He promised that no penalties would be laid against a pilot if he used his chute. Lindbergh required each pilot carry a flashlight and be equipped with a new type silk parachute (Irving) for emergencies. Thomas Nelson (23) and Phillip Love (23) army buddies of Lindy's, were also recruited. Lindbergh, age 24, was hired as Chief Pilot with a salary of $300.00 a month. Louis to Chicago contract airmail service in April, 1926. Most also carried passengers to offset costs.Ĭharles Lindbergh loads the first sack of mail aboard a Robertson Aircraft Corporation DH 4 for the inaugural route of the St. Robertson was one of a few aircraft companies to carry mail only. The government paid by the pounds of mail carried, often the sacks weighed more than the mail inside. (278 mile route, five round trips a week, beginning on April 15,1926). #2, a government contract airmail route between St Louis (STL) and Chicago by way of Springfield (SPI) and Peoria (PIA). Brothers William and Frank Robertson (World War I pilots) from St.Louis operated C.A.M. A total of nine such routes crisscrossed the country. By 1925 the service had added a number of feeder routes.
The government had introduced sketchy airmail service in 1918 and had extended it coast to coast by 1920. The following is a story of how Charles Lindbergh and Pete Thompson crossed paths and made history. You may not know of him but then you may not be familiar with the excitement around Covell, Illinois on November 3, 1926. (Please see pictures at the bottom on this page.)
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