CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-34

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web-catalog CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-34

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Page ccAM034 (Revised 11/07/2007)

Background: The Air Mail Act of 1925 (Kelly Act) authorized the postmaster general to contract for domestic airmail service with commercial air carriers. It also set airmail rates and the level of cash subsidies to be paid to companies that carried the mail. By transferring airmail operations to private companies, the government effectively would help create the commercial aviation industry. Various routes were designated and contracts for carrying the mail over these routes were then awarded to many different private air service companies. The Contract Air Mail routes became known as CAM's.

AM-34: AM-34 was awarded to Pennsylvania-Central Airlines. PCA was founded on November 1, 1936 by the merger of Pennsylvania Air Lines (PAL) and Central Airlines (CA). PCA was based at Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh. It was awarded AM-34 and on October 26, 1937 inaugurated flight service between Washington DC and Buffalo NY. Two Boeing 247D aircraft made the round trip on that inaugural service with pilot, JH Neale carrying all the mail from Harrisburg and pilot, RH Taylor carrying all the mail from Williamsport, both on their southbound flights.
The Boeing 247 had been launched in 1933 as the first "modern" American airliner, featuring all-metal monococque construction. PCA operated the 247 from 1936 through WW-II along its Mid-Atlantic and "Rust Belt" route system.

X34N1 371026 Washington DC PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $6.00

X34N1f 371026 Washington DC PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $11.25

X34N2 371026 Baltimore MD PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $6.00

X34N3 371026 Harrisburg PA PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $6.00

X34N4 371026 Williamsport PA PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $4.50

X34S5 371026 Buffalo NY PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $4.50

X34S5f 371026 Buffalo NY PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $41.25

X34S4 371026 Williamsport PA PCA RH Taylor $6.00

X34S3 371026 Harrisburg PA PCA JH Neale $11.25

X34S2 371026 Baltimore MD PCA JH Neale/RH Taylor $7.50

DC-3's were added to the PCA fleet to accommodate the increased passenger traffic and added poundage of airmail.

X34N6 451120 Williamsport PA PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

X34N7 451120 Elmira NY PCA David J Dutcher $4.50

X34N8 451120 Corning NY PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

X34N9 451120 Rochester NY PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

X34S10 451120 Buffalo NY PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

X34S10f 451120 Buffalo NY PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

X34S9 451120 Rochester NY PCA David J Dutcher $6.00

X34S8 451120 Corning NY PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

X34S7 451120 Elmira NY PCA David J Dutcher $7.50

In 1946 PCA became the launch customer for the Douglas DC-4. In 1948 PCA created the "Nighthawk," the first coach class service designed to compete with the railroads between Chicago and New York City. On April 21, 1948 PCA adopted a new insignia, colors, and name and became Capital Airlines.

X34E11 490504 Williamsport PA CA John K Bentley $6.00

X34E12 490504 Reading PA CA Charles E Wafel $2.25

X34W13 490504 Philadelphia PA CA John K Bentley $4.50

X34W13f 490504 Philadelphia PA CA John K Bentley $3.75

X34W12 490504 Reading PA CA Charles E Wafel $6.00

INDEX: First Flights by CAM Route #

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

INDEX: First Flights by Experimental Route #

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

INDEX: First Flights by Air Taxi Services Route #

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