We begin with a look at some of the early pioneers of flight. These signatures are from one of the earliest books on aviation history called "World in the Air." Inside the first volume are signature pages featuring some of the earliest pioneers in flight. Below is the signature of Glenn Curtiss, widely regarded as the father of Naval Aviation and the founder of the American Aircraft Industry. Among is many accomplishments, Curtiss carried the first passenger aboard a seaplane.
Before airplanes, the world traveled via airships. Dr. Hugo Eckener was commander of the famous Graf Zeppelin on most of its record setting flights, including the first airship flight to the Arctic and the first airship flight around the world, making him by far the most successful airship commander in history. Also signing was Claude Dornier. His early engineering work laid the cornerstone for the evolution of metal aircraft.
Louis Blériot was a French inventor and engineer. In 1909 he completed the first flight across a large body of water in a heavier-than-air craft when he crossed the English Channel. He also is credited as the first person to manufacture a working monoplane. Also signing was Henri Farman. His airplane became the first craft in the world, other than a Wright brothers’ machine, to remain in the air for more than a minute. Farman also won the Deutsche-Archdeacon Prize in 1908 for the first officially witnessed circular flight of 1 km (0.6 mile).
