<P> Langley Field was named after Samuel Pierpont Langley , an aerodynamic pioneer and a former Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . Langley began aerodynamic experiments in 1887 and formed a basis for practical pioneer aviation . He built and saw the first steam model airplane in 1896 and the first gasoline model in 1903 . Both planes were believed to be capable of flight . He also built the first man - carrying gasoline airplane in 1903 , which failed to fly on its first attempt and broke apart and crashed on its second . It was , after major modification eleven years later , flown `` successfully '' by Glenn Curtiss for a little over 3 seconds , traveling 150 feet through the air in 1914 . Langley Field was the first Air Service base built especially for air power , is the oldest continually active air force base in the world , and is the oldest airfield in Virginia . </P>
<P> Langley Field was named after Samuel Pierpont Langley , an aerodynamic pioneer and a former Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . Langley began aerodynamic experiments in 1887 and formed a basis for practical pioneer aviation . He built and saw the first steam model airplane in 1896 and the first gasoline model in 1903 . Both planes were believed to be capable of flight . He also built the first man - carrying gasoline airplane in 1903 , which failed to fly on its first attempt and broke apart and crashed on its second . It was , after major modification eleven years later , flown `` successfully '' by Glenn Curtiss for a little over 3 seconds , traveling 150 feet through the air in 1914 . Langley Field was the first Air Service base built especially for air power , is the oldest continually active air force base in the world , and is the oldest airfield in Virginia . </P>
who is langley air force base named for
who is langley air force base named for
Samuel Pierpont Langley , an aerodynamic pioneer and a former Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Samuel Pierpont Langley , an aerodynamic pioneer and a former Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution