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The Club's goals, established in 1909, remain unchanged to this day.

Foster and promote interest in the principles and development of aeronautics
Extend honors and hospitalities to eminent airmen
Arrange for lectures and demonstrations
Encourage and arrange for national and international competitions, conventions, congresses and exhibitions
Offer such medals, trophies and prizes as may from time to time be deemed expedient

In an era when public relations was an unknown phrase and ballyhoo was considered as odorous as its practitioners, the Aero Club was slow in reaching the public with the Wright story. This was understandable. The objects of their affection, like many another aviation heroes who followed them, regarded publicity as poison.

Diary notes and letters of the Wrights during the period are filled with complaints about the public attention they received. Orville delayed one of his flights at Ft. Myer to reprimand photographers who annoyed him. From Europe, Wilbur wrote repeatedly that the general public took up time that could otherwise have been used for work. Only the powerful persuasion of all members convinced the brothers that they should submit to the program that the Aero Club proposed.

The breakthrough occurred on June 10, 1909, when the Wrights, under Aero Club auspices, were guests at the Cosmos Club. From there they went to the White House, where President Taft presented them with the first Aero Club medal. Page one stories with cartoons and pictures followed in the Washington papers and the Wright story was given tremendous play across the nation. Once and for all, the crackpot myth was buried and the Wrights were established as national heroes-and their airplanes as world-significant achievements.