Universal Air Lines Corporation
| Founded | July 30, 1928[1] |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1934 |
| Parent company | Universal Aviation Corporation, Avco |
| Headquarters | St. Louis |
Universal Air Lines was an airline based in the United States.
History
[edit]Universal Air Lines was an air-rail conglomerate competing with rival Transcontinental Air Transport. Universal Air Lines was a subsidiary of the Universal Aviation Corporation which included Robertson Aircraft Corporation and Northern Air Lines[2] In 1929, Universal Air Lines purchased Braniff Air Lines.[3] In 1929, The Parent company, Universal Aviation Corporation became part of the Aviation Corporation. American Airlines was formed from the merger of Universal and 90 other companies.[4]
Universal Air Lines promoted the new era of air travel with its "Sky Dinner" Fokker Trimotors, with the conveniences of a Pullman train, which amounted to an electric stove prep area, folding tables, and a lavatory.[5] On some Cleveland to Kansas City routes, as many as three Fokker aircraft would fly in formation to the destination.[6]
Universal Air Lines ordered five Fokker F.32 aircraft. One was painted in the airlines livery, but all orders were canceled as the Great Depression set in.
Destinations
[edit]Fleet
[edit]The Universal Air Lines fleet consisted of the following aircraft as of 1929:
| Aircraft | Total | Routes | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fokker F.10 | ||||
| Fokker Super Universal | ||||
| Travel Air 5 place |
Incidents and accidents
[edit]Universal Air Lines shared hangar space with NorthWest Airlines at Chicago's Municipal airport.[7] On June 25, 1930,[8] the Universal Air Lines hangar caught fire destroying 27 aircraft, leaving only five. The fire spread to the neighboring Grey Goose Air Lines hangar.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ F. Robert Van der Linden. Airlines and air mail: the post office and the birth of the commercial aviation industry. p. 43.
- ^ Howard Lee Scamehorn. Balloons to Jets: A Century of Aeronautics in Illinois, 1855-1955. p. 151.
- ^ "Braniff Airways". Retrieved December 11, 2011.
- ^ "UAL". Retrieved December 11, 2011.
- ^ "Aboard the Sky Diner". Popular Mechanics. June 1929.
- ^ F. Robert Van der Linden. Airlines and air mail: the post office and the birth of the commercial aviation industry. p. 78.
- ^ Howard Lee Scamehorn. Balloons to Jets: A Century of Aeronautics in Illinois, 1855-1955. p. 174.
- ^ Associated Press, "27 Planes Burn In Chicago Fire", Sarasota Herald, Sarasota, Florida, Wednesday 25 June 1930, Volume 5, Number 224, page one.
- ^ "Hangar Explosion in Chicago Causes Big Property Loss". The Owosso Argus Press. June 25, 1930.
External links
[edit]
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