31 July 1913

On July 31, 1913 Alys McKey Bryant became the first woman to fly a plane in Canada, when she performed in an exhibition flight for Prince Albert, Duke of York - who became King George VI. Alice was an American who learned to fly after winning a job to perform in flight demonstrations. She married John Bryant, one of the pilots who hired her, and ended her flying career after his death in August 1913.

30 July 1913

The El Paso Herald reports that "RADM Cowles, commanding the Pacific Squadron, reports that he observed an aeroplane (N.B.: probably that of Didier Masson) flying over Guaymas harbor, evidently trying to drop a bomb on the Mexican federal gunboat Tampico. He did not verify rebel reports that the Tampico had been destroyed by the aviator."

29 July 1913

On this day 100 years ago, July 29, 1913, in the world of aviation, it appears that nothing of significance occurred.

28 July 1913

A Caudron G.3 amphibian piloted by Lt. Frederick Bowhill takes off from a platform aboard the HMS Hermes while she is underway at 10 knots and lands at Great Yarmouth. It is the first time an aircraft launches from the deck of a ship and lands ashore.

27 July 1913

Harry G. Hawker made a world's record for height with three passengers on Sunday, July 27th, 1913, on the 80 h.p. Gnome-engined Sopwith Tractor biplane. Shortly after 5 o'clock, when the wind had dropped somewhat, he decided to attempt to break the world's record for altitude with three passengers. His passengers were all at least average weight. A few minutes past six the record-making flight began, and soon Harry was out of sight, forcing his way upwards through clouds at 3,000 feet. At 8,400 feet, having made a world's record, and being ignorant of his whereabouts, he decided to come down, although the machine could have climbed another 2,000 feet with comparative ease.

26 July 1913

July 26, 1913 saw booking of the first hydroplane exhibition in the Connecticut Valley at Riverside Amusement Park in Agawam (MA). With 2 1/2 years of flying expertise at speeds in excess of an astonishing 60 mph, Nels Nelson, a Mills Exhibition Co. aviator was engaged to take off from the (Connecticut) river just in front of the park.

25 July 1913

In an article published 25 July 1913, the Straits Times (Singapore) discussed "reckless flying" as alleged at an inquest into an airplane mishap. The article said that aviation experts could not agree on a definition of "reckless flying" that would apply in all situations. One expert suggested that "trick flying at low altitudes should be abolished."

24 July 1913

On or about 24 July 1913, Harold Blackburn became the first pilot to carry newspapers by air for distribution. He carried copies of the Yorkshire Post from Leeds to York in the Blackburn Type D monoplane (designed by Rb't Blackburn, unrelated).

23 July 1913

On 23rd July, 1913 George Prensiel, an Aviator Engineer working at the London Aerodrome, submitted a patent application "for use in saving life in connection with aerial navigation: the object being to ensure the safety of the airman in the event of an accident..." The device was intended on the activation of the pilot to rapidly release by compressed air a parachute from a cylinder situated within the fuselage. The aviator would be pulled from the aircraft to safety.

22 July 1913

On this day 100 years ago, July 22, 1913, in the world of aviation, it appears that nothing of significance occurred.

21 July 1913

On Monday last (July 21st, 1913) Mr. Sydney Pickles made another of his periodical trips across the English Channel with a Caudron biplane, and this time his passenger was his mother, who is paying a visit to the old country. The machine was a Caudron seaplane for the Admiralty, and it was intended to fly on to Eastchurch, but owing to engine trouble a stop had to be made at Folkestone, the machine being taxiied into the harbour.

20 July 1913

Valparaiso and Porter county (IN) people first became air-minded on July 20, 1913, when Tony Jannus announced he would give an exhibition on Wauhob lake. Janus was unable to get the plane in the air because of limited space and the plane was hauled to Flint Lake. Only on one occasion did Janus get his ship into the air. The crowd had a hectic time rushing back and forth by trolley between Wauhob and Flint. Some said the railroad had arranged things so they could do more business. Railroad officials denied this charge.

19 July 1913

Francis L. Thayer, a parachute jumper known all over the west, was drowned July 19th, 1913 while making a descent from an aeroplane in Seattle. He jumped from a height of 750 feet and at 600 feet he broke loose and plunged into the water. He did not rise to the surface.

18 July 1913

Beckwith Havens of Hammondsport, NY, in a Curtiss hydroaeroplane, completed an aerial cruise of about 900 miles from Chicago to Detroit, July 18th, 1913. The cruise was intended to be a race between a number of aero yachts. Five were entered and four started, but three of the craft were disabled by accidents resulting from gales and heavy seas and were forced to give up the contest.

17 July 1913

The RNAS took delivery of the first Short Type 81 folding biplane on 17 July 1913. It was quickly deployed aboard the cruiser HMS Hermes (which had been converted to the first seaplane tender of the Royal Navy) for the 1913 Naval manoeuvres, where it was used for reconnaissance missions using a radio set to report the position of shipping.

16 July 1913

On July 16, 1913 the New Ulm (MN) Review published a front-page article promoting a planned flying exhibition by Jimmie Ward, "The Greatest Birdman of the Age", in the racing biplane "Shooting Star".

15 July 1913

On the evening of July 15, 1913, Thaddeus Kerns, Northern California's only aviator, aged 19 years, was instantly killed within sight of his home on the Shasta road when the lower wing spar of his aeroplane gave way at a height of eighty feet, causing the machine to turn turtle, diving into a grain field and tearing a hole into the soft ground.

14 July 1913

Leonce Bertin's 5th design, a 2-seat racing monoplane, was announced in January 1912, but appeared only later in the year in time for the 1912 Paris Salon. The long fuselage was of pentagonal section with the deck flat; the wings were rigged without dihedral, and to warp. It flew successfully until 14 July 1913 when one of the wings collapsed; Bertin as passenger and his son Rene as pilot were both killed.

13 July 1913

On July 13, 1913, Swiss aviator Oskar Bider flew his Bleriot XI-b monoplane over a 230 km route from Bern to Milan, making in the process the first crossing of the Alps. He crossed the high Alps exactly at the midpoint between the Jungfrau (4,166 m) and the Mönch (4,105 m). He also made the return flight, thus crossing the range in both directions.

12 July 1913

In the issue of Flight of July 12, 1913, the Editors inveighed against depressive effects on civil aviation resulting from capricious enforcement of the Aerial Navigation Act. The editorial, titled "Paper Defence", is reminiscent of recent discussions of "Security Theater."

11 July 1913

Army Lt. Harold E. Geiger arrived in Honolulu on the transport USS Logan on July 11, 1913 with 12 enlisted men and a civilian engine expert as part of the first aviation unit to be stationed in Hawaii. Their equipment included two seaplanes--a Curtiss E 2-seater dual control plane and a Curtiss G fuselage tractor. They made their first flight on August 8, 1913.

10 July 1913

Die zwischen dem 10 und 15 Juli veranstaltete Kieler Flugwoche zeigt die wachsende Motorflugbegeisterung im Deutschen Reich. In Kiel finden unter anderem Dauer- und Höhenflugwettbewerbe statt. Kiel Flight Week, to be held between the 10th and 15th of July,shows the growing enthusiasm for powered flight in the German Empire. In Kiel Various duration and altitude flight competitions will take place.

9 July 1913

Franz Oster purchased a Taube monoplane from Rumpler in Berlin in 1912 and shipped it to Tsingtau, China where he reassembled it with the help of Chinese workers. The first flight over that city came on July 9, 1913 and was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Tsingtau newspapers: "a dazzling flight over Tsingtau was executed this morning by Herr Oster in his new machine…. After a successful start, he soon reached a height of 490 meters and continued in a big circle climbing another 600 meters….The achievement is even more remarkable since Herr Oster built his machine all by himself without any expert help." More exhibition flights followed in the following weeks.

8 July 1913

HOUSTON, Texas, July 8, 1913 - Lieutenant Loren H. Call of the Second Division, U.S.A. Aero Squadrom, dropped nearly 1,000 feet at Texas City this morning and was instantly killed. It was supposed that the aeroplane struck a current of warm air that tilted the machine, and the biplane, a six-cylinder Wright Model C, came crashing to the earth. Lieutenant Call's death makes a total of nine fatalities in the Army and Navy since experiments began with heavier-than-air machines in 1908. Eight of the fatalities occurred in the Army, while the Navy has lost only one officer.

7 July 1913

Chicago, Ill., July 7. – Flying at the rate of 50 miles an hour today, Glenn Martin's hydroaeroplane dipped too close to the surface of Lake Michigan and was overturned. Martin and his assistant, Charles H. Day, clung to the overturned craft until rescued by the lifesaving crew. Neither airman was hurt, nor was the machine badly damaged. Martin is one of the entrants in the flying boat cruise to Detroit scheduled to take place tomorrow and is still hopeful of being able to take part.

6 July 1913

On July 6, 1913, Weldon B. Cooke was photographed flying a hydroaeroplane of his own design, two days prior to the start of the Aero and Hydro Great Lakes Reliability Cruise from Chicago to Detroit. Sadly, Cooke would perish 14 months later in a crash in Pueblo, CO.

5 July 1913

The Air Corp of the Cuban Army was created on July 5, 1913. Agustin Parla, the "Father of the Cuban Aviation" was named Captain. The first aircraft purchased in the spring of 1913 for Cuban military aviation was a Curtiss Model FS.

4 July 1913

On 4 July 1913, pilot Grover E. Bell was killed in a crash at Petaluma, Calif. His young brother Larry, then working with him, was stricken by his brother's death and swore to leave aviation. He reconsidered and returned to the industry, first working for the Martin Co., later founding Bell Aircraft - famed for the Airacobra, the X-1, and many modern helicopters. In 1957, Lawrence D. Bell created the Grover E. Bell Award, given annually by AHS for excellence in heliocpter research.

3 July 1913

Fairbanks merchants arranged for James V. and Lily Martin to bring their airplane from Seattle. Once at Fairbanks, Martin and his wife, who was England's first aviatrix, assembled their airplane. On July 3, 1913 Martin took off from a ball park and flew the plane over Fairbanks at an altitude of 200 feet and speeds of up to 45 miles per hour. This was the first flight in Alaska. The couple made five flights in three days at Fairbanks before returning to San Francisco.

2 July 1913

Nels J. Nelson, a daring 22 year-old man from New Britain, Connecticut, took Charles K. Hamilton, the famous pioneer aviator, for a ride in his flying boat on July 2, 1913. They went up to a thousand feet and flew for half an hour over the town of Wethersfield, Conn.

1 July 1913

Dutch air power began on 1 July 1913 with the founding of the Army Aviation Group (Luchtvaartafdeling) at Soesterberg airfield (vliegbasis Soesterberg). When founded, the group had four pilots and operated one aircraft, a modified Farman rented from Marinus van Meel and known as de Brik ('the Brick'). One wonders about its gliding characteristics.