High Flying Chicago

Dynamic Presentations for Your Organization

 

This series of fascinating presentations uncover relatively unknown aspects of Chicago’s history showing how it shaped worldwide aviation as we know it today. Aviation historian and author of Aviation Chicago Timeline, Michael Haupt, designed these in-person presentations which fit an hour timeslot including Q&A time.


Chicago: Aviation’s Incubator

Discover Chicago’s long-overlooked role nurturing fledgling flyers into America’s full-blown aviation industry. In the period around WW1, Chicago held the largest airshow, had the busiest airport (NOT Midway), planted the seeds of military aviation., and was the hub for both barnstorming and airmail.


Chicago: Shaping the Airline Industry

This presentation uncovers the critical role Chicago played in forming the airline industry not just for the United States but worldwide. See how Chicago’s influence expanded beyond national borders to establish standards worldwide.

 

Coleman, Coffey, and the Condor

See three pioneering Chicago African American aviators who shaped aviation both inside and outside the U.S. Bessie Coleman, Cornelius Coffey, and John C. Robinson (or the Brown Condor) overcame major obstacles paving the way for the aviation industry to benefit from skills provided by aviators of color.


Heath: Chicago’s Forgotten Aviation Pioneer

Prior to WW1, Edward Heath played an integral role in growth of aviation focusing his efforts on enabling ordinary workers to fly. He developed one of the most popular planes of its time. During the Depression, Heath developed the Kit Plane concept, allowing customers to purchase and assemble an entire plane, one affordable section at a time.

Chicago: Aviation's Incubator

How Chicago Shaped America's Aviation Industry

 

 Although controlled flight didn’t originate here, Chicago, more than any other location, nurtured the fledgling flyers into a full-blown industry that permeated the country. In "Chicago: Aviation’s Incubator," Michael Haupt explores the long-overlooked role Chicago played in developing the national aviation industry.

Read more: Chicago: Aviation Incubator

Chicago: Shaping the Airline Industry  

 

Today, Chicago is best known for being a hub through which countless passengers endure excruciating plane changes as well as O’Hare’s ability to completely disrupt nationwide air service. "Chicago: Shaping the Airline Industry" uncovers the critical role Chicago played in forming the airline industry not just for the United States but worldwide.

Read more: Shaping Airline Industry

Coleman, Coffey, and the Condor

Chicago's Pioneering African American Aviators

 

Three pioneering Chicago African American aviators had impact on aviation both inside and outside the U.S. This is the story of Bessie Coleman, Cornelius Coffey, and John C. Robinson, also known as the Brown Condor. These three Chicago aviators broke overcame obstacles paving the way for the aviation industry to receive the benefit provided by aviators of color.

Read more: Chicago's Pioneering Black Aviators

Chicago's Forgotten Aviation Pioneer

Edward Heath

  

In the years around WW1, Chicagoan Edward Heath played an integral role in the growth of aviation. His focus on enabling ordinary workers to have access to flight transformed many lives but has been overlooked by historians documenting the biggest and fastest developments in aviation technologies and companies.

Read more: Edward Heath