b'The Beginning of Organized Air Shows Aviation Pioneers Wikipedia photos.https://www.nps.gov/articles/aviation-pioneers.htmReims, FranceBarnstormingThe worlds leading aviators met at Reims, France, to 1910 U.S. Major Airshowscompete in the first organized international air meet between Three major airshows occurred in the United States,August 22 and August 29, 1909. Los Angeles, Boston, and New York after the Reims Air The Reims Air Meet featured competitions for best flightsMeet in 1910. of distance, altitude, and speed.Large crowds turned out to see their first actual aircraft Cash prizes and impressive trophies enticed the competitorsat these events. Pilots entertained the crowds with some to set new records in nearly every category.dazzling aerial stunts and several pilots set new records.Public interest in aviation was running high In July, oneThe first major U.S. airshow took place at Dominguez month before the Air Show, when French aviator Louis BleriotField, just south of Los Angeles, from January 10-20, 1910. become the first person to fly across the English Channel. The secound American airshow, the Harvard-Boston American pilots Scot, and Glenn Curtiss were the onlyAero Meet took place at Harvard Aviation Field in Atlantic, foreigners to compete out of the twenty-two aviators toMassachusetts, from September 3-13, 1910. It was theenter the air show. The other pilots were French. first major air event in the East.The Gordon Bennett Cup Race, or speed contest wasThe third U.S. airshow of 1910 took place at a large the most important event of the Reims Air Meet. Americanracetrack on Long Island, in Belmont Park, New York, James Gordon Bennett, the famous publisher of The Newfrom October 22-31. The Belmont International Aviation York Herald newspaper and a longtime fan and sponsor ofTournament. Pilots from England, France, and the United various speed contests, lent his name to the race by puttingStates competed at the event which included best altitude, up the prize money and offering a trophy.speed, and distance, to the most precise landing and the Europes most celebrated aviator, was favored to win, best mechanic. These first significant American airshows but Glenn Curtiss time was the fastest by six seconds.would prove important to the future of U.S. aviation.Curtiss was proclaimed the new Champion Aviator of Barnstorming Air Shows the World. As anticipated, the speed race had been the highlight of the week. After WWI, Barnstorming air shows became popular During the week long Air Show between 300,000 andand featured stunt pilots and wing walkers. Before the 500,000 spectators witnessed the races and contests.barnstorming shows, spectators had to travel to airfields to The Air Show originally registered 38 planes to compete see an exhibition. Barnstorming shows toured the country but only 23 competed, 15 were biplanes and eight wereperforming a wide variety of death defying stunts. Aviators monoplanes. The Reims Air Meet established aerial offered affordable joy rides at the events. competitions as a leading form of entertainment in the During the years 1922 to 1928 the Gates Flying Circus early 20th century. was one of the most popular flying groups having been 6 Power In The Pines 2023 JBMDLAir and Space Open House'