the S-40, the first of the “Clipper” flying boats (so named by Trippe himself). The first of the S-40s, the Caribbean Clipper, began service in 1931 (it was christened by Mrs. Herbert Hoover in a ceremony on the Potomac River) and was followed by the American Clipper. Beginning in November 1931, Trippe began to establish extensive international mail and passenger services to the Caribbean and then to South America using three S-40 flying boats. The longer-range S-42 began passenger service in South America in August 1934.