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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-51

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Page ccAM051 (Revised 11/10/2007)

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-51: AM-51 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-51 and on November 1, 1940 inaugurated flight service between Norfolk VA and Knoxville TN.
         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.
PCA

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

51W1 401101 Norfolk VA PCA Harry L Harter $3.75
51W2 401101 Rocky Mount NC PCA Harry L Harter $2.25
51W3 401101 Raleigh NC PCA Harry L Harter $6.00
51E4 401101 Greensboro NC PCA Harry L Harter $6.00
51E3 401101 Raleigh NC PCA Harry L Harter $6.00
51E2 401101 Rocky Mount NC PCA Harry L Harter $3.00

51W4 401102 Greensboro NC PCA Harry L Harter $27.00
51E5 401102 Knoxville TN PCA Harry L Harter $4.50

R51E7 401108 to Hickory NC PCA $45.00
51W6 401108 Hickory NC PCA WR Sewell $45.00
R51W7 401108 to Hickory NC PCA $45.00
51E6 401108 Hickory NC PCA WR Sewell $45.00

R51E9 410627 to Asheville NC PCA $4.50
51W8 410627 Acheville NC PCA WR Sewell $2.25
R51W9 410627 to Asheville NC PCA $4.50
51E8 410627 Acheville NC PCA AP Chrisfield $3.00

PCA
Douglas DC-3

R51E11 451115 to Elizabeth City NC PCA $4.50
51W10 451115 Elizabeth City NC PCA JS Bradford $6.00
R51W11 451115 to Elizabeth City NC PCA $3.00
51E10 451115 Elizabeth City NC PCA JA Hinkle $3.00

         In April 1947 Pennsylvania-Central Airlines changed its name to Capital Airlines (CA).

CA
Douglas DC-3

51N12 470515 Richmond VA - Washington DC CA Roy I Pendleton $22.50

51S13 470604 Washington DC CA $22.50
51S13f 470604 Washington DC CA $22.50

51W14 470604 Winston-Salem NC CA AL Steele $6.00
51E14 470604 Winston-Salem NC CA Robert Dolan $6.00

51W15 470604 Knoxville TN CA William H Riley $9.00
51W16 470604 Chattangooga TN CA William H Riley $10.50
51W17 470604 Huntsville AL CA William H Riley $13.50
51E18 470604 Memphis TN CA Robert E Bittner $7.50
51E18f 470604 Memphis TN CA Robert E Bittner $3.75
51E17 470604 Huntsville AL CA PS McCracken $10.50
51E16 470604 Chattanooga TN CA Robert E Bittner $7.50

51S19 470608 Richmond VA CA W O'Connor $33.75
51N20 470608 Rocky Mount NC CA $37.50

51N21 471205 Charlotte NC CA Douglas Scherer $3.00
51S21 471205 Charlotte NC CA Al Steele $22.50

CA
Douglas DC-4

51S22 550925 Norfolk VA CA FH Mackey $33.75
51N23 550925 Atlanta GA CA FH Mackey $33.75
51N23f 550925 Atlanta GA CA FH Mackey $24.00

CA
Vickers 745 Viscount

51S24 581214 Cleveland OH CA Carl McQuigg $75.00
51S24f 581214 Cleveland OH CA Carl McQuigg $75.00
51N25 581214 Miami FL CA RT Dobbins $3.75
51N25f 581214 Miami FL CA RT Dobbins $3.00

51S26 590115 Tampa FL CA Norman Hunter $3.75
51S27 590115 Saint Petersburg FL CA Norman Hunter $4.50
51S28 590115 Clearwater FL CA Norman Hunter $3.75
51N28 590115 Clearwater FL CA Edward P O'Donnell $13.50
51N27 590115 Saint Petersburg FL CA Edward P O'Donnell $6.00
51N26 590115 Tampa FL CA Edward P O'Donnell $10.50

51S29 591025 Atlanta GA CA Frank W Malone $3.75
51S29f 591025 Atlanta GA CA Frank W Malone $3.00

51N30 591025 Jacksonville FL CA James K Wherry $3.75
51N30f 591025 Jacksonville FL CA James K Wherry $4.50
51S30 591025 Jacksonville FL CA August H Miller $3.75
51S30f 591025 Jacksonville FL CA August H Miller $3.75

51N31 600115 West Palm Beach FL CA William Lively $3.75

         On June 1, 1961 Capital Airlines was merged into United Airlines.

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 #

1001 1002

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 84
86 87 88 90 91 93 94 96 97 98 99 100 101 103 105
106 107 111 119 120 121 139 140 141 143 144 148 172

INDEX: First Flights by Air Taxi Services Route #

288 289 290 291 292 293 295 296 297 298
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