Today In Aviation History: First Commercial Air Cargo Flight
On this day in aviation history, 116 years ago (November 7, 1910), aviator Philip Orin Parmelee completed what is widely recognized as the world’s first commercial air cargo flight. Flying a Wright Model B biplane, Parmelee transported two bolts of dress silk from Dayton to Columbus, Ohio, for the Morehouse-Martens Department Store. The approximately 65-mile journey took one hour and six minutes, demonstrating a new commercial application for the airplane. The historic flight was arranged as a publicity event for the Columbus department store, which sought to demonstrate the speed and possibilities of aviation. The silk, weighing approximately 100 pounds, was secured in the aircraft’s passenger seat. Parmelee departed from Huffman Prairie near Dayton and flew eastward toward Columbus, navigating across the Ohio countryside at a time when aviation was still in its infancy.
