On July 1, 2002, three guests at the Houston Aviation Alliance luncheon at the Hobby Airport Hilton will be selected at random to draw the grand, second and third prize winners of the 2001-2002 Fly Away Membership contest. We will post the names of the winners on the website that evening and will feature the winners in the next Starliner. Based on the response to the original contest, the 1940 Air Terminal museum has unveiled a new membership contest for 2002-2003. Any individual, company or organization which joins the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, or renews or upgrades an existing membership, between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2003, or became a lifetime member previously, will be entered in our 2002-2003 Membership Contest. The grand prize will be $500 in travel for two on Continental Airlines ($1,000.00 total). The second prize will be travel for two on Southwest Airlines. The travel prizes may be used on any route in the respective airline's system, up to the maximum value of the prize. The higher your level of membership, the more chances you have to win, so there has never been a better time to join, renew or upgrade your membership. Some airline restrictions and conditions apply to the use of the travel prizes. The contest offer is void where prohibited by law.

The local Fredericksburg, Texas newspaper reported that on August 7, 1865, a local school teacher and inventor, Jacob Brodbeck crawled into an airship of his own design and manufacture and successfully made the first manned, powered, controlled flight in history. Was this legend, myth, or Texas tale? Apparently something happened on that warm, sunny day because it was recorded with witnesses.

Brodbeck built a small model of his airship powered with watch springs. It fascinated people at local fairs in the Texas hill country between 1863 and 1865. His concept was sound. His next logical step was to build a full-sized aircraft.

The most complete extant description of Brodbeck's aeronautical design appeared in the Galveston Tri-Weekly News shortly after it was reported by the Fredericksburg newspaper.

"For more than twenty years I have labored to construct a machine which should enable man to use, like a bird, the atmospheric region as the medium of his travels. First, trying empirical experiments, without a guiding idea I soon satisfied myself that the means heretofore used were hopeless. I left this barren field and took up the way which had been so successfully (sic) followed into the mechanical laws, governing these wonderful structures, and observed the various peculiarities of the air, and so in the year 1863, I was at last able to construct a machine, which, required comparatively little power, imitates the flight of birds, inasmuch as it makes use of the same peculiarities of the air, and moves with the same celerity in every direction, with the wind and against it, not resembling however in form a bird, but being constructed like a ship, which has caused me to call it "AIR-SHIP."

Following the success of his flight, Brodbeck was disappointed with the public reaction, or more accurately, the lack of it. The Reconstruction Era was looming and the fate of the South was unpredictable at best. The concept of air travel was over-shadowed by despair and fear for Texas's future. Frustrated and depressed, Jacob Brodbeck disassembled his machine and buried it near his home. Several years later after his death, an attempt was made to find the machine but without success.

In the eve of our Aviation Centennial, eyes should be cast toward this little-known but possibly earth shaking event. Research into Jacob Brodbeck's contribution to aviation history is encouraged. Whether legend or fact, sufficient information is available to, at least offer Jacob Brodbeck, Texas school teacher a seat in aviation history, third row, center.

BOOKS & DOCUMENTS
*Aviation in Texas by Dr. Roger Bilstein, *Encyclopedia of Commercial Aviation, *Juptner's Civil Aviation Series volumes 1 through 10, *Any books, manuals or documents relating to civil or commercial aviation, *Aviation related kids books and comic books

OBJECTS:
Mannequins (male and female), *Equipment relating to aviation including meteorology, communications, and air traffic control equipment, *aircraft cockpits, instruments, gauges, seats, parts, etc., *Exhibit cases, *Vintage airport or terminal signs and posters, *Travel agent-style display models, *Hardware associated with uniforms including wings, hat emblems, *Airplane propellers for display (any condition), *Aircraft engines for display (any condition), *Old aviation toys, *Civil aviation art prints and original paintings, *Aviation related autographs, *First flight/day airmail covers

HOME MOVIES:
Any home movies or videos related to civil aviation or aviation in Houston.

PHOTOGRAPHS:
Any photographs related to civil aviation, commercial aviation, most importantly aviation in Houston and throughout Texas.

GARMENTS:
Any uniforms, including pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, ground crew, ticket agents, WASPs, etc.
Any garment relating to uniforms (scarf, belt, shoes, hat, handbags)
*We are particularly looking for early uniforms from the 30s-70s all airlines

We wish to thank the members of the 1940 Air Terminal Museum.

Texanaire:
Drew & Kirsten Coats, Don & Robin Erwin, Marjorie Evans, Oscar Nipper, Tribble & Stephens, Jeffrey C. Weiss, Same Day Signs, Steve & Nancy Williams, Eddie & Connie Williamson

Starliner:
Dionel E. Aviles, Ralph & Yvonne Baughman, David Cox, Lawrence Levinson, Pierre S. Melcher, Northrop Rice USA, Bette & Ralph Thomas, Jim Wimberly

Clipper:
Aviator Shop, Mary Ann Echols, Edmundson Family, Femco, Ken Gurry Corp., Brian & Ann Heckman, A.J. High, Gray & Susan James, Kirksey & Partners Architects, Paul & Bernice Koonce, April Loescher, R.S. McGinnis, James & Franca Nelson, Michael W. Ross, R.S. (Chic) Sale, Genevieve Stewart White

Barnstormer 2002:
Alan L. Dominy & Associates, Brett Westphal / Aztec Party & Tent, T.J. Zalar, Kenneth M. Williams / Frost Bank

Observation Deck 2002:
AOPA, Kelley Barber, Thomas Barger, James & Deborah Castillo, Lt Col Charles R. Dunbaugh (ret), Chris Du Pont, Patrick Grymes, Tara Harl-Odom, James Harper, Ken Hyman, Lt Col Daniel G. Illerich USAF (ret), Robert & Sydney Moen, Vesta Rea-Gaubert, Leslie Rice, Mark Rice, Mike Rice, Pat Rice, Tim Rice, Lou Riekert, Leslie Rogers, Scott Rozzell, Jim Shine, William Sparks, Top Flight Services, Joe Weber, Peter Williamson

If you would like to join the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, or renew your membership, please contact us today at 281-367-7732 ext. 2

We're happy to report that the Weather Group has found and is in the process of securing weather equipment that can be used for the Weather Office located in the Main Terminal building, the museum displays, and items that can be used in the educational outreach programs. We're collecting equipment and displays from three sources.

Mr. Mike Asmus, National Weather Service Southern Region Headquarters in Ft. Worth has located a variety of weather equipment from a number of NWS forecast offices in the region. Equipment will be shipped to Mr. Bill Read, Meteorologist-in-charge of the Houston office in the next few weeks. In addition, a former employee of the FAA's Flight Service Station (FSS) has collected a treasure trove of weather equipment over the past 30-40 years and has expressed interest in donating some or all to the project.

Finally, we've made arrangements with the Department of Meteorology at Texas A&M University to have the original CPS-9 Weather Radar consoles donated to the museum. Although radar was not used by the Weather Bureau during the time that the Air Terminal was operating, these displays will provide a critical foundation for a display planned for the museum showing the important links between aeronautics and meteorology and in particular how radar is used to insure safe aircraft operations.

We have a long way to go before we collect all of the needed artifacts for the Air Terminal Weather Office, but we're making progress by the generous contributions from several folks--we thank everyone for their solid support and enthusiasm. If you know of others who might have vintage weather equipment or displays, or if you would like to help our aviation weather group locate artifacts, develop aviation weather curriculum and create weather displays for the 1940 Air Terminal Museum, please contact me at Brian.Heckman@usafa.af.mil.

Texas Parade Magazine (1977) - "In 1976, Texas International was the best Texas based corporation. The 30 year old, federally certificated regional airline, based in Houston, completed the year with $3.2 million in net earnings - the best in its history."

The Denver Post (March 9, 1977)- "President Jimmy Carter's brother Billy contributed to the success of TI's "Peanuts Fare" by personally filling an order for 50 bags of peanuts used in TI's marketing program. The bags were promptly shipped from the Carter plant in Plains, GA."

San Jose News (June 16, 1977) - Today, the Quonset huts still remain the headquarters of Texas International Airlines, the quarter-century old airline. One hears less and less of the derisive "Tree Top Airline" or "Tinker Toy Airline" distortions of the firm's original name, Trans Texas Airways. In 1972, TI went from a series of $6 million annual losses to a $3.2 million profit, despite increasing competition from Southwest."

Air Transport World (August 1977) - "Good management has turned the Houston-based carrier into a "new" airline, and the future is bright".

Texas International Airlines 1977 Annual Report - "TIA was founded in 1947 and serves 36 metropolitan areas in the Southwest and Mexico. TIA is headquartered in Houston and has approximately 2,600 employees. Aircraft operated - DC-9-10: 19, DC-9-30: 7, CV-600: 6. Continued conservation measures reflecting the unstinting efforts of our pilots/tech people, have earned TI the distinction of being the most fuel efficient operation of DC-9 aircraft.

Capt. Ernie Schnaak, Eastern Airlines (ret) writes: "I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the luncheon Monday and the meeting of so many of the folks that were around the old terminal at the same time as myself. You might say I grew up there. In reviewing the video I stopped it at the part where the Eastern sky caps picture was taken at the aft stairs door of a Martin 4-0-4. I don't remember them all, but the one kneeling on the left side (your left) is Tommy Raven, and the older one, rather small was Amos Martin. Amos had a special friendship with Capt. Eddie. Amos would go to New York and visit with him in his office. The video didn't mention it about Dick Merrill on his commercial flight across the Atlantic, but he and Ferman Stone his copilot, flew to England to bring back the pictures of the Queen's coronation. Also Dick had the wings filled with ping pong balls in the event they had to ditch. You may not know that the Connies weren't very popular with a lot of people in the beginning. Capt. Eddie believed in them and before we started receiving them they were labeled the gold-plated new type Constellation. TWA's first ones were the 049 and did not have nose wheel steering. The 649 Eastern received had nose wheel steering and several other improvements. Eastern converted the 649s to 749s by changing the outer wing panels in order to increase the fuel capacity. Then they took delivery of the 1049 which was larger but with the same 2700 hp 3350 Wrights as the 749. The 1049C came along which had the power recovery turbines which boosted the horsepower to about 3200. The Super 1049G came along and it was really a great airplane. I was and am still thrilled that I got to fly every Connie Eastern had. To prove the safety of the Connie Eastern sent it to a number of airshows and it made a pass over the airport on a single engine. "