On June 2, 1927 Juan Trippe formed an airline, “Aviation Corporation of America” with two allies. Sonny Whitney and John Hambleton were directors and Juan Trippe was in charge of operations. In order to procure a route to Cuba, the airline merged with two others to form Pan American Airways.
Trippe became president and general manager. Through his connections he obtained the follow-on FAM contract from the federal government to fly mail from Key West to Camp Colombia, Havana Cuba. Trippe had bought two Fokker planes and had a ground crew preparing an airport at Meacham Field in Key West FL. He had a deadline with the government to begin the service. Although two runways had been completed, heavy rain had been falling for two days and the airport became a swamp.
To meet his contractual deadline, Trippe decided to charter a seaplane to make the flight. He talked pilot Cy Caldwell into making the flight with “La Nina” a Fairchild FC-2 floatplane that Cy was flying for the West Indian Aerial Express. On October 19, 1927 La Niña, piloted by Cy Caldwell and chartered by Trippe, took off from Key West landing at Camp Colombia, Havana Cuba 1 hour and 20 minutes later. Cy took his place in history making the first ever flight of Pan American Airways.
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