The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-12-15
NATIONAL BEGAN
SERVICE in 1894

National Air Lines, which inau-
ourates north-south passenger and
mail service here today, began op-
erations over II years ago with a
regularly scheduled flight in a
two place Ryan monoplane over
2e2-nnile route between St. Pet
ersburg and Daytona Beach, Fla,
on Oct. IS, 1884.
Within 40 days, NAL had com
menced to broaden its operations
and service was extended to Jack
sonville. The company operated
with one plane until early in 1885
when two trinotored, eighth as
senger Stinsons were acquired. An.
other such plane was added by the
end of the year.
Continued expansion through the
winter of 1867 saw twice-weekly
service instituted between St.
Petersburg and Miami, and in Ju-
~ of 1887 daily ma il service,
with stops at Sarasota and Fl.
Myers, was scheduled between
these two cities.
The air company continued to
grow and in September, 1887, the
line took delivery of 10-place, all
metal Lockheed Electra with a
cruising speed of 1876 miles per
hour as comps red with the 1876
mile speed Of the tri-motored
planes then in use. Three more
Lockaeeds were added in June,
1888.
In the meantime, the company
had enlarged its operations and
took on new route between Jack
sonville and New Orleans by way
Of Tallahs ssee, Mariana, Pensa-
cola, Mobile and Gulfport, a total
distance of 531 miles.
| November 1889 saw the adding
of second daily round trip on
the Miami-St. Petersburg run. BY
May of the following year Jack
sonville was the northern terminus
along the west coast and the
aggregate network made possible
, continuous service between Miami
, and New Orleans.
In line with the growth of the
air routes a new hanger was con.
structed at the Jacksonville NUM-
cipal airport, home field for Ma
tional costing 100000 to house
both the ma intenance department
and general plant. The new devel-
e opment included adequate accomo.
! dations for passengers and cargo
handling equipment.
Three Cyclone-powered Lockheed
!, Lodestars were added to the line
:, in 1910.
r The year 1914 the inauguration
Of service from Miami to Key
d West followed by service int
I Palm Bes CHI with a West Palm
e Beach stop; and into Sarasota.
Bradenton, making possible pas.
e senger n d freight transportation
: for this rich winter vegetable and
a fruit country.
! Eight more Lockheed Lodestars
4 were then added making possible
n a greater number of schedules.
On April II, 1945, NAL purchas.
, ed the Caribbean Atlantic Airlines
; Inc, subjectto the approval of the
Civil Aer6nautics board. Carib.
bean-Atlantic operated in Puerto
: Rico, the Virgin Islands and St
:, Thomas, linking the cities of Sar
= Juan, Mayaguez and Ponce and the
Islands Of st. Thomas and St
II Croix.
Lockneed Lodestars were con
verted from a normal seating O:
IA passengers to 26 passengers
and rates were reduced as much
= as so percent.
y At the present time the company
\ is operating on special charter ser
- vice between San Juan and Miami
. connecting the Caribbean routes
with the States.
;, Service into Norfolk, Va.
y and Charleston was started or
{ July 1, 1914 by NAL and the inau-
guration of nonstop flights be-
tween New York - Jacksonville;
Miami Jacksonville and New Or.
q leans Jacksonville greatly reduc:
ed travel time for through traffic.
:. :; Service into Norfolk, Va, was
inaugurated recently and with the
> start of service into Wilmington on
= Saturday, NAL i S taking another
. step toward forging an air-chair
linking principal East Coast cities.
The company started construc-
ton of the first unit of its $4,000,
i 900 building program in Miami or
Oct. Is, last, on a 60-acre trac1
ID adjoining the Miami 36th stree
n airport. It has also accepted
I initial delivery on fleet of 46
: passenger DC-4's which. are being
y used at the present time for pilot
training and familiarzation and
: will place them into passenger ser
n vice shortly.
: Among applications Nationa.
v Airlines has pending before the
S Civil Aeronautics board are the
r following: New Orleans, La, tc
Ell Paso, Texas; Pensacola, Fla,
j, to Boston, Mass, via Montgomery
s Ala, Atlanta, Ca, Nashville, N
r c., Roanoke, Va, and other i'm
: portant intermediate cities; from
: Tampa and Miami, Fla, to Mexico