From an early age, Brice H. Goldsborough exhibited an unending curiosity about the world around him; he was interested in almost anything mechanical, was inquisitive about weather patterns, and yearned to know more about aerodynamics. This lifelong quest for information led him to found Pioneer Instrument Company in New York in 1919, a firm that eventually became one of the world's largest producers of reliable aviation instruments. In this biography, author Robert Dye, Goldsborough's great-nephew, tells the story of a man who became an expert in meteorology, navigation, and aircraft instrument design and changed the course of aviation history. Based on personal letters, articles, and news clippings, A Pioneer in Aviation follows Goldsborough's life as a teen, his time in the navy studying electricity, and his accomplishments, such as establishing China's first offshore radio station and supervising the construction of Haiti's first radio station. Detailing one of aviation's unsung heroes, A Pioneer in Aviation shows the man who designed, built, and installed the instrument panel for The Spirit of St. Louis and flew with Charles Lindbergh during September 1927 and how he came to be associated with other great names in aviation history such as Glenn Curtiss, Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, and Igor Sikorsky. A Pioneer in Aviation The Life Story of Brice H. Goldsborough and His Contribution to Aviation Instrumentation By Robert Dye iUniverse, Inc. Copyright © 2011 Robert Dye All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4620-2167-3 Contents PROLOGUE........................................................xiAcknowledgements................................................xiiiPART ONE THE BOY................................................1Chapter 1.......................................................3Chapter 2.......................................................7PART TWO BRICE, THE MAN........................................15Chapter 3.......................................................17Chapter 4.......................................................26PART THREE THE PIONEER INSTRUMENT COMPANY......................35Chapter 5.......................................................37Chapter 6.......................................................42Chapter 7.......................................................44Chapter 8.......................................................47Chapter 9.......................................................51Chapter 10......................................................54Chapter 11......................................................56Chapter 12......................................................58Chapter 13......................................................60Chapter 14......................................................63Chapter 15......................................................67Chapter 16......................................................73Chapter 17......................................................77Chapter 18......................................................79Chapter 19......................................................83Chapter 20......................................................85Chapter 21......................................................89Chapter 22......................................................93Chapter 23......................................................95PART FOUR FORD RELIABILITY TOUR................................101Chapter 24......................................................103Chapter 25......................................................108Chapter 26......................................................111PART FIVE THE SPIRIT OF ST LOUIS...............................113Chapter 27......................................................114PART SIX IGOR SIKORSKY AND FRANCES GRAYSON.....................123Chapter 29......................................................129Chapter 30......................................................131Chapter 31......................................................135PART SEVEN THE DAWN:...........................................139SIKORSKY'S AMPHIBIAN............................................139S-36............................................................139Chapter 32......................................................141Chapter 33......................................................144Chapter 34......................................................148Chapter 35......................................................150Chapter 36......................................................154Chapter 37......................................................159Chapter 38......................................................165Chapter 39......................................................168Chapter 40......................................................172PART EIGHT BRICE'S LAST TRIP HOME..............................177CHAPTER 41........................................