Air Mail 100: Commemorating the Centennial of the Launch of U.S. Transcontinental Air Mail Service
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Sat, 09/05/2020 - 7:40am
Event Date:
September 10, 2020 - 4:00pm Transcontinental air mail began in the United States 1920. This transcontinental reenactment of the 15 segments of the transcontinental route are flown by volunteer pilots from across the country. To mirror the events of 1920, Air Mail 100 Centennial Flights project is flying a near mirror version of the stops with minor variations to accommodate airport impacts.
The revised route begins September 8th, departing Farmingdale, New York to Bellefonte, to Geauga County, to Joliet, to Iowa City, to Omaha Millard, to North Platte, to Cheyenne, to Rawlins, to Rock Springs, to Woods Cross, to Elko, to Carson City, and finally terminating in Concord, California.
Flying in relay, the aim is to transfer from plane-to-plane a ceremonial sack of commemorative letters and post cards, not unlike one sent in 1920. Adjunct to this, each community that once hosted a U.S. Air Mail Landing Field will issue a proclamation noting the historic significance their predecessors played in this nationally important and extremely risky venture.
In addition to retracing each of the flights, we hope that each pilot will record the flight, if possible using GoPro-type video cameras, as well as taking still photos of themselves, their aircraft, the airports from which they depart and land, as well as the supporters who come out to watch the transfer. Sharing these on the internet, thus memorializing for posterity this important milestone in America’s story economically, technologically, sociologically.
The aircraft flying the leg into Carson City will be arriving at 4:00pm on September 10th and staying the night. The planned departure for Concord Buchanan Field is 7:00am September 11th.
