Contract Air Mail Routes of 1929

[Fran Roele (BGAM011)]

Hi!

To make things a little easier I'm updating the list on the website with the nearest airports. I try to look for places that are historic correct and specific to the time period. Of course in the years after 1929 a lot has changed. There is little I cna do about that. Here's the list:


V1.0

CAM 1 Colonial Air Transport        New Brunswick, NJ - Hartford, CT - Boston, MA                                                                                                                   192 mi (historic)
                                       Newark (KEWR) - Hartford-Brainard Airport (KHFD) - Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (KMHT)                                                                    181 mi (direct)

CAM 2 Robertson Aircraft Corporation Chicago, IL - Peoria, IL - Springfield, IL - St Louis, MO
                                       Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW) - Peoria Airport (KPIA) - Columbia Airport (KCAU)                                                                   278 mi                                                                                            

CAM 3 National Air Transport        Chicago, IL - Moline, IL - St Jospeh, MO - Kansas City, MO - Wichita, KS - Ponca City, OK - Tulsa, OK - Oklahoma City, OK - Ft. Worth, TX - Dallas, TX
                                       Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW) - Quad City Int Airport (KMLI) - South Bend Airport (KSBN) - Kansas City Int Airport (KMCI) -
                                       Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (KICT) - Ponca City Regional Airport (KPNC) - Tulsa Int Airport (KTUL) - Will Rogers World Airport (KOKC) -
                                       Fort Worth Meacham Int Airport (KFTW) - Dallas Int Airport (KDFW)                                                                                             1,059 mi

CAM 4 Western Air Express        Salt Lake City, UT (Woodward Field) - Las Vegas, NV - Los Angeles, CA
                                       Salt Lake City Airport (KSLC) - Las Vegas Airport (KLAS) - Los Angeles Airport (KLAX)                                                                        600 mi

CAM 5 Varney Air Lines        Salt Lake City, UT - Boise, ID - Pasco, WA
                                       Salt Lake City Airport (KSLC) - Boise Airport (KBOI) - Pasco Airport (KPAS)                                                                                530 mi

CAM 6 Discontinued                x

CAM 7 Discontinued                x

CAM 8 Pacific Air Transport        Seattle, WA - Tacoma, WA – Vancouver, WA - Medford, OR – San Francisco, CA - San Jose, CA - Fresno, CA - Bakersfield, CA - Los Angeles, CA
                                       Seatle Lake Union Airport (KLKE) - Tacoma Narrows Airport (KTIW) - Portland Int Airport (KPDX) - Rogue Valley Int-Medford Airport (KMFR) -
                                       San Francisco Int Airport (KSFO) - San Jose Airport (KSJC) - Fresno Yosemite Int Airport (KFAT) - Bakersfield Airport (KBFL) - Los Angeles Airport (KLAX)      1,099 mi

CAM 9 Northwest Airways        Chicago, IL - Milwaukee, WI - Madison, WI - La Crosse, WI - St Paul/Minneapolis, MN
                                       Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW) - General Mitchell Int Airport (KMKE) - Dane County Regional Airport (KMSN) - La Crosse Regional Airport (KLSE) -    383 mi
                                       St. Paul Downtown Airport (KSTP)  

CAM 10 Discontinued        x
                                                                                                                             
CAM 11 Clifford Ball                Cleveland, OH - Youngstown, OH - Pittsburgh, PA
                                       Cleveland Hopkins Int Airport (KCLE) - Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (KYNG) - Pittsburgh Airport (KPIT)                                                 123 mi

CAM 12 Western Air Express        Cheyenne, WY - Denver, CO - Colorado Springs, CO - Pueblo, CO
                                       Cheyenne Regional Airport (KCYS) - Broomfield Airport (KBJC) - Colorado Springs Airport (KCOS) - Pueblo Memorial Airport (KPUB)                                  199 mi

CAM 13 Discontinued        x

CAM 14 Discontinued        x

CAM 15 Discontinued                    x

CAM 16 Continental Air Lines as part   Cleveland, OH - Akron, OH - Columbus, OH - Dayton, OH - Cincinnati, OH - Louisville, KY
       of Universal Aviation Corp      Cleveland Hopkins Int Airport (KCLE) - Akron Fulton Int Airport (KAKR) - John Glenn Columbus Int Airport (KCMH) - Dayton Int Airport (KDAY) -
       Is NOT Continental Airlines     Cincinnati Lunken Airport (KLUK) - Bowman Field (KLOU)                                                                                                            339 mi

CAM 17 National Air Transport        New York, NY - Cleveland, OH - Toledo, OH - Detroit, MI - Chicago, IL
                                       La Guardia Airport (KLGA) - Cleveland Hopkins Int Airport (KCLE) - Toledo Executive Airport (KTDZ) - Detroit Metro Airport (KDTW) -
                                       Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW)                                                                                                                       772 mi

CAM 18 Boeing Air Transport        Chicago, IL - Iowa City, IA - Cedar Rapids, IA - Des Moines, IA - Omaha, NE - Lincoln, NE - North Platte, NE - Cheyenne, WY - Rock Springs, WY -
                                       Salt Lake City, UT - Elko, NV - Reno, NV - Sacramento, CA - San Francisco, CA
                                       Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW) - Iowa City Municipal Airport (KIOW) - Eastern Iowa Airport (KCID) - Des Moines International Airport (KDSM) -
                                       Eppley Airfield (KOMA) - Lincoln Airport (KLNK) - North Platte Regional Airport (KLBF)  - Cheyenne Regional Airport (KCYS) -
                                       Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport (KRKS) - Salt Lake City Airport (KSLC) - Elko Regional Airport (KEKO) - Reno-Tahoe International Airport (KRNO) -
                                       Sacramento Executive Airport (KSAC) - San Francisco Int Airport (KSFO)                                                                                          1,918 mi

CAM 19 Pitcairn Aviation        New York, NY - Philadelphia, PA - Washington, DC - Richmond, VA – Winston Salem NC - Greensboro, NC – High Point, NC - Spartanburg, SC - Atlanta, GA
                                       La Guardia Airport (KLGA) - Philadelphia Airport (KPHL) - Washington National Airport (KDCA)*1 - Richmond Int Airport (KRIC) - Smith Reynolds Airport (KINT) -
                                       Piedmont Triad Int Airport (KGSO)*2 - Brower Field, High Point (NC60)*3 - Greenville Downtown Airport (KGMU) - Spartanburg Downtown Airport (KSPA) -
                                       Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Int Airport (KATL)"                                                                                                                  763 mi

CAM 20 Colonial Western Airways Albany, NY - Schenectady, NY - Utica, NY - Rome, NY - Syracuse, NY - Rochester, NY - Buffalo, NY - Cleveland, OH
                                       Albany Int Airport (KALB) - Schenectady County Airport (KSCH) - Oneida County Airport (KUCA)*4 -Griffiss Int Airport (KRME) -
                                       Syracuse Hancock Int Airport (KSYR) - Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester Int Airport (KROC) - Buffalo Niagara Int Airport (KBUF) -
                                       Cleveland Hopkins Int Airport (KCLE)                                                                                                                           443 mi

CAM 21 Texas Air Transport        Dallas, TX - Fort Worth, TX - Houston, TX - Galveston, TX
                                       Dallas Int Airport (KDFW) - Fort Worth Meacham Int Airport (KFTW) - William P. Hobby Airport (KHOU) - Scholes International Airport (KGLS)                         320 mi

CAM 22 Texas Air Transport        Dallas, TX - Fort Worth, TX - Waco, TX - Austin, TX - San Antonio, TX - Laredo, TX
                                       Dallas Int Airport (KDFW) - Fort Worth Meacham Int Airport (KFTW) - Waco Regional Airport (KAKT)*5 - Stinson Municipal Airport (KSSF)*6 -
                                       Laredo International Airport - (KLRD)*7                                                                                                                            417 mi

CAM 23 St Tammany & Gulf Coast Airways Atlanta, GA - Birmingham, AL - Mobile, AL - New Orleans, LA
                                       Atlanta Int Airport (KATL) - Birmingham–Shuttlesworth Int Airport (KBHM) - Mobile Regional Airport (KMOB) - Lakefront Airport (KNEW)*6                             479 mi

CAM 24 Embry-Riddle Company        Chicago, IL - Indianapolis, IN - Cincinnati, OH
                                       Chicago Midway International Airport (KMDW) - Indianapolis Int Airport (KIND) - Cincinnati Municipal Lunken Airport (KLUK)                                         270 mi

CAM 25 Pitcairn Aviation        Atlanta, GA - Jacksonville, FL - Miami, FL
                                       Atlanta Int Airport (KATL) - Jacksonville International Airport (KJAX) - Miami International Airport (KMIA)                                                        595 mi

CAM 26 National Parks Airways        Great Falls, MT - Helena, MT - Butte, ID - Pocatella, ID - Ogden, UT - Salt Lake City, UT
                                       Great Falls Int Airport (KCTF) - Helena Regional Airport (KHLN) - Bert Mooney Airport (KBTM) - Pocatello Regional Airport (KPIH) -
                                       Ogden-Hinckley Airport (KOGD) - Salt Lake City Airport (KSLC)                                                                                                      493 mi

To be continued ...


I hope it will be of use to someone. I will update the original post as I go along.

Last time I was here the Mail Division was my task, and I like to pick it up again.

For now, I'm going to fly this route - not sure what plane ... Maybe something build around 1929. With the 40th Anniversary update in MSFS I have plenty of old planes to choose from.

Some planes that were used during this time period:

1929 Curtiss Robin
1929 Ford 5AT Tri-Motor
1927 Spirit of St. Louis


Colonial Air Transport used:
Fokker Universal
Fokker F.VII
Curtiss Lark


Robertson Aircraft Corporation used:
DH-4

National Air Transport used:
Curtiss Carrier Pigeon
Douglas M-2
Travel Air 5000
Travel Air 6000
Ford Trimotor

Western Air Express
Douglas M-2

Varney Airlines used:
Swallow J-5

Pacific Air Transport used:
Ryan M-1

Northwest Airways used:
Curtiss Oriole
Waco JYM

Clifford Ball used
Waco 9

Continental Air Lines used:
Fairchild 71
Fokker F.10A
Fokker F.32
Fokker Universal (Super for passengers)

Boeing Air Transport used:
Boeing Model 40A

Pitcairn Aviation used:
PA-5/8 Mailwing

Texas Air Transport used:
Pitcairn Mailwings

St Tammany & Gulf Coast Airways used:
Fokker Universal (Super for passengers)

Embry-Riddle Company used:
WACO
Fairchild
Monocoupe

National Parks Airways used:
Stearman C3MB

Feel free to use any plane you have, as long as it has a prop, it's a go.

Cheers,
Fran

Footnotes:
*1 The correct airfield was Arlington's Hoover Field, but due to its dangerous nature it was merged and no longer exists.
*2 Formerly known as Greensboro Airport
*3 869 Ft of grass strips (2)
*4 This is not the proper airport, but it is the nearest and available. Will research more. There is currently no airport/strip near that is both near and available. IF you know more please let me know. Love to hear it.
*5) The TAT flew to Rich Field in 1929 originally, but that no longer exists.
*6) Not historical correct, but it was available in 1929 and it size plus location makes it an acceptable substitute.
*7) Not historical correct, but only available airport



[Allan_Lowson]

Hi Fran,

Good to hear from you.

Thanks for this update. As you have found it is quite a puzzle trying to find airfields that are still in existence or even look right! Many modern airports were probably dusty fields in the day and now are international hubs with multiple runways. I will certainly include your information in the web pages, probably in table format with distances and bearings for ease of reading. The original tables take a bit of picking through.

We have covered a few routes down the years, but they have all been from the '34 era routes by happenchance. The original 1920 transcontinental route was the basis of a rally in 2020.

One problem that is getting more serious over time is the difference in airfield coverage between the various sims. That we will have to live with!

Cheers,
Allan