Development of Early Airmail & the Kelly act of 1925

 Development of Early Airmail & the Kelly act of 1925

It is well known that Aviation proved its value during World War I, as we would continue to witness in the future, war time motivated great developments and innovations in the aviation industry and demonstrated the benefits and practical uses of airplanes. The new found use of Airplanes showcased  it’s great benefits to the US government, understanding that Expedited communication has, from time immemorial, been a highly valued quality of civilization and a legitimate, necessary governmental function,  In 1918 the United States began to operate an “airmail” due to the lack of private sector companies to take on the task, mainly due to how modern the concept was at that time and also the risks involved in the operation due to the lack of navigational equipment and how airplane’s reliability were still being developed.

One of the pilots that were instrumental to demonstrate the value and reliability of the Air Mail services was Jack Knight, a brave Airmen that in 1921 took part in a dangerous Coast-to-coast relay flight with other pilots to show cautious politicians that the transportation of mail via the use of airplanes was far superior than the still currently used locomotive back in those days (Gall, 2022).

Knight’s and his fellow pilots daring demonstration, alongside with support from the US government and pioneers of the aviation industry that motivated the US congress to passed the Kelly act of 1925, in which private companies would bid to operate airmail feeder routes to the transcontinental main airmail trunk line that the post office service retained between New York and San Francisco. The impact of this early government legislation was tremendous, 10 companies bid for the 8 initial routes, with the majority of them being the foundation to well-known commercial operators like United Airlines, Western Airlines, Pan American Airways, and American Airlines. Airplanes like the Ford Trimotor, Douglas M-2, and Fokkers were used, but it was perhaps the Boeing 40 with its Wasp engines produced by Pratt & Whitney that brought reliability to airmail routes operation which later would help the beginning of commercial transportation of passengers (Lawrence, 2015).

Up to this day, Air Mail transportation continues to be the fastest delivery method of physical correspondence, since those early years, Mail continues to be delivered daily in a multitude of Commercial flights, this also set precedent of the possibility of mixed transportation of cargo and passengers, which later expanded to parcel and cargo delivery exclusive flight operations by companies such as UPS and DHL.

 

 

Reference

 

  Gall. (2022). Jack Knight’s Brave Flight: How One Gutsy Pilot Saved the U.S. Air Mail Service. The Horn Book Magazine, 98(3), 161–162.

 Lawrence. (2015). Aviation and the role of government (third edition.). Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co.

Millbrooke, A. M. (2006). Aviation history. Jeppesen.

smithsonian. (2022). Airmail Service | National Postal Museum. Postalmuseum.si.edu. https://postalmuseum.si.edu/topics/airmail-serviceLinks to an external site.