Airline Operations (by aircraft) First Began Here — 97 years ago

Airline Operations  (by aircraft*) First Began Here — 97 years ago

New Year’s Day in 1914, only tens years after the famous Wright Brothers Kitty Hawk flight, and just after morning coffee the St. Petersburg–Tampa Airboat Line commenced operations.The owner of the world’s first airline, Percival Fansler, saw business potential for transporting passengers by air. Back in the day airplanes were not known for their speed as much as their capability to fly in straight lines. Although that characteristic is appreciated today it was especially liked since roads between towns, if in existence, were often rough and could not be traveled quickly. Railroads were the main overland conveyance of the time and often only railroad bridges spanned bays and rivers. Such was the case in Tampa Bay. This area of Florida is where St. Petersburg and Tampa are located and connected directly by two bridges (there are two others that also span the bay, one of the world’s more unusual estuaries).

Driving between the downtown areas of each city can now be accomplished with ease in a bit less than half an hour but back in 1914 an excursion around the top of the bay was necessary and would take most of the day. This presented a business potential that provided the incentive for Fansler to create a new aircraft enterprise type — an airline. This airline flew one passenger at a time — or two packed into the seat for one seat — across the bay in about 30 minutes in a side-by-side seating open cockpit Benoist XIV Airboat (an airboat of that day is known as a seaplane today). The airlines’ pilot on that historic day was Tony Jannus, the same man for which an award is named for the annual commercial aviation accomplishment by an individual (please see the post to be published in two day’s time, on 3 January). The airline operated for three months, transporting passengers in the flying boat (airboat as it was called) made by Thomas Benoist — the Benoist XIV Airboat — twice a day for six days each week with no accidents or losses. The aircraft itself was lost in an accident months after the closure of the airline.

Below is a photo of a model of the Benoist XIV on exhibit at the Florida Air Museum* in Lakeland Florida:

Model of the Benoist XIV Airboat at the Florida Air Museum — photo by Joe May

Post will be published each of the full scale replicas of this historic aircraft in the near future. More information can be read at the Florida Aviation Historical Society web site — which is organizing a centennial celebration in 2014.

There have been a few posts published involving the Florida Air Museum and finding them is easy, type “Florida Air Museum” into the search window and select ENTER.

* DELAG was the first airline, starting in 1909 and using airships.