The Aviation Foundation501(c)3 · Allegheny County Airport
Projects
Two halves of the same mission — sending students to Space Camp, and keeping Western Pennsylvania's aviation history in one piece.
Five-day residential programs in Huntsville, Alabama, sponsored by The Aviation Foundation for students in Western Pennsylvania.
“Examine real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”
“Experience firsthand the future of space travel and train to solve technically challenging anomalies to complete a space mission.”
“Explore college and career preparation through an immersive experience in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics.”
Additional programs include Aviation Challenge, Space Camp Robotics, and U.S. Cyber Camp Programs in Huntsville, AL.
NOTE: Applications for the 2027 Aviation Foundation Space Camp Awards close December 6, 2026, and winners are contacted late February 2027. Spaces are very limited. If interested, please use the application link below as soon as possible.
Apply for a 2027 Space Camp awardHonouring the people who built aviation in this region — and keeping the aircraft themselves airworthy, or at least intact.
2023 Recipients
TAF donated $5,000 to The Senator John Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA, to fund and display one of the original five airmail aircraft, “Miss Pittsburgh,” a Waco 9 single-engine tailwheel aircraft that is currently suspended from the ceiling of the (KPIT) Pittsburgh International Airport Passenger Terminal.
The Weaver Aircraft Co. began in 1920 in Troy, Ohio. Not long after, the name was changed to the WACO Aircraft Company, and that company lasted until 1947. Miss Pittsburgh is a WACO 9 biplane. This model first flew in 1925 and incorporated some design improvements over previous models. A major improvement was that the fuselage and tail were constructed using steel tubing rather than wood, providing better strength and rigidity. 270 Model 9’s were built from 1925 to 1926. They had two cockpits, one two-place cockpit in the front and the pilot’s single-seat cockpit in the rear. They were powered by the venerable Curtiss OX-5 eight-cylinder engine, producing 90 HP. The top speed was 90 MPH, and the cruise speed was 65 MPH. Its handling characteristics found it sluggish in roll control due to the fact that it only had ailerons on the upper wings. Pilots compensated for this by leading with the rudder when banking to make turns.
These early aircraft had only rudimentary flight instruments and no radios. Pilots navigated by following roads or railroads, and they also used dead reckoning for cross-country travel. Forced landings were not an uncommon occurrence. When bad weather set in, pilots were forced to land on any suitable terrain available. The engine only had a single magneto to fire the spark plugs. Modern aircraft have two for redundancy.
There are only a handful of these planes in existence today. We are fortunate that one of these rare airplanes from a bygone era is displayed at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Records indicate that there may be only two Model 9’s still flying today.
Clifford Ball (November 29, 1891 – June 2, 1972), a native of McKeesport, PA, was the owner of the airline which flew the first regular airmail route in the United States.
Ball started Clifford Ball Airlines, Inc. in 1927 with seven biplanes based out of Bettis Field, near Pittsburgh. He was awarded Contract Airmail Route 11 by the Federal government (on March 21, 1926), and Ball sent the first airmail flight off on April 27, 1927. The route was Pittsburgh → Youngstown → Cleveland (a distance of 121 miles) and back.
The pilot on the first airmail flight was named Merle Moltrup, and the name of the plane was Miss Pittsburgh.
“Miss Youngstown” was destroyed in a crash, leaving four original Waco 9’s airmail planes.
This marked the birth of commercial aviation and ultimately led to air travel as we know it today.
“The Luscombe 8 is a series of high-wing, side-by-side-seating monoplanes with conventional gear, designed in 1937 and built by Luscombe Aircraft.”
This LUSCOMBE A fuselage, serial #801, was donated to The Aviation Foundation and kept in dry storage for over twenty years. Myles Lilley diligently worked to find a proper home and met Mark Anderson, Anderson Aviation in Missouri, in 2020. Since Mr. Anderson was searching for this serial number, he made the trip to retrieve this fuselage and is currently in the process of a full restoration.
The update per Mark Anderson as of June 2022: “We are to the point of making the 4 lower skins for the fuselage. They are different from the later ‘normal’ Luscombes. We have to make them from 2024-0 and then get them heat treated. I have the metal cut to size, just need the time to make them. The tail and ailerons are completely rebuilt, and the wings are close to covering.”
The Luscombe is planned for current production! “June 19th, 2019, is a very interesting day to look back on. I think at least ten people asked Steve Testrake … if we were sure we wanted to take on the challenge to bring back the Luscombe production. The answer was a definite yes and yes.”
