 itself purchased one of these divisions, Stout Air Services, Inc. Stout had purchased Ford Air Transport Service's airmail routes in 1928, and flew Ford Trimotors.NAT wished to expand their network and bid for the New York-Chicago airmail route CAM 17.On 2 April 1927 the airline was awarded the contract in competition with three other bidders; the rate was to be $1.24 per pound of airmail carried.