Revised 1/26/02

 

The Lehigh Valley Flying Club history was originally prepared in 1986 by board members, Stanley G. Graver and Tony Santore, for the Club’s thirtieth birthday.

 

The history was updated in 1997 by club Secretary, Bud Herre.

 

The club has come a long way since 1956 and we would like to post our proud history on the website. We have no recorded history for 1987 through 1992. All members are welcome to help us fill in this missing time period, you do not need to be a long time member to send in facts, stories, etc.

 

A  snapshot of our Club's early days

 

The first formal meeting of the Club was held Friday, June 15, 1956.  At this meeting, seven members each paid $1.00 for social membership dues good until June 1, 1957.  By July 5, 1956, twenty-seven social members had joined. At this meeting the membership fee was set at $30.00 for the first twenty-five active members, and $50.00 thereafter. The Club limit was set at thirty active members for one aircraft.  By July 26, 1956, the Club had grown to twenty-seven social and seventeen active members. A constitution was drawn up and approved, and the search was on for a suitable trainer aircraft.

 

A special meeting was called on August 1, 1956, to discuss and obtain approval to buy a Piper J-3 Cub (N42886) from Lester Horton of Middletown, New York. The price was $800.00. At this meeting, the membership stood at twenty-three social and twenty-three active members. The Club's bank balance was $570.00.

 

Eight members inspected the J-3 and the airplane was purchased. The Slatington Flying Club was now a bona fide flying Club. The J-3 was delivered to the Slatington Airport at 1:00 p.m. on September 1, 1956. The purchase was paid for with the Club's bank savings and money pledges from several of the members.

 

Monthly dues were set at $2.00, and the hourly rate for flying the Cub

was set at $4.00.