The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-10-12
LINE HAS NEW
FLYING EQUIPMENT
PLETED EIGHT YEARS OF Sue
CESSFUL OPERATIONS

Improvements and far-reaching de-
velopments in the establishment of
the Northern TranScontinental Air
way mark the eighth anniversary of
Northwest Airlines, Inc. With an en-
viable record for reliable operation,
without a passenger fatality, North
west Airlines, formerly Northwest
Anyways, finds itself on the threshold
of a commercial development which
Is rapidly exceeding all predictions.
Organized in 1926 by a group Of
Northwest business men, Northwest Air
ways started operation on Oct. l, 1926,
with two bi-planes carrying mail over a
40O-mile route at a cruising speed Of
approximately IS miles per hour. Later
in the same year three Stinson-D Detroit
er cabin planes equipped for passenger
carrying were placed in service, and in
the early summer Of 1927 Northwest
Anyways established the first regular
commercial passenger shedules in the
history of commercial aviation, using
the first cabin airplanes flown CON-
mercially in the Northwest.
During the succeeding years the line
was extended from Milwaukee to Green
Bay, Chicago and Madison, Twin Cities
to Duluth, Twin Cities to Bismarck via
Fargo, Fargo to Winnipeg, and Bismarck
to Billings.
During this period successive i'm
provements in equipment had brought
the cruising speeds up to ITO and 12O
miles per hour as represented by the
! Hamilton single engine and Ford Tri-
motor equipment, and had improved
passenger comfort to a point compar-
able with other modes of transportation.
The development of instruments and
two-way radio communication during
the period improved the reliability Of
schedules to a marked degree.
During the eight years of service
more than 10000 passengers were car
ried and over $780, 900 miles flown in
scheduled operation. Successful in OBJ
tanning a temporary air mail contract
in May Of this year to Seattle, the route
operated by Northwest Airlines was
extended from its former terminal at
Billings, Mont, to Seattle, Wn.
Thus the company begins its ninth
year of operation by placing in service
on the new transcontinental route the
first ships of a fleet of IL modern twin
motor Lockheed Electra transports.
Contrasted with cruising speeds and
passenger comfort represented by
equipment operated in past years, these
ships cruise at approximately 200 miles
an hour, carry ten passengers in sound
PROCEED, heat insulated cabins, in ad-
dition to the two pilots, mail, baggage
and express load. Company-owned
two-way radio stations are located at
10 points along the line between Chi
cago and Seattle, providing constant
ground communication to all Northwest
Airlines ships in the air.
The Northern Transcontinental Air
way between Chicago and Seattle is be-
ing equipped by the federal government
to be the model airway OF the world.
Plans call for beacon lights every Is
miles, lighted intermediate clcids every
so miles and radio range baacons at
every intermediate airport.
These Developments" said Croil
Hunter, vice president and general
manager, mark the beginning of an era
of expansion in the use CT air trans
p~ortation in the Northwest tier of
| states. In the next few years schedules
will be flown from Chicago to Seattle
in a little more than eight hours. Oy-
ernight schedules will be flown coast
to coast with mail and express only.
Freight ships will operate regularly
over the route carrying the more valu-
able classes Of merchandise, probably
operated at high attitudes and making
only one or two stops Owe the entire
route and taking utmost advantage Of
the speed Of delivery made possible.
Frequent high speed passenger sched-
ules stopping only 1t the larger cities