Airmail – Idaho Aviation Heritage

The story of the birth of commercial flight

I’ve posted before the long photo version of Leon Cuddleback’s memories of making the first flight from Pasco to Elko via Seattle, but this site has put together the story along with a lot of newspaper clippings and additional information. Click on the clippings and photos to see a larger version. It’s an excellent reminder of why it’s so important to remember our heritage and preserve it for the future.

http://1926flight-greenhat6.blogspot.com/

By the way, don’t miss the opportunity to support our charity by purchasing the items you can find in our store at https://www.etsy.com/shop/IdAviationHeritage.

Map of Idaho Airports from 1934

Look what we recently found in the Idaho State Historical Society Archives: https://idahohistory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16281coll21/id/187/rec/1

It is a beautiful map of airports, including the Contract Air Mail Routes, in 1934. You can use it to see where the beacons used to be and you will find that some of them are still in place (and a few moved to new locations). You will also find some arrows remaining. We are working hard to restore this aviation heritage and teach people about the importance of Idaho in the history of commercial aviation.

Come see us at the Idaho Aviation Expo in Idaho Falls on May 17-18, 2019. Youwill also be able to find us at Celebrate Blackfoot on June 28-29, 2019.

CNN Travel Segment on Concrete Arrows and Beacons

Check out this CNN Travel piece on the arrows. It includes quotes from Charlotte and Brian Smith.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/concrete-arrows-america/index.html

United States Postal Service to Celebrate 100th Anniversary of U.S. Airmail Service

WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service will honor the beginning of airmail service by dedicating two United States Air Mail Forever stamps this year.

The first, depicted above in blue, commemorates the pioneering spirit of the brave pilots who first flew the mail in the early years of aviation. The first-day-of-issue ceremony will take place May 1, 2018 at 11 a.m. at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Ave. N.E., Washington, DC. The event is free and open to the public. Followers of the U.S. Postal Service’s Facebook page can view the ceremony live at facebook.com/USPS. News about the stamps can be shared with the hashtags #AirMailStamps and #USAirMail.