EMMA CARTER BROWNING, PRESIDENT - BROWNING AERIAL SERVICE,INC.,AUSTIN, TX.
EMMA CARTER BROWNING - dubbed "Grande Dame" of Aviation - perhaps due to her effort to Guide, Promote and Protect the course of aviation, especially in Texas. An Austin newspaper, on March 23, 2003, carried a head-line "Leaving Her Mark on Aviation in Texas" -"92 year old.. .. is honored". Another news print recited "Browning's first flight was in 1929 - The 74 years that followed made her a pioneer of flying in Texas, with a career that includes being one of the few female presidents of a General Aviation company -.... barely five feet tall, but her influence looms over Texas Pilots".
It was 1929 when the Texas Air Fair (an aviation barnstorming group) toured Abilene, Texas and Emma Carter (Browning) and her girlfriend, with their dates, went to the airport and took an airplane ride, her first. Her husband-to-be, Robert M. Browning (whom she did not know) was the aerobatic pilot showman, and also spotter for the parachute jumper, Alameda Babcock, with the show. Emma Browning met Robert Browning, now basing his flight operation in Abilene, Texas, on a blind-date, the courtship contusing and their marriage in December 1932.
In the 1920's and 30's barnstorming was the prime source for income for pilots and aviation companies. Emma spent many hours on week-ends barnstorming with her pilot husband, serving as co-pilot or water girl; however, upon her husband's insistence, it did not take Emma long to assume management responsibilities for their fixed base operation (FBO). In 1939 Emma Browning and her husband moved their FBO from Abilene to Austin, Texas, where for five years, they were active government flight training contractors, (Primary, Secondary and Flight Instructor Courses), of the Civilian Pilot Training, the War Training Service and Navy V-5.
Management of the Browning FBO was the prime responsibility of Emma Browning, and her flying became secondary. Her many hours on barnstorming tours with her pilot husband went unlogged. However, eventually she did obtain her student pilot certificate and flew only for her pleasure, eventually leaving all pilot activity to her pilot husband and pilot son.
Following the close of World War II, Emma Browning continued management control and direction of their FBO, which grew and prospered, providing aviation services to meet aviation demand and need, including flight training, airplane sales and service, charter service, line service and other complimentary facilities. Her husband suffered a failing health for many years and upon his demise she became President of Browning Aerial Service, Inc., assisted by her son Robert M. Browning, III, who served as Vice-President & General Manager. The Browning FBO built hangars to accommodate local airplane owners, and in 1962-3, they built the Browning Terminal on Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin, which was recognized from coast to coast, a favorite facility, with efficient and courteous service becoming a well-known trade mark for the Browning FBO, complimentary to flight crews and their passengers , elite dignitaries and business officials.
Emma Browning and her son, Bobby Browning, sold their FBO in 1987, to a London, England group, known today as Signature on airports in the U.S.
Emma Browning's interest in aviation did not stop with the sale of her FBO. She is still cataloguing their some 70 year collection of aviation history, and hopefully, sponsoring a Texas Aviation History Museum.
It was March, 2003, the Aviation Division, The Texas Department of Transportation awarded Emma Browning the "Lifetime Achievement in Aviation Award", honoring her for, among other things, running one of the first companies to serve aviation and train pilots.