folded into Curtiss-WrightCurtiss-WrightThe Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
without any production. - Custer Channel Wing CorporationCuster Channel Wing CorporationThe Custer Channel Wing Corporation was an American aircraft manufacturer that specialized in the design of aircraft utilizing the Channel wing. The company was active between 1951 and the 1970s.-Early history:...
, Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, MarylandHagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
1951-1970 Built several STOLSTOLSTOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
prototype aircraft using the Willard Ray CusterWillard Ray CusterWillard Ray Custer was an American engineer and aircraft visionary, inventor of the channel wing concept...
's channel wingChannel wingThe channel wing is an aircraft wing principle developed by Willard Ray Custer in the 1920s. The most important part of the wing consists of a half-tube with an engine placed in the middle, driving a propeller placed at the rear end of the channel formed by the half-tube.- Development :In 1925,...
concept. - Engineering and Research CorporationEngineering and Research CorporationEngineering and Research Corporation was started by Henry Berliner in 1930. Berliner was the son of Emile Berliner, who had patented numerous inventions relating to sound and acoustics, and pioneer of helicopter development with the experimental Berliner Helicopter.The younger Berliner founded...
, Riverdale, Marlyand 1930-1947 Built over 6000 Ercoupe light planes. - Fairchild Aircraft, Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, MarylandHagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
1929-1984. Maker of civilian and military aircraft such as the Fairchild C-123 Provider. - General Aviation Manufacturing CorporationAtlantic AircraftAtlantic Aircraft Corporation, also known as Fokker-America and Atlantic-Fokker, was a US subsidiary of the Dutch Fokker Company, responsible for sales and information about Fokker imports, and eventually constructing various Fokker designs....
, 1931–1934, Built the YO-27 in a unused Curtiss Caproni CorporationCurtiss-CaproniCurtiss-Caproni was a Italian-American aircraft manufacturer formed in the late 1920s to produce Caproni aircraft in America as part of the Curtiss-Wright aviation conglomerate....
plant at Logan field. The General Motors subsiderary was sold to North American Aviation in 1933. - Glenn L. Martin CompanyGlenn L. Martin CompanyThe Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
, now Lockheed MartinLockheed MartinLockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
, Middle River, MarylandMiddle River, MarylandMiddle River is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,958 at the 2000 census...
1928-1961. Production included the Martin Maryland, Martin BaltimoreMartin BaltimoreThe Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...
, and 4056 B-26 Bombers. - Maryland Pressed Steel CompanyMaryland Pressed Steel CompanyMaryland Pressed Steel Company was an American aircraft manufacturer of the Bellanca CD, and CE aircraft.The New York & Hagerstown Metal Stamping Co manufactured arms for the British and was reorganized into the Maryland Pressed Steel Company in 1914. In 1916, the Poole Engineering and Machine Co...
,1915-1920 Production of the Bellanca CD, and Bellanca CE biplanes in Hagerstown, Maryland. - Rex Smith Aeroplane CompanyRex Smith Aeroplane Companyright|thumb|A Model of the Rex Smith Aeroplane Company in 1920Rex Smith Aeroplane Company was an American aircraft manufacturer in College Park, Maryland....
, College Park, MarylandCollege Park, MarylandCollege Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
, 1910-1916. Built the Rex Smith Biplane, with many early demonstrations in the Washington D.C. area. - Kreider-ReisnerKreider-ReisnerThe Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company was a former American flying service and aircraft manufacturer from 1923-1929.-History:The Kreider-Reisner Aircraft Company was formed at Hagerstown, Maryland in 1923 as a sub-contractor. By 1925 the company was operating a general flying service. In 1926 it...
, Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, MarylandHagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
1923-1929. Produced light biplanes. Purchased by Fairchild Aircraft in 1929.
Aerospace
- Avemco,(1961-) part of HCC Insurance Holdings, is Headquartered in Frederick, MarylandFrederick, MarylandFrederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
. A provider of aviation insurance. - Lockheed MartinLockheed MartinLockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
, an international defense contractor is headquartered in Bethesda, MarylandBethesda, MarylandBethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
. - Martin MariettaMartin MariettaMartin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of The Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. The combined company became a leader in chemicals, aerospace, and electronics. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. The...
, 1961-1995 The merger of Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation, headquartered in Bethesda, MarylandBethesda, MarylandBethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
. Bought by Lockheed Martin in 1991.
Airports
- College Park AirportCollege Park AirportCollege Park Airport is a public airport located in the City of College Park, in Prince Georges County, Maryland, USA. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport.-History:...
Is the world's oldest continuously operated airport. - List of Airports in Maryland
Commercial Service
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport provides air service with 277,662 operations annually. BWI is served by most major carriers, with Southwest AirlinesSouthwest AirlinesSouthwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
as the prime carrier with over 50% of passenger volume. - Hagerstown Maryland based Henson AirlinesRichard A. HensonRichard A. Henson was an American test pilot, flight school operator, and founder of the modern "commuter airline" concept.- Early life :Henson was a test pilot for Fairchild Aircraft Corporation during the Depression...
became Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
. The commuter airline is now based at Salisbury, MarylandSalisbury, Maryland-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
with a fleet of 44 aircraft. - Chesapeake Airways - Service to Baltimore began on April 5, 1946 in C-47 aircraft. The service continued until 1949.
Organizations
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots AssociationAircraft Owners and Pilots AssociationThe Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is a Frederick, Maryland-based non-profit political organization. Incorporated on 15 May 1939, AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States...
- is headquartered in Frederick, MarylandFrederick, MarylandFrederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
.
Government and Military
- All flight operations in Maryland are conducted within FAA oversight.
- The Maryland Aviation AdministrationMaryland Aviation AdministrationThe Maryland Aviation Administration is a state agency of Maryland and an airport authority under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Department of Transportation. The agency controls Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport...
maintains state regulations, and owns and operates Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. - The Maryland State PoliceMaryland State PoliceThe Maryland State Police is the official state police force of the state of Maryland. The Maryland State Police is headquartered at 1201 Reisterstown Road in the Pikesville CDP in unincorporated Baltimore County.-Organizational structure:...
Aviation command operates 12 Eurocopter DauphinEurocopter DauphinThe Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...
helicopters, 1 Beechcraft B300 King Air 350Beechcraft Super King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
, and 1 Cessna P210N Pressurized CenturionCessna 210The Cessna 210 Centurion is a six-seat, high-performance, retractable-gear single-engine general aviation aircraft which was first flown in January 1957 and produced by Cessna until 1985.-Design and development:...
for medivac and prisoner transport. - Several Maryland cities and counties operate helicopter units. This includes Anne Arundel County 1 Bell 407Bell 407The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four-blade rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid rotor of the 206L-4...
, Baltimore City "foxtrot" unit 1 Eurocopter EC120, Baltimore County 3 Eurocopter AS350B3, Howard County 1 Bell 407Bell 407The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four-blade rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid rotor of the 206L-4...
,Prince Georges County 2 MD520NMD Helicopters MD 500The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach... - The Maryland Air National GuardMaryland Air National GuardThe Maryland Air National Guard is the air force component of the militia of the U.S. state of Maryland. As a dual-status organization, it is also considered a reserve component of the United States Air Force.-Mission:...
was founded June 29, 1921. On that date the 104th Observation Squadron was federally recognized in Baltimore. - NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center builds spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, solar system, and the universe.
- The Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility opened in 1942 as Camp Springs Air Base in Prince Georges County, Maryland. The base houses dozens of units serving the metro Washington. D.C. area. Most notably, the 89th Airlift wing, supporting the Boeing VC-25Boeing VC-25The Boeing VC-25 is the designation of a United States Air Force passenger transportation aircraft, a military version of the Boeing 747 airliner. The A-model is the only variant of the VC-25....
, "Air Force OneAir Force OneAir Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
" when occupied by the President of the United States.
Museums
- College Park Aviation Museum in College Park, MarylandCollege Park, MarylandCollege Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
. - Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum in Middle River, MarylandMiddle River, MarylandMiddle River is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,958 at the 2000 census...
. - Hagerstown Aviation Museum, in Hagerstown, MarylandHagerstown, MarylandHagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...
- Massey Air Museum, Massey, MarylandMassey, MarylandMassey is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland, United States.-References:...
- NASA Goddard Space Flight CenterGoddard Space Flight CenterThe Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
visitors center Greenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt, MarylandGreenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District... - Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage FacilityPaul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage FacilityThe Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration, and Storage Facility is located in Suitland, Maryland, USA. The facility, also nicknamed "Silver Hill", is where the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum restores aircraft, spacecraft, and other artifacts.It is named in honor of...
Silver Hill, Maryland - Patuxent River Naval Air MuseumPatuxent River Naval Air MuseumThe Patuxent River Naval Air Museum preserves and interprets the Patuxent River Naval Air Base history and heritage of advancing US Naval aviation technology....
, Lexington Park, MarylandLexington Park, MarylandLexington Park is a census-designated place in St. Mary's County, Maryland, United States, and the principal community of the Lexington Park, Maryland Micropolitan Statistical Area...