February 9, 1934, the Post Office cancels all existing airmail contracts during the so-called “Air Mail Scandal” controversy. The U. S. Army Air Corps is tasked to fly the mail, a military option that fails. At the end of March, the Post Office rebids the contracts and opens the applications a month later.
Among the new applicants are Dallas-based Long and Harmon, which secures the subsidy for AM-15, a multisegment route formerly operated by American Airways. Employing a Ford Tri-Motor 4-AT-29 and several single-engine lightplanes, the company begins flying mail and passengers from Fort Worth to Amarillo and Houston and Galveston to Brownsville via Fort Worth. Two larger Ford Tri-Motors, 5-AT-70 and 5-AT-86, are acquired in September.
Successful in Braniff Airways’ backyard, the new entrant is taken over by the Braniff brothers on January 1, 1935.
LONG ISLAND AIRLINES: United States (1984-1991). Montauk Caribbean Airlines is renamed by founder Robert O. King in 1984 and the former Ocean Reef Airways subsidiary is sold. Michael Peragine is named president and nonstop daily scheduled services are undertaken linking the company’s base at the East Hampton Airport in New York with Boston and New York (LGA).
In defiance of a town order to halt operations by October 1, LIA continues to fly in and out of East Hampton until the town, contending the commuter has violated its lease, evicts it on November 11. The fleet employed before and after headquarters are moved to Republic Airport at Farmingdale, New York, comprises 2 Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftains and 1 PA-23 Aztec.
King sells out to Peragine in 1985 and flights begin to Washington,
D. C. (DCA). In 1986-1987, the fleet is upgraded by the addition of two de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters, a Fairchild Metro III, and two more Navajo Chieftains. The Metro is withdrawn in 1989.
In 1990, another Twin Otter and another Navajo Chieftain are acquired, together with two Beech Barons. In November, the scheduled routes and La Guardia slots and terminal spaces are purchased by Southern Jersey Airways. Long Island continues to operate a charter service from Republic Airport, but recession causes operations to cease in early 1991 .
LONGHORN AIRLINES: United States (1965-1967). Longhorn is established in Lafayette, Louisiana, in the fall of 1965 to offer scheduled third-level passenger and cargo services to Houston and New Orleans. With a fleet of Cessna and Piper lightplanes, the company begins daily roundtrip revenue services on October 21.
Operations continue apace in 1966 and in 1967 the company transfers to Fort Worth. After completing its move, it does not operate.
LONGKEN GENERAL AVIATION: 86 Shengping Road, Jiamus, 154002, China; Year Founded 1988. When CAAC (The General Administration of Civil Aviation of China) loosens its grasp on China’s civil aviation in the mid-to-late 1980s, it also opens the way for the establishment of a number of nonscheduled operators. One of these is Longken General Aviation, set up at Jiamus in 1988 to provide executive and small group passenger charters.
Operations continue apace and by 1999-2000 President Hongiun’s fleet comprises a pair of HAMC Y-11s.
World History
