George Haldeman explores “Cloudland” from Lakeland
Though short-lived, Lakeland’s Intercity Airline Corporation holds a deserved place in Florida aviation history.
Photo courtesy West Virginia & Regional History Center
Original plans require adjustment
Founded in Lakeland, Florida on October 6, 1919 by ex-WWI military flier George Haldeman, Intercity Airline Corporation was originally intended to provide scheduled service to Tampa, Daytona, Orlando, and Jacksonville. It never fulfilled that goal. Instead, it carved out a niche in charter flights and aerial exhibitions, quickly gaining attention for its daring stunts. One of Intercity’s most memorable feats occurred during its first season, in January 1920, when co-founder Roger Q. Williams flew four miles upside down over Lakeland with passenger I. Dale Williams aboard. The spectacle cemented the airline’s reputation for bold aerial displays.
At left: Excerpt from Fort Pierce Tribune, October 7, 1919
The “World Famous Trio of Fliers”
In 1920, during their first off-season, Haldeman and Williams, joined by flight engineer Waldo Boyd, participated in a lengthy cross-country barnstorming tour, billing themselves as the “World Famous Trio of Fliers.” Their first plane, called the Imp, was damaged in Lake City with Williams at the controls and had to be grounded for repairs. Williams left the company not long after.
Cloudland adventures and local flights
Intercity continued to operate in the Central Florida area for two more seasons. Passengers could book flights at the City Drug Store on Lakeland’s East Main Street or the Lakeland Airdrome, choosing their own departure times for journeys over Tampa Bay, Bartow, Auburndale, Plant City, and Winter Haven. The airline’s advertisements also promised views of hundreds of lakes, groves, and farms from “Cloudland.”
Haldeman was a popular Lakeland resident and was often in the news. In March 1921, he was celebrated for unofficially breaking a national record for a tailspin dive, from 8600 feet to 800 feet in 45 seconds.
Although Intercity Airlines’ third season was reopened on October 16, 1921 with a rebuilt Imp, tragedy struck when Waldo Boyd, 39, was killed in an automobile accident a month later. Intercity does not appear to have been able to survive this additional blow and all mention of it faded from the news.
A 7,000-mile journey in the Skylark
Haldeman himself, however, continued to make national headlines. In August of 1922, with Winter Haven sportsman Ed Cornell, Haldeman and Cornell set off on a pioneering 7000 cross-country journey. Flying a German made L.V.G. army-type biplane called the “Skylark” purchased by Cornell, the two took off from Dayton, OH to visit Cornell’s brother in Seattle (Walla Walla) Washington. Other than a delay caused by the need to replace a broken propeller, and difficulties caused by the lack of landing fields and refueling facilities, the flight was made relatively smoothly. They arrived in Walla Walla on September 14th and were back in Lakeland on October 10.
At left: Tampa Tribune, August 21, 1922
Ruth Elder and the transatlantic dream
Haldeman’s most celebrated accomplishment, however, was a transatlantic flight made with Lakeland beauty Ruth Elder in October 1927. Though the journey ended in an emergency ocean landing, it set a world record for distance flown over water by a woman. Their story is featured in a dedicated Hangar 5 Story: Ruth Elder: Florida’s Flying Flapper.
A legacy in aviation engineering
Haldeman went on to have a long and distinguished aviation career. In the 1930s he joined the Civil Aeronautics Administration as aeronautical engineering inspector. He conducted experimental test flights on more than 100 commercial foreign and domestic aircraft and rose through the ranks to become the chief of the aircraft engineering division in Washington DC.
Additional reading on George Haldeman: See also Stories: The day Biscayne Boulevard doubled as an airstrip.