Mohawk Valley history: March 8, 1929

Since Colonial planned to haul passengers as soon as the route had been proven by flying mail schedules, it purchased three new Fairchild FC-2 Cabin Mono planes with accommodations for four passengers. It then purchased a fourth aircraft, a Pitcairn PA-5 Super-Mailwing.

Surveying New Canajoharie Field for Mail Planes

An emergency landing field for the Cleveland-Albany air mail route is being surveyed on the Sitterly farm, town of Palentine [Palatine], near Canajoharie. The property is owned by Mrs. Fay Sitterly, Johnstown.

The landing field would be one of two intermediate fields between Utica and Schenectady, if it is purchased of leased by the United States Government. The other one is located on the Seymour farm about midway between Little Falls and Herkimer.

John M. Beardsley, civil engineer, connected with the Federal government is doing the surveying and will submit bids and specifications as soon as the work is finished. These will be sent to Washington for approval and later will be submitted to local contractors.

Source: New York State Historic PapersNew York State Historic Papers

Note: Contract Air Mail routes, or CAMs, were created and on June 1, 1928, the Mohawk Valley extension referred to as CAM 20 linked Buffalo with Albany via Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady as part of the Cleveland-Albany air route. Colonial Western Airways was formed in May 1927 to transport airmail over the 450-miles between Albany NY and Cleveland OH.

Airmail Routes with the planned route from Albany, NY to Cleveland, OH. November 15, 1927