The South Carolina Aviation
Hall of Fame
Preserving History Honoring the Past
Robert Edmiston " Bob" Bryant
1993
In 1959, Robert Bryant was a founding member of The Rock Hill Airport Commission, and he worked tirelessly to establish the airport that now bears his name. He served on that commission until his death in 1977.
Bryant was awarded two international aviation records from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale representing flight in an Aeronca C3. The first record was in 1936, when he flew non-stop from Rock Hill to Miami in an airplane weighing less than 600 pounds. His second record-breaking flight in 1938 was from Miami to Camden, NJ in 13 hours, 20 minutes, using 40 gallons of fuel.
Bryant learned to fly by trading motorcycle lessons with Col. Elliott White Springs, a WWI Flying Ace who is also in the Aviation Hall of Fame.
August 16, 1932. Bob Bryant in front of a BACO Biplane, Fort Mill, SC.
The aircraft had a ten-cylinder Anzani engine and was owned by Col. Elliot White Springs.
Bob made his first flight (probably in a JN) in 1919 and took his first flying lesson in this BACO in 1921
trading flying lesson for motorcycle instruction with Col. Springs.
Photo: Page Winchester, Monroe, NC
The day after this photo was taken, Col. Springs flew a Tomas-Morse Scout under the Buster Boyd Bridge on the Catawba River, near Ft. Mill. The movie camera in front of Bob was used by PATHE News to film the event.
(See Col. Springs page for more information.)
Circa 1933. Fort Mill, SC.
Bob Brtant (L) and Col. Elliot White Springs stand before
Bob's 1931 model, Davis Airplane, N12476.
Photo: Bob Bryant Collection
Circa 1950's. Bob Bryant with the Aeronca C-3, N15742, in which he made the
record distance solo flight on July 31, 1938 from Miami, Fla. to Camden, NJ.
Photo: Bob Bryant Collection
Back of the above Post Card
Text reads:
"On July 31, 1938, Rock Hill's Bob Bryant, one of America's Aviation Pioneers,
flew an Aeronca aeroplane non-stop from Miami, Fla. to Camden, N.J. in 13 hours and 20 minutes.
"This broke the former world's record for light planes of 763.352 miles, held by France. Under supervision of the Civil Aeronautics Administration and the United States Weather Bureau, the flight was officially sanctioned by the Federation Aeronautique in Paris and the National Aeronautical Association in Washington, D.C.
"Engineering and revisions for the flight were made by Martin Jensen, famed pilot of the 1927 Dole Race from the mainland to Hawaii. The propeller was manufactured by the Bennett Bros. in Morgananton, N.C. With its 36 horsepower, two cylinder, two spark plug engine, the Aeronca weighed one third as much as a VW automobile, which has twice the cylinders and twice the spark plugs."
Photo: Page Winchester, Monroe, NC
1938 International Federation Aeronautique Aviation Award presented to Bob Bryant for his solo non-stop flight from Miami, Fla. to Camden, N.J., in an Aeronca C-3, 1,050 miles using 40 gallons of gas.
Photo: Bob Bryant Collection
Circa 1970, Wings & Wheels Museum, Santee, S.C.
From the Left: Dolph Ovrton (owner and originator of W & W), Steve Wittman*, and Bob Bryant.
Photo: Bob Bryant Collection
*early air racing pilot, builder & designer. Wittman Field at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. named for him. Member of the OX-5 Aviation Pioneers Hall of Fame.
1973 Quiet Birdmen Drop-in Airshow, Bradford Field, Hunterville, N.C.
From Left: 1. Ben Huntley, 2. Stewart Childs, 3. Tom Davis, 4. Bob Ridenhour, 5. Dwight Cross, 6. Johnny E. Crowell, 7. Bob Bryant, 8. Lawrence Sturkey, 9. Paul Wike.
Photo: Dwight Cross, Sr. Collection