▁express ▁delivery ▁company ▁and ▁cargo ▁air line . ▁Head qu arter ed ▁in ▁Seattle , ▁Washington , ▁its ▁hub ▁was ▁in ▁Wil ming ton , ▁Ohio . ▁Air bor ne ▁was ▁founded ▁as ▁the ▁Air bor ne ▁F lower ▁Tra ffic ▁Association ▁of ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁fly ▁flowers ▁from ▁Hawai i ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁Main land . ▁ ▁Air bor ne ▁Express ▁Inc . ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁D HL ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁ac quisition , ▁it ▁rose ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁third ▁largest ▁private ▁express ▁delivery ▁company ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁behind ▁Federal ▁Express ▁( F ed Ex ▁Express ) ▁and ▁United ▁Par cel ▁Service ▁( UP S ). ▁ ▁History ▁G row th ▁during ▁Air bor ne ' s ▁first ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁was ▁slow . ▁Progress ▁came ▁slowly ▁and ▁competition ▁was ▁st iff . ▁But ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁the ▁air line ▁known ▁as ▁Air bourne ▁Fre ight ▁Company , ▁started ▁going ▁through ▁some ▁changes . ▁The ▁company ▁Air ▁C argo ▁Equ ip ment ▁Corporation ▁developed ▁and ▁pat ented ▁a ▁special ▁narrow ▁container , ▁known ▁in ▁the ▁industry ▁later ▁as ▁the ▁" C " ▁container ▁( refer ring ▁to ▁its ▁C ▁shape ), ▁which ▁allowed ▁the ▁more ▁efficient ▁use ▁of ▁space ▁within ▁large ▁jet ▁aircraft . ▁The ▁containers ▁also ▁elimin ated ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁modify ▁the ▁cargo ▁doors , ▁thus ▁saving ▁any ▁air - fre ight ▁company ▁that ▁used ▁them ▁substantial ▁sums ▁of ▁money .