Learning Center Our Enshrinees

John “Jack” Frye

• Founded the Aero Corporation of California and Standard Airlines, which was later consolidated with Western Air Express to form Transcontinental & Western Air (TWA) in 1930.
• Became president of TWA after his famous letter to aircraft manufacturers calling for the development of a safer, more efficient aircraft.
• Set a commercial aircraft altitude record in 1929 of 22,680 feet.
• Kept airmail contracts from being cancelled by making a record transcontinental flight of 13 hours, 4 minutes in the DC-1 in 1934, therefore proving that airlines were a proficient mode of transporting mail.
• Took the lead in exploring high-speed, high-altitude, all-weather flying.  This research led to the development of the Boeing 307 “Stratoliner”- the first fully pressurized passenger aircraft.
• In 1944 TWA received the first of the new Lockheed 049 “Constellation” series, which Frye and Hughes piloted on a record-breaking flight across the country on April 17, 1944.
• Formed The Frye Corporation in 1955 to develop a rugged tri-motored airplane for use in underdeveloped countries.