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Aero Clubs
For some time, we had thought that the Aero Club of Pennsylvania might be the oldest aero club in the nation. But that honor probably belongs to either the Aero Club of Buffalo or the Aero Club of New England. Based on the date of first organization, the Aero Club of Buffalo wins the honor, dating back to 1900. Based on charter date, the Aero Club of New England might be the oldest, dating to 1907. Both claim the “first” honor on their web sites.
Many of these aero clubs, including the Aero Club of PA started out as ballooning clubs and were affiliates of the Aero Club of America, today known as the National Aeronautic Association (N.A.A). Many of the clubs are still quite active, including the Aero Club of Washington, D.C., which hosts its own annual Wright Brothers Memorial Dinner where the N.A.A. presents its Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.
Notable civilian Aero Clubs (organized/chartered dates)
| L’AeroClub de France | 1898 | http://www.aeroclub.com | |
| Royal Aeroclub of Belgium | 1901 | http://www.belgianaeroclub.be | |
| Royal Aero Club of United Kingdom | 1901 | http://www.royalaeroclub.org/ | |
| Aero Club of Buffalo | 1900/1910 | http://www.aeroclubofbuffalo.org | |
| Aero Club of New England | 1902/1907 | http://www.acone.org | |
| Aero Club of America | 1905 (became NAA in 1922) | http://www.naa.aero | |
| Aero Club of Switzerland | 1905 | https://www.aeroclub.ch | |
| Aero Club of Washington, D.C. | 1909/1909 | http://www.aeroclub.org | |
| Aero Club of Pennsylvania | 1909/1910 | http://www.aeroclubpa.org | |
| Lancaster Aero Club | 1919 | Lancaster Aero Club | Facebook | |
| Wichita Aero Club | 1915 | http://www.wichitaaeroclub.org/ | |
| Aero Club of South Africa | 1920 / 1973 | http://www.aeroclub.org.za/ | |
| Aero Club of Southern California | 1925 | http://www.aeroclubsocal.org/ | |
| Aero Club of East Africa | 1927 | http://www.aeroclubea.com | |
| Aero Club of India | 1927 | http://www.aeroclubofindia.org/ | |
| Reading Aero Club | 1929 / 1932 | http://www.readingaeroclub.org/ | |
| Aero Club Como (Italy) | 1930 | http://www.aeroclubcomo.com/ | |
| Royal New Zealand Aero Club | 1930 | http://flyingnz.co.nz | |
| Indianapolis Aero Club | 1933 | http://indyaeroclub.blogspot.com/ | |
| The Royal Aero Club of Gran Canaria | 1951 | http://www.aeroclubgrancanaria.com/ | |
| Aero Club of Northern California | 1981 | http://www.aeroclubnorcal.org | |
| Aero Club of Metropolitan Atlanta | 1984 | http://www.atlantaaeroclub.org |
Last updated: October 2020 – Rob D.