VINTAGE VIEWS OF NEW YORK
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        Aeroplane "Red Wing"  Hammondsport, N.Y.
        First American Public Flight, Mar. 12, 1908
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        Dr. Bell's Aerial Experiment Association , or AEA, was a group of three young engineers, and Curtiss, their engine expert .

        Each of the four members designed their own craft. Lt. Thomas E. Selfridge, on special leave from the U.S. Army was chosen to build his design first, as a reward for piloting Dr. Bell's kite 'Cygnus'. Dr. Bell thought that the solution to manned flight would be powered kites. Dr. Bell also felt that in the future winged aircraft would be called  'aerodromes', so Selfridge's design was called  'Drome No. 1'

        Escaping the harsh winters of Nova Socita, where Dr. Bell had his home and laboratories, the team moved south to Hammondsport, N.Y. where Drome No. 1 was modified. Adding runners to use on frozen Lake Keuka, Curtiss's V-8 air cooled engine, and recovered with red silk, it was renamed 'Red Wing'

        Two months after the move, Casey Baldwin, another AEA member,  flew Red Wing on March 12, 1908. He flew 318 feet and slightly damaged the craft on  landing.

        Repairs took a couple of days. After flying 120 feet, Baldwin crashed in unfavorable winds, destroying Red Wing

        Lt. Selfridge would die the next year in a plane piloted By Orville Wright at the Government trials. He thus gains the distinction of being the first person killed in a powered airplane crash.

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