Rodman Wanamaker published a letter in 1916 stating the founding of the American Trans-Oceanic Company to capitalize on the 1914 effort to fly across the Atlantic non-stop. A Curtiss H-16 aircraft was ordered for the company. Wanamaker claimed that if the trans-Atlantic flight could be accomplished once, then it could be accomplished over and over with commercial transports shortly thereafter.[2]
Curtiss H-16 Big Fish overhead
Forming just prior to America's full involvement in World War I, American Trans-Oceanic Company became one of the earliest commercial airlines in the United States. Operations also included a full-time flight school in Long Island and Palm Beach using Curtiss aircraft.[3] New innovations were deployed, such as a Sperryautopilot.[4] Rates varied from $15 for a 15-minute flight to $250 for a 320-mile flight to Cuba. Four five-hour flights a week were flown to Bimini at night.[5] By 1918, the company carried four to five thousand passengers without incident.[6]
The company's most distinctive aircraft was Big Fish, A Curtiss H-16 painted as a fish that flew between Palm Beach, Havana, Nassau, and New York City.[7]
In 1927, Wanamaker sponsored Richard E. Byrd through the American Trans-Oceanic Company to make the Transatlantic attempt again in a Fokker Trimotor, the America. The company put up nearly $150,000 to fund the effort.[8] The aircraft crashed on the attempt to win the Orteig Prize, losing to Charles Lindbergh. The team attempt was accomplished on July 1, 1927, crashing in Ver-sur-Mer.[9]
Wanamaker died in May 1928. Without Wanamaker's involvement, American Trans-Oceanic Company's sponsorships did not continue.
In January 1917, one of the Twin engine Curtiss flying boats was destroyed when it was torn from its hangar in a gale storm in Long Island.[11] In 1921 the Big Fish, Curtiss H-16 was destroyed in a crash.[12]
^Flying: 354. September 1916.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
^Flying: 99. April 1916.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
^Flying: 354. September 1916.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
^"aerial age weekly". 4 December 1916. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^. Archived from the original on 26 May 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
^Aerospace Industries Association of America; Manufacturers Aircraft Association; Aircraft Industries Association of America; Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America. Aircraft year book. p. 12.
^Lynn Lasseter Drake; Richard A. Marconi. West Palm Beach: 1893 to 1950.
^Richard Bak. The Big Jump: Lindbergh and the Great Atlantic Air Race.
^Richard Evelyn Byrd; Raimund Erhard Goerler. To the Pole: the diary and notebook of Richard E. Byrd, 1925-1927.
^Aerospace Industries Association of America; Manufacturers Aircraft Association; Aircraft Industries Association of America; Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America. Aircraft year book. p. 12.
american, trans, oceanic, company, airline, based, united, states, founded1914hubsport, washington, york, palm, beach, floridaheadquartersnew, york, city, peoplerodman, wanamaker, glen, curtiss, grover, whalen, contents, history, destinations, fleet, incidents. American Trans Oceanic Company was an airline based in the United States American Trans Oceanic CompanyFounded1914HubsPort Washington New York Palm Beach FloridaHeadquartersNew York City 1 Key peopleRodman Wanamaker Glen Curtiss Grover Whalen Contents 1 History 2 Destinations 3 Fleet 4 Incidents and accidents 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editRodman Wanamaker published a letter in 1916 stating the founding of the American Trans Oceanic Company to capitalize on the 1914 effort to fly across the Atlantic non stop A Curtiss H 16 aircraft was ordered for the company Wanamaker claimed that if the trans Atlantic flight could be accomplished once then it could be accomplished over and over with commercial transports shortly thereafter 2 nbsp Curtiss H 16 Big Fish overhead Forming just prior to America s full involvement in World War I American Trans Oceanic Company became one of the earliest commercial airlines in the United States Operations also included a full time flight school in Long Island and Palm Beach using Curtiss aircraft 3 New innovations were deployed such as a Sperry autopilot 4 Rates varied from 15 for a 15 minute flight to 250 for a 320 mile flight to Cuba Four five hour flights a week were flown to Bimini at night 5 By 1918 the company carried four to five thousand passengers without incident 6 The company s most distinctive aircraft was Big Fish A Curtiss H 16 painted as a fish that flew between Palm Beach Havana Nassau and New York City 7 In 1927 Wanamaker sponsored Richard E Byrd through the American Trans Oceanic Company to make the Transatlantic attempt again in a Fokker Trimotor the America The company put up nearly 150 000 to fund the effort 8 The aircraft crashed on the attempt to win the Orteig Prize losing to Charles Lindbergh The team attempt was accomplished on July 1 1927 crashing in Ver sur Mer 9 Wanamaker died in May 1928 Without Wanamaker s involvement American Trans Oceanic Company s sponsorships did not continue Destinations editCountry Continent Havana Nassau Bimini New York City Atlantic City Newport Bar Harbor New London Boston Saratoga Springs Lake George AlbanyFleet editThe American Trans Oceanic Company fleet consists of the following aircraft as of 1918 10 American Trans Oceanic Company Fleet Aircraft Total Routes Notes Curtiss Model F Short Routes 5 6 place open flying boats Curtiss H 16 Long Routes 14 16 place flying boatsIncidents and accidents editIn January 1917 one of the Twin engine Curtiss flying boats was destroyed when it was torn from its hangar in a gale storm in Long Island 11 In 1921 the Big Fish Curtiss H 16 was destroyed in a crash 12 See also editList of defunct airlines of the United States Wanamaker TriplaneReferences edit Flying 354 September 1916 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint untitled periodical link Flying 99 April 1916 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint untitled periodical link Flying 354 September 1916 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint untitled periodical link aerial age weekly 4 December 1916 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help High over Palm Beach Archived from the original on 26 May 2012 Retrieved 3 January 2012 Aerospace Industries Association of America Manufacturers Aircraft Association Aircraft Industries Association of America Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America Aircraft year book p 12 Lynn Lasseter Drake Richard A Marconi West Palm Beach 1893 to 1950 Richard Bak The Big Jump Lindbergh and the Great Atlantic Air Race Richard Evelyn Byrd Raimund Erhard Goerler To the Pole the diary and notebook of Richard E Byrd 1925 1927 Aerospace Industries Association of America Manufacturers Aircraft Association Aircraft Industries Association of America Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America Aircraft year book p 12 The Rudder Volume 33 p 94 High over Palm Beach Archived from the original on 26 May 2012 Retrieved 3 January 2012 External links editImage of the Curtiss H 16 Big Fish Hotel Royal Poinciana Palm Beach Photographs of Big Fish Portals nbsp United States nbsp Companies nbsp Aviation nbsp This article relating to a United States airline is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title American Trans Oceanic Company amp oldid 1120909581, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
