Clipper, Vol. 3, No. 9, June 1946

              PAM AMERICAN
LfPPEß
VOL. 3—NO. 9	460606
Copyright, 1946, by Pan American Airways, Inc.
JUNE, 1946
Compañía Cubana de Aviación Opens International Service with Daily Flights between Cuba and U. S.
Scoring a first in the international field to add to its pioneer domestic achievements, Compania Cubana de Aviacion, Cuban affiliate of Pan American World Airways, inaugurated daily round-trip service between Havana and Miami May 15 as the first of its fleet of twin-engined DC-3s landed at Miami’s International Airport.
With high-ranking Cuban government officials and leading Havana newsmen aboard, the inaugural plane spanned the 210 miles in 95 minutes to give Cubana the distinction of being the first Cuban airline to operate regular passenger and express service between the two cities.
As Capt. Frank Hernandez, Cubana operations manager and a veteran of more than 10,000 hours in the air, taxied the plane to a stop, the visiting dignitaries were officially welcomed by a delegation including Congressman-Elect George Smath-ers; Postmaster Hugh P. Emerson; Miami Finance Director George N. Shaw, representing Mayor Perrine Palmer Jr.; Cuban Consul General Antonio Bruzon; members of the Miami City Commission and the Dade County Commission; and Frank Powers, PAA regional representative.
The visitors, after clearance at customs, left the airport with a police escort for a cocktail party and buffet supper in the Bahamas Room of the Columbus Hotel.
While the short welcoming ceremonies were in progress, Cubana’s inaugural plane took aboard a full passenger load and left on the return trip to Havana.
Heading the blue-ribbon passenger list for the trip to Miami were Carlos Marista-ny, Cuba’s undersecretary of communications; Evelio Juncosa, postmaster general; Mario Torres Menier, chief of Cuba’s civil aviation authority, and George L. Howard, Continued on Page 4
Vacation Clipper Brings Oil Workers to Houston
A huge four-engined Clipper of PAA’s post-war fleet flew into Houston for the first time May 18 linking the oil capitals of Houston and Caracas, Venezuela. The ten-hour flight spanning the Caribbean brought two score oil company personnel to Texas for vacations.
The flight is the forerunner of what may develop into a series of weekly “Vacation Clipper” trips out of La Guaira (gateway for Caracas) to Houston or other Texas points, compressing into one day the 1,900 miles which separate the two great oil centers. The direct, one-stop flight saves from one to four or more days of travel time.
The special flight marked PAA’s first air service to Houston. It is expected to be followed during June, July and August by similar flights bringing some 500 oil company employees and their families to Houston or other U. S. cities for vacations.
This flight may also be the forerunner of future daily flights linking Continued on Page 5
The crew of Cubana’s plane which made the inaugural flight from Havana to Miami pause briefly after arriving at the Miami International Airport May 15. From left to right are Capt. Frank Hernandez, Capt. Carlos Torres de Navarra and Manuel Garcia, steward. Both pilots are veterans of more than 10,000 hours of flying and Garcia has been flying for Cubana for more than ten years.
CLIPPERING TO RIO TAKES ONLY A DAY
Colorful, glamorous Rio de Janeiro, capital of Brazil is now within a day’s reach of U.S. travelers.
Flying PAA’s “cut-off” route across Brazil and then across the Caribbean, a giant, four-engined Clipper has established a new record of 22 hours and 59 minutes on the Rio-Miami route. The record-breaking flight was the return half of a survey flight made to inspect communications facilities along the South American east coast, conducted under the direction of Capt. Waldo Lynch, assistant chief pilot of PAA’s Latin American Division.
Captain William Bails was at the controls of the Douglas DC-4 with Capt. Frank Mer-ryman, first officer and Flight Radio Officer Sam Marchinsky members of his crew.
Previous to the record-breaking flight, the first four-engined DC-4 to carry passengers from Miami down the South American east coast made the 11,000-mile round trip from Miami to Rio in 63 hours and 13 minutes. It clipped 39 hours from the best previous time over this route.
These flights are paving the way for regular 24-hour DC-4 service between Florida and Brazil which PAA expects to inaugurate as soon as approval is received from the Civil Aeronautics Administration.
MUHLFELD COMMANDS DIVISION TRAFFIC
John E. Muhlfeld, who has had ten years of experience in dealing with the myriad traffic and passenger problems of an international airline, is now Traffic manager of Pan American World Airways’ Latin American Division.
The appointment was announced by Wilbur L. Morrison, vice president in charge of PAA’s Latin American operations.
In this capacity Muhlfeld administers the traffic portion of the airline’s widespread operations in South and Central America, Panama,
Mexico, and the West Indies and has assumed a major role in Pan American’s fast-moving post-war expansion program.
Although young in years,Muhlfeld brings to his new post a John Muhlfeld wealth of experience
gained in a decade of administering the pioneer airline’s traffic problems under all kinds of conditions and in all parts of Latin America.
Under his jurisdiction will come maintenance of highly intricate inter-vonnecting plane schedules throughout 37 Latin American countries; supervision of mail and express shipments running into millions of pounds annually; maintenance of the airline’s high standards of passenger service; sales promotion, ticket selling and all the other matters incident to making inter-American air travel the safe, efficient and economical mode of travel it has become today.
Muhlfeld comes to Miami from PAA’s main office in New York, where for two years he served as a special assistant to the vice president and general Traffic manager. In this capacity, he became thoroughly familiar with the overall global operations of the airline in the Atlantic and the Pacific as well as Latin America.
Prior to that, Muhlfeld served as general Traffic manager of PAA’s affiliate, Pan American-Grace Airways, with headquarters in Lima, Peru. In charge of the eight Continued on Page 4
Tons of Flowers Airexpressed
For Mother’s Day in Mexico
Mexico turned to the airways to “Say It With Flowers” on Mother’s Day.
More than two tons of lilies, gladioli, gardenias, roses and other floral finery were flown by Compania Mexicana de Aviacion, Mexican affiliate of Pan American World Airways, between Mexico City and 20 other leading cities of the republic during the Mother’s Day weekend.
The shipments, totaling 4,715 pounds, shattered all previous records.