Pan Am Pioneer: A Manager's Memoir from Seaplane Clippers to Jumbo Jets

It is not every day that a person is in the right place at the opportune time with the knowledge and drive to meet the challenge of a totally new enterprise. Sanford B. Kauffman was that young man. Aviation was still in its infancy but minds were dreaming of world travel. Where to start? Who would make the first landings? Build the first ramps? And sell the ideas to foreign ports. Seaplanes had to be used. There were no airports. Officials had to be dealt with on every level - including both sides of a revolution when it came to Central America and Cuba. Taking on the Pacific was a challenge of the extreme and the North Atlantic with its cold and storms added new factors to be overcome.
The war years brought new planes and greater demands on the pilots. Schooling was required and dealing with Unions did not make things easier.
Pan Am persisted and so did Kauffman and a remarkable period of aviation evolved. No one in any way interested in aviation should miss this straightforward presentation of history at its best.

George E. Hopkins is Professor of History at Western Illinois University.