Aviations Three Musketeers
Jack Frye, Paul Richter, Walt Hamilton
Standard Airlines, subsidiary of Aero Corp of Calif.
Jack Frye, (?), Walt Hamilton, (?), Paul Richter
Fokker, Super Universal, Standard Arilines Inc
Single engine flew from LAX to TUS Nov 28, 1927
By TWA Historian Fred Betts
for
TWA Retired Pilots Magazine
On November 26, 1927, Standard Airlines, a subsidiary of Aero Corp, inaugurated a three-times-a-week schedule between LA and Phoenix-Tucson. Although they did not have an airmail contract, they had a firm belief there was a bright future flying passengers on a regular schedule.
Frye and Richter flew the inaugural flights (two) each direction - the payload included eight passengers and 200 pounds of express aboard the "Universals". The flight to PHX took 3 hours and cost $47.50, the leg to TUC was 1 hr 25 min and cost $12.50 with a 10% reduction for a round trip. There was sometimes a problem with the limited range of the Universal (or one's bladder) requiring a fuel or pit stop. About midway from LA to PHX along Highway 36 was a gas station operated by "Mayor" Ragsdale of Desert Center. This was a one pump "oasis" with two remote outhouses. If auto traffic permitted, the landing or takeoff could be made on the highway, otherwise on a clearing in the desert, then taxi to the pump. A sign warned to beware of rattlesnakes. For the five weeks of operation in 1927, Standard carried 61 passengers. The eastbound trip operated on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, on the
following day the westbound. Besides the airport office, tickets
could be purchased at the travel desks of the Ambassador, Biltmore and Mayfair Hotels, Bullock's Department Store and the plush Jonathon Club. Hertz "Driv-ur-self" handled tickets in downtown Phoenix and the Yellow Cab Company in Tucson.
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The three Universals were replaced by the modern "Super Universal" in mid-1928. These were powered by a 420 hp PAW "Wasp" engine and could cruise at 118 mph with 7 passengers (including one riding in the cockpit). At first the pilots objected to a new feature, an enclosed cockpit, as it hindered their "feel of the wind". The plane had an electric starter. The advertised range of 675 miles eliminated a fuel stop, but not the "comfort stop", if needed. The oneway fare was reduced to $30 LAX-PHX, $10 PHX-TUC (10% discount rt) with ground transportation included.
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The 1928 National Air Races were held in September at Los Angeles' Mines Field (site of LAX today). Aero Corp had their team competing. Flying an Eaglerock, Frye placed 3rd in the Class A race from SFO to LAX. Also flying Eaglerocks in the Class B event from Oakland to LAX, Flanagin was 7th and Richter 8th. Flanagin was 2nd in the Dead Stick Landing contest.
In the team relay event around a 40 mile closed course, Aero Corp's team won (Frye, Richter, Flanagin J. C. Charles and Harvey Bolton).
L.A. Fire Chief Edwards, Paul Richter & Asst. Chief Dodd
For the year 1928 Standard AL carried 1003 passengers and 2,000 lbs of express. Total miles completed was 154,000. These are not very impressive statistics in today's jet age, but they were encouraging and the future looked bright. Also, for the year, a record 150 aircraft were sold. Aero Corp won the annual Eaglerock Dealer's Contest,a $300 prize plus a free trip to their convention in Denver.
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In February 1929 another 20 acres were added to Aero Corp's field
and a new passenger terminal completed. The Standard AL pilots now wore khaki uniforms with gold stripes. Pilot personnel included: H."Hap" Russell, Bill Kingsley, John Martin, H.J. Kelsey, Lee Willey and Del Everitt. Paul Carpenter joined the Traffic Department and was later a pilot. On February 4, daily service was inaugurated to El Paso via PHX, TUC and Douglas, Az. Schedule departure time from LA was 10:00 am (PT) and arrival at ELP was 5:30 pm (MT). For those who traveled east to Dallas, Memphis or St.Louis, a special train connection was arranged - the "Texan", by the Texas & Pacific Railroad that departed at 7:15pm. An advertisement mentioned how this was ample time to cross the border and visit Juarez. The westbound trip had similar connections and enticements.
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Standard AL had one of the Fokker F-VIIA
series of 12-passenger monoplanes. This was produced as a singlemotor transport with long range capabilities (several were used for record-breaking flights) that could, by the addition of 2 outboard motors, be converted to the tri-motor F-VIIA-3m version. Standard dubbed this plane "The Texan" and, at the time, it was the "jumbo" of the fleet.
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On March 30, 1929, Standard AL suffered its first (and only) fatal accident when pilot Del Everitt and three passengers were killed in the F-VIIA. The Los Angeles "Examiner" described this as Southern California's worst air disaster. This occurred on the departure out of LA in the San Gorgonio Pass, about 8 miles northwest of Beaumont with heavy fog conditions. Witnesses on the ground heard the roar of the engine when the pilot apparently realized his dangerous position, and then applied full power in an attempt to climb out.
Construction on a new terminal at El Paso was completed in time for a grandiose inauguration of F-10A service by Standard AL on August 4, 1929. This was Anthony Fokker's competition with Ford, Keystone and Boeing in the highly-competitive tri-motor transport market for both the commercial airlines and the military. The LA Chamber of Commerce prepared 7,500 congratulatory booklets in the shape of an orange. These were fastened to carnations and dropped along the way. The Phoenix Chamber of Commerce prepared 10,000 booklets that contained a brief history of the airline and its officers as well as their congratulations. Christening ceremonies were also held at Tucson, Douglas and El Paso.
According to Department of Commerce regulations, the F-10A did not require a copilot. However, there was frequently an Aero Corp student in the right seat. He was eager to get the required experience at no cost to the airline. Bill Dowling was among the students who got enough experience for his Air Transport License this way. In September of 1929, Waldo Waterman, with 2,220 lbs of sand bags as a payload, set an unofficial altitude record for transport planes of 20,820'. Always the competitors, a month later Frye and Richter nursed an F-10A to a new record of 23,200'.
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Other Aero Corp activities included a "Crop Dusting Division". Some specially equipped Stearman biplanes were used at first, then three Eaglerocks were converted. The "Aero Dusters" were in demand as far north as Fresno, east to the Coachella Valley and south into Mexico for their seasonal assignments. The "gypsy" pilots (Elmer "Poco" Little, C.O. "Blanco" White and George Naeve) were often away weeks at a time, returning only if major repairs were needed. Naeve was involved with an accident and spent several weeks in a Fresno hospital.
Three Eaglerocks were fitted with extra fuel tanks and used
for forestry patrol duty in the So California mountains. Bombing or spraying fires with water or chemicals had not been perfected, but the airplane proved to be a valuable tool in locating hot spots and directing crews to what roads or other access were available toward the area. Fire Chiefs often were a passenger during major fires.
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TAT inaugurated its grandiose "48-hour coast-to-coast" service in
July 1929, combining flying by day and train at night. At the time their competition included Western with a combination of flying by day between LA and KC, with train connections east. Universal flew passengers from the east to Garden City and train connections west.
Western also flew passengers to Salt Lake City with connections via Boeing Air Transport to the east. Standard's transcontinental offering was flying by day between LA and El Paso, overnight train to Sweetwater (Tx), fly "SAFE" Fords to St.Louis and train connections east. For example: a passenger departed LA at 9am on Monday and arrived by NY Central RR in NYC at 6:50pm Wednesday.
In May of 1929 there were two new members on Standard's Board of
Directors - WAE's President, Harris M. "Pop" Hanshue and former US Postmaster General (under Pres. Taft) Frank H. Hitchcock. Hanshue and Nelson Talbott had purchased 20% of Aero Corp stock. These were the days when large parent or holding companies owned or controlled several airlines and other aviation-oriented companies such as aircraft and engine manufacturers, propellers, carburetors etc. WAE considered itself a strong contender for both the central and south transcontinental air mail routes (between NYC and LA) to be advertised for bid by the Post Office sometime in 1930. The addition of Standard's southern route would strengthen WAE's case.
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The transfer of Aero Corp/Standard by WAE was completed on March 30, 1930. Twelve shares of Aero Corp/Standard stock were exchanged for one WAE.
Frye was now on WAE's Board of Directors and Chief of Operations. Richter was West Coast Superintendent and Hamilton in Charge of Maintenance at Aero Corp's Field facilities. Schedule flying was now done from WAE's Alhambra Airport along with routine maintenance. Major overhaul or repairs were done at Aero Corp's facilities. One exception was the Catalina flights with the amphibians; this was from Aero Corp's field. The flying school continued as usual with over 200 students enrolled.