Exhibits | foff

College Park Airport "Firsts"

College Park Airport is known as the "Field of Firsts" for the many aviation "firsts" that happened at the field throughout its history.

Click through the gallery of photos to explore some of those firsts, and explore more online exhibits below.

A Field of Firsts

First aerial photograph of College Park, site of the first military aviation school, 1911

First testing of a machine gun on an airplane, 1912 at College Park Airport

Bernetta Miller demonstrates a monoplane for the U.S. Army at College Park

First enlisted man to die in aviation accident, at College Park, 1912

First airmail service in the U.S. out of College Park

The testing of the Berliner helicopter at College Park by father and son duo Emile and Henry Berliner in 1924, the first controlled helicopter flight

First controlled helicopter flight

Father and son duo Emile and Henry Berliner tested an experimental helicopter at College Park Airport from 1920-1925. The Model B (pictured) performed the first controlled vertical flight on June 16, 1922. The Berliners were the first incorporate a tail rotor. The Model B was the first Berliner helicopter to have an airplane body, or fuselage. This was so make landings safer and help the machine turn.