AIRLINE MANAGEMENT AERO 4100 / 5100 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Chapter 2

THE FORMATIVE PERIOD 1918 - 1938 FIRST REGULAR AIR MAIL ROUTE IN THE UNITED STATES 218 MILES IN LENGTH ESTABLISHED MAY 15, 1918 BETWEEN NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON, DC WITH STOP IN PHILADELPHIA CONDUCTED JOINTLY BY WAR DEPARTMENT AND THE POST DEPARTMENTS

THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT SERVICE PLAYED CRITICAL ROLE IN ESTABLISHING COMMERCIAL AVIATION WEATHER CONDITIONS WAS THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM REGULAR NIGHT FLYING OVER REGULAR ROUTES FIXED SCHEDULES

THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT LIGHTED AIRWAYS ESTABLISHED BETWEEN CHEYENNE AND CHICAGO LIGHTED AIRWAY AND LANDING FIELDS ESTABLISHED MOST IMPORTANT ROUTE NEW YORK TO CHICAGO REGULAR OVERNIGHT SERVICE FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK (1925) SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK (1926)

CONTRACT MAIL SERVICE CONTRACT AIR MAIL ACT OF 1925 (KELLY MAIL ACT) ALLOWED POSTMASTER GENERAL TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS PRIVATE PERSONS COMPANIES

CONTRACT MAIL SERVICE COMMERCE ACT OF 1926 GOT THE GOVERNMENT BACK INTO AVIATION SET UP FEEDER ROUTES OR CAM ROUTES PROVIDED GENESIS FOR SEVERAL OF TODAY’S AIRLINES AMERICAN AIRLINES UNITED AIRLINES NORTHWEST AIRLINES

POSTMASTER GENERAL BROWN AND THE AIRLINES PRESIDENT HOOVER AND MR. BROWN WANTED THREE THINGS STABILITY EFFICIENCY GROWTH

POSTMASTER GENERAL BROWN AND THE AIRLINES AIR MAIL ACT OF 1930 FORCED SMALL OPERATORS OUT OF BUSINESS CONTRACTED WITH HANDFUL OF AIRLINES CONSIDERED WELL RUN FINANCIALLY STABLE EFFICIENT

SPOILS CONFERENCE AIR MAIL ACT OF 1930 ALLOWED FOR COAST-TO-COAST TRAVEL IN 48 HOURS WORKED UNTIL 1934 WHEN SCANDAL BROKE OUT ROOSEVELT ORDERED ARMY TO FLY MAIL AGAIN BECAME TRAGIC MISTAKE

SPOILS CONFERENCE AIR MAIL ACT OF 1934 ACT AUTHORIZED NEW ONE-YEAR CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO REVIEW BEFORE RENEWAL INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION (ICC) INVOLVED IN RATE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE SPECIFIES SUITABLE EQUIPMENT

TURNING POINT FOR AIRLINES BOEING 247 AIRCRAFT 10 PASSENGERS UNITED AIRLINES ORDERED 60 A/C PRATT & WHITNEY WASP ENGINE DC 1 AIRCRAFT 14 PASSENGERS TWA AND AMERICAN AIRLINES PRATT & WHITNEY HORNET ENGINE

TURNING POINT FOR AIRLINES DC 3 AIRCRAFT INCREASED SPEED ADDED COMFORT OF TRAVEL OPERATED RELIABLY AND PROFITABLY

PROFESSIONAL AIRLINE MANAGER NEW GROUP OF MANAGERS EMERGED PROVED MOST DOMINANT PERSONALITIES THUS FAR INDUSTRY NEEDED STRONG LEADERSHIP

PROFESSIONAL AIRLINE MANAGER GROUP OF DYNAMIC INDIVIDUALS OUTSTANDING TRAIT ABILITY TO TAKE RISKS AGAINST GREAT ODDS KEEP GOING IN ADVERSITY PASSENGER REVENUES EXCEEDED INCOME FROM MAIL PAYMENTS IN 1940 DEC 1, 1935 FIRST AIRWAY TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER NEWARK, NJ

THE GROWTH YEARS 1938-1945 THREE AGENCIES HELD POWER POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION CIVIL AERONAUTICS ACT OF 1938 ESTABLISHED CIVIL AERONAUTICS AUTHORITY (CAA)

THE GROWTH YEARS 1938-1945 AVIATION CONTRIBUTED TO THE WAR EFFORT PRODUCTION CONVERTED OVERNIGHT DC-3’S BECAME C-47 TRANSPORTS WAR SHRANK THE AIRLINES THEMSELVES INDUSTRY NOTHING MORE THAN THE SUM OF THE SKILL AND EQUIPMENT

THE POSTWAR YEARS AFTER WWII DC-4 AND CONSTELLATION BECAME KEY CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT. LOCKHEED BUILT CONSTELLATION WRIGHT ENGINES PRESSURIZED AIRFRAME TRIPLE TAIL (WHICH DOUGLAS HAD ABANDONED)

THE POSTWAR YEARS ESTABLISHED CARRIERS FEARED GOVERNMENT WOULD SUBSIDIZE NEW FEEDER LINES. ARGUED--THEY SHOULD PROVIDE SERVICE CAB ASSURED THEM FEEDERS WOULD BE WATCHED NOT ALLOWED TO MOVE INTO COMPETITION WITH THE TRUNK LINES.

THE POSTWAR YEARS SOME OF THE FIRST FEEDERS WERE ALLEGHENY PIEDMONT NORTH CAROLINA FRONTIER BONANZA OZARK PACIFIC

THE POSTWAR YEARS BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS THE NON-SCHEDULED AIRLINES--- NOT FEEDERS BERLIN AIRLIFT IN 1948-49 CREATED UNEQUALED OPPORTUNITY FOR A VIABLE AIR FREIGHT BUSINESS

THE POSTWAR YEARS 1947----CIVIL AERONAUTICS AUTHORITY (CAA) BEGAN CERTIFYING THREE NEW CLASSES OF FLIGHT PERSONNEL ---- A SYMBOL OF A NEW TECHNICAL ERA. FLIGHT RADIO OPERATORS NAVIGATORS FLIGHT ENGINEERS

THE POSTWAR YEARS TURBO-PROPS BECAME THE AIRPLANE OF THE TIMES VICKERS VISCOUNT ELECTRA SUPER CONSTELLATION

THE JET ERA 1958-1978 THE JET AGE COMETH SPEEDS INCREASED BY 50% TIMING BECAME DOUBLY PRECISE CAA LOOKED AT AUTOMATION OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

THE JET ERA 1958-1978 1956---TWA CONSTELLATION AND UNITED DC-7 COLLIDED OVER THE GRAND CANYON--KILLING 128 PEOPLE ONE INDEPENDENT AND COMPREHENSIVE AGENCY CONTROL ALL AVIATION MATTERS BOTH CIVIL AND MILITARY

THE JET ERA 1958 - 1978 STABILIZATION OF THE INDUSTRY BOEING 707 / DC - 8 BOEING 727 / DC - 9 SINCE THE JETS TOOK OVER---- THE AIRLINE BUSINESS HAS BEEN A HISTORY OF TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT PASSED DURING THIS ERA FROM A PERIOD OF HIGH RISK TO A PERIOD OF VIRTUALLY NO RISK AT ALL

THE JET ERA 1958-1978 WITH THE AIRLINE DEREGULATION ACT OF 1978---THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY MOVED INTO AN ERA OF NEW CHALLENGES

FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND THE AIRLINES STABILIZE THE INDUSTRY IMPROVE AIR SAFETY REDUCE CASH SUBSIDY OTHER REASONS INDUSTRY USES THE AIR SPACE OF U.S. OTHER COUNTRIES INTERNATIONAL WATERS CIVIL RESERVE AIR FLEET (CRAF)