Ironic Proof of CAB Applications –
and no CAB responses
In October 2015, an undated Civil Aeronautics Board Application for worldwide routes surfaced and created more questions than it answered.1 It was among John Greenleaf, Sr.’s papers. He had spoken about the application with his son, John, Jr, telling him he couldn’t remember why he would have had or kept the document since he had no involvement with that side of Veteran Air business. Fabulous that John Sr. did keep the Application and that John Jr. shared the application with me.2
The “plot” thickens
Then a much different document surfaced just this week, only this time it was issued and dated by the CAB on 24 March 1948. Thanks to David Stringer, a valued part of my Research Network, for sharing the “Order Dismissing Applications.” It answers an essential date question and it uncovers a surprising second date. Turns out that Veterans Air Express Co. applied twice for permanent “Certificates of public convenience and necessity” — on March 25, 19463 and July 31 of the same year.4
Dear Reader, we cannot (at least, I cannot) miss the point that Veterans Air Express had made their first Application to the Civil Aeronautics Board for “Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity” almost two years to this date – the first such Application to which the CAB did not reply.
But wait! Two more Certificate applications? For scheduled mail/passenger? And cargo only over the same routes?
There’s something else. An example of the puzzle-pieces-nature of this Research. Three days ago, while drafting this Post and double-checking information files, this clipping re-surfaced – the Special Air Services section of AVIATION NEWS.5 (This clipping was saved to my research files the first time on 14 June 2016 – and then, again, this time on 3 July 2018 when I also added the highlighting. 6)
While waiting and hoping for CAB approval,
the Vets go about building their “resume” and fleet
On March 25, 1946, (date of 1st CAB application) Veterans Air was:
- 21 days from departure on its first “live cargo” UNRRA contract flight to Prague.7
- Under contract for at least five more “live cargo” war-relief flights to Prague, Warsaw (both behind the Iron Curtain) and Athens.8
- In possession of and operating a transatlantic-worthy DC-4, four-engine cargo plane.
- Prepared to transport 55,000 to 60,000+ fertilized hatching eggs for which Veterans had designed a heating system and crew procedures that would maintain a constant-temperature of 55 degrees F (airborne and on the ground, day and night) to protect their delicate “live cargo” as per UNRRA requirements.9
By 31 July (date of 2nd CAB application):
- All but one of the UNRRA six flights had been successfully conducted.
- A second DC-4 had been acquired and converted from Army drabs and outfitted by Veterans Air employees, not an outside vendor.10
- On 10 September 1946, a Crew returned from the last UNRRA contract flight, this one to Athens, another history making flight having delivered three young breeding stock donated by The Borden Company to help restore the Greek dairy industry.11
Foreseeing & planning for the future:
- On 24 August 1946, DC-4, NX88003, was delivered to Matson Navigation Co in Oakland, CA, for passenger trans-Pacific outfitting.
- On 20 September 1946, DC-4, N57777, arrived in Oakland at the same facility for the same conversion work.
- Jack Stettner piloted both of the DC-4s to Oakland in August and September – totally unaware that they were final flights. Neither aircraft flew again in Veterans Air livery.
No CAB response. No work. Just piling debt.
That CAB Certificate was envied by non-sked operators, applied for, but seldom if ever granted. It provided hope and a way to operate their businesses free of the non-sked regulations strangle-hold. Veterans Air had the operations experience, two well-suited cargo/passenger DC-4s, and exemplary Army Air Corps/Navy-trained Crew and Technical staff ready to go.
This 1948 “Dismissing Order” is the ironic evidence that the CAB never responded to Veterans Air Express Co. Applications, let alone grant them. Without CAB authorization for substantial revenue flights, and the awkward expenditure timing of upgrading the DC-4s in anticipation of that authorization, the almost inevitable became outcome. Veterans Air pursued Bankruptcy in December 1946…and on March 8, 1948, attorneys for bankruptcy trustees…”informed the Board [CAB] that applicant will not resume business.”12
Dear Reader, timing played an excruciating role in all of this.
The CAB withheld Application approval long enough to force Veterans Air out of business and maintain their “no blame” position. Had Veterans Air been blatantly faced with a CAB Application denial as early as March or even July in 1946, they might have re-considered investment offers. And, because they were bright, ingenious and had already proven their mettle, they never would have taken both of their DC-4s out of service – their aircraft with the highest revenue-generating potential – for a Matson refurbishing and the resulting financial obligation. My personal summation is that they would have figured out next steps.
Gaye Lyn