SPEECH OF MR. J. T. TRIPPE PRESIDENT OF PAN AMERICAN AIRWAYS, INC.

AND DIRECTOR OF AVIATION CORPORATION OF THE AMERICAS

GIVEN OVER STATION W.A.B.C.

JANUARY 3, 1929

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF AVIATION ACTIVITIES HOUR SPONSORED BY GARGOYLE MOBILOIL CO.

Photo of Juan Trippe and Charles Lindbergh at the opening of Pan American Field in Miami, January 1929 (University of Miami Special Collections).

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Radio Audience,

Ten years ago the airplane was a novelty. Travel by air was hazardous. It was not thought of as an essential need - in fact, the aviator was regarded as a dare devil. The airplane was merely a war machine.

Today the airplane is safe. Travel by air in many instances is less hazardous than travel by automobile, by rail or by boat. The insurance companies of the Old World prove this fact. They charge a smaller premium, for instance, on air travel insurance between London and Paris than for travel by the combined rail and boat trip linking those two cities. Gold bullion, when shipped from country to country in Europe, goes by air. Payrolls in South America and Mexico go by air. In the United States nearly half a ton of our mail every day goes by air.

In making the wonderful twentieth century development possible, untold credit is due to the present Administration of the United States Government. President Coolidge, President-Elect Hoover, Postmaster General New, Assistant Postmaster General Glover, Assistant Secretary of State White and Assistant Secretary of Commerce MacCracken - - all have done as much in their way as has Colonel Lindbergh in his way to bring about this commercial development of the airplane.

Until now, we have thought of American aviation as purely a national development - - a development that has brought the Golden gate of San Francisco within two days of the Palisades of the Hudson.

On January 9, next Wednesday, the next great step will be taken. Commercial aviation of this country will on that day take to its wings internationally. The occasion will be the inauguration of service by Pan American Airways, Incorporated, over the 1440 mile air routes 1inking Miami, Florida, with San Juan, Porto Rico, via Havana and Camaguey, Cuba, Port au Prince, Haiti and Santo Domingo City, Dominican Republic. This great service, marking the first great international airway route from the United States is the initial step of a great air and rail system which will bring faraway Buenos Aires within a week's distance of New York City.

On January 11, the second great 1ink vlll be forged in this Pan American chain. This link will join Miami, Florida, with the Panama Canal via the countries of Central America.

Already, the Pan American Airways system is functioning. Only last Wednesday, a route was opened from Miami to Nassau, and for a year and a half a regular service has been maintained between Key West and Havana.

On the West Coast of South America, a service has been operated jointly by Pan American Airways and W. R. Grace & Company. This service will shortly be extended from the boundaries of Peru to Chile and Ecuador. Later, the service will be extended to join every country of South America and Central America.

The Pan American enterprise is not the enterprise of a single corporation. Practically every large aviation company, and nearly every important factor in the American aviation industry is united to develop America's first great international airways service.

It has been for this reason - the fact that Pan American Airways represents a unified effort to extend American air services to South America - that the Government of the United States has been able so effectively to cooperate.

In a sense, Pan American Airways is the standard bearer of the American aviation industry. Such being the case, the inauguration of the Pan American system on January 9 assumes an importance that far transcends the usual opening of a new air service. It symbolizes in fact the entrance of the United States into the international field of aviation. For this reason, Postmaster general New and Assistant Postmaster General Glover are willing to participate in the inauguration ceremonies.

And, now, a few words more. I want again to mention the element of safety in flight by air. For a year and a half Pan American Airways has been operating between Key West, Florida and Havana. In that period, Pan American planes have carried over 315,000 pounds of United States mail. Not a single letter was lost during this year and a half - and an efficiency of 99.88% was maintained. In other words, out of one thousand flights, there has been delay in the delivery of the mails only twice. You who have commuted on railroad trains will concede that this is, indeed, a glorious record.

And, another thing - - the United States Post Office Department keeps a careful, business-1ike record of actual losses of mail. Has it ever occurred to you that in one marine disaster - - the wreck of the Vestris - - more mail was lost than has been lost in the combined operation of air mail planes since the United States Government first let its first air mail contract over four years ago.

These are facts that furnish striking proof of the reliability of airplane service. The day is not far distant when airplanes in cooperation with railroads will operate in every country of North, Central and South America, linking the three Americas together by means of rapid communication, so that a man may leave any city of the United States and in less then a week reach some of the remotest points in the Argentine.

In a very few months, many important cities in South America will be as close to the United States as San Francisco is to New York.

A further word as to the passenger service to Nassau, Bahama Islands, Cuba and the West Indies that will be available to travellers and vacationists after January 9, next Wednesday.

Three Airliners daily operating between Miami and Havana with a flying time of two and one-quarter hours will save a full business day in each direction over the best previous travel schedule. San Juan may be reached in only six additional flying hours from Cuba, clipping 33-1/2 hours off the usual travel time from the United States to Santiago. Airliners will reach Nassau in two hours as against approximately sixteen required by steamer.

By operating agreement with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, the Florida East Coast Railway, and all associated rail systems, through rail-air service from any point in the United States to any port of call on the Airways will be inaugurated on the same date. Serving the Atlantic seaboard are the Atlantic Coast Line and the Florida East Coast Railway; the Pennsylvania system (Eastern Division); the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac; the New York, New Haven and Hartford; and the Louisville and Nashville. Serving the middle west are the Illinois Central, Chicago & Eastern Illinois and the Pennsylvania System (Western Division).

Connecting trains offer the familiar Pullman service. Passengers are met at their trains in Miami by private motor cars and carried directly to Pan American Airways private airport.

On the observation terrace of the new $100,000 air terminal, first of its kind in America, they are served with breakfast while uniformed attendants facilitate compliance with the usual customer regulations. Within forty-five minutes from the time of leaving their Pullmans, the passengers are aboard one of the giant airliners and en route to their destination.

A fleet of ten multi-motored airliners will maintain service on the West Indian Division of Pan American Airways, Inc.

Tri-motored airliners, fastest of their size in existence, provide for twelve passengers and an operating crew of three. Some of their features are roomy lounge chairs, full vision windows, wide central aisles, gay tropic decorations, and special compartments for mail and baggage. Running water, modern toilet facilities, and steward service are available. Airliners are radio equipped, carry a licensed radio operator, and are in constant touch with land stations. Powered by three motors of 125 horsepower each, any two of which will sustain the airliner in flight at 100 miles an hour, they have a cruising speed of 125 miles in hour with a top speed of 150 miles an hour.

On the Nassau line, are used bi-motored amphibian air transports, largest of their type in the world and with similar luxurious accommodations for eight passengers. They easily negotiate the narrow harbor at Nassau which passenger steamers have never been able to enter.

In connection with the opening of this service on January 9, dedication exercises will be held at the private airport of Pan American Airways, Inc. One of the largest commercial fields in the South, this field was recently designated an official airport of entry to the United States. Customs, public health, and immigration officers stationed on the field, expedite passenger clearance.