I'm an Australian aviation historian whose findings about Connecticut's aviation pioneer, Gustave Whitehead, were peer-reviewed earlier this year and recognized by both the world's highest aviation authority, JAWA, and a unanimous resolution of both houses of the Connecticut Assembly along with the State's Governor. Both withdrew first flight recognition from the Wright brothers and assigned it to Gustave Whitehead.
CAHA's involvement, so far, has been limited to snide remarks about me by one former and one current staff member on internet forums. Both have publicly made factually incorrect statements about Gustave Whitehead, thus disqualifying them personally and reflecting badly on the institution they represent. Both appear to also have made factually incorrect statements about inquiries their organisation has conducted in the past. I therefore appeal to other members of the organisation to take measures appropriate to ensure the organization's legitimacy before it becomes necessary for outside investigations to take the initiative.
The Organisation has taken the unusual step of sealing files of historical interest to researchers. This would appear to be at odds with the Code of Ethics of Museums and its own charter.
Connecticut Aeronautical Historical Association is NOT transparent. CAHA misrepresents aviation history and its own history in documenting witnesses to the flights of Gustave Whitehead. Learn more about this and view a YouTube of its founder and president, Harvey Lippincott Interview, 1981, acknowledging the flights of Gustave Whitehead that took place in 1901-1902: http://historybycontract.org/?p=257.
NEW UPDATE: TWO NEW YOUTUBE VIDEOS View what CAHA FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT Mr. Lippincott said about Whitehead in 1981 (that he believed Whitehead flew in 1901-1902, with power and control) Historian Agrees Whitehead Flew 1901-1902 on YouTube at http://youtu.be/MuXcQjjNBZc and Crouch & Lippincott Whitehead Discussion (YouTube) http://youtu.be/Eu0OB4jBKm0.
CAHA/NEAM refuses to recognize Whitehead's accomplishments, under its current leadership has done a 180 degrees on this. They have even sealed the files from the time period when CAHA recognized Whitehead. A recent letter from NEAM's Carl Stidman, research archivist: "The New England Air Museum's stance for the past 45 years has been to recognize Gustave Whitehead as a pioneer Connecticut machinist and a pioneer aviation engine manufacturer; but that insufficient evidence had yet been discovered to ascertain and/or determine the proper merits of Whitehead's claims of flight in 1899, 1901 or 1902. This stance was undertaken following a multi-year review in the mid-1960's that the then-CAHA Whitehead Research Committee .... undertook regarding the Whitehead claims. " The problem with this stance is that CAHA did find, even in the 1960's, by interviewing eye-witnesses that Gustave Whitehead DID FLY in the 1901-1902 period. Therefore, NEAM's current stance is NOT based on CAHA's findings, and thus, NEAM does not have a Whitehead exhibit, nor is it "in sync" with current findings and opinions and law recognizing Whitehead as first in flight by the state of CT. If NEAM is to be in CT, then support the research findings and recognition of the state on Whitehead with an appropriate exhibit. Otherwise, people in CT may just boycott NEAM as presenting biased, obsolete information to the public. Carl Stidson, NEAM librarian, agrees with Smithsonian that Whitehead didn't fly, and advises the director at NEAM to take the same stance. (see
http://blog.nasm.si.edu/…). Smithsonian has a formerly "secret" agreement with the Wright heirs to ONLY recognize the Wright Flyer and the Wrights as first in flight OR the museum will lose the Wright Flyer which reverts to the heirs. That is called making history by contract. NEAM, if it is to provide valid information to the public on early flight history, should not condone this sort of "backroom dealing" to subvert historical inquiry.
I advise that CAHA and its museum NEAM put together a positive exhibit on Gustave Whitehead that reflects his growing recognition as first in flight in the world, and open up the CAHA files to show everything examined and said about Whitehead by 1970 at CAHA, particularly, what was determined by President Lippincott. View what Mr. Lippincott says about Whitehead (that he believes Whitehead flew in 1901-1902, with power and control) Historian Agrees Whitehead Flew 1901-1902 on YouTube at http://youtu.be/MuXcQjjNBZc and Crouch & Lippincott Whitehead Discussion (YouTube) http://youtu.be/Eu0OB4jBKm0. Yet, currently, with the death of Mr. Lippincott, who founded CAHA in 1959, there is not a shred of recognition for Whitehead, an exceedingly important aviation pioneer who beat the Wrights into flight, in Connecticut. CAHA is not only hiding the evidence of their investigations, they are literally turning their backs on the people of the state of CT in doing so.
Review from Guidestar