Early Army Aviation Service

Standing at the Birth of American Military Flight

Before World War I, before airmail, and before he became America’s leading aircraft manufacturer, Reuben H. Fleet entered a branch of the U.S. military that was still learning what aviation was.

His earliest Army aviation service occurred during the Mexican Border Campaign (1915–1916)—a crucial but often overlooked chapter in American aviation history. These were the years when the Army Signal Corps experimented with its first operational uses of aircraft and balloons, and Fleet found himself at the center of this formative era.

This experience prepared him for everything that followed: test piloting, airmail organization, aircraft procurement, aviation safety, and the eventual founding of Consolidated Aircraft.

The Signal Corps Aviation Section

When Flying Was New—and Dangerous

In 1915, military aviation in the United States existed only within the U.S. Army Signal Corps, which oversaw:

balloons
dirigibles
the first experimental airplanes
reconnaissance from the air
early pilot training

At the time, the entire Army aviation establishment consisted of only a few dozen aircraft, most of them fragile, underpowered machines held together with linen, spruce, and wire.

Fleet entered this world as a young officer eager to learn its emerging technologies. His work exposed him to:

the earliest aviation doctrine
the challenges of airborne observation
primitive navigation
hazardous takeoff and landing environments
the realities of flight in rough, undeveloped terrain

These were not simply training experiences—they were the origin of his lifelong commitment to aviation.

The U.S.–Mexico Border Conflict

America’s First Operational Aviation Deployment

During 1915–1916, unrest along the Mexican border escalated following raids by Pancho Villa and instability in northern Mexico. The U.S. Army deployed large forces under General John J. Pershing to protect American territory.

This became one of the first times the United States used aviation as part of an active military operation.

Fleet participated in this pioneering effort.

Army aircraft were used for:

reconnaissance flights
tracking enemy troop movements
coordinating with ground commanders
communication over long distances
observation from tethered balloons

These flights were extremely dangerous. Engines failed frequently. Maps were crude. Weather was unpredictable. Landing areas were often no more than cleared patches of desert brush.

But the Army was learning—and Fleet was learning with it.

A Foundation in Both Balloon and Airplane Operations

In this period, Fleet received instruction not only in airplanes but also in lighter-than-air craft, especially observation balloons. Balloon units were a major part of the Signal Corps, serving as elevated platforms for spotting artillery and troop movements.

This dual experience gave Fleet:

a deep, early understanding of aerodynamics
practical knowledge of lift, stability, and atmospheric behavior
exposure to the organizational structures of aviation units
respect for aerial observation as a military science

Few aviation pioneers had serious experience in both balloons and airplanes. Fleet did—and it strengthened his later innovations.

(You may later choose to give ballooning its own page.)

The First Steps Toward Leadership

Even in these early years, Fleet distinguished himself with:

natural organizational ability
steady judgment under pressure
a clear understanding of the dangers pilots faced
a passion for improving equipment and procedures

These qualities quickly advanced him beyond ordinary flight duties.
By the time the United States entered World War I in 1917, Fleet was prepared for the leadership role that would define the next stage of his career: Commander of U.S. Army Flight Training.

Why This Chapter Matters

Fleet’s early Army aviation service laid the groundwork for everything he later achieved:

It gave him firsthand knowledge of the operational needs of pilots.
It taught him the limitations of early aircraft.
It revealed the importance of safety, discipline, and standardization.
It awakened in him a drive to build better machines.
It launched him into the leadership roles that defined his career.

These early experiences were the roots of a life spent transforming aviation—first in the military, then in the commercial sphere, and finally in the industry he helped build.