Pan American Airways’ inaugural mail planes touched down in Kingston to a large and enthusiastic gathering, as officials and well-known members of the community turned out to witness the historic arrival. Local Caribbean Airways pilots escorted the aircraft into the harbour — the first “air welcome” ever given to Pan Am in the West Indies. Commander Schultz, the pilot, was formally greeted by Custos A. E. DaCosta and expressed appreciation for the exceptional welcome Jamaica extended on this landmark occasion.

Published Thursday, December 4, 1930

Flying Service to Jamaica Inaugurated Yesterday

— Two planes of Pan-American Airways Inc. come in Harbour

One flew from Cienfuegos, Cuba, and after landing mail and taking in fuel, again took the air for Cristobal; the other came from the Isthmian port and went on to Cuba.
Local planes form an escort
Pilot of first aircraft to arrive is welcomed by Custos on behalf of city; many well-known people down to meet sky boat
Soon start passenger service
Pan American Airways Inc. inaugurated their flying service to Jamaica yesterday, the southbound plane arriving at 10:10 a.m. from Cienfuegos and the northbound plane from Cristobal arriving at 1:00 p.m.
Both planes were in the harbour for about an hour, and after delivering their mail and taking up gasoline, resumed their journey.
The service will be, as already stated, a bi-weekly one; the southbound planes from Miami arriving here at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday and Saturday, and the northbound planes from Cristobal arriving at 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday and Sunday.
At present the planes will not be running a passenger service, but only a mail service; the passenger service will commence in about two weeks’ time.
A Hearty Welcome
There was a large and representative crowd down at the Pan American barge to welcome the first plane in, among them being the Hon. A. E. DaCosta (Custos of Kingston), Mr. J. G. Kieffer (Manager of the United Fruit Company in Jamaica), Mr. Paul Squire (American Consul), Mr. Cournayer (American Vice-Consul), Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Fraser, Mr. R. H. Fletcher (Postmaster General for Jamaica), Messrs. Kelly, J. H. Cargill, W. Masterton, J. Smith, D. Hendry, Mr. and Mrs. W. Clark, Mr. and Mrs. E. Haughton James, Mr. and Mrs. R. Haughton James, Mr. and Mrs. A. Fisher, Mr. and Mrs. W. Morris, Dr. McLean, the Misses Parsons, Major Huise (representative of Pan American Airways), Messrs. E. Pullar, F. H. Robertson, A. Lumb, P. Lyons and others.
At 10 o’clock to the minute, the plane was sighted coming from the south-east. She was then about 500 feet up and flew straight up the harbour as far as the Myrtle Bank Hotel, then turned and came down to make a perfect landing about 100 yards away from the barge, and fastened up to it.
Flies at 100 Miles an Hour
It was exactly 10:10 when she drew alongside the base, having flown from Cienfuegos in just four hours, the distance being 807 miles.
She left Miami at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and arrived in Cienfuegos for Kingston at 5:20 p.m., the distance being 277 miles. She then left Cienfuegos for Kingston at 6:10 yesterday morning, arriving here at 10:10. She left Kingston at approximately 11:45 and arrived at Cristobal at about 8:30 last night, the distance being 716 miles — the longest sea flight made by any flying company. The total distance of the trip from Miami to Cristobal being 1,885 miles.
Given Air Welcome
As the plane came into Kingston she was met by two of the planes of Caribbean Airways, the new Fairchild plane being flown by Capt. Holland, and the Moth being flown by Capt. de Pass.
This is incidentally the only occasion in the West Indies when the Pan American Service has received an “air welcome,” as Jamaica is the only West Indian colony which possesses an air company of its own.
As the plane came alongside the barge, Commander Schultz, her pilot, stepped off and was officially welcomed by the Hon. A. E. DaCosta on behalf of the city, and by Major Hulse on behalf of the Pan American Company. After this she landed her mails and baggage, and then took on 450 gallons of gasoline for the long hop to Cristobal, being in the harbour altogether for about an hour and a half.
The Northbound Plane
The northbound plane, which arrived nearly half an hour ahead of her schedule, was also here for about the same time.
The southbound plane carried a crew of three: Commander E. Schultz, pilot; Assistant Pilot C. Lorber; and Radio Operator C. A. Paffe. The northbound plane also had the same number of crew, with Capt. Basil Rowe being the pilot.
Commander Schultz and Captain Rowe are the two senior pilots in the Pan American Service and have had flying experience over every route on which the company runs.
Commander Schultz Views
Interviewed by The Gleaner yesterday, Commander Schultz said:
“We are very glad to inaugurate a flying service to your island, and are confident that it will be in the future a most important air route. I should like to express the pleasure it gave us to be escorted in by the planes of your company, Caribbean Airways, Ltd. This is the first time in our history that we have been welcomed in by the planes of a local company, and I can tell you, we thoroughly appreciate it.
“We do not expect to start a passenger service for about a couple of weeks yet, as we want to try out the route thoroughly first to find out just what our schedule will be.”

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