Are you an aviation enthusiast? Then head to Florida on January 1, 2014. To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of commercial aviation, International Air Transport Association (IATA) is supporting the re-enactment of the flight when the first paying passenger, who paid $400 in an auction for the ticket on a scheduled airline flight, was transported across Tampa Bay in Florida on January 1, 1914.

IATA’s special website, along with social media outlets, will create awareness about the event.

The first paying passenger was the former Mayor of St. Petersburg Abe Pheil, who boarded the small seaplane which lifted from the water in St. Petersburg’s downtown. The plane landed 23 minutes later in Tampa, thus launching the world’s first regular scheduled commercial airline flight.

The airline had operated two scheduled round-trips daily across Tampa Bay, with two bi-wing seaplanes called ‘Benoist Airboats’. The regular one-way fare was $5. With average air speeds of 60 mph, the flight time between the Bay cities was a fraction of the time required for the trip by car, rail or boat.

A hundred years after the path breaking flight, IATA also plans to organise events to commemorate aviation’s many contributions to modern life. Besides, studies will also be carried out to show the economic impact of aviation on the global economy. “Aviation supports 57 million jobs and over $2.2 trillion in economic activity. This industry delivers about 50 million tonnes of cargo that accounts for $6.4 trillion or about 35 per cent of the value of goods traded internationally,” IATA, DG, Tony Tyler, said.

As part of the centenary celebrations, the Founder and CEO of Fantasy of Flight, Kermit Weeks, plans to fly his full-scale reproduction of the original Benoist Airboat bi-plane across Tampa Bay.

Related Topics