The First Chartered Company

theThe first airport to be managed by a company chartered for commercial fly was Whander Field . The chartered company was Reading Airways which was as the same time the first company in Pennsylvania to receive a charter for commercial flying .
On August 16, 1927 an application for a charter for Reading Airways was made by former Judge Edgar S. Richardson on behalf of Allen K. Owen of Reading, and F. H. Suender and Russel L. Suender of Frackville. The amount of capital stock set forth in the charter application was $25,000. Owen was president, and E. H. Suender treasurer. The objects and purposes of the corporation were "maintaining and operating a commercial flying service and transporting freight, passengers, baggage, mail and express by airplane, and in connection therewith to purchase, lease, construct, equip, own, maintain and operate landing fields and hangars, and to do all things incidental to said business and pertaining thereto."
Since the application for charter by Reading Airways was the first to be made in the state, the question arose at Harrisburg whether or not the charter would have to be approved by the Public Service Commission. Numerous hearings were held, and on December 6, 1927, an application was made to the Public Service Commission. The Commission decided that its approval was necessary in such cases, thus establishing a precedent for the state, and William D. B. Ainey, chairman of the Commission, filed a report stating that the application was approved. On December 20, 1927, the charter was signed by Governor John S. Fisher, and Reading Airways was officially born.

The airplane of the 1920's was an amusement machine for thrill-seekers. The airplane of the 1940's is an established means of safe, comfortable, rapid transportation used by persons who might shudder at the thought of going for a ride on a roller coaster.