National Aviation Day: Honoring the Unsung Hero, Glenn Curtiss
On August 19, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a proclamation officially recognizing National Aviation Day. The date was chosen to honor the birthday of Orville Wright, one half of the famous Wright brothers who made history with the first powered flight in 1903. Back then, the skies were still uncharted, and the world was buzzing with the spirit of invention.
But it leaves us wondering: where is Glenn H. Curtiss recognition?
A true trailblazer
Glenn Curtiss wasn’t just a man who flew, he was a record-breaking motorcycle racer who took his need for speed to the skies. He went on to co-found the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company (which later became Curtiss-Wright), one of the very first and most influential aircraft manufacturers in the country.
In 1908, Glenn Curtiss teamed up with Alexander Graham Bell’s Aerial Experiment Association, where he helped design and fly some of the very first airplanes, like the famous “June Bug.” His daring flights and engineering skills earned him top prizes and worldwide recognition at the very first air competitions.
Curtiss pioneered seaplanes and flying boats, earning the nickname
“Father of Naval Aviation.” In fact, it was his aircraft that made history with the very first take-off and landing from a warship deck.
By the time World War I rolled around, Curtiss’s company had grown into the largest aircraft producer in the world. His famous JN-4 “Jenny,” powered by the OX-5 engine, became the go-to trainer plane, teaching an entire generation of military pilots how to fly.
Back in 1910, Glenn Curtiss wowed the world with a 150-mile flight from Albany to New York City, a journey that earned him a $10,000 prize. More importantly, it proved that airplanes could handle long-distance travel, and even deliver mail. To top it off, he circled Manhattan to the cheers of thousands, showing everyone that the future of aviation had truly arrived.
Overshadowed but Unforgettable
Even with all his accomplishments, Glenn Curtiss is too often overshadowed by the Wright brothers in the history books. But the truth is, his work was just as vital, especially when it came to making aviation accessible and scalable.
When the Wrights tried to hold a tight grip on the skies with their flight-control patents, Curtiss pushed back. He refused to pay their royalties, sparking a fierce legal battle that ultimately opened the door for broader innovation across the aviation industry.
Because of his boldness and brilliance, Curtiss earned nicknames like “The Thomas Edison of Aviation,” “The Architect of American Aviation,” and even “The Henry Ford of Aviation.” Titles that remind us just how big his impact really was.
In Miami Springs, the city he helped design and shape, we proudly remember Glenn H. Curtiss for what he truly was: an aviation pioneer who changed the world.
This National Aviation Day, let’s celebrate all the dreamers of flight, but especially Curtiss, our hometown hero who helped the world take flight.