Gary Vacin
The rise and fall of one of the country’s most storied airlines, Pan American Airways, will be the topic of a presentation to the Sun Lakes Aero Club gathering on Monday, Dec. 15, at the Cottonwood Country Club Lecture Hall.
The session will begin with camaraderie at 6:30 p.m., followed by the presentation at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend. The speaker will be historian Valerie Adams, a faculty member at Arizona State University who formerly taught at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University at Prescott, Ariz. She will be remembered for her presentation on the WASP program at an Aero Club gathering in December of 2024.
Pan American World Airlines, commonly known as Pan Am, was once a symbol of luxury, innovation, and global reach in the aviation industry. The company was founded in 1927 by Juan Trippe and a group of investors as a mail carrier service between Key West, Fla., and Havana, Cuba. During the next 50 years, Pan Am revolutionized air travel and became an iconic brand.
Adams will review a series of strategic missteps, regulatory changes, and external challenges that led to Pan Am’s eventual collapse in 1991. Her presentation will explore the key decisions and situations that shaped the company’s rise and fall.
Adams’ presentation will be the second in a series of aviation-related talks given at Aero Club gatherings. Future programs include retired KLM pilot Dik Cusveller on Jan. 19, 2026; former Vietnam helicopter pilot David Abernathy on Feb. 16, 2026; and retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Schear on March 16, 2026.
For additional information, contact Cannon Hill at 509-539-7857 or Gary Vacin at 480-298-7017.