Pan American World Airways Ad (PAA-Load)
1955 Air Trails Hobbies for Young Men Annual Edition

Annual Edition 1955 Air Trails

Table of Contents These pages from vintage modeling magazines like Flying Aces, Air Trails, American Modeler, American Aircraft Modeler, Young Men, Flying Models, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, captured the era. All copyrights acknowledged.

At some point you have probably read about an old model aircraft contest event called 'PAA-Load.' As its name implies, the challenge involved hauling specific weights of 'payload' aloft and vying for the longest flight. What you might find surprising is that the 'PAA' part of the event title comes from Pan American Airlines (PAA, aka PanAm), who created and sponsored the activity as an educational effort to encourage youngsters to consider the necessary accommodations to efficiently and profitably transport people and cargo from point A to point B. Careful attention to airframe configuration and weight, powerplant size, propeller, wheel size and weight, covering material and finish, etc., was required to win. PanAm eventually ceased its sponsorship and, ultimately, closed its doors in 1991.

From Walt Billett's bio on the AMA website:

"What and Why PAA-Load PAA-Load, pronounced 'Pay-Load,' created 13 years ago by Pan American Airways loses none of its attractiveness but gains in popularity each year. The name indicates the type of model, one that will carry a paying load and also the name PAA stands for Pan American Airways. The PAA-Load events are designed to provide aviation education. They emphasize Air Transportation - the art and science of carrying people and goods through the sky. They teach by the practical method of doing. For economy the 'vehicles' used are model airplanes. For depth of understanding, both propeller and jet power principles are used. For width of application, the PAA-Load program is worldwide. For sportsmanship, the activity is conducted competitively. For tangible reward, valuable prizes are awarded to winning contestants. For the future, foundations are laid for productive aviation careers. The whole is an attractive program for the youth of today's Air Age, sponsored by Pan American World Airways – The World's Most Experienced Airline." The above last three paragraphs are taken from the PAA-Load Rule Book which contains lots of valuable information and pictures as well as the complete PAA-Load Rules."

The National Free Flight Society has a rule book for nostalgia events that includes PAA-Load, if you are interested.

Pan American World Airways Ad

All Right ...

will you meet the challenge?

You asked for Tougher PAA-Load Rules.

You fellows have "complained" that the old Rules and Specifications were too easy. You asked for

a tougher goal to shoot at - at the 1955 NATS.

Now you've got it! The winners this time will really be the "creme de la creme," of model builders. Purpose is still the same: to encourage the building and flying of model aircraft that resemble full- scale airplanes with respect to carrying a payload safely through the air. Many fine prizes.

Write for the challenging details on the new Rules and Specifications to:

Educational Director

Pan American World Airways 28-19 Bridge Plaza North

Long Island City 1, New York.

Pan American

World's Most Experienced Airline

Posted February 16, 2014