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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-88

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Page ccAM088 (Revised 10/27/2009)

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-88: AM-88 was awarded to Turner Airlines. In 1940 aviation pioneer, air racer and decorated World War I hero, Roscoe Turner founded Roscoe Turner Aeronautical Corporation. RTAC operated charter flights with multiple stops between Detroit MI and Memphis TN using the single engine Stinson aircraft. In February 1948, the CAB issued temporary authority for RTAC to serve cities in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Illinois as a local service carrier. With the financial investment of Paul and John Weesner RTAC became Turner Airlines.
        Turner Airlines acquired two Douglas DC-3s and three all-aluminum Beech Bonanzas. While Turner Airlines heavily promoted the DC-3s, many cities were served using the three-seat Beech Bonanzas because they had runways too short for the DC-3s. AM-88 was awarded to Turner Airlines and on November 12, 1949 Turner inaugurated flight service between Indianapolis IN and Grand Rapids MI. Turner's DC-3s had “Lake Central Route” written down the side of the aircraft.

TA

88S1 491112 Grand Rapids MI TA John W Horn $3.00
88S2 491112 Kalamazoo MI TA Thomas F Quinn $2.25
88S3 491112 South Bend IN TA Thomas F Quinn $3.00
88S4 491112 Kokomo IN TA Thomas F Quinn $4.50
88N5 491112 Indianapolis IN TA Thomas F Quinn $3.00
88N5f 491112 Indianapolis IN TA Thomas F Quinn $3.00
88N4 491112 Kokomo IN TA Thomas F Quinn $3.00
88N3 491112 South Bend IN TA Thomas F Quinn $97.50
88N2 491112 Kalamazoo MI TA Frank D Bray $13.50

88SE6 500130 Chicago IL TA James M Elrod $3.75
88SE6f 500130 Chicago IL TA James M Elrod $3.75
88SE7 500130 Lafayette IN TA Albert E Sabo $3.75
88S8 500130 Indianapolis IN TA James M Elrod $6.00
88S8f 500130 Indianapolis IN TA James M Elrod $3.75
88S9 500130 Bloomington IN TA James M Elrod $3.00
88N10 500130 Louisville KY TA John W Horn $3.75
88N9 500130 Bloomington IN TA John W Horn $3.75
88NW8 500130 Indianapolis IN TA James M Elrod $6.00
88NW8f 500130 Indianapolis IN TA James M Elrod $4.50
88NW7 500130 Lafayette IN TA James M Elrod $3.00

88E11 500210 Indianapolis IN TA John W Horn $3.75
88E11f 500210 Indianapolis IN TA John W Horn $4.50
88E12 500210 Connersville IN TA John W Horn $3.75
88W13 500210 Cincinnati OH TA John W Horn $3.75
88W13f 500210 Cincinnati OH TA John W Horn $3.75
88W12 500210 Connersville IN TA John W Horn $4.50

88E14 501002 Indianapolis IN TA Daniel T Haas $30.00
88E14f 501002 Indianapolis IN TA Daniel T Haas $19.50
88S15 501002 Richmond IN TA Daniel T Haas $3.00
88N16f 501002 Cincinnati OH TA Daniel T Haas $13.50
88W15 501002 Richmond IN TA Daniel T Haas $3.00
88NW17 501002 Kokomo IN TA Daniel T Haas $7.50

        In November 1950 Turner Airlines was renamed Lake Central Airlines.

LCA
Douglas DC-3

88SE18 510102 Chicago IL LCA James M Elrod $33.75
88SE18f 510102 Chicago IL LCA James M Elrod $24.00

88N19 530228 Gary IN LCA Harvey Goff $2.25
88S19 530228 Gary IN LCA Harvey Goff $3.00

88E20 530401 Indianapolis IN LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88E20f 530401 Indianapolis IN LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88E21 530401 Richmond IN LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88E22 530401 Dayton OH LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88E23 530401 Springfield OH LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88W24 530401 Columbus OH LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88W24f 530401 Columbus OH LCA James M Elrod $2.25
88W23 530401 Springfield OH LCA James M Elrod $3.00
88W22 530401 Dayton OH LCA James M Elrod $4.50
88W21 530401 Richmond IN LCA Harvey Goff $3.75

88N24 530415 Columbus OH LCA W Twyman Youree $6.00
88N24f 530415 Columbus OH LCA W Twyman Youree $4.50
88N25 530415 Marion OH LCA W Twyman Youree $3.00
88N26 530415 Mansfield OH LCA W Twyman Youree $3.00
88S27 530415 Cleveland OH LCA W Twyman Youree $2.25
88S27f 530415 Cleveland OH LCA W Twyman Youree $2.25
88S26 530415 Mansfield OH LCA W Twyman Youree $4.50
88S25 530415 Marion OH LCA W Twyman Youree $6.00

88E28 530415 Columbus OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88E28f 530415 Columbus OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88E29 530415 Zanesville OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88E30 530415 Dover OH LCA Albert E Sabo $7.50
88NE30 530415 Dover OH LCA Albert E Sabo $4.50
88E31 530415 New Philadelphia OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88NE31 530415 New Philadelphia OH LCA Albert E Sabo $4.50
88SW32 530415 Youngstown OH LCA Albert E Sabo $2.25
88SW33 530415 Warren OH LCA Albert E Sabo $19.50
88SW34 530415 Sharon OH LCA Albert E Sabo $13.50
88W35 530415 Pittsburgh PA LCA Albert E Sabo $3.75
88W35f 530415 Pittsburgh PA LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88W31 530415 New Philadelphia OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88W30 530415 Dover OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.75
88W29 530415 Zanesville OH LCA Albert E Sabo $4.50

88E36 530415 Marion OH LCA Albert E Sabo $3.75
88E37 530415 Mansfield OH LCA Albert E Sabo $4.50
88W38 530415 Dover OH LCA William C Hicks $3.75
88W39 530415 New Philadelphia OH LCA William C Hicks $3.75
88W37 530415 Mansfield OH LCA Melvin L Henry $3.00

88W40 530701 Marion IN LCA Daniel T Haas $3.75
88SE41 530701 Kokomo IN LCA Daniel T Haas $3.75
88E41 530701 Kokomo IN LCA Gerald M Ray $3.75

88E42 540301 Lima OH LCA E Twyman Youree $2.25
88W42 540301 Lima OH LCA Charles Yates $3.75

88S43 541201 Indianapolis IN LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88S43f 541201 Indianapolis IN LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88W44 541201 Bloomington IN LCA Albert E Sabo $3.75
88N45 541201 Terre Haute IN LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88N46 541201 Danville IL LCA Albert E Sabo $3.00
88S47 541201 Chicago IL LCA Gerald M Ray $3.00
88S47f 541201 Chicago IL LCA Gerald M Ray $3.00
88S46 541201 Danville IL LCA Gerald M Ray $4.50
88E45 541201 Terre Haute IN LCA Gerald M Ray $4.50
88N44 541201 Bloomington IN LCA Gerald M Ray $3.75

88W48 560901 Marion OH LCA Raymond P Merritt $2.25
88E48 560901 Marion OH LCA Charles Yates $4.50

88NE49 570101 Youngstown OH LCA Jerry H Haas $13.50
88NE50 570101 Warren OH LCA Jerry H Haas $10.50
88SW51 570101 Erie PA LCA Jerry H Haas $10.50

88N52 570401 Lima OH LCA Melvin L Henry $10.50
88S54 570401 Detroit MI LCA James R Nilson $13.50
88S54f 570401 Detroit MI LCA James R Nilson $13.50
88S53 570401 Toledo OH LCA James R Nilson $16.50

88NE55 570428 Erie PA LCA Harold L Stark $13.50
88SW56 570428 Buffalo NY LCA Jerry H Haas $13.50
88SW56f 570428 Buffalo NY LCA Jerry H Haas $16.50

88W57 570701 Portsmouth OH LCA John W Horn $2.25
88N57 570701 Portsmouth OH LCA Eugene M Leazenby $6.00

88N58 580901 Muncie IN LCA William C Hicks $4.50
88S58 580901 Muncie IN LCA Eugene M Leazenby $6.00

LCA
Douglas DC-3

88W59 610101 Cincinnati OH LCA Norman Reed $22.50
88W59f 610101 Cincinnati OH LCA Norman Reed $22.50
88E60 610101 Evansville IN LCA Frances Gingerich $3.75

88N60 610101 Evansville IN LCA John Rauchenstein $19.50
88S61 610101 Terre Haute IN LCA John Rauchenstein $22.50

88S62 610101 Pittsburgh PA LCA Charles Copeland $24.00
88S62f 610101 Pittsburgh PA LCA Charles Copeland $24.00
88S63 610101 Wheeling WV LCA Ralph Curtis $4.50
88S65 610101 Clarksburg WV LCA Ralph Curtis $4.50
88S66 610101 Fairmont WV LCA Ronald Metzger $7.50
88S67 610101 Elkins WV LCA Robert Whiteside $4.50
88N68 610101 Charleston WV LCA Charles Copeland $3.75
88N67 610101 Elkins WV LCA Ronald Metzger $90.00
88N66 610101 Fairmont WV LCA Charles Copeland $4.50
88N65 610101 Clarksburg WV LCA Charles Copeland $7.50
88N64 610101 Morgantown WV LCA Charles Copeland $3.75
88N63 610101 Wheeling WV LCA Ronald Metzger $6.00

88E69 610301 Elkins WV LCA Albert E Sabo $16.50
88E70 610301 Washington DC LCA Dean Leming $13.50
88E70f 610301 Washington DC LCA Dean Leming $3.00
88W70 610301 Washington DC LCA Dean Leming $3.00
88W70f 610301 Washington DC LCA Dean Leming $7.50
88W71 610301 Baltimore MD LCA Dean Leming $3.00

88E72 610301 Parkersburg WV LCA Dean E Leming $2.25
88E73 610301 Marietta OH LCA Dean E Leming $3.00
88W73 610301 Marietta OH LCA Dean E Leming $16.50
88W72 610301 Parkersburg WV LCA Dean E Leming $7.50

88N74 610401 Findlay OH LCA Raymond P Merritt $2.25
88NW75 610401 Jackson MI LCA Ronald Metzger $3.00
88SE75 610401 Jackson MI LCA Ronald Metzger $4.50
88S74 610401 Findlay OH LCA John R Hladon $2.25

88E76 610430 Akson OH LCA James R Nilson $3.00
88E77 610430 Canton OH LCA James R Nilson $3.75
88W77 610430 Canton OH LCA James R Nilson $3.75
88W76 610430 Akson OH LCA James R Nilson $10.50

LCA
Convair 340

88W78 610801 Columbus IN LCA Byron B Long $2.25
88E78 610801 Columbus IN LCA Ronald Cunningham $3.75

88W79 611029 Martinsburg WV LCA John W Brown $2.25
88E79 611029 Martinsburg WV LCA John W Brown $3.75

LCA
Nord 262 (France)

88N80 661201 Louisville KY LCA Dale Snider $3.00

LCA
Convair 580

88W81 670701 Terre Haute IN LCA Ira E Wetherill $4.50
88E82 670701 Saint Louis MO LCA Ira E Wetherill $3.75
88E82f 670701 Saint Louis MO LCA Ira E Wetherill $3.75

        Lake Central Airlines was merged into Allegheny Airlines on July 1, 1968.

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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