50 replies to this topic

[ski3pin]

thx for sharing.  great country and an excellent reason to poke around and explore

 

Yup and it sure spins our propellers! Thanks for the kind comment!

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Ski for the great history lesson.As usual you have put a lot of

work into this report.Much appreciated.

Frank

[ski3pin]

Thanks Ski for the great history lesson.As usual you have put a lot of

work into this report.Much appreciated.

Frank

It's still fun or I wouldn't do it. Thanks Frank!

[ckent323]

There was a route along the coast in California as well as across the Mojave Desert I think a couple of the concrete arrows and even a few tower bases survive.  There are more in other states.

https://sometimes-in...-beacon-system/

https://www.dreamsmi...row/arrows.html

[ski3pin]

There was a route along the coast in California as well as across the Mojave Desert I think a couple of the concrete arrows and even a few tower bases survive. There are more in other states.

https://sometimes-in...-beacon-system/

https://www.dreamsmi...row/arrows.html

Absolutely Craig, thanks for adding these! Tying this to Foy's post above, the beginnings of air mail across the United States was a catalyst for commercial aviation. The first air mail pilots were U.S. Army Air Corp and then, for a couple years, the Post Office had their own planes and pilots. It the late 1920's the Department of Commerce offered contracts for flying the mail on the various airway routes across the U.S.. The route Julie & I are searching on was Contract Air Mail route 18 (CAM #18). Boeing Air Transport was the carrier. These early companies grew into the airlines and companies we know so well.

[Espresso]

Concrete arrows still exist in Walnut Creek, CA, not far from where I live.  I could pinpoint the location, but I won't spoil the fun of you finding them for yourself.

[ski3pin]

I found this nice piece from the U.S. Post Office on the history of air mail -

 

Air Mail: A Brief History

[Lighthawk]

Absolutely Craig, thanks for adding these! Tying this to Foy's post above, the beginnings of air mail across the United States was a catalyst for commercial aviation. The first air mail pilots were U.S. Army Air Corp and then, for a couple years, the Post Office had their own planes and pilots. It the late 1920's the Department of Commerce offered contracts for flying the mail on the various airway routes across the U.S.. The route Julie & I are searching on was Contract Air Mail route 18 (CAM #18). Boeing Air Transport was the carrier. These early companies grew into the airlines and companies we know so well.

 

 

 

Once again, I spent an enjoyable visit down the rabbit hole, looking at maps.  Thanks Ski!

Edited by Lighthawk, 12 May 2021 - 08:32 PM.

[Foy]

Knowing how much I enjoy nonfiction and history in general, my wife bought me "Mavericks of the Sky: The First Daring Pilots of the US Air Mail", by Barry Rosenburg.  The facts that they started off flying WWI Jennys and referred to themselves as The Suicide Club tells you a lot about the history, particularly the early history, of the USPS Air Mail service.  It's been a few years since I read it, but my recollection is that it doesn't delve too deeply into the beacon/emergency landing grounds subject matter.  

 

Foy

[ski3pin]

FYI, I updated our blog story on the airway beacons with information I found about the Intermediate Landing Fields (DOCILF) from the archives of the Airway Bulletins from the 1930's. Many thanks to Charlotte from Arrows Across America for sending me this information. Oh boy, more stuff to go out looking for!