Betz Air Lines flies over the skies of Hammond.

Hammond's newest airline company has just been formed by a partnership of prominent Hammond businessmen. The company was chartered in the state of Indiana in February 1928. Company officials announced that they will transport passengers for hire via air service to cities yet to be announced. All of the larger Betz Air Lines aircraft will be outfitted with many of the comforts of home, complete with washroom facilities, large roomy arm chairs, wide aisles, and are fully heated, lighted and enclosed.

Betz Air Lines will conduct business from offices located on State Street in Downtown Hammond, while it's flights will take off and land at the Hammond Ford Airport located in nearby Lansing, Illinois. Safety is of concern, all of the company's pilots will be fully licensed and tested by the Department of Commerce and other related government agencies. Aircraft of similar design to those of Betz Air Lines, have flown over one million miles without any injuries of any kind to any of its passengers.

The first flights of the new airline will be scenic sight seeing trips over Hammond and other cites of the Calumet Region. The company will begin operations with only two aircraft, one a seven passenger all metal Ford monoplane appropriately named "Miss Hammond" and a small three seat taxi service aircraft. These inaugural flights took to the skies in March of 1928. Before long the company is expected to have at least a dozen eight and twelve passenger aircraft. All of the airplanes are to be housed and serviced at the Ford hanger located at the Lansing Airport, as stated by company officials. Of note: The photo above shows us the area of Standard Avenue (Now present day 165th Street) and Harrison Avenue near the Monon tracks (large tract of open land in the foreground).

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Source information from the microfilms of The Times newspapers located at the Hammond Public Library.
Aerial photo of Hammond from the archives of the Calumet Room located at the Hammond Public Library.
Twentieth Century Time Capsule © 1999 HammondIndiana.com

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