New England Progressive

Tucked away in New England is a small, 869-mile airline most U.S. citizens have never heard of. Yet last week it was a vital link between U.S. airlines and the war-boomed air routes across the North Atlantic (see map), it had several big transoceanic, cargo-carrying contracts with the Army's Air Transport Command, it had just landed a $1,500,000 V loan, it was growing so fast even its sponsors were dazzled. Its name: Northeast Airlines, Inc., which before the war supplied limited mail and passenger service between Boston and Moncton, N.B., with offshoots to Montreal and Presque Isle, Me. Its boss and ignition system: short, swart Samuel Joseph Solomon, who got into aviation via the airport-manager route.

Started in 1931 with capital partly supplied by Boston & Maine R.R., Northeast had bumpy flying for almost a decade. With no good airports and few passengers, capital needs were so great that the company was forced to raise $500,000 extra cash with a stock offering in 1941. But one month before Pearl Harbor President Sam Solomon made two prophetic moves: 1) he petitioned CAA to start a postgraduate pilot-training school; 2) he asked CAB for a route extension from Moncton to Newfoundland. Came Pearl Harbor, and Northeast had a head start on most other U.S. airlines. The Army promptly gave it air cargo routes across the Atlantic to Scotland, tossed in a fat pilot-training program to boot.

Most of the work Northeast does these days is a military secret. But it is no secret that the sturdy planes Northeast once shuttled between peaceful Yankee airports have since flown almost 750,000 miles over the stormy Atlantic, wings down with military and diplomatic passengers, tons of vital war cargo. Furthermore, thousands of England-bound bombers and fighters have checked through Northeast's airports before making the long over-water hop. And Northeast's efficient pilot school at Burlington, Vt. is already turning out scores of polished pilots monthly, will soon be expanded anew.

This rush of war work has put a crimp in Northeast's purely domestic operations. The line operates only a few Douglas transports, has canceled all but the most vital civilian service. But Sam Solomon is unworried--in war work his pilots and crews are getting flying experience which will be invaluable when the war is over and the scrap for worldwide air routes begins. Meanwhile Northeast prospers: earnings for the nine months ended Sept. 30 were roughly $125,000--almost as much as total operating revenues for all of 1936.

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