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 2,560-mile US transcontinental airmail relay flight began, a challenging three-day journey that significantly reduced mail delivery time and pioneered American aviation.
- One hundred years later, on September 8, 2020, the AirMail100 Centennial Flights Project launched a commemorative relay flight, honoring the courage and sacrifices of the original airmail pilots.
- Volunteer pilots are flying modern general aviation aircraft with advanced technology, following the original route and schedule as closely as possible while carrying special commemorative postcards.
- The project aims to pay tribute to the pioneering airmail service and highlight the immense technological and human achievement of establishing coast-to-coast aviation, concluding in San Francisco on September 11.
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