On Monday June 2, 1941, Sir Harry Oakes, Harold G. Christie and Roland Symonette stood in front of the new Pan American Airways plane “Bahama Panairliner as it made its inaugural flight. The new twin motor planes, was the latest in aeronautical engineering. It cut the flying time from Miami to Nassau in half. The new plane made the inaugural journey in just one hour and ten minutes. It would be landing at the new Oakes Field named after its owner Sir Harry Oakes.
It was Roland Symonette, former member of the Nassau Development Board who reminisced about making his first journey by sailing boat to the United States 16 years prior to 1941. Mr. Symonette said that back then it required five days on a sailing vessel to reach Miami from Nassau.
