Advertising Poster, "Glen H. Curtiss Aviation Meet," 1912

Part showmanship and part salesmanship, early aviation meets and air shows improved airplane technology and promoted the aviation industry. Air races celebrated speed, with pilots competing against the clock or against each other on marked courses. Reliability tours focused on stamina, with prizes awarded for dependable flying on specific schedules. Exhibition flying launched great careers for some -- and cut them short for others.

Barnstorming aerial performers thrilled audiences in the 1920s with death-defying "aerobatic" stunts. Equipped with war-surplus airplanes and steely nerves, they toured the country giving many Americans their first in-person experiences with aviation. Most barnstormers barely eked out a living, but a few found wealth and fame. By decade's end, aging aircraft, fading novelty, and growing government regulation largely ended the barnstorming era.

Already a pioneering builder and record-setting racer of motorcycles, Glenn Hammond Curtiss (1878-1930) was making a name for himself in the engine manufacturing business when he turned his eyes to the skies. Curtiss would continue developing innovative machines and setting records on his way to helping make aviation a practical industry.