ANNUAL MEETING GOES TO WASHINGTON, D.C., 1957

One of the big attractions in Washington will be the National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institute. Shown here is an exhibit presenting contributions of the Early Birds to the developement of aviation.

 

Collaboration with Air Force Association Assures Highly Interesting Program With the Air Show out of the picture this year, a diligent search was made, and member suggestions were requested, regarding a logical time and place for our annual meeting.      Upon completing the survey, fortunately we were able to arrange a tie-up with 1957's most important aviation event--the national convention of the Air Force Association, in Washington, D.C. Since this year is the 50th anniversary of military aviation, the occasion appeared most fitting. The meeting occurs the last week in July, which means that our usual meeting date will be advanced a month.      Arrangements for our meeting are fast taking shape and we held up this issue to give you complete information.      Arrival time is planned for the morning of Sunday, July 28th, and the Early Bird reservation desk will be at the Lee House, 15th and L street, in the heart of Washington. Accomodations have been arranged at a flat rate of $8.50 a day for single occupancy and $12.00 a day for double, the latter with twin beds. Cards for reservations and proxies have already gone out. If you have not sent yours in, do so immediately. The Air Force Association will have over 3,000 members in attendance, so there will be a pressure for rooms.      Busses will leave for Andrews AF Base at 1:00 P.M. for an aerial and ground demonstration of the Air Force's latest equipment. After the show we will return to the hotel where no formal program is scheduled, but EB headquarters will be open for hangar flying and good fellowship.      Monday at 9:00 A.M. the EB meeting for business and elections will be held. The afternoon will be devoted to a visit to the National Air Museum of the Smithsonian Institute. Here we will find special Early Bird exhibits as well as priceless memoranda and historical exhibits of aviation that will be personally dusted and polished for our arrival by EB Secretary Paul Garber who is also curator of the museum.      We will return to the hotel for the EB cocktail party and banquet which start at 6:30 P.M. For our speaker we are fortunate in having obtained Gill Robb Wilson, editor and publisher of Flying Magazine and chairman of the board of the Air Force Association. His active participation in all phases of aviation for many, many years assures us of the kind of talk we like. Other dignitaries will be present.      That evening we will be guests of the Air Force Association at their reserve awards banquet at the Shoreham Hotel. An interesting program is in store including recognition of contributions to aviation made by Early Birds.      This ends the formal EB program. However, the Air Force Association program will continue for the balance of the week. and EB's will be welcome at all of their events, with a special member charge of $25.00. It includes a comprehensive program, details of which have been sent you, including banquets, balls, luncheons, and an air power panorama.      In all of this we are collaborating with the A.F.A., and it is most necessary that we receive word of your attendance at the earliest possible moment. With our meeting place in the center of population, and with all of the East to draw from, this should be the best attended Early Bird meeting to date.   From The Early Birds of Aviation CHIRP June, 1957, Number 57

 

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