Sunshine Skies Historic Commuter Airlines of Florida and Georgia, written by David P. Henderson

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THE LATEST UPDATES

January 18, 2010
Added a detail of an old sectional chart to the Port Largo Airport page.

December 28, 2009
NEW PAGE: We finally have an mp3 of Hal, the famed robot voice of Atlanta Airport that played on the underground shuttle trains during the 1980s and early '90s! 

December 19, 2009
NEW BLOG: For current news about regional and commuter airlines in Florida and Georgia check out the BLOG.

December 3, 2009
NEW PAGE: Southern Airways

December 2, 2009
Greg Heinrich at departedflights.com has posted a few of my route map scans on his excellent website. I  realized there were a few more that I forgot to post, so here you go: ASA and National Florida.

December 1, 2009
2 NEW PAGES: GP Express and Gulfstream International

November 30, 2009
8 NEW PAGES: Maps of Atlanta Airport from the 1970s and 80s
UPDATED
PAGE:
Added a new bird's-eye photo to the Port Largo Airport page.

November 29, 2009
NEW AIRLINE PAGE: Skybus Express

November 27, 2009
NEW AIRLINE PAGES: Eagle Airline , Phoenix Air  and  Trans Southern Airways

November 26, 2009
NEW AIRLINE PAGES: Airways International  and Cape Air

November 25, 2009
NEW AIRLINE PAGES: Florida Coastal Airlines and Florida Express

November 24, 2009
UPDATE: Updated and added more photos to ATL Hangars at Lenora Airport

November 22, 2009
NEW AIRLINE PAGE: Panhandle Airways

November 17, 2009
NEW SEARCH BUTTON ADDED
Can't find what you're looking for? Try this:
only search Sunshine Skies
October 15, 2009
ATLANTA AIRPORT AERIAL MASHUP 1949 / 2009
An aerial image that superimposes the 1949 airport layout over Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson as it appears today.

October 10, 2009

MORE PHOTOS OF ATLANTA AIRPORT FROM LIFE ARCHIVE 
I added 5 more photos to the 1949 set, they are mixed in with the first batch. Also added more information on individual aircraft pictured in the photos. All sets of photos from LIFE can now be accessed from the same page.

October 8, 2009

LIFE MAGAZINE PHOTOS OF ATLANTA AIRPORT IN 1949
The photos from 1956 were such a huge hit, I've added 22 new pages of more fantastic pictures from the LIFE photo archive.

October 2, 2009
FALL SPECIAL!
The book is now available for only $15.99
, a $6 discount!

UPDATED PRESS PAGE
Added a few recent reviews and articles.

August 17, 2009

Two great ramp photos from Atlanta Airport taken in July 1989: ASA Embraer Brasilias and Eastern Metro Express Jetstreams. These were taken by flickr photographer emdjt42.

August 1, 2009
The Airliners International show in Orlando was a blast. Thanks to those who stopped by and came to my presentation. Great to see all of you! I came home with lots of goodies for future site updates.

July 12, 2009
AIRLINERS INTERNATIONAL 2009: JULY 23-25
In conjunction with the National Museum Of Commercial Aviation, I will give a presentation on Sunshine Skies: Historic Commuter Airlines of Florida & Georgia at the Airliners International 2009 event in Orlando on Saturday July 25th at 10am. I'll also be selling and signing copies of the book in the main display hall Thursday the 23rd through Saturday. You'll find me at the National Museum of Commercial Aviation tables. Looking forward to meeting you there!

Wyndham Orlando Resort

8001 International Drive, Orlando map
Presentation will be at 10am July 25 in the Jasmine Room.


July 2, 2009
SUNSHINE SKIES COFFEE MUGS!
That's right!  Now you can enjoy your favorite hot beverage while checking out the latest updates at Sunshine Skies.  The design features 10 aircraft of long gone historic commuter airlines of Florida: Mackey International DC-6, Air Sunshine Convair 440, Shawnee Airlines DC-3, Air Miami DH-114 Heron, Marco Island Airways Martin 404, Dolphin Airways Bandierante, Chalk's  Turbo Mallard, Florida Airlines DC-3, Executive Airlines Twin Otter, and a PBA YS-11. Support your caffiene habit while supporting this website! If all goes well, there may be new designs (an all DC-3 cup for example)...

Available through Cafe Press
Sunshine Skies coffee mug!

Here's the full design:
Sunshine Skies coffee mug design

April 21, 2009

WINGS AIR and GEORGIA SKIES 
2 new pages concerning commuter airlines that are currently operating at Atlanta Hartsfield: Wings Air and Georgia Skies
 

TAMPA AIRPORT MAPS FROM 1974
1 new page of 1970s maps of the Tampa International Airport terminal printed by Air Sunshine.

April 18, 2009
EASTERN METRO EXPRESS
After receiving several requests, I have posted a new page on Eastern Metro Express. 
Also added a fantastic shot of DC-3 N28AA making a LOW pass at the Peach State Aerodrome.

April 14, 2009

ATLANTA AIRPORT IN 1956
20 new pages of spectacular photos from the LIFE photo archive.

April 11, 2009

FORMER PBA DC-3 IS ALIVE AND WELL IN GEORGIA!
4 new pages that explore the nearly 70 year history of Ron Alexander's classic DC-3 N28AA.

April 8, 2009
PORT LARGO: THE FLORIDA KEYS FORGOTTEN AIRPORT
A new page about the unusual history of Key Largo's defunct Port Largo airport.


April 5, 2009

ATLANTA AIRPORT HANGARS AT LENORA AIRPORT?
Robert Brown sent in a great vintage ATL photo and some interesting info regarding a couple of old Hartsfield hangars.


March 16, 2009

THE CRASH OF SHAWNEE AIRLINES FLIGHT 103
Reader Randy Jackson sent in his incredible account of surviving a DC-3 crash, including some pretty amazing photos. Thanks Randy!

January 27, 2009

PHOENIX AIRLINES
David Zekria sent a great scan of a Phoenix Airlines timetable. Phoenix may have been the only airline to ever offer scheduled passenger service to Atlanta's DeKalb-Peachtree Airport.


January 15, 2009

BOOK SIGNING PHOTOS
The book signing at Barnes & Noble Southlake last month was a lot of fun and we also managed to raise some money for the National Museum of Commercial Aviation. I posted a few photos from the event HERE. Thanks to everyone who stopped by!

December 2, 2008 - I'll be signing copies of Sunshine Skies at the Barnes and Noble Southlake in Morrow, GA this weekend (December 5-7). More information HERE.

December 1, 2008 - 18 new pages added to the airline gallery this week! They're in alphabetical order and start with National Commuter Airlines .  Just click "next airline" at the end of each page to continue.

November 21, 2008 -
4 new pages: Florida Air Lines , Gull Air , Key West Airlines , Mackey International Airlines

November 17, 2008 -
9 new pages: ASA -Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Atlantic Gulf, Atlantis, Chalk's, Charter Airlines, Devoe, Dolphin Airways, Executive Airlines, Finair Express

November 12, 2008 -
7 new pages: Air Florida, Air Florida Commuter, AAT, Argosy, Air New Orleans, Air Omni, Atlanta Express.

November 10, 2008
-
4 new pages added: Aero Coach, AeroSun, Air Carolina, and Air Miami.

November 6, 2008

SUNSHINE SKIES second edition is now available
on Amazon!


November 4, 2008
SUNSHINE SKIES second edition is now available
!

The revised and expanded second edition of Sunshine Skies : Historic Commuter Airlines of Florida and Georgia , is now available!!! The book includes 40 more pages than the original, 10 new chapters, dozens of additional photos, illustrations, and rare timetable covers. Plus, the pages are 25% larger, so there's a lot of extra information. It can be purchased through this site and will also be available on Amazon. BUY NOW !

October 29, 2008
WINGS AIR
This is really interesting. Just when it seemed the independent commuter airline industry had all but vanished, this airline comes along. 

GEORGIA SKIES
(Nope, this isn't the name of my next book!) Wow, yet another new airline flying the same two routes. www.flygeorgiaskies.com

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION

I was recently contacted by Grant Wainscott, curator of the new National Museum of Commercial Aviation here in Atlanta, in regards to Sunshine Skies. I may be participating in their book signing event in early December. The museum is in a temporary location until a permanent building is constructed, but they've already got lots of fantastic items on display. Definitely worth a visit if you're near Atlanta.   www.nationalaviationmuseum.com

THE ATLANTA AIRPORT TIME MACHINE

Greg Germani and I collaborated on this retrospective of the Atlanta Airport. www.atlantatimemachine.com Greg's site, The Atlanta Time Machine, has to be one the most amazing things I've ever seen.

October 28, 2008
SUNSHINE SKIES IS ONLINE
The new Sunshine Skies site is up and running! Only one page so far, but there are hundreds more on the way.