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Airlift International
Airlift International (originally Riddle Aviation Company, then Riddle Airlines) was one of the first US cargo airlines, with the same founder, John Paul Riddle, as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 1951, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), a now-defunct Federal agency that, at the time, tightly regulated almost all US commercial air transport, certificated Riddle as an "all-cargo carrier," a scheduled freight airline, to fly from New York and Miami to Puerto Rico. This later expanded to include north-south routes on the east coast and midwest. Airlift's headquarters were at Miami International Airport, Florida.
The airline was generally unprofitable, often substantially so, with brief periods of increased revenue and profitability followed by extended declines and debt restructuring; likewise, the airline notably expanded and contracted its fleet several times. Nonetheless, until the 1970s Airlift played a prominent role. Despite losses, it was the subject of repeated changes of control through the early 1960s, including by Arthur Vining Davis, a powerful business leader of the era. Airlift was the first US all-cargo airline to operate jets and a major military contractor during the Vietnam War. In 1966, Airlift bought Slick Airways, another all-cargo carrier and once the largest US freight airline. The CAB gave Slick's trancontinental freight routes to Airlift. In late 1973 Airlift was briefly the subject of a merger agreement with Flying Tiger Line.
The US deregulated air cargo at the end of 1977. Airlift was much the weakest of the three remaining all-cargo airlines and, shorn of protection, quickly succumbed. In May 1981, Airlift ceased operations for over a year, entering bankruptcy in June. It never exited, but lingered in Chapter 11 for over a decade, operating at a low level with a handful of aircraft, including flying turboprops for casinos and prisons, as well as Douglas DC-8 charters. A 1988 Miami Herald article referred to Airlift as "a near-ghost of airlines past." The company last operated June 1992. In August, Hurricane Andrew destroyed two former Airlift aircraft at Miami International Airport. Airlift was the last of the CAB all-cargo carriers to operate.
John Paul Riddle (1901–1989) was an aviation pioneer, a barnstormer who founded several pilot instruction schools, one of which became Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also helped create a Brazilian pilot school during World War II which grew into the Escola de Especialistas de Aeronáutica of the Brazilian Air Force, a school for aviation specialists, the largest such military institute in South America.
J.P. Riddle incorporated Riddle Aviation Company in Florida on 28 May 1945. The carrier's original primary activity was flying to Brazil in support of Riddle's Brazilian aviation school. By 1946 the airline was flying freight from New York to San Juan via Miami. By 1948 the airline achieved stability transporting needlework. Riddle flew raw materials five days a week in Douglas C-47s from Teterboro Airport to Puerto Rico (where skilled needleworkers were paid 1/5 the New York rate) and brought back finished goods (such as fine gloves). Needlework was over 80% of Riddle's business at this time. The carrier was initially an irregular air carrier, but in 1951 the CAB certificated it as a scheduled freight airline between New York and Miami on the one hand and Puerto Rico on the other. See External links for a picture of a Riddle Aviation Co Curtiss C-46. The CAB approved a name change to Riddle Airlines on 3 December 1952.
Arthur Vining Davis was a powerful business leader of his time, having built Alcoa and industrialized aluminum in the US. In retirement, he invested heavily in South Florida land and companies. In 1953, investors forced out J. P. Riddle, only for him to regain control in 1954. Shortly thereafter, Davis started buying what became a dominant stake in the airline. In 1955, Riddle won a contract to fly seven C-46s for Logair, an Air Force domestic freight network. Also in 1955, the CAB awarded Riddle some of the north–south domestic cargo routes previously flown by defunct U. S. Airlines, with AAXICO getting the rest. Unfortunately, the new routes, which Riddle launched January 1956, were deeply unprofitable and as Table 1 shows, financial results for 1956–1960 were extremely poor. AAXICO was no more successful, suspending its scheduled routes in 1959. By 1956, Davis owned 38% of Riddle. Davis also had 27% of Mackey Airlines, a small Florida-based international passenger airline, which he put into a trust to satisfy CAB concerns. Davis kept investing in Riddle, including backing new issuances; Riddle went public in July 1956. By 1959, 92-year old Davis owned over 60% of Riddle.
Davis replaced J.P. Riddle with a new president in 1958, but in 1959 Riddle lost its Logair contract, leading to a 50% reduction in operations. During 1959, Riddle's fleet collapsed from 40 to 14 aircraft. Davis installed another president, Robert M. Hewitt, previously Davis's partner in aircraft leasing. In 1960, Davis sold most of his stake to a Hewitt-led group; Hewitt estimated Davis lost $5 million (over $55 million in 2026 terms) on his Riddle investment. Hewitt expanded into military charters and transatlantic commercial charters with Douglas DC-7s, and won a Logair contract for bulky freight by acquiring the Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy. Results initially improved, and Riddle became the largest airline military contractor for the year ending June 1962. But Riddle could not operate the Argosy profitably or to the military's satisfaction and returned them in 1962. The next year, the military initially eliminated Riddle as a contractor entirely. Despite being the largest shareholder, Hewitt was forced out in October 1962 in favor of James B. Franklin, a former Capital Airlines executive. A new name, "Airlift International," became effective on CAB approval 16 March 1964.
After World War II, the C-46 was unable to meet standards for passenger aircraft operated by certificated scheduled carriers; it did meet the looser standards for cargo flights and passenger flights on irregular air carriers. In the early 1950s, government standards tightened, forcing modifications so C-46s could meet the higher standards. By 1957, Riddle developed the C-46R, one of three such programs that met the new standards and increased the aircraft's speed, load and safety. Riddle converted at least several dozen aircraft. External links has a photo of the program demonstrator.
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Airlift International
Airlift International (originally Riddle Aviation Company, then Riddle Airlines) was one of the first US cargo airlines, with the same founder, John Paul Riddle, as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In 1951, the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), a now-defunct Federal agency that, at the time, tightly regulated almost all US commercial air transport, certificated Riddle as an "all-cargo carrier," a scheduled freight airline, to fly from New York and Miami to Puerto Rico. This later expanded to include north-south routes on the east coast and midwest. Airlift's headquarters were at Miami International Airport, Florida.
The airline was generally unprofitable, often substantially so, with brief periods of increased revenue and profitability followed by extended declines and debt restructuring; likewise, the airline notably expanded and contracted its fleet several times. Nonetheless, until the 1970s Airlift played a prominent role. Despite losses, it was the subject of repeated changes of control through the early 1960s, including by Arthur Vining Davis, a powerful business leader of the era. Airlift was the first US all-cargo airline to operate jets and a major military contractor during the Vietnam War. In 1966, Airlift bought Slick Airways, another all-cargo carrier and once the largest US freight airline. The CAB gave Slick's trancontinental freight routes to Airlift. In late 1973 Airlift was briefly the subject of a merger agreement with Flying Tiger Line.
The US deregulated air cargo at the end of 1977. Airlift was much the weakest of the three remaining all-cargo airlines and, shorn of protection, quickly succumbed. In May 1981, Airlift ceased operations for over a year, entering bankruptcy in June. It never exited, but lingered in Chapter 11 for over a decade, operating at a low level with a handful of aircraft, including flying turboprops for casinos and prisons, as well as Douglas DC-8 charters. A 1988 Miami Herald article referred to Airlift as "a near-ghost of airlines past." The company last operated June 1992. In August, Hurricane Andrew destroyed two former Airlift aircraft at Miami International Airport. Airlift was the last of the CAB all-cargo carriers to operate.
John Paul Riddle (1901–1989) was an aviation pioneer, a barnstormer who founded several pilot instruction schools, one of which became Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also helped create a Brazilian pilot school during World War II which grew into the Escola de Especialistas de Aeronáutica of the Brazilian Air Force, a school for aviation specialists, the largest such military institute in South America.
J.P. Riddle incorporated Riddle Aviation Company in Florida on 28 May 1945. The carrier's original primary activity was flying to Brazil in support of Riddle's Brazilian aviation school. By 1946 the airline was flying freight from New York to San Juan via Miami. By 1948 the airline achieved stability transporting needlework. Riddle flew raw materials five days a week in Douglas C-47s from Teterboro Airport to Puerto Rico (where skilled needleworkers were paid 1/5 the New York rate) and brought back finished goods (such as fine gloves). Needlework was over 80% of Riddle's business at this time. The carrier was initially an irregular air carrier, but in 1951 the CAB certificated it as a scheduled freight airline between New York and Miami on the one hand and Puerto Rico on the other. See External links for a picture of a Riddle Aviation Co Curtiss C-46. The CAB approved a name change to Riddle Airlines on 3 December 1952.
Arthur Vining Davis was a powerful business leader of his time, having built Alcoa and industrialized aluminum in the US. In retirement, he invested heavily in South Florida land and companies. In 1953, investors forced out J. P. Riddle, only for him to regain control in 1954. Shortly thereafter, Davis started buying what became a dominant stake in the airline. In 1955, Riddle won a contract to fly seven C-46s for Logair, an Air Force domestic freight network. Also in 1955, the CAB awarded Riddle some of the north–south domestic cargo routes previously flown by defunct U. S. Airlines, with AAXICO getting the rest. Unfortunately, the new routes, which Riddle launched January 1956, were deeply unprofitable and as Table 1 shows, financial results for 1956–1960 were extremely poor. AAXICO was no more successful, suspending its scheduled routes in 1959. By 1956, Davis owned 38% of Riddle. Davis also had 27% of Mackey Airlines, a small Florida-based international passenger airline, which he put into a trust to satisfy CAB concerns. Davis kept investing in Riddle, including backing new issuances; Riddle went public in July 1956. By 1959, 92-year old Davis owned over 60% of Riddle.
Davis replaced J.P. Riddle with a new president in 1958, but in 1959 Riddle lost its Logair contract, leading to a 50% reduction in operations. During 1959, Riddle's fleet collapsed from 40 to 14 aircraft. Davis installed another president, Robert M. Hewitt, previously Davis's partner in aircraft leasing. In 1960, Davis sold most of his stake to a Hewitt-led group; Hewitt estimated Davis lost $5 million (over $55 million in 2026 terms) on his Riddle investment. Hewitt expanded into military charters and transatlantic commercial charters with Douglas DC-7s, and won a Logair contract for bulky freight by acquiring the Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy. Results initially improved, and Riddle became the largest airline military contractor for the year ending June 1962. But Riddle could not operate the Argosy profitably or to the military's satisfaction and returned them in 1962. The next year, the military initially eliminated Riddle as a contractor entirely. Despite being the largest shareholder, Hewitt was forced out in October 1962 in favor of James B. Franklin, a former Capital Airlines executive. A new name, "Airlift International," became effective on CAB approval 16 March 1964.
After World War II, the C-46 was unable to meet standards for passenger aircraft operated by certificated scheduled carriers; it did meet the looser standards for cargo flights and passenger flights on irregular air carriers. In the early 1950s, government standards tightened, forcing modifications so C-46s could meet the higher standards. By 1957, Riddle developed the C-46R, one of three such programs that met the new standards and increased the aircraft's speed, load and safety. Riddle converted at least several dozen aircraft. External links has a photo of the program demonstrator.
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