Editing Modern Air Transport (section)

===The early years===
Although Modern Air was conceived in 1946 in [[Hempstead, New York|Hempstead]], [[Long Island]], it was incorporated as '''Modern Air Transport, Inc.''' on 3 January 1947. Later that year, Modern Air commenced commercial operations from [[Miami International Airport]] with [[World War II|war]]-surplus [[Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando|Curtiss C-46]] [[piston]]-engined [[aircraft]].<ref name="MAT_inception"/><ref name="MAT_EarlyYears"/><ref name="MAT_Story_62">''Airways'' (Proctor, J., Archive, ''Modern Air Transport''), Vol. 24, No. 03, Iss. 255, p. 62, Airways International Inc., Miami, May 2017</ref>

In 1950, the airline's operational base moved to New York's [[Newark Liberty International Airport|Newark Airport]].<ref name="MAT_inception"/><ref name="MAT_Story_62"/> Following another move to [[Trenton–Mercer Airport]], [[New Jersey]] shortly afterwards, the airline was bought by C-46 [[type rating|type-rated]] pilot, John B. Becker, in 1951.<ref name="MAT_Story_62"/>

In 1956, Modern Air became the first US "non-sked" to be granted rights for up to 10 regularly scheduled round trip flights per month by the [[Civil Aeronautics Board]] (CAB). Modern's first scheduled service departed [[Pittsburgh International Airport]] for Miami on 15 July 1956. The route was flown on week-ends at a one-way fare of [[US dollar|$]]38.05 or, alternatively, a $60.75 16-day excursion fare.<ref name="MAT_Story_62"/>

From 1958, '''[[Gulf American Land Corporation]]''', a [[Florida]]-based [[real estate developer|property developer]], began contracting business to Modern Air. Gulf American Land, which had been formed to develop a tract of land in [[Cape Coral, Florida]] near [[Fort Myers, Florida|Fort Myers]] into [[real estate#residential real estate|residential real estate]], contracted the airline to fly hundreds of prospective customers for its real estate developments every week into Miami from the [[United States|US]] [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]] and [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]].<ref name="MAT_Story_63">''Airways'' (Proctor, J., Archive, ''Modern Air Transport''), Vol. 24, No. 03, Iss. 255, p. 63, Airways International Inc., Miami, May 2017</ref> At Miami, Gulf American Land's prospective customers transferred between Modern Air's Curtiss C-46s and the [[Douglas DC-3]]s of Gulf American Land's own airline, '''Gulf American Airlines''', which operated a shuttle service linking Miami to Fort Myers across the [[Everglades]].<ref>Beyer, Morten S. [https://books.google.com/books?id=hIe6y-9Fwo4C&dq=general+acceptance+corp%2C+gulf+american+corp%2C+modern+air&pg=PA193] ''Flying Higher: The Rosen Boys'', 2009, p. 180</ref> Together with complimentary bus transfers between Gulf American Land's [[Golden Gate, Florida|Golden Gate Estates]] development in Cape Coral and Fort Myers' [[Page Field]] airport, these flights formed part of Gulf American Land's free sales pitch and were free for prospective customers, who were also served a free meal on board the aircraft on each leg of their journey.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/GEER2010/Presentations/Wednesday/Acacia%201-3/am/1030%20K%20Worley.pdf|author=Worley, K. and Addison, D.|title=From Wetland Ecosystem to Failed Residential Development and Back (Free Flights – Free Meals – Free Sales Pitch: Modern Air Transport, Inc.)|work=Environmental Science Department Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Naples, FL|date=2007|page=12|access-date=19 July 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=28 August 2014|title=People of Influence: The Rosen brothers in Cape Coral|url=http://www.news-press.com/story/life/130-years/2014/08/25/people-influence-rosen-brothers-cape-coral/14545035/|work=news-press.com|access-date=24 July 2017}}</ref>

Modern Air's [[charter flight]]s on behalf of Gulf American Land into Miami eventually accounted for 25% of the airline's total business.<ref name="MAT_Story_63"/>

Five ex-[[Capital Airlines (United States)|Capital Airlines]] [[Lockheed Constellation|Lockheed L-049 Constellation]] piston [[airliner]]s were bought in 1961 to replace the C-46s.<ref name="MAT_Story_63"/> These joined the fleet during summer 1962.<ref name="MAT_EarlyYears"/><ref>{{cite journal|title=The World's Airlines|journal=Flight International|date=12 April 1962|page=571|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1962/1962%20-%200573.html|access-date=19 July 2017}}</ref> Only two of these entered actual airline service; the remaining three were used for spares.<ref name="MAT_EarlyYears"/>

The grant of an interim certificate by the CAB in October 1962 to operate domestic military contract flights, intrastate and overseas charters from 1 April 1963 was followed by further fleet expansion, including the temporary [[aircraft lease|lease]] of a pair of [[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation]]s and the purchase of an [[Lockheed Constellation|L-749A]] in 1964.<ref name="MAT_inception"/><ref name="MAT_EarlyYears"/><ref name="MAT_Story_63"/>

The acquisition of five [[Douglas DC-7#DC-7C|Douglas DC-7C]]s in April/May 1965 resulted in retirement of the [[Lockheed Constellation|Constellation]] fleet due to the former's superior [[range (aircraft)|range]]. The same year also saw the acquisition of five [[Douglas DC-3|DC-3]]s from Gulf American Airlines (for whom they continued to fly).<ref name="MAT_EarlyYears"/><ref name="MAT_Story_63"/><ref name="BeyerM_FlyingHigher_Modern180_1_2">Beyer, Morten S. [https://books.google.com/books?id=hIe6y-9Fwo4C&dq=general+acceptance+corp%2C+gulf+american+corp%2C+modern+air&pg=PA193] ''Flying Higher: The Rosen Boys / Reorganizing Modern Air'', 2009, pp. 180-182</ref>

On 30 May 1966, the CAB authorised Modern Air to operate charter flights from the US to [[Canada]] and [[Mexico]].<ref name="WorldHistoryBiz_MAT">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldhistory.biz/contemporary-history/73927-modern-air-transport-mat-united-states-1946-1975.html|title=MODERN AIR TRANSPORT (MAT): United States (1946-1975)|work=Www.WorldHistory.Biz|date=6 September 2015|access-date=19 July 2017}}</ref>

Further fleet expansion ensued in August 1966 with the acquisition of five [[Martin 2-0-2]]s from [[Trans World Airlines|TWA]] and [[Allegheny Airlines]], respectively. Also in 1966, the CAB broadened Modern's civilian and military charter authority, including granting the airline permission for limited scheduled air services. This enabled it to temporarily replace scheduled air services normally provided by major US certified route carriers during labour disputes resulting in strike action at the certified carriers and to obtain temporary CAB authority for scheduled flights from New York and [[Washington, D.C.]] to Miami.<ref name="MAT_Story_63"/>

Total revenues and profits for 1966 exceeded $4 million and $30,000, respectively.<ref name="WorldHistoryBiz_MAT"/>