Oklahoma’s First Aviator – Frank Champion:
Today, we remember Oklahoma’s first aviator, Mr. Frank Champion. Before becoming an intrepid aviator, Champion was a professional photographer. One of his assignments was to cover America’s first aviation extravaganza, the Dominguez Field Aviation Meet held near Los Angeles. There, he met aviation superstars Glenn Curtiss, Charles F. Willard, Lincoln Beachey, as well as Louis Paulhan.
Becoming enamored with aviation after his photography assignment, he enrolled at the Bleriot Aviation School near London, England. He later became the proud holder of the Aero Club of America license number eighty-six.
“One newspaper reporter proudly wrote of Champion: ‘There is no stunt, dive, dip, whirl, ascension or speed trial that he will not attempt.'” Champion flew several times over his boyhood home located in the Capitol Hill section of Oklahoma City.
More information about this amazing flyer available at: https://www.earlyaviators.com/echampio.htm
Frank Champion in Japan
Photo: Library of Congress
