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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-96

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Page ccAM096 (Revised 11/27/2007)

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-96: AM-96 was awarded to Helicopter Air Service. The Bell Model 47 Helicopter first flew on December 8, 1945 and was granted a commercial license in March, 1946. A fleet of Bell 47D's were purchased by Helicopter Air Service to provide an air mail shuttle between the Chicago airports, the Chicago Post Office and various Chicago suburb points. AM-96 was awarded to Helicopter Air Service and on August 20, 1949 it began the first of several segments shuttling mail by helicopter between specific locations much quicker than transport by trucks.
HAS

96W1 490820 Chicago Post Office HAS CW Moore $2.25
96E2f 490820 Chicago Airfield HAS Harry M Miller $2.25
HAS
Bell 47

Segment A
96-3 490919 Chicago IL HAS CW Moore $3.75
96-3f 490919 Chicago IL HAS CW Moore $2.25
96-4 490919 Oak Park IL HAS CW Moore $2.25
96-5 490919 Park Ridge IL HAS CW Moore $2.25
96-6 490919 Glenview IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-7 490919 Evanston IL HAS CW Moore $2.25
96-8 490919 Winnetka IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-9 490919 Wilmette IL HAS CW Moore $2.25
96-10 490919 Glencoe IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-11 490919 Highland Park IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-12 490919 Lake Forest IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-13 490919 North Chicago IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-14 490919 Waukegan IL HAS CW Moore $2.25
96-15 490919 Libertyville IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-16 490919 Barrington IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-17 490919 Arlington Heights IL HAS CW Moore $3.00
96-18 490919 Des Plaines IL HAS CW Moore $2.25

96-19 491008 AAMS Convention Station
Chicago IL
HAS Harry M Miller $2.25

Segment B
96-20 491024 Chicago IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $4.50
96-20f 491024 Chicago IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $2.25
96-21 491024 La Grange IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $2.25
96-22 491024 Hinsdale IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-23 491024 Downers Grove IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-24 491024 Naperville IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-25 491024 Aurora IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-26 491024 Geneva IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-27 491024 Batavia IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-28 491024 Saint Charles IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-29 491024 Elgin IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $2.25
96-30 491024 West Chicago IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-31 491024 Elmhurst IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-32 491024 Villa Park IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-33 491024 Maywood IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00
96-34 491024 Bellwood IL HAS Robert S Angstadt $3.00

Segment C
96-35 491121 Chicago IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.75
96-35f 491121 Chicago IL HAS Harry M Miller $2.25
96-36 491121 Blue Island IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-37 491121 Harvey IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-38 491121 Hammond IL HAS Harry M Miller $2.25
96-39 491121 Whiting IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-40 491121 East Chicago IL HAS Harry M Miller $2.25
96-41 491121 Gary IL HAS Harry M Miller $2.25
96-42 491121 Lansing IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-43 491121 Chicago Heights IL HAS Harry M Miller $2.25
96-44 491121 Joliet IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-45 491121 Lockport IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-46 491121 Lemont IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00
96-47 491121 Argo IL HAS Harry M Miller $3.00

96-48 491219 Wheaton IL HAS Donald Jergens, Harry M Miller $3.00
96-49 491219 Glen Ellyn IL HAS Donald Jergens, Harry M Miller $2.25

96-50 500724 Chicago Fair Grounds
Chicago IL
HAS Donald Jergens $2.25

        Under the direction of Ham Reidy in late 1956, Helicopter Air Service was re-named Chicago Helicopter Airways. CHA began combined scheduled passenger/mail air transport services.

CHA
Sikorsky S-55

CHA
Sikorsky S-58

CHA            CHA
September 1, 1957        August 1, 1960

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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