Pan American air ways, Vol. 2, No. 3, April 1, 1931

              Pan American Air Ways
Voi. 2. No. 3
ESTABLISH AIR EXPRESS
OVER P. A. A. SYSTEM
For the first time in history, North and South America have been linked together by an air express system. The service was inaugurated on March 30th, by the Pan American Airways System when Mr. J. T. Trippe, president of the company dispatched personal inaugural shipments to government heads of Nassau, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Porto Rico, Trinidad, British and Dutch Guiana and Brazil. These countries constitute the first segment of an air express system which will steadily expand and eventually serve every country on the airways.
Among other shipments transported on the inaugural flight, were a set of Victor records for the sound moving-picture “Ben Hur” which were destined to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and moving picture film to Trinidad.
By the latter part of April the company expects to have additional express routes in operation from Miami to Cristobal via Jamaica and from Miami to Cristobal via Central America. Subsequently, the latter service will extend to Colombia and Venezuela, down the west coast of South America as far as Santiago, Chile and over the Andes to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In the establishment of this express service, the airway company has not limited itself, as a carrier, it has gone further and worked out a plan which obviates many documentary formalities and renders a direct service between the sender and consignee. Temporarily the value of packages acceptable has been limited to $100, thus eliminating the necessity of consular certification of the airwaybill (bill of lading).
Shipments will be forwarded to the airway terminals in the United States by the Railway Express Agency. Plans are being formulated for nation-wide receiving stations for Pan American express shipments. Northbound express, in like manner, will be forwarded from the airline terminals in the United States to the consignee.
PRIESTER RETURNS
FROM INSPECTION TRIP
Mr. A. A. Priester, Chief Engineer for the Pan American Airways, returned to the New York offices after an inspection trip which took him from Miami to the Canal Zone and through Colombia.
Mr. Priester made a careful study of the long water jump between Jamaica and Cristobal and of the facilities in Barranquilla.
122 East 42nd Street, New York City
IN THIS ISSUE
Picture supplement of the land plane pilots of the Caribbean Division; Prize contest story; Picture Pan American Grace Pilots Peruvian Division and story on Miami seaplane base now under construction.
INSPECTION PARTY AT BUENOS AIRES WILL PROCEED TO CHILE
The inspection party making a tour of the Pan American Airways System are in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They have covered 9,000 of the 22,000 miles of the System, flying over the West Indies and the east coast of South America.
Interesting accounts of the numerous cities visited on the trip have been sent back by the journalists. They expect to stay in Buenos Aires a week and then proceed to Chile, up the west coast of South America, through Central America and Mexico, terminating their tour at the Pan American Airport in Brownsville, Texas.
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SHORT SQUIBS FROM THE FLYING JOURNALISTS
“This spectacular tour, undertaken by steamer, railway, motor and burro, would require ten months. Under the schedule which has been arranged by the Pan American Airways, it will be accomplished in twenty-two days of flying time.”
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“Reports of traffic on this division show more than 60,000 passengers carried and 710 tons of mail, in addition to express and baggage. Seven major airports are maintained, each with radio and passenger stations, shops and mechanical, clerical crews.”
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“One passenger, a woman with many jewels, flashing earrings and a Granada shawl, came aboard at Camaguey and made the journey to Port-au-Prince.
(Continued on page 107)
St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
April 1, 1931
INTERNATIONAL AIR MAIL FOR CUBA
INAUGURATED
Machado And Trippe Exchange Greetings
Another link has been added to the air mail system, with the inauguration of a Cuban international service on February 3rd. This new service places Cuba on the longest air mail route in the world, a distance approximately 9,000 miles from Montreal in the north, to Buenos Aires in the south.
The inaugural ceremony was carried out in an appropriate manner. Government officials, United States Ambassador Guggenheim, a group of prominent Havana business men, and officials of the Pan American Airways, gathered at the Pan American Airport to see the first Cuban international air mail hop off.
Following the ceremony, Pan American Airways acted as host to guests at an informal reception in the airport building.
Brief addresses at the informal reception were made by Ambassador Guggenheim; General Manuel Delgado, Secretary of Communications; Jose A. Montalvo, Postmaster General of Cuba; and G. Grant Mason, Foreign Department of the Pan American Airways Company in Cuba.
A telegram of greeting was sent to President Gerardo Mechado by Mr. Trippe on the opening of the service. In response, the President wired: “I acknowledge with the greatest pleasure your kind felicitations on the occasion of the inauguration of the international air mail service and wish your company the greatest success in the new service which certainly will result in benefit to our country.”
Considerable time was taken in preparation for the service by the Department of Communications of the Cuban Government and the Pan American Airways. Posters, maps and detailed information in regard to the service were distributed and radio addresses were broadcast.
LIGHTING COMPLETED AT MEXICO CITY AIRPORT
Balbuena Field, Mexico City Airport, which is to be dedicated during the month of May has one of the most modern and completely equipped lightings systems in the world. A short time ago work was completed on this phase of the project and tested.
The lighting equipment for the air-(Continued on page 101)