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Why Flying Boats?
Flying boats became popular in the 1930s because they did not have to contend with the rough state of early airfields. They could also alight on water in emergencies, thus allaying fears of passengers flying long distances over oceans. And they could be made larger and heavier than other airliners, because they were not restricted by the short length of airfields.
Most of Pan American's Latin American destinations were along coasts, so flying boats were a logical choice. [Pan Am president Juan Trippe ordered the Boeing 314 flying boat in 1936 specifically for the planned transatlantic route. The aircraft had a maximum range of 5,700 kilometers (3,500 miles), and on shorter flights it could carry up to 74 passengers and a crew of 10.]
On November 22, 1935, the Martin M-130 China Clipper opened the first regularly scheduled air mail service across the Pacific, from San Francisco to Manila. Here, it flies over the unfinished Golden Gate Bridge. A year later, the China Clipper began the first trans-Pacific passenger service. |