Lex Anteinternet: September 8, 1920. The start of Air Mail

Lex Anteinternet: September 8, 1920. The start of Air Mail:

September 8, 1920. The start of Air Mail

On this day in 1920, the U.S. Post Office inaugurated Air Mail in the United STates with early morning flights taking off from New Jersey and San Francisco, ultimately bound for the other location, and with distribution stops and refueling stops along the way.  Cheyenne was one of the cities on their flight path.

As the Cheyenne paper noted, unusually spelling it out, the reason for the numerous stops was that the Airco DH4 airplanes dedicated to the project didn't carry sufficient fuel not to make numerous stops.  The DH4 was a British designed World War One bomber which the US had ordered in sufficient numbers to make the United States the largest customer for the aircraft. After the war they were placed into mail service, which they'd continue to perform up until 1932.  Indeed, as late as that year the US seriously considered purchasing an updated variant.

On the same day an Italian crises continued as the Italian Regency of Carnaro, effectively declaring Fiume to be a city state, was proclaimed by Gabriele D'Annunzio, poet and wartime Italian army officer.  The move sought to formalize the Italian control over the city of mixed ethnicity but went beyond that in the formation of a proto fascist state.  It's independence would be more formalized the following year, but would be brief, as it followed a treaty with Italy that sought to incorporate it within the Kingdom of Italy. That effort lead to a brief war which Italy obviously won.

And this peaceful photograph was taken.

Y.M.C.A. Island & playground, Lynchburg Virginia.

The Hanger. Rock River, Wyoming

 

I have no idea how old this hanger is, but it's been in this field just outside of Rock River as long as I can remember, and that goes back to the 80s.

I dimly recall, and perhaps inaccurately, that back then there was an airplane in it. If there was, that plane has long since departed forever.

Aerial parade supports Colorado COVID Relief Fund

Aerial parade supports Colorado COVID Relief Fund: WATCH: Classic planes take to the sky to honor essential workers and raise money for Coloradans in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lex Anteinternet: July 29, 1920. Echoes of wars.

Lex Anteinternet: July 29, 1920. Echoes of wars.:

July 29, 1920. Echoes of wars.

Ruth Sturtevant Smith at the launching of the U.S.S. Sturtevant on July 29, 1920. The ship was named after her brother Albert Dillon Sturtevant (1894-1918) who served as a U.S. Navy officer and was killed in World War I.

The Navy remembered Albert Dillon Sturtevant on the name of a ship.

He was an aircrewman of a Curtis Model H that had an international crew and which was shot down on February 15, 1918.  The crew survived the crash into the sea, but they were not able to be rescued by an other seaplane, as the waves were too rough.  He was the only American on the aircrew and occupied the position of gunner. He was the first serving member of the U.S. military to be brought down in an air action.

The destroyer named after him and dedicated on this day was lost to mines during World War Two.  A second destroyer was named after him in 1943 and served until 1960.

The F15 is back in production and so is the Mig 31.

The F15 is the F15EX variant, a brand new version of the old F15, which first went into production in 1976.  The planes history dates back to tests that go as far back as 1972.

The enormous Mig 31 first went into production in 1981 and has a history that goes back to 1975.

Why are they back? 

Missiles.

The F15EX can carry a seven foot long missiles that can reach deep into China, should the need arise, and its external hard points can carry more missiles than the F35.

The Mig 31, which might simply be getting an overhaul rather than new editions, can carry missiles that can reach into low orbit and hit satellites.

And so the Cold War sort of returns, in a way.

Blog Mirror: A Fleeting Peace

A Fleeting Peace

Lex Anteinternet: And now Brooks Brothers. . .

Lex Anteinternet: And now Brooks Brothers. . .:

And now Brooks Brothers. . .

which has been in business since 1818, has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Well dressed New York lawyer, 1914.  Brooks Brothers suit?

The clothier is an iconic men's fashion institution, although it also makes clothing for women.  A privately owned company the entire time, in more formal eras it virtually set the pattern for really fine men's business wear.  Abraham Lincoln had suits made there, as did John F. Kennedy.  Theodore Roosevelt's size was on record there such that when the Spanish American War was declared, he ordered uniforms from the company.

I've had three Brooks Brothers suits myself, all of which were excellent suits.  By some odd law of nature, as soon as I acquire a really good suit, I gain weight, so I can't wear any of them anymore.  There's be no point in me keeping my size on record.

The company couldn't weather the storm of COVID 19 and the decline in American standards of dress.  It's going to close 200 outlets and hope to reorganize.

Another clothing institution having trouble is Levi Strauss, which saw a 62% decline in sales this past quarter.

Both Levis and Brooks Brothers have had to weather the changes in fashion over the past half century, but Brooks Brothers actually seemed to be handling it better, never forgetting that its flagship line were men's suits.  Levis, in contrast, only weakly defended its legendary brand, Levis blue jeans, which are now made overseas as a rule.  The company has seemed to lose its way in general.

Levis "Dockers", which the company introduced when business casual became a think.  I do like this product line.

Levis advertising, a symbol of the company, really hit rock bottom during the last couple of decades when it tried to really appeal to hipsters.  Perhaps its worst advertisement was a young, grungy, looking woman wearing Levis 501s and a wool cap just spouting nonsense.

Not from Sur La Table.

Also taking bankruptcy is a company called Sur La Table, a company that sells high end kitchen goods.  You'd almost think that in this stay at home era, it'd be doing good  Apparently not.

Also not from Sur La Table.

It's interesting how this company, which in some ways must have ridden the foodie boom of the last fifteen or so years, would be in trouble now.  Turns out, probably, that you cook with some pretty old fashioned generic stuff.

United Airlines contract regional aircraft in Denver.

Not taking bankruptcy, but warning employees of possible furloughs, is United Airlines, who this past week gave that notice to 36,000 of its employees, 1/3d of its total work force.  Air travel, as everyone knows, has dropped way off due to COVID 19.

United is a major local carrier here and they've reduced their flights considerably.  I understand that, but its unfortunate as I really liked their Denver red eye, which is one of the cancelled flights.

Lex Anteinternet: June 11, 1970. Leaving Libya

Lex Anteinternet: June 11, 1970. Leaving Libya:

June 11, 1970. Leaving Libya

F100 Super Saber taking off from Wheelus Air Force Base, Libya.

On this day in 1970 the American military presence in Libya came to an end when the U.S. Air Force turned Wheelus Air Force Base over to the North African country.

Few people today would even be aware that the USAF had a base in Libya, but it first started having a presence at Wheelus during World War Two when it took over the former Italian air field in 1943 after it was captured by the British.  It occupied the air field steadily until this date in 1970. During much of that time the US had friendly relations with the country's monarch, King Idris I.

King Idris I of Libya, who reigned from 1951 until 1969. The former king would live out his life in exile in Egypt.

Idris was overthrown in a military coup led by Muammar Gaddafi, who subsequently ruled the "republic" from that point until is his violent death at the hands of a revolutionary crowd in 2011.  During Idris' reign the nation went from being one of the poorest in the world to being one of the richest, due to the discovery of oil, and at the same time the purpose of the USAF presence in the country declined to the point of irrelevance.  Gaddafi wanted the US out and the US, for its part, was glad to leave.

Wheelus was soon used by the Soviet Air Forces as a base and as a Libyan air force base.  It was hit  in 1986 by the U.S. during it raid on Libya during the Reagan administration.

USAF FB-111 landing after air strike in Libya in 1986.

The air strip is an airport today.

On the same day William Bentvena was shot by Tommy DeSimone, an event, mostly recalled from the movie Goodfellas.  Bentvena was a "made man" of the Gambino crime family and DeSimone would disappear in 1979.

Lex Anteinternet: A Memorial Day Reflection on the Second World War....

Lex Anteinternet: A Memorial Day Reflection on the Second World War....: One poster noted that much expanded airline travel resulted from the war, and that certainly is the case.

Just prior to the war airliners were beginning to take on a recognizable form, with the DC-3 being a recognizable commercial aircraft that went on to do yeoman's service during the war as the C-47.

C-47 that went on to post war commercial use being restored at the Pacific Aviation Museum.

After the war, however, things really changed. Four engined wartime aircraft made four engined commercial aircraft inevitable.  By the 60s they were yielding to jets and modern air travel was around the corner.  It really took airline deregulation, however, which came in during the 1980s, to make air travel cheap.

Must be some unofficial arrangments going on. . .

now that flights are less common, due to cancellations during the pandemic.

FAA Informational Letter to Pilots The FAA recognizes that there is a trend in the industry towards using computer and cell phone applications to facilitate air transportation by connecting potential passengers to aircraft owners and pilots willing to provide professional services. Some of these applications enable the provision – directly or indirectly – of both an aircraft and one or more crewmembers to customers seeking air transportation. This letter serves as a reminder to all pilots that, as a general rule, pursuant to 14 CFR (commonly known by industry as the Federal Aviation Regulations FARs) private pilots may neither act as pilot-in-command (PIC) of an aircraft for compensation or hire nor act as a PIC of an aircraft carrying persons or property for compensation or hire. Furthermore, to engage in air transportation a pilot must hold a commercial or airline transport pilot license and must operate the flights in accordance with the requirements that apply to the specific operation conducted (e.g., Part 135). To meet the operational requirements, the pilots must be employed (as a direct employee or agent) by the certificate holder with operational control of the flight (e.g., a Part 135 certificate holder) or must herself or himself hold a certificate issued under 14 C.F.R. Part 119. Another common pitfall to be aware of is the “sham dry lease” or the “wet lease in disguise.” This situation occurs when one or more parties act in concert to provide an aircraft and at least one crewmember to a potential passenger. One could see this, for example, when the passenger enters into two independent contracts with the party that provides the aircraft and the pilot. One could also see this when two or more parties agree to provide a bundle (e.g., when the lessor of the aircraft conditions the lease – whether directly or indirectly – to entering into a professional services agreement with a specific pilot or group of pilots. This type of scenario is further discussed in Advisory Circular (AC) 91-37B, Truth in Leasing. Whenever you pilot an aircraft subject to a dry-lease agreement (a dry lease is an aircraft leased with no crew), you should consider the following: Is it truly a dry-lease agreement whereby the lessee, in practice and agreement, has operational control in accordance with AC 91-37B and the FARs? If not, then flights operated under this agreement may be illegal charters and you, the pilot, may be in violation of the FARs for those flight operations. Are you as the pilot also providing the aircraft involved in the dry-lease? If so, you may be in violation of the FARs for those flight operations if you do not have the appropriate operational authority to conduct the flights (e.g., a Part 135 certificate.)  An additional caution to consider is flight-sharing. Section 61.113(c) of Title 14 of the CFR allows for private pilots to share certain expenses. Pilots may share operating expenses with passengers on a pro rata basis when those expenses involve only fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees. To properly conduct an expense sharing flight under 61.113(c), the pilot and passengers must have a common purpose and the pilot cannot hold out as offering services to the public. The “common-purpose test” anticipates that the pilot and expense-sharing passengers share a “bona fide common purpose” for their travel and the pilot has chosen the destination. Communications with passengers for a common-purpose flight are restricted to a defined and limited audience to avoid the “holding out” element of common carriage. For example, advertising in any form (word of mouth, website, reputation, etc.) raises the question of “holding-out.” Note that, while a pilot exercising private pilot privileges may share expenses with passengers within the constraints of § 61.113(c), the pilot cannot conduct any commercial operation under Part 119 or the less stringent operating rules of Part 91 (e.g., aerial work operations, crop dusting, banner towing, ferry or training flights, or other commercial operations excluded from the certification requirements of Part 119). For more information on sharing flight expenses, common purpose, and holding out see: AC 61-142, Sharing Aircraft Operating Expenses in Accordance with 14 CFR 61.113(c) AC 120-12A, Private Carriage vs. Common Carriage of Persons or Property FlyteNow, Inc. vs. Federal Aviation Administration, 808 F.3d 882 (D.C. Cir. 2015) Unauthorized 135 operations continue to be a problem nationwide, putting the flying public in danger, diluting safety in the national airspace system, and undercutting the business of legitimate operators. If you have questions regarding dry-lease agreements or sharing expenses, please review the FARs and ACs. Additionally, you may contact your local Flight Standards District Office for assistance or seek the advice of a qualified aviation attorney.

Lex Anteinternet: May 17, 1920. More flights.

Lex Anteinternet: May 17, 1920. More flights.:

May 17, 1920. More flights.

"Annual May Festival of the Friends Select School, Washington D.C. Held at the Friends Country Club."  Pageants like this were common at the time.

It was a day for flight.

The Canadian Air Force, a Canadian air militia that principally served as an airman trainer, came into being.  It was not a standing air force and it would very soon be replaced by one, which would be the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1924.

On the same day, KLM, the Dutch airlines which is the oldest airline in the world, made its first flight, that being from London to Amsterdam. There were only two passengers and some mail, but then the flight was made in a leased DH16, which is not a giant aircraft.

Airco Aircraft Transport and Travel DH16

The plane was leased from the British Aircraft Transport and Travel company.

Meanwhile, Carranza was still holding out in Mexico in what the newspapers were calling a "heroic" last stand.

And President Wilson, in a speech, warned that the United States had used 40% of its proven oil reserves and only had 20 years of petroleum production left.