Author: WILMINGTON-CATALINA-AIRLINE, LTD.
Title: Wilmington to Avalon Passenger Coupon (Catalina Island, Ca Ephemera)
Description: Santa Catalina Island, CA: Wilmington-Catalina-Airline, Ltd, 1938. 1st Printing. Ephemera. This is a small ticket stub from a passenger coupon for a flight from Wilmington, CA to Catalina Island, CA via the Wilmington - Catalina - Airline for the year 1938. The ticket is in Very Good condition and has no tears, but does have a light horizontal crease to the bottom third of the ticket. "Wilmington-Catalina Airlines, Ltd. (1931-1941) , owned by the Wrigleys, took over Western Air Express on June 6, 1931 for flying service to Santa Catalina Island. William Wrigley designed a unique airport at Hamilton Cove, the second cove north of Avalon. This airport was designed to accommodate Douglas Dolphin amphibian planes of the Wilmington-Catalina Airlines, Ltd. The planes landed just offshore and taxied up a ramp to a large turntable mechanism. The airplane would then be rotated until it was facing the water and ready for a flight back to the mainland. A small Spanish-style terminal building welcomed residents, business people and tourists to the island. The airline was noted in the March 1941 issue of Flying and Popular Aviation as “the shortest airline in the world. ” The airline served two towns less than 30 miles apart. Wilmington-Catalina Airlines flights crossed the channel over 38,000 times carrying over 200,000 passengers. The airline employed as many as nine pilots in the summer and five in the winter months. Walter Seiler, the vice-president, general manager and chief pilot, was aboard nearly 25% of flights. With the onset of World War II, Santa Catalina Island was declared a military zone, and both air and sea transport was shut down. " (from Islapedia) " Wilmington-Catalina Airline, Ltd. In 1931, Philip Wrigley helped design a unique airport at Hamilton Cove, the second cove north of Avalon. This airport was designed to accommodate the Douglas Dolphin amphibian planes of the Wilmington-Catalina Air Line, Ltd, a Wrigley-operated firm. The twin engine Dolphins landed just offshore and would taxi up a ramp to a large turntable mechanism. The airplane would then be rotated until it was facing the water and ready for a trip back to the mainland. A small Spanish-style terminal building welcomed residents, business people and tourists to Catalina. Wilmington-Catalina Air Line was noted in the March 1941 issue of Flying and Popular Aviation as "the shortest airline in the world." The article points out that not only was Wilmington-Catalina Air Line, serving two towns less than thirty miles apart, the shortest but also the safest airline, having flown the channel 38,000 times carrying over 200,000 passengers with no accidents or injuries between 1931 and 1941." (Catalina Goose). Very Good .

Keywords: Californiana Wilmington-catalina-airline Santa Catalina Island Aircraft Wilmington, CA Aviation Aviation History Aeronautics / Astronautics


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