One hundred years ago today, on September 8, 1920, airmail pilot Randolph Page set off from Long Island to fly the first of 15 legs of the first US Airmail service transcontinental relay flight. Flying by the seat of their pants, with only visual references as their guide, a series of airmail pilots transferred mail bags between their rag and tube machines at stops along the westbound route. Three days later, airmail pilot Eddie Mouton, flying a De Havilland DH-4, touched down at what was Marina Airfield in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and transferred the mailbags to San Francisco’s postmaster, Charles W. Fay, concluding the 2,560-mile historic flight.
Relay Flight Honors First Transcontinental Airmail Flight
Key Takeaways:
- On September 8, 1920, the first US Airmail transcontinental relay flight was completed, significantly reducing coast-to-coast mail delivery time from Long Island to San Francisco.
- Exactly 100 years later, on September 8, 2020, the AirMail100 Centennial Flights Project began a commemorative relay flight, retracing the original 2,560-mile route with volunteer pilots.
- The modern flight, which will carry special commemorative postcards, honors the courageous airmail pioneers who established American aviation leadership through their dedication and sacrifices, despite flying with primitive technology.
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