ATO (America Trans-Oceanic Company)

ATO (America Trans-Oceanic Company) was formed in 1916 by Rodman Wanamaker but did not start operations until Autumn 1918. It was a seasonal undertaking with the first revenue flight to Bimini from the company’s base at the Front Boulevard on Miami Bay by the Big Fish (Curtiss H-16, which is indeed christened the Big Fish) was completed on 24/Feb/1920. On 09/Mar/1920, the H-16, with every seat occupied, carries the record number of passengers for a seaplane flight to date on its afternoon service from Bimini and Miami and receives front-page coverage in the next day’s Daily Metropolis. ATO stopped flying in Florida on 01/May/1920. For the summer tourist season, the Big Fish and its smaller companion are transferred up to Long Island, where they fly passengers between the company’s Long Island base and the lake region in upper New York State. The Curtiss-Metropolitan Airplane Company, which had been formed to take over the airline, acquired ATO in 1921

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