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399:(later changed to "Airlines") on July 8, 1937. Six changed the name to "Continental" because he wanted the airline name to reflect his desire to have the airline fly all directions throughout the United States. Decades later, in 2010, United (the direct successor to Varney) would merge with Continental as well.
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which forbade aircraft manufacturers from operating airlines. As a result, United
Aircraft and Transport Corporation was broken up. The airlines group became United Airlines. Since Varney was a part of United, the founding year of United is 1926, and making United the oldest commercial airline in the
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to contract with private airlines to carry the mail over designated routes many of which connected with the
Government operated Transcontinental Air Mail route between New York and San Francisco. Varney won the contract for CAM-5 as the only bidder. Its first flight under contract with the USPOD was
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learned of an opportunity to buy into the
Southwest Division of Varney Speed Lines which needed money to handle its newly acquired Pueblo-El Paso route. Six was introduced to Louis Mueller, who had helped found the Southwest Division of Varney in 1934, and bought into the airline with US$ 90,000
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flew the first eastbound CAM-5 flight, leaving in the early dawn hours from Pasco. Between 4,000 and 6,000 cheering people sent the pilot off with 207 pounds (94 kg) of mail.
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with an intermediate stop in Boise. That air freight contract grew into the birth of one of the world's biggest airlines.
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twin-engine monoplane. Arriving in 1933, the 247 greatly expanded Varney's ability to carry passengers as well as mail.
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Walter T. Varney, founder of predecessors of
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was an
American airline company that started service on April 6, 1926, as an
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Tillman, Barrett (1971). "Six
Million Miles: The Varney Airlines Story".
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Covers flown on the first flights eastbound and westbound over CAM-5
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becoming general manager on July 5, 1936. The carrier was renamed
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680:(Varney Air Lines), from The Museum of Flight Digital Collections
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Pasco at the time was a rail center, more or less midway between
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Following cancellation of all domestic airmail contracts by the
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224:, United States. The airline is one of the predecessors of
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Maverick: The story of Robert Six and
Continental Airlines
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newsletter, from The Museum of Flight
Digital Collections
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American domestic airline based in Boise, Idaho (1926-34)
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Continental
Airlines: the First Fifty Years, 1934–1984
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Journal of the American Aviation Historical Society
328:dedicated mail planes, and finally the more modern
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62:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
447:. Smithsonian Institution Press. pp. 42–43.
469:"30 Years Ago Idaho Was on First Airmail Route"
475:. Associated Press. April 6, 1956. p. 11.
244:In 1925, the Congress passed HR 7064 entitled
414:List of defunct airlines of the United States
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513:The American Aviation Experience: A History
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724:American companies disestablished in 1934
487:"United Airlines Executive Air Traveller"
344:United Aircraft and Transport Corporation
122:Learn how and when to remove this message
445:Airlines of the United States since 1914
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719:American companies established in 1926
339:, Portland, and Seattle to its route.
734:Defunct airlines of the United States
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60:adding citations to reliable sources
744:Transportation in Ada County, Idaho
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739:Defunct companies based in Idaho
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409:List of companies based in Idaho
342:In 1930, Varney was acquired by
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729:Companies based in Boise, Idaho
709:Airlines disestablished in 1934
699:1934 disestablishments in Idaho
373:resulted in the passage of the
346:, itself formed by a merger of
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199:Holding company#Parent company
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424:United States airmail service
419:Swan Island Municipal Airport
714:Airlines established in 1926
694:1926 establishments in Idaho
352:Pratt & Whitney Aircraft
585:. July 2009. Archived from
540:. Doubleday & Company.
536:Serling, Robert J. (1974).
254:U.S. Post Office Department
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312:and replaced its original
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473:Lewiston Morning Tribune
390:administration in 1934,
180:March 28, 1931 (renamed
704:Airlines based in Idaho
565:. Pioneer Publications.
561:Davies, R.E.G. (1984).
443:Davies, R.E.G. (1998).
364:National Air Transport
322:Stearman M-2 Speedmail
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252:") which directed the
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187:July 8, 1937 (renamed
492:. Delta Mike Airfield
397:Continental Air Lines
356:Pacific Air Transport
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232:Historical background
636:United States portal
616:(Fall, Winter 1971).
382:Continental Airlines
310:Breese-Wilde Model 5
189:Continental Airlines
152:Commenced operations
56:improve this article
577:"Continental Facts"
511:Brady, Tim (2000).
216:carrier. Formed by
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678:Weekly News Letter
335:Varney soon added
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166:Varney Speed Lines
157:April 6, 1926 (as
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18:Varney Speed Lines
298:Leon D. Cuddeback
259:Pasco, Washington
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672:Varney Lines
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54:Please help
49:verification
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593:February 8,
582:Continental
496:February 4,
688:Categories
430:References
330:Boeing 247
248:(aka "The
112:April 2023
82:newspapers
388:Roosevelt
250:Kelly Act
403:See also
324:and the
314:Swallows
270:Portland
278:Spokane
274:Seattle
214:airmail
96:scholar
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362:, and
360:Boeing
348:Boeing
296:Pilot
276:, and
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490:(PDF)
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