web-catalog        US Airport Dedication Covers - Connecticut

Aerodacious (Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious) eMail: Aerodacious Page DED-CT (Revised 08/31/2008)

History of Aviation
        The first American human-carrying dirigible flight took place over the Connecticut River. In 1878 Bridgeport inventor Charles F. Ritchel designed and built a hand-powered balloon constructed of a rubber gas bag made by Goodyear Rubber Company in Naugatuck. The Folansbee Machine Shop of Bridgeport made the brass framework in which the balloonist sat. By hand-turning a drive gear, the balloon was propelled and maneuvered by a small propeller. Eventually, five of the early dirigibles were built and sold.
        There are some who believe that controlled flight started in Connecticut. Gustav Whitehead was a German immigrant who worked as a mechanic in Bridgeport. Early on he had the goal to fly but was never pre-occupied with being the first to fly. He used all of his money for the construction of his heavier than air flying machines.
        His first motorized craft was successfully launched into the air on August 14, 1901 and was named Number 21 while his second flying machine, Number 22 took to the skies on January 17, 1902 making a circular flight of about 11 kilometers in length and a height of about 60 meters. Gustav was continually dissatisfied with the products of his toil. He was never satisfied with his short flights and bumpy rides and did not consider his accomplishments to be successful. Accordingly, he did little to publicize his work always feeling that it all fell short of his own expectations. Today Connecticut officially recognizes aircraft designer Gustav Whitehead as the "Father of Connecticut Aviation" for his research into powered flight.
        In 1911 Connecticut passed the first state law regulating aviation. The law required anyone who owned or operated an airplane within the state to register the plane and obtain a pilot's license.
        Connecticut's Igor I Sikorsky had an aviation career that spanned over 60 years. It was highlighted by major aviation achievements. He created the world's first four-engine airliner, the Clipper Ship which was used by Pan American Airways to explore both transpacific and transatlantic airline service. He spearheaded the development of helicopters using a single main rotor with vertical tail rotor. Sikorsky then led his engineers out of the piston-engine era and into the jet age with the design and development of some of the most widely used turbine-powered helicopters in aviation history.

More CT Aviation History

B-415	291012	Bethany	LeRoy Thompson Airport		$15.00
B-199	290705	Bridgeport	Municipal Airport		$3.00
B-200	290706	Bridgeport	Municipal Airport		$12.00
N-186	411021	Bridgeport	Igor I Sikorsky Memorial Airport		$9.00
		Chester	Chester Airport
		Danbury	Municipal Airport
AJ-037	620704	Danielson	Danielson Airport		$7.50
		East Haddam	Goodspeed Airport
		Ellington	Ellington Airport
		Groton	Groton-New London Airport
B-485	291107	Hamden	Hamden Airport		$12.00
D-077	310524	Hartford	Rentschler Field		$22.50
L-114	390910	Hartford	Hartford-Brainard Airport		$4.50
		Marlborough	Salmon River Airfield
AJ-042	620714	Meriden	Meriden-Markham Airport		$7.50
D-191	310829	New Haven	Municipal Airport		$3.00
AH-035	610625	New Haven	Tweed-New Haven Airport		$15.00
		New Milford	Candlelight Farms Airport
		New Milford	Candlelight Heliport
		Oxford	Waterbury-Oxford Airport
		Plainville	Robertson Field
		Putnam	Toutant Airport
		Simsbury	Simsbury Airport
		Thomaston	Northfield Heliport
B-130	290601	Wallingford	Wallingford Airport		$12.00
B-131	290602	Wallingford	Wallingford Airport		$12.00
B-132	290603	Wallingford	Wallingford Airport		$12.00
		Wallingford	Hummingbird Heliport
		Warehouse Point	Skylark Airpark
		Waterbury	Waterbury Airport
		Willimantic	Windham Airport
O-048	420915	Windsor Locks	Army Air Base		$9.00
		Windsor Locks	Bradley International Airport

INDEX: US Airport Dedication Covers by State

AL

AK

AZ

AR

CA

CO

CT

DE

DC

FL

GA

HI

ID

IL

IN

IA

KS

KY

LA

ME

MD

MA

MI

MN

MS

MO

MT

NE

NV

NH

NJ

NM

NY

NC

ND

OH

OK

OR

PA

RI

SC

SD

TN

TX

UT

VT

VA

WA

WV

WI

WY

PR

Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields in Connecticut.

eMail: Aerodacious