web-catalog        Post DeRegulation Air Mail First Flights         National Airlines

Aerodacious (Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious) eMail: Aerodacious Page US022National (Revised 01/28/2008)

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.

National Airlines Systems was founded in St Petersburg FL inaugurating flight service on October 15, 1934 between St. Petersburg and Daytona Beach via Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando. Its initial fleet consisted of Ryan Brougham aircraft. On July 8, 1937 NAS became National Airlines. It extended its routes to Jacksonville and Miami flying Stinson Model T Tri-motor aircraft.

         National Airlines relocated it's general offices and principal base of operations from St Petersburg to Jacksonville in 1939. During WW-II it allocated a portion of its fleet to the Air Transport Command and operated Air Corps contract schools for pilots, mechanics, radio operators and navigators.

McDonnell Douglas DC-10

NA-F1	781213	New York NY-Amsterdam Netherlands	National Airlines	Paul Nelson	$3.00
NA-F1f	781213	New York NY-Amsterdam Netherlands	National Airlines	Paul Nelson	$3.00
NA-F1u	781213	New York NY-Amsterdam Netherlands	National Airlines	Paul Nelson	$4.50
NA-F2	781214	Amsterdam Netherlands-New York	National Airlines	Paul Nelson	$12.00

        National Airlines merged with Pan American World Airways on December 22, 1979.

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