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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-55

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Page ccAM055 (Revised 11/12/2007)

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-55: AM-55 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

55S1 410715 Pittsburgh PA PCA WL Mason $4.50
55S1f 410715 Pittsburgh PA PCA WL Mason $6.00
55S2 410715 Clarksburg WV PCA WL Mason $7.50
55S3 410715 Charleston WV PCA WL Mason $7.50
55S4 410715 Bristol TN PCA WL Mason $9.00
55S5 410715 Bristol VA PCA WL Mason $11.25
55S6 410715 Knoxville TN PCA Sam A Carson $9.00
55S7 410715 Chattanooga TN PCA Sam A Carson $11.25
55N8 410715 Birmingham AL PCA Sam A Carson $4.50
55N7 410715 Chattanooga TN PCA Sam A Carson $6.00
55N6 410715 Knoxville TN PCA WL Mason $6.00
55N5 410715 Bristol VA PCA WL Mason $11.25
55N4 410715 Bristol TN PCA WL Mason $9.00
55N3 410715 Charleston WV PCA WL Mason $7.50
55N2 410715 Clarksburg WV PCA WL Mason $9.00

R55N10 410803 to Morgantown WV PCA -- $6.00
55S9 410803 Morgantown WV PCA Sam A Carson $5.25
R55S10 410803 to Morgantown WV PCA -- $6.00
55N9 410803 Morgantown WV PCA Sam A Carson $7.50

PCA
Douglas DC-3

R55N12 441105 to Huntsville AL PCA -- $4.50
55S11 441105 Huntsville AL PCA William Riley $15.00
R55S12 441105 to Huntsville AL PCA -- $4.50
55N11 441105 Huntsville AL PCA William Riley $2.25

55S13 450702 New York NY PCA William Riley $0
55S13f 450702 New York NY PCA William Riley $0
55N14 450702 Pittsburgh PA PCA NM McNeil $0
55N14f 450702 Pittsburgh PA PCA NM McNeil $0

R55N16 460204 to Newark NJ PCA Robert E Bittner $0
55S15 460204 Newark NJ PCA LB Honaker $0
55S15f 460204 Newark NJ PCA LB Honaker $0
R55S16 460204 to Newark NJ PCA HE Hiser $0

55S17 461106 Wheeling WV PCA SD Mason $0
55N17 461106 Wheeling WV PCA JC Trevor $0

55S18 470709 Harrisburg PA PCA EC Kegley $0
55N18 470709 Harrisburg PA PCA Galen H Miller $0

55S19 480408 Birmingham AL PCA Trow Sebree $0
55S19f 480408 Birmingham AL PCA Trow Sebree $0
55S20 480408 Mobile AL PCA Trow Sebree $0
55N21 480408 New Orleans LA PCA WG Henderson $0
55N21f 480408 New Orleans LA PCA WG Henderson $0
55N20 480408 Mobile AL PCA WG Henderson $0

         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.

CA
Douglas DC-4

55S22 480512 Charleston WV CA MJ Kardos $0
55S25 480512 Bristol TN CA A Satorius $0
55S26 480512 Bristol VA CA A Satorius $0
55S27 480512 Kingsport VA CA A Satorius $0
55S28 480512 Johnson City VA CA A Satorius $0
55S24 480512 Asheville NC CA George C Agner $0
55N23 480512 Atlanta GA CA MJ Kardos $0
55N23f 480512 Atlanta GA CA MJ Kardos $0
55N24 480512 Asheville NC CA A Satorius $0

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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