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In Flight USA Articles
The Smithsonian Book of Air & Space Trivia is a Godsend for the Aviation and Space Travel Buff
By Mark Rhodes
What was the world’s first military airplane? (Smithsonian Air and Space Museum)Serious space history and aviation geeks are not an easy group to stump. However, with The Smithsonian Book of Air & Space Trivia (www.smithsonianbooks.com) there will be ample opportunity for even the most sophisticated and well-read space and aviation buffs to be challenged. This concise but thoroughly researched volume covers a wide range with categories such as pioneers of aviation, commercial flight, aviation and space travel in popular culture, female aviation, military aviation and controversies in aviation history and lore.
Keeping the Spirit of Aviation Alive: The Kansas Aviation Museum
By Carl E. Chance
What gives an aviation museum spirit, a pervading animating principle? Is it the building, the aircraft displayed, or the artifacts that chronicle the past, telling the story of aviation pioneers and the craft they flew? The Kansas Aviation Museum believes that it’s much more than that.
An aviation museum needs dedicated and creative people who have the vision and the passion, giving rise to what can only be recognized as a profound spirit, evidenced by the daily work in maintaining and growing the historic collections. The difference magnifying the dimension of that spirit lies in the depth and commitment of the dedicated staff and volunteers in their quest to keep aviation history alive in the present and for future generations.
Spirit is difficult to communicate because it’s so intangible. You know that spirit itself can’t be touched, seen or heard, but when you’re in the midst of a museum that expresses the spirit of aviation, you can sense it. Spirit will manifest itself in various forms as people act on that spirit to do creative works.
The Story of Aviation Pioneer James Herman Banning
By Louisa Jaggar and Pat Smith
Have you ever heard of James Herman Banning? If you have, you are unusual. Most people know Lindbergh and Earhart, but Banning, for the most part, has escaped the history books. Why? Because he was African American and in the 1920s the mainstream press didn’t write about African American aviators. He was the first African American to fly across the continental United States, and many believe he was the first to receive a United States issued pilot’s license.
Almost 70 years from the time of Banning’s death, Pat Smith was researching aviation heroes from Oklahoma for National Geographic’s Celebration of 100 Years of Flight. She found an aviation history file and pulled out a short news clip that mentioned Banning. She saved it because it peaked her interest and she wanted to know more about him. About two years later, she mentioned him to me. Together, we decided to write the story of his life for young adults.