Learn about the very first Atlantic City airshow in 1910

The 10^th Atlantic City Airshow “Thunder Over The Boardwalk” – one of the best airshows in the country – is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 17. Did you know that Atlantic City also hosted one of the nation’s very first airshows?
In 1910, when airplanes were a novelty and most Americans had never seen man fly, a series of "aero meets" were sponsored across the United States to showcase the great fliers of the day. Atlantic City and Asbury Park were two stages for these meets. Learn some of the history and check out photos from this historic airshow.
The 1910 Atlantic City Aero Meet was held beachside between the Ocean Pier at Tennessee Avenue and the Million Dollar Pier at Arkansas Avenue. It was estimated that more than 100,000 spectators watched the events. Crowds were sometimes so dense that bodies filled the space between the Boardwalk and the ocean, allowing only a narrow runway for planes to land and take-off. While exact flight times were not designated – flying the aircraft was contingent upon factors such as opportune weather and wind conditions – the flights were announced, half an hour in advance, by cannon shots set off at the ends of the piers. Patterned flags were raised to signal the events, who was flying and what records were being attempted.