The General Aristocrat: Buffalo’s Forgotten Aviation Pioneer

I know I’ve touched on the Aristocrat airplane, being it was my father’s first airplane purchased right after receiving his pilot’s license, but now it’s time to really dive into this fascinating aircraft. As I write blog posts for this website, I often reminisce about how my father must have felt while gaining flight time, starting with his training in an Alexander Eaglerock at Burgard Vocational High School in the early 1930s.

Join me as I take a closer look at the Aristocrat. Imagine yourself about 100 years ago when general aviation was just spreading its wings and growing at a breakneck pace. Back then, you tucked any fears deep into your trousers, buckled up, and took off. Each aircraft had its quirks, and you quickly learned what was needed for a smooth flight. Pilots who could adapt in a heartbeat soared ahead, while those who hesitated usually found themselves in less comfortable trousers—or they hung up their goggles for good.

The late 1920s were a thrilling time in American aviation, bursting with new ideas and a collective dream of making flight accessible to everyone. Right in the heart of this era emerged Buffalo’s own General Airplane Corporation (G.A.C.), whose brief but bold existence produced the charming and now largely forgotten Aristocrat cabin monoplane.

Birth of a Vision

In June 1928, visionaries Charles S. Rieman and A. Francis Arcier established G.A.C. to catch the wave of America’s aviation boom. Arcier, with experience from Handley Page and Fokker, designed the Aristocrat as the company’s showpiece. This sleek three-seater initially boasted innovative folding wings (though practicality soon dictated otherwise), aerodynamic landing gear, and a clever “airfoil-shaped” fuselage that promised extra lift and passenger comfort.

Design & Innovation

Underneath its graceful lines, the Aristocrat had a tough steel-tube frame, fabric covering, and a spruce box-spar wooden wing. It initially flew with the reliable 110 hp Warner Scarab radial engine, cruising comfortably at 90 mph with a top speed of 109 mph. Visually striking with its clipped wingtips and characteristic hump-backed cabin, it echoed popular designs of contemporaries like Bellanca aircraft.

Variants & Technical Details

Here’s a look at the Aristocrat’s key variants:

• Model 102-A: The main production model, certified in March 1929. It had a 36-foot wingspan, a gross weight of 2,110 lbs, and a service ceiling of around 14,000 feet.
• Model 102-E: Rolled out in late 1929 with a robust 165 hp Wright J-6-5 Whirlwind engine, pushing top speeds to roughly 125 mph and lifting the ceiling to 16,000 feet. Only six were built.
• Model 102-F: Featured a 165 hp Continental A-70 engine; just four made it off the production line before G.A.C. folded.

Operational History & Challenges

Despite its innovative features, the Aristocrat faced intense competition. Rivals like the Curtiss Robin and Cessna AW offered better pricing or superior performance, squeezing G.A.C.’s market share. Yet the Aristocrat did find niche successes, notably through an eight-plane promotional tour by General Tire & Rubber in 1929, demonstrating reliability and versatility across the country.

The Economic Crash & G.A.C.’s Demise

Unfortunately, the bright prospects of the late 1920s crashed alongside the stock market. By 1929, aircraft orders plummeted, forcing G.A.C. into relocation and restructuring attempts. Ultimately, General Airplane Corporation shuttered its doors in May 1931 after producing roughly 43 Aristocrats.

Surviving Legacy

Today, just one Aristocrat (NC279H) remains, meticulously restored and proudly displayed at the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Oregon. This rare survivor connects us directly to Buffalo’s aviation heritage and embodies the pioneering spirit and ingenuity of early American aviation.

Though the Aristocrat never dominated the skies, its charm and innovation still captivate aviation enthusiasts nearly a century later.

Though the Aristocrat never dominated the skies, its enduring charm and innovative spirit continue to captivate aviation enthusiasts nearly a century later. 

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Are you interested in a deeper dive? Let’s continue exploring the complete history and technical intricacies of the Aristocrat and the ambitious company behind it.

Company Timeline and Milestones (1928–1931)

• June 1928 – Founding: The General Airplanes Corporation (G.A.C.) is established in Buffalo, New York, by Charles S. Rieman and A. Francis Arcier. The company was formed during the late 1920s aviation boom, aiming to cash in on the growing private and commercial airplane market. Alan L. “Pat” Patterson serves as Vice President and General Manager, overseeing sales of the new aircraft line.
• July 1928 – First Prototype: The prototype of G.A.C.’s light cabin monoplane is completed and flown in late July 1928. This initial model (the G.A.C. Model 102) is a three-seat high-wing plane with folding wings, built for testing and demonstration. Over the next months, three prototypes (registered X6788, X7511, X7942) undergo extensive service trials – reportedly 90 hours of cross-country flying by 60 different pilots by mid-1929.
• Late 1928 – Public Debut and Byrd Expedition: G.A.C. showcases the new plane to the public. One early prototype, freshly christened the “Aristocrat,” is painted bright green and marked “Byrd Antarctic Expedition” for publicity. In August 1928, famed polar pilot Bernt Balchen flew this Aristocrat from Buffalo to New York as a delivery for Admiral Richard Byrd’s Antarctic expedition. (Despite the fanfare, this aircraft ultimately did not go to Antarctica with the expedition)
• March 1929 – Certification and Production Launch: After design refinements, the plane (now designated Model 102-A Aristocrat) receives Approved Type Certificate No. A-117 in March 1929. With certification in hand, General Airplanes begins production of the Aristocrat at its Buffalo factory. The standard 3-seat Aristocrat 102-A sells for about $6,000 and is targeted at private owners and business flyers as a “general purpose” cabin plane. Early 1929 also saw the company aggressively marketing the Aristocrat nationwide.
• Mid–Late 1929 – New Variants and Models: Facing stiff competition, G.A.C. boosts the Aristocrat’s performance with new engine options. The Model 102-E Aristocrat with a 165 hp Wright Whirlwind engine was certified in August 1929 (ATC A-210). The company also developed two new aircraft in 1929: the Model 107 “Mailman” – a single-seat sesquiplane mailplane with an all-metal monocoque fuselage – and the Model 111-C “Cadet” – a two-seat parasol-wing trainer derived from the Aristocrat’s parts. Both the 107 and 111-C made their first flights in 1929, but neither found a market before the Great Depression hit.
• October 1929 – Competition and Crash: By late 1929, the stock market crash and a flooded airplane market created headwinds for G.A.C. The Aristocrat faces fierce competition from rival designs like the Curtiss Robin and Cessna AW, which offer similar or better performance for a comparable price. Although G.A.C. manages to sell a few dozen Aristocrats (including a notable fleet of 8 bought by General Tire & Rubber for a nationwide promotional tour, the economic downturn sharply curtails new orders.
• 1930 – Reorganization and Decline: As sales dry up, General Airplanes Corporation’s finances deteriorate. By mid-1930, the Buffalo production facility was shut down, and the company relocated to a single hangar at Roosevelt Field on Long Island (incorporating as General Airplanes Corp. of New York in an attempted reorganization). A last batch of Aristocrats with 165 hp Continental engines (the Model 102-F) is produced under a temporary permit in 1930, and two Cadet trainers are completed that year. But overall demand for new planes has collapsed due to the Depression.
• May 1931 – Company Closes: General Airplanes Corp. never recovers. Having built approximately 50 aircraft in total (including all Aristocrat variants and other models), the firm went bankrupt. Its remaining assets are auctioned off on May 16, 1931. Aristocrat production ends with about 43 units built (the last serial-numbered Aristocrat was No. 43). One of the final Aristocrats winds up mounted on a rooftop as a restaurant attraction – a poignant symbol of the company’s fate.

Design and Development of the Aristocrat Cabin Monoplane

Concept and Layout: The General Aristocrat was conceived as a modern three-seat cabin monoplane for private owners, combining comfort with reliable performance. A. Francis Arcier, G.A.C.’s chief engineer (previously with Handley Page and Fokker), designed the plane. The original prototype Model 102 featured folding wings for easy storage, but this feature proved unpopular and was dropped in the refined Model 102-A design. The resulting Aristocrat 102-A was a high-wing braced monoplane with a strut-supported wing and a fully enclosed cabin – a relatively conservative configuration by late-1920s standards.

Construction: In structure, the Aristocrat was conventional but sturdy. The fuselage and tail were built from welded chrome-moly steel tubing with fabric covering. The wing was of all-wood construction (spruce box spars and girder ribs) with fabric skin, using G.A.C.’s own custom airfoil profile. Two fuel tanks in the wing held 40 gallons total. The wing panels had a rectangular planform with distinctive clipped wingtips, a styling cue inspired by Bellanca aircraft of the era. In fact, observers often remarked that the Aristocrat looked like a “scaled-down Bellanca,” due to its wingtip shape and its hump-backed upper fuselage contour. This raised dorsal fairing blended the cabin roof into the tail and was touted in ads as an “airfoil” fuselage for extra lift, though in reality, it provided more marketing appeal than measurable lift.

Powerplant and Performance: The standard engine on the early Aristocrat was the brand-new 110 hp Warner Scarab 7-cylinder radial. This reliable air-cooled engine offered an attractive alternative to the old heavy Curtiss OX-5 water-cooled motors, giving the Aristocrat decent power for its class. The Scarab engine was uncowled in most installations, mounted at the nose with a fixed-pitch prop. In the light 3-seat airframe, the 110 hp Aristocrat 102-A could reach about 109 mph top speed and cruise around 90 mph. It wasn’t the fastest plane of its day, but it was reported to be “very stable… a not fussy airplane” with good handling on the ground and in the air.

Notable Design Features: The Aristocrat incorporated a few innovative touches:

• It had large, single-leg landing gear struts with oleo shock absorbers enclosed in streamlined fairings. This clean single-strut gear (each leg looking like a faired cantilever) was more aerodynamic than the typical dual-strut landing gear on many contemporaries.
• The cabin was accessed by two big side doors, one on each side, allowing easy entry to the pilot’s seat and the rear bench. The pilot sat at dual controls in front, while two passengers shared a bench seat behind him. If dual controls were installed in the back (for training), only one passenger could sit there due to space/weight limits.
• There was a small baggage compartment (~7 cubic feet) behind the rear seat, although with full fuel and two passengers, the useful load left for luggage was essentially zero. (This payload limitation was common in small planes of the time – full tanks plus two people often maxed out the weight.)
• The humped upper fuselage not only gave the plane its signature look but also provided additional headroom in the cabin and (the designers claimed) a bit of extra lift. While engineers like Arcier knew the lift gain was negligible, this feature was a distinctive selling point in brochures.

Development Challenges: Despite a sound design, the Aristocrat entered a very competitive market. By the time it was ready in 1929, several other three-seat cabin planes were already vying for customers. The Curtiss Robin, for example, had been out for a year and offered similar capacity using a surplus OX-5 engine at a price nearly $2,000 cheaper. Even upgraded Robins (with 165 hp Wright or 185 hp Curtiss Challenger radials) outperformed the Aristocrat for only $1,500 more. Likewise, the 1928 Cessna AW (also Warner-powered) was faster and even fit a fourth seat, for not much more money. This intense competition forced General Airplanes to continually improve the Aristocrat’s performance and to market it aggressively as “the ideal all-purpose plane for all seasons.”

Specifications and Variants of the Aristocrat

Basic Specifications (Aristocrat 102-A): The table below summarizes the general characteristics of the standard 102-A Aristocrat (with 110 hp engine):

General Airplanes Aristocrat 102-A
Crew & Seating: 1 pilot + 2 passengers (cabin)	Engine: Warner Scarab 7-cyl radial, 110 hp @ 1850 rpm.
Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 4 in; Length 25 ft 4 in; Height ~7 ft 7 in; Wing Area 195 sq ft.	Weights: Empty ~1,327 lbs; Gross 2,110 lbs. Useful load ~783 lbs. (fuel, crew, baggage)
Structure: High-wing braced monoplane; steel-tube fuselage & tail with fabric covering; wooden wing with two spars. Fixed tailwheel undercarriage with faired single-strut landing gear.
Performance: Top speed ~109 mph; Cruise ~90 mph; Stall ~45 mph; Climb ~650 ft/min; Service ceiling ~14,000 ft; Range ~490 miles (Powered by 110 hp Scarab.)

Known Variants: Several evolutionary versions of the Aristocrat were built as G.A.C. sought better performance and sales:

• Model 102 (Prototype): Initial version with folding wings and Scarab 110 hp. Three prototypes were built in 1928. This configuration was modified before production; no certified “102” entered the market.
• Model 102-A “Aristocrat” (Production): Main production model as described above. Equipped with a 110 hp Scarab engine (later 125 hp Scarab upgrades allowed via ATC amendment). Received ATC A-117 in March 1929. Approx. 31 built (serials NC61V, NC83V, C216E, NC275H–279H, etc. as recorded). This model was marketed simply as the “General Aristocrat”.
• Model 102-E “Aristocrat” (Whirlwind engine): Higher-powered variant to boost speed and load. Used a 165 hp Wright J-6-5 Whirlwind (5-cylinder radial). The 102-E earned ATC A-210 on Aug 23, 1929. Performance improved – top speed about 120–128 mph and service ceiling over 16,000 ft – at the cost of a slightly higher empty weight and $1,500 higher price. Six 102-E models were built in 1930. (Registrations NC280H–284H, NC715Y.) The 102-E is visually similar to the 102-A; most were conversions or late-production machines.
• Model 102-B: This designation was used for a one-off conversion/test plane. One early Aristocrat was fitted with a 150 hp Wright engine and initially called 102-B. It later got the J-6-7 (225 hp) engine and effectively became a 102-E configuration in use. (It was eventually sold for experimental use.)
• Model 102-F: A final variant with a 165 hp Continental A-70 7-cylinder radial. This was essentially a 102-A airframe adapted for the Continental engine as another improvement attempt. However, the 102-F was only granted a Category 2 (Memo) Certificate in July 1930 (not a full ATC). Only four 102-F Aristocrats were produced before the company halted production.
• Model 107 “Mailman”: Although not an “Aristocrat” per se, this single-seat mail plane was built by G.A.C. in 1929 using some Aristocrat design elements (notably, the same wingtip style). The Model 107 was an advanced biplane (sesquiplane): it had a large upper wing and small lower wing, a 525 hp Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine, and a metal monocoque fuselage with NACA cowling – extremely innovative for its day. In many ways, the 107 “Mailman” was ahead of its time (pioneering features later seen on the Boeing Monomail), but it came too late; only one was built (NX459K), and it was eventually used as an engine testbed by Curtiss-Wright.
• Model 111-C “Cadet”: A two-seat trainer introduced in 1929 as a side project. The Cadet 111-C was essentially a pared-down Aristocrat: it used the Aristocrat’s wing, tail, landing gear, and a Scarab 110 hp engine, but on a new tandem-cockpit fuselage (an open parasol monoplane layout). Intended as an affordable flight school trainer, it had a lighter weight (only ~1,741 lb gross) and slightly larger wing, yielding gentle handling. Its performance was modest (about 128 mph top speed). The Cadet received ATC A-229 in Sept 1929, but with the biplane trainer era ending, it found no buyers – only two Cadets were built.

Operational History and Legacy

In Service – “Aristocrats” at Work: Although the Aristocrat never sold in the hundreds, those that were delivered saw a variety of uses in the late 1920s. The most prominent deployment was by General Tire & Rubber Company, which purchased eight Aristocrats for a 48-state advertising tour in 1929. These aircraft barnstormed around the country, emblazoned with General Tire logos, demonstrating both air travel reliability and the sponsor’s products. (It’s speculated that General Tire may have been a financial backer of G.A.C., given the naming coincidence, though evidence is scant.) Other Aristocrats went to private owner-pilots and small charter operators. The plane’s roomy cabin and decent range (~480–490 miles) made it suitable for business travel, aerial photography, and personal touring. Pilots praised the Aristocrat’s docile flying qualities – “not a fussy airplane” as museum pilots recount – and its ability to operate from short grass fields thanks to its low landing speed (~40–45 mph) and sturdy landing gear.

Competition and “Horsepower Race”: From the outset, the Aristocrat faced extremely tough competition. Within its 3-seat cabin class, the Curtiss Robin and Buhl CA-6 Airsedan were already on the market, soon joined by the heavier 4-seat Cessna AW and others. To keep pace, owners and the factory often retrofitted Aristocrats with bigger engines. Several 102-A models were upgraded on the assembly line to the 165 hp Wright J-6-5 (becoming 102-E models). G.A.C. even advertised optional engine installs like the Floco/Axelson radial or the Comet radial, though those combinations never actually got built in production. By 1930, one Aristocrat had been experimentally fitted with a 125 hp Warner “Super Scarab” (a higher-compression version of the engine), and the factory itself was turning out the 165 hp Continentals in the last days of production. Despite these improvements, sales remained limited, as larger firms (Curtiss, Waco, Travel Air, etc.) had well-established dealer networks that newcomers like G.A.C. struggled to match.

Notable Flights and Incidents: Aside from the General Tire tour and the Byrd Expedition publicity stunt, individual Aristocrats had interesting careers:

• Chicago Air Races 1928–29: At the 1928 National Air Races in Chicago, the Aristocrat made a strong impression. It was reportedly “the hit of the show” among light planes, second in public interest only to a new Army racer. It’s a good showing with both the public and dealers giving G.A.C. confidence – one company release boasted that 1929 production would be worth $3 million (an optimistic figure that assumed sustained demand).
• Lady Mary Heath’s Endorsement: In December 1928, celebrated aviatrix Lady Mary Heath (nicknamed “England’s Lady Lindy”) flew an Aristocrat on a winter trip from Buffalo to Toronto and back. She was impressed by its handling and comfort in cold weather, writing a letter of praise to G.A.C.’s manager, G. Maclean Gardner. Heath’s testimonial – “the ease of handling and good balance… I was amazed at its unusual comfort and speed” – was used in national ads to promote the Aristocrat’s reliability. This kind of high-profile endorsement was valuable for the young company.
• Experimental Testbed: The very last Aristocrat off the line (c/n 43) ended up in the hands of the Berliner-Joyce Aircraft Corp. in 1931. Berliner-Joyce acquired it to experiment with “full-span Zap flaps” – a type of Fowler-like extensible flap that slid rearward to increase wing area. They modified the wings with these flaps and tested the concepts in flight. After completing the trials, the aircraft was no longer needed; its engine was removed, and the airframe was literally mounted atop a roadside diner as an eye-catching billboard.
• Survival into the 1940s: A number of Aristocrats remained in private service through the 1930s. As of 1948, at least 7 Aristocrat 102-As and 1 Aristocrat 102-E were still listed on the U.S. civil aircraft registry. This is a testament to their solid design – owners kept them flying long after the manufacturer disappeared. However, over time, most were lost or scrapped.

Company’s Role in Early Aviation: General Airplanes Corporation is remembered as one of many ambitious but short-lived aircraft makers of the “Golden Age” of aviation. In the brief span of 1928–1930, G.A.C. managed to design and produce a complete line of aircraft, from light planes to a mailplane, which was no small feat. The Aristocrat itself is often cited as a classic example of the 1920s cabin monoplane: fabric-covered, strut-braced, relatively comfortable, and aimed at the new market of private flyers. The company’s most innovative creation, the Model 107 Mailplane, actually foreshadowed design trends of the 1930s (all-metal construction and aerodynamic NACA cowlings). But like many others, General Airplanes Corp. was a victim of timing – born at the peak of a boom, and gone by the depths of the Depression. Aviation historians note that G.A.C. “never had the time or numbers to build a great reputation” before the market collapsed. Nonetheless, the Aristocrat left a small but noteworthy legacy in early American aviation as “America’s Finest Small Plane” of its day.

Surviving Aircraft: Today, only one General Aristocrat is known to survive intact. That survivor (NC279H, c/n 20) has been lovingly restored and is on display (and occasionally flown) at the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon. It has been updated with a Continental W-670 220 hp engine for reliability, but it still sports the Aristocrat’s characteristic bright color scheme and three-seat cabin. Pilots who have flown it report that “she flies very nicely” and retains the gentle handling qualities advertised so long ago. Seeing this yellow-and-black Aristocrat in the air today offers a direct link to Buffalo’s aviation heritage and the innovative spirit of General Airplanes Corp.

That’s a wrap for this one—thanks for sticking around until the end! Drop a comment below; I’d love to hear your thoughts, stories, or questions, and I’ll catch you in the next post!