The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) is the oldest national aviation organization in the United States. Founded in 1905 as the Aero Club of America by a group of forward-thinking businessmen - including John Jacob Astor, Phillip T. Dodge, and William K. Vanderbilt, Jr. - eager to promote the development of the then-radical technology of powered flight, the NAA has seen its mission, its membership, and its mindset evolve over the decades. Originally formed to promote the safe, scientific development of aviation in America, the club certified pilots and issued flying licenses for more than twenty years before the U.S. government assumed this responsibility. Equally important, the Aero Club/NAA has served the United States as the national representative to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale since the club's founding. NAA members lobbied for legislation to make flying safe and practical and pressured Congress to allot funds to develop an air force before the military was interested in doing so. These contributions and the unwavering belief in the importance and future of aviation led the way for today's military, sport, and commercial aviation industries.For the Greatest Achievement chronicles the history of the NAA - and thus the history of aviation in America - from the first balloon flights, the initial controversy over what transpired at Kitty Hawk, and the barnstorming of the "Gypsy" stunt fliers, to the buildup of America's air forces through two world wars, the race into space, and the explosion of new aviation technologies on the eve of the twenty-first century.In sidebars throughout the book, Bill Robie highlights winners of the Collier Trophy - America's most prestigious aviation award, presented annually "for the greatest achievement in aviation in America." Sixteen pages of vintage photographs also trace the progress of America's aviation heritage. The book presents the most comprehensive list ever published of early aviation license holders, including some of the most famous of the air pioneers and record setters, along with the thousands of lesser-known pilots throughout the country who pioneered American aviation. Read Less