Pioneer Air Lines
Douglas DC-3 NC54729
(c/n 13439)
By 1939 the newly installed regulator of the
airlines, the Civil Aeronautics Board (C.A.B.) recog-
nized the need for a
level of carrier below that of the domestic trunk airlines currently
operating.
These "feeder" or branch lines would link to the trunk lines at what
today would be termed hub air-
ports. The first of this new type of airline was Essair, of
Houston, Texas. Originally incorporated
in 1939, Essair began a
temporary experimental (albeit scheduled) service between Houston and
Amarillo, via
Abilene. Well, as you can imagine, Braniff screamed like the
proverbial banshee.
Neverthless, in November 1943 the C.A.B.
overruled Braniff's objections to Essair flying the route
and stated that the smaller
company was better qualified to operate the limited service than a
trunk
carrier.
In the event, Essair commenced regular scheduled services under the new
"Feeder Airline"
nomenclature on 1 August
1945. Their original equipment was three Lockheed 10A
Electras.
Unfortunately I do not have
an image of one. DC-3s were soon added. On 17 June 1946, Essair
changed its name to
Pioneer Air Lines. Seen above is ex C-47A-25-DK 42-93518
carrying the
name "Sam Houston", and below ex C-47-DK
41-18392 "Kit Carson"..
Twenty of
these
workhorses were ultimately to appear on the books of
the airline. Photos gleaned from Pioneer
in 1948.
Douglas DC-3
NC47968
(c/n 4430)
