Association Business
TLA
Secretary/Treasurer’s Report
B
y the time you read this, summer will be in full swing. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Within the space of less than a year Members of this Association will have just celebrated, in Corrigan had published a best-selling autobiography and inked a chronological order, La Fête nationale du Québec, Canada Day, movie deal with RKO Pictures, earning $75,000 for playing himself or Independence Day, marveled at the fireworks displays and in The Flying Irishman. savored the opportunity to socialize outdoors. Some of you will Corrigan never deviated from his version of events, but it have abandoned your home offices in favor of a cottage or a cabin is widely believed that he purposely sought to sidestep aviation by a lake, while others are jetting around the world in an effort to authorities to achieve his dream of a transatlantic flight. Now, he did make up for all the lost travel opportunities we have experienced fly across the Atlantic at a time when this was only attempted by the over the past few years. very bravest and best aviators of the day – famous fliIf you fall into the latter category, as you sit ers like Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart – and back, relax and enjoy your in-flight hospitality for he did it with no funding, with a leaky fuel tank and the journey to or from wherever you are visiting, no radio. But Corrigan set out on his journey in such spare a thought for Wrong Way Corrigan, whose an unorthodox way that he is hardly ever named trans-Atlantic misadventure is commemorated by among the leading pioneers in aviation history. He some aviation museums during the month of July. is however, often referred to in jest. Clyde Groce (“Douglas”) Corrigan was an IrishSo there is a right way and a wrong way of doing American stunt pilot from Galveston, Texas. In 1938, things. he requested permission to fly from New York to And speaking of the right way of doing things, Ireland, as an homage to his childhood hero, Charles I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Lindbergh. The request was denied by the Bureau Steve Canty for a great year at the helm of TLA’s of Air Commerce – twice – on the grounds that his Executive Committee. His attention to detail and single-engine aircraft, a rebuilt and heavily modiLouis Amato-Gauci fiscal prudence made my job as quaestor so much fied 1929 Curtiss Robin named Sunshine, might easier. I would also like to thank all members who did the right not survive the journey. On July 17, 1938, the disappointed pilot told officials he was heading back home to Long Beach, California. thing by paying their dues in a timely manner, allowing us to reach Shortly after taking off from Floyd Bennett Memorial Airport in our budget for membership revenues by early March. And I would Brooklyn, New York, Corrigan encountered thick cloud cover, which like to thank my good friend, Jeff Pincus, for doing the right thing he cited, along with his malfunctioning 20-year old compass, as by saying “yes” when the Nominating Committee put his name the causes of some serious navigational errors. He claimed that forward to serve as your new Secretary/Treasurer. I am delighted when he finally dropped below the clouds, he was surprised to to hand over all minute-taking and financial reporting responsibilifind himself over water, but he continued on his journey and, upon ties to him. No doubt he, and all of you, will be happy to hear that landing some 28 hours later, discovered that he was in Baldonnel, the Association continues to be on solid financial ground. Your Executive Committee will make every effort to keep it that way. near Dublin, Ireland. As of April 30, 2022, the association had cash assets of Corrigan insisted that it was all an honest mistake, but could not explain why he had loaded 40 hours’ worth of fuel into his $588,437, of which $135,967 constituted restricted funds. Of the tiny aircraft. Aviation officials reportedly sent a 600-word telegram $588,437, current assets of $123,717 are in certificates of deposit listing all the regulations broken by the unexpected trans-Atlantic while the remaining is in business checking or money market flight. With his pilot certificate suspended for 14 days, Corrigan accounts. The association began the fiscal year with accumulated was compelled to return home to the United States on board the net assets of $285,763 and year-to-date gain is ($11,025). Total SS Manhattan, with his aircraft stored below deck. His arrival in year-to-date revenue$356,772 which is 58% of the 2022 budgeted New York was met with a huge celebration, with ticker-tape parades amount. Total year-to-date expenses are $359,248 which is 57% of there and in Chicago, and a trip to the White House to meet the 2022 budgeted amount.
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Transportation Lawyers Association • Canadian Transport Lawyers Association • July 2022, Vol. 24, No. 1
