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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Mrs. Emma Browning

ROBERT M. BROWNING, PRESIDENT - BROWNING AERIAL SERVICE,INC.,AUSTIN, TX.
When the word airplane was spelled "AEROPLANE";
When the aeroplane was referred to as the "SHIP*1;
When the pilot was known as the "AVIATOR";
When the airport was referred to as the "FIELD";
When the aviator was recognized as "EVERYBODY'S DARLING";
That is when pioneer aviator, ROBERT M. BROWNING, started his flight operation on abandon Call Field in Wichita Falls, TX following World War One.
Browning and his associate, Art Oakley of Ardmore, Oklahoma bought surplus Curtis JN-4 (Jenny) and Canuck (trade name for Canadian built Jenny) aeroplanes which they rebuilt or modified for civilian sale and use.
One of Browning and Oakley's most noted customers was a young oil field worker named WILEY POST. They taught Wiley to fly and sold him one of their rebuilt Canuck ships. Post did not have enough money to pay the total ship price, however Browning and Oakley decided to let him have the aeroplane if he would not fly outside the Ardmore area until he had paid them the full balance due, which all agreed to. Wiley was a venturesome soul and before he had fully paid for the aeroplane, he flew into the Browning Field in Wichita Falls, where both Browning and Oakley were present. At Wiley's expense, Browning and Oakley decided to have fun, so they summoned the Sheriff to chastise Post for breaking their agreement. After reaping humorous excitement and scaring Post to death, they freed Wiley Post of any misconduct and sent him in his aeroplane, back to Ardmore.
In 1924 Browning became Distributor for the SWALLOW aeroplane, the first commercial aeroplane built in the United States.
In 1926 Browning became Distributor for the ALEXANDER EAGLEROCK, then being built in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Eaglerock factory was not conveniently located to a field for aeroplane flights and all outgoing aeroplanes were shipped disassembled, by rail. Unexpectedly, Browning received a telegram from J. Don Alexander, the designer-builder of the Eaglerock, that read "Tomorrow shipping you a car-load Eaglerock aeroplanes". Browning wired back "If you do, you can pay return freight charges". Needless to say, the aeroplanes never arrived.
In December, 1926, when aviation was placed under the control of the Department of Commerce (DOC), and Parker D. Cramer, a DOC Inspector, arrived at the Browning Field to rate Browning as a pilot and to license his airplanes, he was booted off the field when he started to cut fabric from the covering of one of Browning's airplanes for testing. However, Browning received a TRANSPORT PILOT RATING (for commercial use), NO. 984, and also MECHANIC'S LICENSE No. 1068,each of which were kept current until shortly before his death. In later years he was granted Certificate of Authority as a Designated Aircraft Inspector, and also was an official Flight Examiner for Private and Commercial pilot applicants.
In 1929 when the depression hit, Browning moved his fixed base operation (FBO) from Wichita Falls to Abilene, Texas. During those lean years when money was scarce, Browning's prime income was from barnstorming, a main source of revenue.
In 1939 Browning and his wife, Emma C. Browning, moved their FBO, Browning Aerial Service, from Abilene to Austin, Texas. They promptly became government flight training contractors in the Civilian Pilot Training, War Training Service, and Navy V-5 programs, providing Primary, Secondary and Advanced Flight Instructor flight training courses for some five years.
Browning, in 1940, was instrumental in forming the Texas Flight Training Association, which evolved into and is known today as the National Air Transportation Association.
Browning remained active in his FBO on Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin until shortly before his death in 1973. Upon his demise his widow, Emma C. Browning, became President and his son Robert M. (Bobby) Browning, III, Vice-President & General Manager, who continued the FBO operation. In late 1987 they sold Browning Aerial Service, Inc. to a London, England group that is known as Signature on airports in the U.S. today.