The United States capital, Washington, D.C., has been the site of several events in the nation's history of aviation, beginning from the time of the American Civil War, often for the purpose of promoting the adoption of new aeronautical technologies by the government. It has also been home to several aircraft manufacturers and aviation organizations (both government and civilian), and many aerospace contractors have maintained a presence there as well.
Events
Thaddeus Lowe's gas generators (1861)
The first aeronautical event was the tethered demonstration flight of a hot air balloon, the Enterprise, by Thaddeus S. C. Lowe to Abraham Lincoln. The flight included the demonstration of a balloon-to-ground telegraph, resulting in Lowe being appointed to the newly created position of Chief Aeronaut.[1]
Timeline of events
Washington, D.C., as a backdrop to the USS Akron in 1931 or 1932.
1861: Professor Lowe demonstrates hot air balloons for Abraham Lincoln.
1910: Claude Grahame-White lands a Farman biplane on the street between the White House and State, War and Navy Department buildings on October 11.[2]
1939: Pilot Fransisco Sarabia was killed in the crash of the Gee Bee Q.E.D. at Bolling Airfield after setting record flights to America from Mexico.
1974: U.S. Army private Robert Preston takes off in a stolen ArmyBell UH-1 Iroquois in Maryland, and flies it to Washington, D.C., where he hovers close to the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument and over the South Lawn of the White House. After looping back through Maryland and into D.C. with police helicopters in pursuit, he lands on the South Lawn of the White House. Preston enrolled in the Army to become a helicopter pilot, but after failing to pass his training course he was instead given the occupation of helicopter mechanic for the rest of his 4-year enlistment. Preston believed that this situation was unfair and later said that he stole the helicopter to show his skill as a pilot. After landing, he was arrested and sentenced to 1 year in prison, 6 months of which was time served.[6][7]
1982: On January 13 an Air Florida 737 crashed into the Potomac river. The rescues performed by the helicopters of the United States Park Police were shown live on television.
2015: Pilot Doug Hughes lands an autogyro on the Capital Mall and is arrested on federal charges 84 years after James G. Ray demonstrates an autogyro landing on the mall receiving a Collier Trophy for safety from president Herbert Hoover.[9][10]
2015: On May 8, formations of World War II vintage military aircraft flew through Washington, D.C.'s restricted airspace to honor the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.[11]
2015: On May 15, the FAA markets Washington, D.C., as a "No Drone Zone".[12][13]
As the capital of the United States of America, Washington, D.C., is the headquarters for many agencies that oversee aviation, influence aviation policy, and use aviation resources.
Government flight operations
All flight operations in Washington, D.C., are conducted within FAA oversight.
National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an executive branch agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's civilian space program and aeronautics and aerospace research
United States Naval Research Laboratory is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps and conducts a program of scientific research and development.
College Park Airfield, College Park, MD. Wright Brothers experimental aeroplane development.
