Once Pan Am was the largest international airline in the U.S only rivaled by TWA(Trans World Airlines). It was once a household name. It was once on Advertisement boards all over America. This is ‘A brief Overview!’ Pan Am edition.
Pan American World Airways was started in 1927 but did not become a Commercial Airline until a few years later. In 1927 Henry H. Arnold (General of Air force) and Carl Andrew Spaatz (World War II general) formed Pan american Airways in the form as a small mail service. After being successful by gaining landing rights and Mail contracts they became the America’s first Scheduled flight. The flight took off at Key West Florida and landed at Havana Cuba. This not only skyrocketed Pan American’s reputation but also changed U.S Aviation history.
This caused The visionary at the time Juan Trippe to take charge of the company. Immediately after this Mr Trippe appointing pilots to find routes in the Caribbean. Juan Trippe, without knowing, made the foundations that aircraft would follow. Key executives were hired for various different things. With this Trippe also stopped pilots from smoking.
The company continued to grow and expand adding different routes. They added more aircraft, which they called the Clipper fleet. With these Boat-planes Pan Am could fly as Far as South America. Adding to this, they built a new airport in Miami and this is where the Clipper Fleet were based and at the time it was the busiest Marine Terminal In the world!
At the time of 1935 Pan Am became the first airline to fly across the Pacific to China. Pan Am developed a Long range weather service which gave pilots the weather and they developed a plane with more efficient propellers. Pan am took enormous leaps in the American Aviation Industry by becoming the first American airline to have a plane to airport traffic system. All of the achievements I have stated are all amazing, but, the most amazing feat Pan Am have achieved is being the first ever airline to fly around the world.
After World War 2 competition grew with companies like Trans World Airlines and United Gaining some attention but this did not stop Pan Am. The company kept on buying planes and this helped popularise Boeing’s DC 4 which was revolutionary for that time. It also made flying more affordable. Through the following years Pan Am continued to be competitive in the airline market.
By early 1950 the Company changed its name Officially to Pan American World Airways. In that year they made a economy class plane fly from New York to London and ordered more aircraft. In 1955 Boeing had been Building a revolutionary plane and 20 of them were supposed to be sent to Pan Am. In October of 1958 Pan Am flew the Inaugural flights of the first American Jet-powered Plane to carry passengers. In 1960 for 150 million USD Pan Am bought a building in Manhattan to be their office building. The logo of Pan Am could be seen for miles and that is how Pan Am became a household name In New york.
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