web-catalog        Post DeRegulation Air Mail First Flights         Eastern Air Lines

Aerodacious (Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious) eMail: Aerodacious Page US012Eastern (Revised 01/27/2008)

Background: The Airline Deregulation Act took effect of December 1, 1978. The main purpose of the Act was to remove government control from commercial aviation and expose the passenger airline industry to market forces. This Act changed the face of civil aviation in the US. Air Mail would continue to be carried by Air Carriers but the old system of CAM and FAM routes would evolve into Air Mail flown by individual US airlines to both domestic and foreign destinations.

On January 17, 1930 Pitcairn Aviation was re-named Eastern Air Transport. Supplementing its fleet of Mailwing’s, EAT acquired three Ford Trimotors. On January 1, 1931 EAT flying its Ford Trimotor, inaugurated its first combined passenger and air mail flight service between St Petersburg FL and Newark NJ. EAT later became Eastern Air Lines (EAL) on March 29, 1938. Former WW-I hero, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker took over at the "new" Eastern Air Lines. All Eastern's equipment bore the legend "The Great Silver Fleet." AM-42 was awarded to EAL and on October 10, 1938 it began flight service between Houston and San Antonio TX.

McDonnell Douglas DC-9

EA-D5E	781213	Salt Lake City UT	Eastern Air Lines	WH Fisher	$75.00
EA-D5Ef	781213	Salt Lake City UT	Eastern Air Lines	WH Fisher	$83.00

EA-D6Wf	781224	Houston TX	Eastern Air Lines		$200.00
EA-D7E	781224	Austin TX	Eastern Air Lines		$200.00

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