# C119 - 1988 36c Igor Sikorsky Airmail
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1988 36¢ Igor Sikorsky
First City:Â Stratford, Connecticut
Quantity Issued: Â 111,550,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforation:Â 11
First Helicopter Airmail Flight
Prior to this, the postal service experimented with delivery by autogiro aircraft. On July 6, 1939, an autogiro was used to fly 52,128 first flight covers from the Central Airport at Camden, New Jersey, to the roof of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania post office. Autogiros were then put into service in Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Â
The US Civil Aeronautics Board authorized Los Angeles Airways (LAA) to operate Airmail service in Southern California. Their initial contract authorized them to serve 30 LA post offices for three years. They would use the Sikorsky S-51 helicopter.Â
By the end of the first year of operations, LAA had a fleet of five S-51s carrying out these deliveries. In that first year alone, they had carried 700 tons of mail and made 40,000 landings throughout Los Angeles. The service performed well, with a 95% reliability rate. Â
Â
1988 36¢ Igor Sikorsky
First City:Â Stratford, Connecticut
Quantity Issued: Â 111,550,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Lithographed, engraved
Perforation:Â 11
First Helicopter Airmail Flight
Prior to this, the postal service experimented with delivery by autogiro aircraft. On July 6, 1939, an autogiro was used to fly 52,128 first flight covers from the Central Airport at Camden, New Jersey, to the roof of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania post office. Autogiros were then put into service in Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Â
The US Civil Aeronautics Board authorized Los Angeles Airways (LAA) to operate Airmail service in Southern California. Their initial contract authorized them to serve 30 LA post offices for three years. They would use the Sikorsky S-51 helicopter.Â
By the end of the first year of operations, LAA had a fleet of five S-51s carrying out these deliveries. In that first year alone, they had carried 700 tons of mail and made 40,000 landings throughout Los Angeles. The service performed well, with a 95% reliability rate. Â