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held by two separate Honduran nationals , with one single share subscribed to CN Shelton , a citizen of the United States .
Shortly thereafter , the Honduran Government authorized TAN to operate international air service for cargo and passengers from the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa to Havana , New Orleans , and Miami . However , Shelton needed the Civil Aeronautics Board ’ s OK to fly to the US . To get a Foreign Air Carrier Permit would be a challenge and take time . So , the innovative Shelton found a way to bypass the CAB process by flying only contract cargo , something permitted under section 6 ( c ) of the Air Commerce Act of 1926 .
Shelton guessed that if TAN could perform well and demonstrate its fitness by flying contract cargo to Miami , it would prove its ability to the CAB , which could pave the way for an eventual Foreign Air Carrier permit . But , first , he had
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3-Day Rotation Twice Weekly
Contract Beef
TAN Airlines 1948 Day 1
Day 2
Tegucigalpa
Miami
Havana
Day 3
Catacamas
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2 Shelton became a Captain - and eventually Chief Pilot - for the powerful Central American TACA Airways , before venturing out on his own . In this photo , he is on the far left . // R . E . G . DAVIES COLLECTION VIA DACRE WATSON .
3 TAN Airlines was founded with Chinese money supplied to C . N . Shelton after he operated VIP flights for Madame Chiang Kai-Shek , wife of the ruler of free China during WWII . // WIKIPEDIA PUBLIC DOMAIN
4 5 In 1948 , TAN inaugurated contract-only passenger flights between Miami and Tegucigalpa , Honduras . To obtain additional revenue , the passenger seats were then folded against the sidewall in Tegucigalpa and the aircraft , now converted for cargo , was ferried to Catacamas , Honduras , to load beef for export to Havana , Cuba . This 3-day flight sequence was operated twice weekly . // MAP : SCOTT STACHE ; PHOTO : SCOTT STACHE COLLECTION
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