web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights AM-144

Aerodacious (Aviation + Audacious = Aerodacious) eMail: Aerodacious Page ccAM144 (Revised 05/05/2007)

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-144: AM-144 was awarded to Avalon Air Transport. Avalon Air Transport was founded in the summer of 1953 by aviator, Dick Probert with partner, Jean Chisolm. They began the operation with a single Grumman Goose. Avalon Air was based at Long Beach Municipal Airport CA and provided air services from there to Santa Catalina Island some 26 miles off the coast of California. Round trip flights were made on a scheduled basis between Long Beach and Avalon Harbor of Catalina Island. AM-144 was awarded to Avalon Air Transport and on June 24, 1960 it began scheduled flights between Los Angeles, Long Beach CA and Santa Catalina Island. The inaugural flight was made on their DC-3.
        (Note: In 1963 Avalon Air Transport's name was changed to Catalina Airlines. It ceased operations in 1968)

144W1	600624	Los Angeles CA	AAT	Fred Pierce	$3.75
144W1f	600624	Los Angeles CA	AAT	Fred Pierce	$3.75
144W2	600624	Long Beach CA	AAT	William Young	$3.75
144E3	600624	Avalon CA	AAT	Fred Pierce	$3.00

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

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

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84

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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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