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web-catalog        CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-24

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Page ccCAM024 (Revised 11/04/2007)

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.

CAM-24: CAM-24 was awarded to Embry-Riddle Company. On December 17, 1925 barnstormer, John Paul Riddle and entrepreneur, T. Higbee Embry founded the Embry-Riddle Company at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati OH. The following spring ERC opened the Embry-Riddle School of Aviation which developed into the world's leader in aviation/aerospace higher education. Beginning on December 17, 1927 ERC began to fly CAM-24 mail round trip between Cincinnati OH and Chicago IL via Indianapolis IN every day. Postal mail covers carried on the inaugural flight between each point of landing and take-off are collectible and are known as CAM-24 covers.
ERC
        They employed 50 people including 6 pilots. Initially ERC pressed 3 Waco J5 Whirlwinds and a Waco 9 open cockpit aircraft into this mail service and passenger carrying endeavor. ERC encouraged the use of air mail and used the slogan, "Mail Airly and Often."
        ERC needed qualified pilots and to this end began educating new pilots in its Embry-Riddle Flying School. In 1929 ERC began to experience financial problems with its expansion of flight operations. On April 1929 it formed the Embry-Riddle Aviation Corporation and one of the largest aviation holding companies, Aviation Corporation (AVCO) began to purchase ERC stock eventually taking it over. In 1930 AVCO created a new subsidiary, American Airways. The Embry-Riddle Division of AVCO moved from Cincinnati OH to St Louis MO and merged with the Universal Division of American Airways and ERC was no more.

24S1 271217 Chicago IL ERC HJ Rader & John Skoning $7.50
24S1F 271217 Chicago IL ERC HJ Rader & John Skoning $30.00
24S2 271217 Indianapolis IN ERC HJ Rader & John Skoning $22.50
24N3 271217 Cincinnati OH ERC SC Huffman $11.25
24N2 271217 Indianapolis IN ERC SC Huffman & John Paul Riddle $22.50

CAM-24: After the February 1934 cancellation and reinstatement of new commercial air mail carrying contracts over re-designed revised Post Office routes in late June 1934, American Airlines began flying CAM-24.
        American had developed from a conglomeration of 82 small airlines companies through a series of corporate acquisitions and reorganizations. On January 25, 1930 American Airways was incorporated as a single company. American operated its routes with all-metal Fokker Tri-motors and Ford Tri-motors. In 1934 American began flying Curtiss Condor biplanes which carried air mail and accommodated 15-18 passengers in the ultimate of airline comfort.
AA
        In 1934, American Airways Company slipped into financial straits and was acquired by corporate raider, Errett Lobban Cord, who renamed the company "American Airlines."

24E3 340610 Cincinnati OH AA L Stephan $18.75
24E4 340610 Charleston WV AA L Stephan $18.75
24W5 340610 Washington DC AA WH Moore $7.50
24W4 340610 Charleston WV AA WH Moore $6.00

R24W7 341202 Huntington WV by eastbound plane AA $6.00
24E6 341202 Huntington WV AA HW Susott $4.50
R24E7 341202 Huntington WV by westbound plane AA $6.00
24W6 341202 Huntington WV AA WG Hughen $6.00

R24W9 350304 Elkins WV by eastbound plane AA $4.50
24E8 350304 Elkins WV AA CD Young $3.00
R24E9 350304 Elkins WV by westbound plane AA $4.50
24W8 350304 Elkins WV AA EL Sloniger $4.50

R24W11 351101 Dunbar WV by eastbound plane AA $4.50
24E10 351101 Dunbar WV AA HW Susott $4.50
R24E11 351101 Dunbar WV by westbound plane AA $4.50
24W10 351101 Dunbar WV AA WG Hughen $6.00

ERC
        American Airlines began flying the DC-3 in July 1936.

24W12 370401 Washington DC AA HW Susott $30.00
24W12F 370401 Washington DC AA HW Susott $30.00
24E12 370401 Chicago IL AA WH Proctor $30.00
24E12F 370401 Chicago IL AA WH Proctor $30.00

R24W14 401021 Clarksburg WV by eastbound plane AA $22.50
24E13 401021 Clarksburg WV AA BB Bruce $11.25
R24E14 401021 Clarksburg WV by westbound plane AA $30.00
24W13 401021 Clarksburg WV AA WA Miller $37.50

24W15 460908 Elkins WV AA Clarence O Day Jr $22.50
24W16 460908 Parkersburg WV AA Clarence O Day Jr $3.75
24E17 460908 Cincinnati OH AA Louis Sokol $3.75
24E16 460908 Parkersburg WV AA Louis Sokol $13.50

ERC
        American Airlines began flying the DC-4 after the end of WW-II.

24E18 470701 Washington DC AA Oliver G Aronson $37.50
24E18F 470701 Washington DC AA Oliver G Aronson $37.50
24W19 470701 Chicago IL AA LH Mantooth $27.00
24W19F 470701 Chicago IL AA LH Mantooth $27.00

24W20 471129 Wilmington DE AA David T Harris $3.75
24E20 471129 Wilmington DE AA Ralph F Conway $6.00

24W21 480415 Baltimore MD AA John Daniel Henry $7.50
24E21 480415 Baltimore MD AA George W Kopf $10.50

24W22 481101 Philadelphia PA AA $4.50
24W22F 481101 Philadelphia PA AA $4.50
24E22 481101 Philadelphia PA AA $6.00
24E22F 481101 Philadelphia PA AA $6.00

AA
Douglas DC-7
24W23F 560115 Chicago IL AA $41.25
24W24 560115 Oakland CA AA $41.25
24E25 560115 San Francisco CA AA $37.50
24E25F 560115 San Francisco CA AA $30.00
24E24 560115 Oakland CA AA $33.75

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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