FLORIDA AIRWAYS: United States (1943-1949). Organized at Orlando in the spring of 1943 as Orlando Airways, this small charter operation is renamed upon its receipt of certification from the CAB on March 26, 1946. Scheduled passenger and air express services are undertaken with Beech 18s in January 1947, linking the company’s base with Tallahassee via Jacksonville and Orlando.
Unable to weather the recession and inflation in fuel prices of the decade’s closing years, FA ceases revenue flights on March 29, 1949.
FLORIDA AIRWAYS CORPORATION: United States (1926). Organized at New York in February 1926 by World War I hero Reed Chambers and long distance flyer John Harding, with a small investment by “Ace of Aces” Capt. Edward V. “Eddie” Rickenbacker and support from a number of prominent bankers, Florida Airways is equipped with a single Stinson Detroiter. The transport of small package express from Atlanta to Miami via Jacksonville, Tampa, Fort Myers, and West Palm Beach, begins on April 1. The pioneer is awarded Contract Air Mail (CAM) Route No. 10 from Atlanta to Miami in May.
In exchange for a block of stock, the Ford Motor Company sells the new entrant four single-engine, eight-passenger Stout 2-Ats. One is named Miss Miami, the other Miss St. Petersburg, the names of the other two are unknown. The four begin their delivery flight south, stopping at Nashville, where the mass arrival is a cause of celebration and dinners.
When, according to the recollections of Capt. Rickenbacker, the first Stout leads out for a mass departure takeoff for Florida, its tailhook fishtails on the grass, sending the aircraft toward a group of dignitaries that includes the mayor of Nashville. To avoid catastrophe, the pilot quickly turns his aircraft around—and smashes into all three of the other aircraft. Ford dispatches a crew of mechanics to Nashville, who put all the pieces together again, creating three aircraft that proceed to Florida without incident. There they begin mail and passenger services on June 1.
As the result of negotiations between Rickenbacker and Atlanta’s assistant city attorney, William B. Hartsfield, Florida Airways begins scheduled services from Miami via Tampa to Atlanta on September 15, employing the infield of the Atlanta Motor Speedway for an airport. Later in the month, the operator receives public notice by flying support to victims of a Florida hurricane. The Detroiter flies $2 million in cash to the Bank of Biscayne and also brings in needed medical supplies from Atlanta.
Following the loss of two of the big aircraft, the carrier, down to 2-AT-8 and the Stinson, is left with a route that does not connect with any other and a volume of mail too low to earn sufficient, sustaining subsidy. As a result, FAC discontinues service at the end of the year and the 2-AT-8 is repossessed for assignment to Stout Air Services. As of December 31, Florida Airways has safely transported 939 passengers, plus mail, over almost 300,000 miles.
In July 1927, the remaining company assets, excluding the dormant route, are reformed as Southeastern Air Lines. Reed Chambers and his followers change the name of the nonoperating company to Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean Airways on October 11.
On June 25, 1928, AGCA is one of three companies merged to form Pan American Airways (PAA). The old Florida Airways route is finally taken over by Pitcairn Aviation on December 1. Despite its untimely death, the short-lived company is, nevertheless, considered one of the earliest forerunners of the long-time major carrier, Eastern Air Lines.
World History
