John Conner Burkhart made the first successful flight of an all-Oregon-built airplane on April 9, 1910 (The Oregonian, 10-April-1910).
After suffering mishaps in recent trials which prevented him from getting a good start, John C. Burkhart, of Portland, got away for five successful flights with his biplane airship this afternoon.
On every test the machine rose perfectly and covered from 100 to 220 yards each trial until Burkhart brought it to earth, alighting easily without a jar.
The biplane airship was built by the pilot and W.C. Crawford during the winter of 1909 and 1910 and had been exhibited at an automobile show at the Portland Armory that same year (The Oregonian, 21-January-1951). The historic flight took place at Albany’s Goltra field, the Northwest’s first airport, which was established by Mr. Burkhart and his cousin Del Burkhart in 1909 (Your guide to Historic Albany, Oregon – pdf).
Learn more:
Did any one get a picture?