Centennial Events
January 1, 2014, was the Centennial of the World’s First Airline. The idea of a regularly scheduled fixed-wing airline originated with Percival (“Percy”) Fansler, a Jacksonville, Florida, engineer. In order to implement the airline he enlisted the sponsorship of airline manufacturer Thomas Benoist and Benoist’s chief pilot, Tony Jannus. The airline flew between St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida.
The major centennial observance was a reenactment of the original flight held on January 1st, 2014, between St. Petersburg and Tampa. The reenactment was performed in an airboat named the Mullet Skiff, piloted by Eddie Hoffman, Jr., in marginal weather. Eddie’s father, Edward Hoffman, Sr., had built a replica of the first airliner and flew it in a reenactment of the first flight for the 70th anniversary in 1984. In addition to Flight 2014, Inc. the event logistics was supported by the City of St. Petersburg and Tampa International Airport. A letter from President Barack Obama commemorating the occasion was received and read. The event was covered by at least a documented 138 media sources reaching an estimated 173 million people. Some of the media sources included ABC, FOX, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, the Monocle, NPR, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Presse, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Tampa Tribune. The media reach was international including Australia, China, Germany, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
It was originally planned for Kermit Weeks of Fantasy of Flight to undertake the reenactment. Kermit built a new reproduction of the original airboat airliner, named the Benoist 2014, but due to technical issues he was unable to fly. Kermit continues to make adjustments in the Benoist 2014, including building a new engine, and hopes to complete a reenactment flight sometime in 2015. Kermit’s progress may be tracked on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fantasyofflight.
The centennial celebrations were sponsored by the Flight 2014 Planning Board. The Planning Board is organized as a 501 c (3) non-profit corporation (Flight 2014, Inc.), and is composed of representatives of the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society, the Florida Aviation Historical Society, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Other organizations also participate in its meetings on a non-voting basis.
While the January 1, 2014, reenactment was accomplished the Flight 2014 Board continues to operate for the purpose of supporting Kermit Weeks in his pending Benoist 2014 flight and to raise funds to support a new monument in St. Petersburg to mark the beginning of commercial flight and its founders Percy Fansler, Thomas Benoist, and Tony Jannus (see monument tab for more information).
In addition to supporting Eddie Hoffman, Jr.’s reenactment flight with the Mullet Skiff on January 1, 2014, the Flight 2014 Planning Board sponsored and inspired many other centennial observances as listed below:
The major centennial observance was a reenactment of the original flight held on January 1st, 2014, between St. Petersburg and Tampa. The reenactment was performed in an airboat named the Mullet Skiff, piloted by Eddie Hoffman, Jr., in marginal weather. Eddie’s father, Edward Hoffman, Sr., had built a replica of the first airliner and flew it in a reenactment of the first flight for the 70th anniversary in 1984. In addition to Flight 2014, Inc. the event logistics was supported by the City of St. Petersburg and Tampa International Airport. A letter from President Barack Obama commemorating the occasion was received and read. The event was covered by at least a documented 138 media sources reaching an estimated 173 million people. Some of the media sources included ABC, FOX, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, the Monocle, NPR, Al Jazeera, Deutsche Presse, the Tampa Bay Times, and the Tampa Tribune. The media reach was international including Australia, China, Germany, Japan, United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
It was originally planned for Kermit Weeks of Fantasy of Flight to undertake the reenactment. Kermit built a new reproduction of the original airboat airliner, named the Benoist 2014, but due to technical issues he was unable to fly. Kermit continues to make adjustments in the Benoist 2014, including building a new engine, and hopes to complete a reenactment flight sometime in 2015. Kermit’s progress may be tracked on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fantasyofflight.
The centennial celebrations were sponsored by the Flight 2014 Planning Board. The Planning Board is organized as a 501 c (3) non-profit corporation (Flight 2014, Inc.), and is composed of representatives of the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society, the Florida Aviation Historical Society, the St. Petersburg Museum of History, and the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. Other organizations also participate in its meetings on a non-voting basis.
While the January 1, 2014, reenactment was accomplished the Flight 2014 Board continues to operate for the purpose of supporting Kermit Weeks in his pending Benoist 2014 flight and to raise funds to support a new monument in St. Petersburg to mark the beginning of commercial flight and its founders Percy Fansler, Thomas Benoist, and Tony Jannus (see monument tab for more information).
In addition to supporting Eddie Hoffman, Jr.’s reenactment flight with the Mullet Skiff on January 1, 2014, the Flight 2014 Planning Board sponsored and inspired many other centennial observances as listed below:
- May 2, 2013: Florida State Senate issues First Airline Centennial Proclamation.
- Fall, 2013: School Aviation in Art Program Contest. Art submissions from students ages 6-17 in both Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties were displayed at the St. Petersburg Museum of History in St. Petersburg, and Tampa International Airport. First prize in each of six categories was a $100 voucher courtesy of Southwest Airlines. Event repeated in Tampa in 2014.
- October 24, 2013: Flight 2014 Sponsor’s Reception was held at the St. Petersburg Museum of History.
- December 5, 2013: First Airline Panel at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. Panel included Warren Brown, Aviation Historian; Justin Meyer, Director of Airport Development, TPA; Kermit Weeks, Fantasy of Flight.
- December 11, 2013: Pinellas County issues First Airline Centennial Proclamation.
- December 12, 2013: City of St. Petersburg issues First Airline Centennial Proclamation.
- December 16, 2013: City of Tampa issues First Airline Centennial Proclamation.
- December 18, 2013: Hillsborough County Issues First Airline Centennial Proclamation.
- December 31, 2013: “First Night/First Flight” programs at the Annual St. Petersburg First Night Celebrations. This traditional St. Petersburg New Year’s Eve celebration adopted the theme “First Night/First Flight” in honor of the Centennial of the First Airline. Images of the Benoist Airboat appeared on First Night posters and promotional material. Free Benoist balsa wood first airline gliders were distributed to the first 500 young people visiting the First Airline venue at the celebration, and a Tony Jannus impersonator was on-hand. Kermit Weeks’ reproduction of the Benoist Flying Boat was on display. A reception was held for Legacy Families (representatives of the Benoist, Fansler, and Pheil families), Flight 2014 sponsors, and supporters. The celebration attracted approximately 20,000 people.
- New Year’s Day, 2014: Reenactment of the First Flight of the First Airline. Flight departed from the North Yacht Basin in St. Petersburg and landed at the seaplane basin at Peter O. Knight Airport in Tampa. Three St. Petersburg mayors or former mayors, representative of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, County Commissioners, and aviation executives participated in the celebration. President Barack Obama sent a congratulatory letter.
- January 8, 2014: First Airline Program with historian Will Michaels at the Tampa Bay History Center (author of The Making of St. Petersburg).
- January 31, 2014: 100 Hundred Years of Commercial Aviation published by New Smyrna Press.
- April 1, 2014: Tony Jannus Day at the Sun n Fun Fly-in (world’s second biggest fly-in).
- April 26, 2014: Flight 2014 participates in the “100 Years of Seaplane History,” at Tavares, Florida.
- June 1-3, 2014: The International Air Transport Association arranges for a 1/3 scale model of the Benoist airboat to be transported from its home in St. Petersburg to Doha, Qatar, to celebrate the centennial at their 70th Annual General meeting.
- September, 2014: The Tampa Bay Times issues eight page publication on the First Airline and the history of aviation for use by area schools. Publication is courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times and the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG).
- Thomas Benoist Memorial Highway (Missouri). Flight 2014 is one of the supporters of the Thomas Benoist Memorial Highway.
- New First Airline Portable Exhibit displayed at the St. Petersburg Museum of History; a special First Airline Exhibit displayed at Tampa International Airport; City of Tampa First Airline Display located on the City’s Riverwalk.
- Centennial Coins—Flight 2014 minted approximately 900 Centennial Coins to commemorate the First Airline. A small number of coins were flown with the Mullet Skiff reenactment, and 60 coins are being held in reserve to fly with Kermit Weeks’ Benoist 2014.
- Commemorative US Postal Cancellation—Flight 2014 arranged for the US Post Office to issue a commemorative First Airline postal cancellation.
The Flight 2014 celebrations are supported by the Cities of St. Petersburg and Tampa, their respective Chambers of Commerce, and additional organizations including the Sun ‘n Fun International Fly-In & Expo, Fantasy of Flight, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Tampa International Airport (TPA), and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ). Presenting Sponsor is The Edwards Group. Special Tampa Landing Sponsor is Tampa International Airport. The Mayors of St. Petersburg and Tampa are serving as Honorary Co-Chairs of the celebrations.