1. The Invention of Lighter-Than-Air Machines, 1918

The collection documents early long distant course offerings for learning the basics of aeronautics and mechanical aeronautics through materials from the American School of Aviation and the National Aero Institute based in Chicago Illinois in the early 20th century. The collection is arranged into two series: Series I. American School of Aviation, and Series II. National Aero Institute.

Series I., American School of Aviation, contains two sets of course materials from the correspondence courses offered by the school at the time. The 1917-1919 course materials from the “Complete Course in Practical Aeronautics” were owned by Lawrence M. Blakey of Auburn, Illinois, who enrolled at the age of 18. As listed in the enrollment application, the complete course included twenty-five lessons covering the science of practical aeronautics, and the designing and construction of aeroplanes, ten lectures prepared by prominent aviators and aeroplane builders delivered monthly, twenty blue prints showing technical and constructional details of aeroplanes, six bulletins containing information on current events and suggestions to simplify the course reading, and twenty-five exams based on the course materials, which were returned with grades and comments. These materials except for the blueprints are all included in the collection. The second set of course materials consists of the lessons for the “Complete Course in Practical Aviation”, copyrighted in 1925, and the “American School of Aviation Bulletin”, Vol. X, No. 1-7.

Series II. National Aero Institute contains a complete set of 53 lessons used in the “Complete Mechanics of Aviation” course, dated 1917. The lessons are arranged in numerical order.