About the Authors

Dan Barber has served the AAMS as a Director, Publication Sales Manager, Secretary, and Editor-in-Chief of the American Air Mail Catalogue. He is a researcher and writer, and a specialist in aviation and airline history, all airmail, and philatelic literature.

Ray Broms is editor of The Shuttle Era in the Jack Knight Air Log and editor of the Chicago Airmail Society Bulletin. He is an avid rocket and space post collector, and exhibitor.

Basil S. Burrell , an AAMS board member, started collecting stamps in grade school under the watchful eyes of both parents who specialized in early Great Britain. He took time off to go to school, win a war, raise a family, and retire.

Cheryl Ganz specializes in Zeppelin, airship, and balloon mail and memorabilia. She has edited The Zeppelin Collector for twenty years. She has been AAMS President, Awards Coordinator, Chair of the AAMS/AFA Merger Committee, and a board member of FISA.

James W. Graue is a specialist in pre-WWII German transatlantic airmail and the 1934 airmail issue of Germany. He is an exhibitor, judge, and author, as well as editor of The Airpost Journal.

David Hollenbaugh is a balloon and Zeppelin topical collector. He is also a hot air balloon pilot and a scoring official at national and international balloon competitions. He is a research associate at the Gimbel Aeronautical History Library at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Jonathan L. Johnson, Jr. collects FAM 14 postal history. He has served the AAMS in many roles, including President, Sales Manager, and Chapter Coordinator.

Allen D. Jones collects pioneer U.S. airmail and airship mail. He is the author of Aerial Mail Service, A Chronology of the Early United States Government Airmail, March – December 1918. He has served the AAMS as Chair of the Publications Committee, Director, and is a Past President of the Society.

Kent J. Kobersteen’s exhibit of the Beacon airmail stamp has won gold and grand awards. He is a researcher, author, and member of many aerophilatelic societies.

William Kriebel is editor of Bull’s Eyes, Journal of the Brazil Philatelic Association, and Correio Aéreo, a feature in the Jack Knight Air Log. He has authored articles and a book on Brazil airmail, as well as exhibited.

Robert E. Lana is a former AAMS President and Awards Coordinator, currently serving as Publications Chair. He is an author and exhibitor of Italian Airmail, and wrote The Mass Flights of Italo Balbo.

Philip R. McCarty has collected, exhibited, and researched crash covers for more than twenty years. He has been an AAMS Director, Vice President, Convention Coordinator, and Chair of the Crash Cover Committee.

Stephen Neulander is editor of the Jack Knight Air Log and president of the Jack Knight Air Mail Society. He exhibits and lectures on Women in Aviation, Ballooning and Air Racing.

Robert Outlaw has been active many years on the AAMS board as a President and Director. He has been the society Merchandise Manager and worked on the publications committee. He collects first airmail issues of the world, the Beacon stamp, and crash mail.

Samuel J. Pezzillo moved from the general German collecting area to German airmails and eventually to airmail of any nation connected with transatlantic efforts; more recently airmail during WWII and covers from the Italian line LATI. He has served on the AAMS Awards Committee.

Dr. Reuben Ramkissoon is president of the astrophilatelic unit of ATA/APS and serves on the Astrophilatelic Bureau of the FIP as the representative of the APS. He is an avid collector, researcher, and exhibitor of space covers. He has authored a handbook on How to Collect Space Covers.

Stephen Reinhard is the AAMS Treasurer and former President. He is an accredited APS judge. He has exhibited extensively and participated in the APS World Series of Philately. He has won four Large Gold Medals internationally and is presently exhibiting in the FIP Championship Class.

Greg Schmidt has served the AAMS as President and Publications Sales Manager. He is a collector, author, and exhibitor of Pan American Airways Pacific operations, including naval forerunners, from 1925-1941.

Simine Short is an aerophilatelic researcher and collector of glider flown mail. She wrote Glider Mail, an Aerophilatelic Handbook. Her Glider Mail exhibit has garnered gold medals and research awards. She was an AAMS Secretary.

Sanford Solarz’s background is in advertising and aeronautical engineering. He worked for a company whose president flew a Bleriot in the pre-WWI era. His Bleriot collection has been exhibited nationally. He has served as Secretary and advertising manager of The Airpost Journal.

Robert Spooner collects, exhibits, writes, and talks about U.S. and Latin American airmails, as well as Lindbergh. He has served the AAMS in many capacities, including Publicity Director.

Wayne Whitlow has serviced his own airmail covers for over 35 years. He is editor of the FFUS Section of the American Air Mail Catalogue and an avid airline enthusiast. He has been instrumental in computerizing the AAMC.

Bob Wilcsek collects Zeppelin posts, transpacific flights, Mexican airmail, and pre-WWII commercial airmail to and from Asia and the Western Pacific. He has written articles for various aerophilatelic journals.