Flying Club's Versatile Men Make History

Ten airplanes and twenty members of the Flying Club will take off from Bedford Airport this weekend, bound for Martha's Vineyard to meet fellow pilot of the Brown Flying Club with a supersonic beer party.

First College Air Club

The 25 men who make up the present membership of the Flying Club have heritage that dates back to the pioneering days of the air-age. The Harvard Flying Club was founded in 1905, only eight months after the first successful powered flight by the Wright Brothers according to Robert B. Farnham, '5; President of the Club.

Legend has it that shortly after that founding of the Club, President Lowel received a call from a perturbed office of Yale, who demanded explanation Lowell gave him a farsighted reply "Young men climb mountains," he said "young men sail boats, Why shouldn't young men fly airplanes?"

The Flying Club uses Bedford Airport as a base, piloting mostly Avoids and Widgeons. One of the members is a licensed helicopter pilot and often files either of the two $25,000 helicopters at Bedford. Another pilot commutes to Wisconsin on Vacations; he claims that it's cheaper than going by train or car.

Enter Competitions

Last spring, the Flying Club sponsored and competed in the Air Meet at Coon messet, on Cape Cod. The University pilots took first place in spot landings, and second and third in bomb-dropping.

The pilots fly to Smith every year for a week-end. Competition centers around liquid consumption and maneuvers are restricted to terra firma. Results have never been announced.

The Club often serves the University by ferrying students to places in the New England Area. Several weeks ago three seniors, who had unexpected appointments with the Admissions Committee of a New York medical school, chartered a plane and pilot from the Club and arrived in time for their interviews.

The infrequent meetings of the Club often feature movies on the technical and leisure aspects of flying. These films are open to the University.