Evening star., 1927-10-28
FLYING WITH GEN. PATRICK
BY MAJ. GEN. NJ. NJ. PATRICK.
Chief of the Army Air Corps.
DEVELOPMENT of Air Mail.

The World War gave a great I'M
petus to the development Of aviation
in this country. We were confronted
| with the necessity Of learning how to
construct and handle airplanes, and
it is safe to say we were equal to the
emergency. Prior to that time there
was really little interest in flying. The
air service, however, being probably
the most engaging phase Of our par
ticipation in the war, left it's perma.
nent impress upon the civilian as we'll
as the military life of the Nation.
Even before the cessation of hOstili-
ties the United States Post Office De-
partment began putting to practical
civilian use some Of the lessons
learned in aviation as result Of the
war. In May, 1918, the post Office
instituted experimental air mail routes
between certain American cities,
which formed the basis of the present
system Of air mail routes traversing
virtually every section of the country.
In September, 1920, the transconti-
mental air mail from New York to San
Francisco was inaugurated. This
system formed the basis of the pres
ent transcontinental air mail, which
operates on a 1928 hours schedule
from coast to coast. Air mail now
flies over that portion of the route
between New York and Chicago and
between Chicago and Cheyenne at
night by direction of searchlights.
The air mail has been eminently
successful in this country to the point
that the United States leads all other
countries in this type of transporta.
ton. Between May Is, 1918. and June
30. 1924, the air mail flew 6,931.631
miles with mail and carried more than
225 900. 900 letters at an operating cost
Of $6,S37,487.99. The total cost over
the six.year period represents a little
less than 81 a mile, or "a cents per
letter.
Volume of Mail Carried.
The day and night through trans.
continental service was started on
July !. 1924, and n year later the New
York Chicago overnight service was
inaugurated. The need for fast mail
service involving night flying was
demonstrated by the fact that in the
first six months of operation the New
York Chicago overnight route carried
2.1l5,000 letters on a schedule main
tained 96.52 per cent perfect, or an
average of 1.750 letters a day. In
the first six months Of operation Of
the transcontinental service 4,742,2l6
letters were carried. During 1925 the
air mail flew 100000 miles and car
ried 11.672 .080 letters.
The Post Office Department under
took the operation of the air mail
service purely as an experiment.
After the feasibility of the system had
been proved and after private capital
had been interested to the extent of
taking over this work the depart
ment last year had legislation enacted
authorizing the letting of air mail
contracts for private operation, There
are now approximately 20 different
companies carrying air mail over the
country.
With few exceptions. virtually all
Of the air transport companies in this
country have placed dependence chief
ly upon revenues derived from con-
tract air mail operations, supplement,
ed in isolated cases by passenger and
express transportation. In the matter
of passenger service by air this coun.
try noticeably is behind several Euro
pean countries.