Arago: Pioneer Period (1783-1918)

Joseph Richter piloted the one plane (a Schneider biplane) that appeared at the Hohokus (New Jersey) Race Track Aviation Meet, held on August 3, 1912. He flew the mail 1 1/2 miles, to Ridgewood, where he dropped the pouch to waiting postal authorities. The pouch held 1,445 postcards, 115 envelopes, one special delivery letter, and one package. The Post Office Department designated the route as No. 609,002. Mail bore a circular aerial postmark.

The postcard shown here, addressed to collector H. A. Truby, New Kensington, Pennsylvania, bears a magenta, circular postmark dated August 3, 1912. Four straightline killer bars cancel the 1-cent Franklin stamp.