Altimeter Used by Earle Ovington, United States Postal Service's First Air Mail Pilot, 1911
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Earle Ovington piloted the first U.S. Air Mail flight operated by the United States Post Office Department. On September 23, 1911, Ovington flew over Long Island in a Bleriot XI airplane with a sack of mail tucked into the cockpit. He carried the letters just three miles, but it was enough to earn Ovington the designation "Air Mail Pilot No. 1."
Earle Ovington piloted the first U.S. Air Mail flight operated by the United States Post Office Department. On September 23, 1911, Ovington flew over Long Island in a Bleriot XI airplane with a sack of mail tucked into the cockpit. He carried the letters just three miles, but it was enough to earn Ovington the designation "Air Mail Pilot No. 1."
Artifact
Altimeter
Date Made
1911
Creators
Unknown
Keywords
On Exhibit
at Henry Ford Museum in Heroes of the Sky
Object ID
36.33.5
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of P.G. Morriss
Material
Metal
Glass (Material)
Leather
Color
Light brown
Dimensions
Height: 6.75 in
Width: 6.25 in
Depth: 2 in
Inscriptions
Inside flap of case: Earle L. Ovington / Newton Highland(Highline?) / Mar. 6, 1911(?) Massachusetts
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