North Island Flying School The Signal Corps flying school at North Island was officially established on Dec. 8, 1912, following the arrival of the "Curtiss Contingent" from College Park, Md. It originally had only five flyers assigned, but in June 1913, the "Wright Contingent" arrived from Texas City, Texas. By the end of the year, there were 20 officers on aviation duty at San Diego and that facility was formally designated the "Signal Corps Aviation School," the Army's first permanent-type flying installation. At the time the Aviation School was established at North Island, most of the Signal Corps' airplanes were the original pusher type. By early 1914, flyers generally agreed that an airplane with a forward-mounted engine was more desirable than the pusher and the Signal Corps began buying the tractor-type airplane. Army pilots also learned to take off from water at this early date, so several flying boats and seaplanes were purchased for use at North Island. Click here to return to the Flying Schools Overview.