342 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1961 



the Promotion of Aeronautics. It was established for the purpose of 

 promoting the advance of the art, science, and business of aviation. 

 It proved to be a very effective medium in the accomplisliment of that 

 purpose. 



The fund was established in January 1926 with a grant of $2,500,- 

 000 ; although $500,000 had been given the previous year to New York 

 University for the purpose of starting aeronautical education. The 

 fund, in cooperation with the Government, was to be administered by 

 a board of trustees composed of men of "eminence and competence." 

 Harry Guggenheim, gifted son of Daniel and a World War I naval 

 aviator, was chosen president of the fund. In the initial stages of 

 its organization. Rear Adm. H. I. Cone, an outstanding naval officer, 

 was vice president; he was succeeded by Capt. — later Vice Adm. — 

 Emory S. Land of the Construction Corps of the U.S. Navy, who 

 served until the fund's work was completed. The strength of char- 

 acter, sound judgment, organizational ability, understanding, and 

 capacity for cooperation of Harry Guggenheim and Capt. "Jerry" 

 Land were, in large part, the cement which held the fund together, 

 enabled it to function efficiently, and made possible its considerable 

 contributions. 



The general purposes of the fund were defined as follows : 



1. To promote aeronautical education both in institutions of learn- 

 ing and among the general public. 



2. To assist in the extension of fundamental aeronautical science. 



i3. To assist in the development of commercial aircraft and aircraft 

 equipment. 



4. To further the application of aircraft to business, industry, and 

 other economic and social activities of the Nation. 



The basic concept of the fund was "to maintain a simple, inex- 

 pensive directing organization depending on established outside 

 agencies, whenever possible, to carry out the aims of the fund." It 

 was to be a primer — a sparkplug — to stimulate interest and promote 

 action. 



From the first it was understood that flight safety and reliability 

 were important considerations and that one phase of the fund's work 

 might certainly be to study means of assuring safe and reliable flight 

 despite weather conditions. With this in mind, a special committee 

 of experts was organized to define the problem and a directive was 

 prepared which authorized study regarding — 



1. The dissipation of fog. 



2. The development of means whereby flying fields may be located 

 from the air regardless of fog. 



3. The development of instruments to show accurately the height of 

 airplanes above the ground, to replace barometric instruments now in 

 general use showing height above sea level. 



