Editing Airco (section)

==Origins and de Havilland==
During 1912, Airco was established by [[newspaper]] proprietor and industrialist [[George Holt Thomas]]. The firm was initially based at [[The Hyde]] in [[Hendon]], north [[London]], England. Starting in August 1914, the aviator [[William Taylor Birchenough (Aviator)|William Taylor Birchenough]] worked as a test pilot for Airco. That same year, learning that [[Geoffrey de Havilland]], who was then at the [[Royal Aircraft Factory]] in Farnborough, might be available, Holt Thomas invited him to join Airco as its chief designer. De Havilland's Airco designs would prove decisive to the company, which would eventually provide around 30 per cent of all trainers, fighters and bombers used by Britain and the United States during the [[World War I|First World War]].<ref>The King's Interest In Flying. Factory And Aerodrome Visited. ''The Times'', Friday, 1 June 1917; pg. 9; Issue 41493.</ref> De Havilland's designs for Airco were all marked with his initials "DH".<ref name="DreadfulCaption">Airco display advertisement, page 3, ''The Times'', 3 December 1918.</ref>