CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-29

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web-catalog CAM Contract Air Mail First Flights CAM-29

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Page ccCAM029 (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-29: CAM-29 was awarded to Southern Air Transport. Texas Air Transport had been founded on November 12, 1927 by Temple Bowen, a bus operator from Fort Worth TX. AP Barrett purchased TAT in 1928. The next year on February 18, 1929 Barrett launched Southern Air Transport (SAT), which absorbed TAT. Postal mail covers carried on the inaugural flight between each point of landing and take-off are collectible and are known as CAM-29 covers. In late 1929 SAT became part of the Aviation Corporation (AVCO). In January 1930, AVCO's directors created American Airways Company. In April 1934, AAC became American Airlines.

29W1	290123	New Orleans LA	SAT	BA Carpenter	$4.50
29W1F	290123	New Orleans LA	SAT	BA Carpenter	$22.50
29W2	290123	Beaumont TX	SAT	BA Carpenter	$7.50
29E3	290123	Houston TX	SAT	William N DeWald & CE Potts	$4.50
29E2	290123	Beaumont TX	SAT	William N DeWald & CE Potts	$6.00

R29E5	320604	to Baton Rouge LA by westbound plane	SAT		$6.00
29W4	320604	Baton Rouge LA	SAT	RL Happ	$6.00
R29W5	320604	to Baton Rouge LA by eastbound plane	SAT		$6.00
29E4	320604	Baton Rouge LA	SAT	JH Walker	$6.00

CAM-29: On February 9, 1934 the Post Office Department canceled all contracts of operators flying mail on routes within the US to become effective on February 19, 1934. The reason given by the Post Office was that there was suspicion that the mail carrying contracts had been awarded through collusion during the previous Administration.
Cancellation of the air mail contracts held by established pioneer airline companies was accompanied by an executive order from President Franklin D Roosevelt stating that the Army Air Corps should now carry the mail. Three territorial zones were established for the Air Corps mail operations, Newark NJ, Chicago IL and Salt Lake City UT. The eastern, central and western zones each had branch routes to other feeder cities. It was a difficult assignment for the Army Air Corps as they did not have enough planes and the ones they had, did not have the latest instruments, landing, navigation, or cockpit lights. One of the aircraft they used was the Keystone B-4 bi-plane.
New commercial air mail carrying contracts were made in May 1934 and the mail was again flown by private contractors over re-designated revised Post Office Department routes in late June 1934.

CAM-29: 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, Robertson Airplane Service Company began flying CAM-29 air mail.
Frank Robertson in partnership with his brother, Major William Robertson started the Robertson Airplane Service Company opening scheduled passenger service on April 27, 1930 from St Louis MO to New Orleans LA. RASC used a single engine Ryan Brougham B-5 aircraft.

R29E7	340725	to Lake Charles LA by westbound plane	RASC		$7.50
29W6	340725	Lake Charles LA	RASC	ML Sater	$11.25
R29W7	340725	to Lake Charles LA by eastbound plane	RASC		$15.00
29E6	340725	Lake Charles LA	RASC	LC Claney	$7.50

EAL

Douglas DC-3

29W8	480803	Lafayette LA	EAL	EW Miles	$3.75
29W9	480803	New Iberia LA	EAL	EW Miles	$6.00
29E9	480803	New Iberia LA	EAL	Earl McKenzie	$2.25
29E8	480803	Lafayette LA	EAL	Earl McKenzie	$2.25

INDEX: First Flights by CAM Route #

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

INDEX: First Flights by Experimental Route #

INDEX: First Flights by AM Route #

INDEX: First Flights by Air Taxi Services Route #

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