Centenary Of The First Official Air Mail Flight

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At a large meet in Garden City, Long Island, New York an attempt was to be made to fly the first air mail in the United States following the lead of the British two weeks earlier. Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock had attempted in November 1910 to fly a plane on a ship-to-shore flight to demonstrate a method to expedite the delivery of mail, etc. from arriving and departing trans-oceanic vessels. However, bad weather thwarted one attempt and a broken propeller, another. Now at Garden City another attempt was to be made.

Two prominent British flyers were approached to participate but declined politely when they learned that there was no remuneration. However Earle L. Ovington (December 20, 1879 - July 21, 1936) volunteered to make the flight. Although he flew a Curtis-type pusher biplane at Chicago he preferred his tractor-type monoplane and came to Garden City with an American-made Bleriot Queen... named the Dragonfly and bearing a bold number 13.



Postmaster Hitchcock was disappointed with his choice as he expected his mail carrier's plane to be a two-seated with one seat reserved for him. The Bleriot was only capable of carrying one person. Not wishing to surrender the distinction of being the first air mail carrier he reported "I immediately decided to postpone the flight until a two-seated plane could be procured." Eventually Hitchcock relented and he said, "I handed the pouch to Ovington ... and permitted him to proceed on that first flight alone. For a time I felt rather deeply disappointed of thus failing in my ambition to become the first (air mail) carrier of record (in the United States). Afterward, when I became better acquainted with Earl Ovington and began to appreciate his fine qualities...I cease to begrudge him the honor he wrested from me."

Ovington took off on September 23, 1911 with a load of 640 letters and 1,280 postcards in a mail bag tucked between his legs - the first airplane carry of United States mail authorized by postal authorities. Ovington flew to Mineola, about three miles away, where, as agreed, he dropped the bag in a prearranged spot to waiting postal officials. The drop landed on time and on target, but unfortunately the bag broke on impact with the ground, scattering the mail hither and yon. After a scramble, all the letters and cards were retrieved and sent on the way via regular postal channels, all of them bearing the cancellation "AEROPLANE STATION No.1 - GARDEN CITY ESTATES, N.Y." For this feat Ovington was awarded the title "AIR MAIL PILOT No.1."

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The Bleriot was only capable of carrying one person.