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4 unusual facts about Western Airlines


Dorothy Burgess

For a decade he was an assistant to Harris M. (Pop) Hanshue, who founded Western Air Express (Western Airlines), and was its first president.

George M. Sullivan

After his lengthy tenure as mayor, Sullivan served as the senior vice president of Western Airlines.

Robert C. Schuler

Schuler eventually gave up his acting career and took a position as Assistant Advertising Manager at Western Airlines.

Shepard Menken

He was also in demand as a voice talent, working on animated cartoons for Hanna-Barbera, UPA, and Marvel Productions, as well as advertising spots for StarKist Tuna and Mattel Toys; his was the voice intoning, "The only way to fly!" in Western Airlines' spots in the 1960s.


Lynx Aviation

Former Western Airlines pilot and Chief Operating Officer of ATA Airlines Inc., Bill Beal; former Sun Country Airlines and Great Lakes Airlines executive Nick Wangler, and, Steven Westberg, former chief financial officer of Midway Airlines and a former vice president of Continental Airlines are trying to raise $40 million to buy Lynx Aviation and rename it Fly Smart.

Naval Air Station Oakland

After the war, airlines slowly returned to Oakland: Western Airlines began flights in 1946, and was followed by American Airlines, TWA, United and Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA).

Sacramento Executive Airport

Aircraft included Martin 4-0-4s and Fairchild F-27s (on Pacific Air Lines), Lockheed L-188 Electras (on Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) and Western Airlines), Boeing 727-100s (on PSA and United Airlines) and Boeing 720Bs (on Western); Western had one B720B nonstop a day to LAX.


see also

Bellingham International Airport

Later the same year, Skybus Airlines provided flights to their hub in Ohio, but shut down quickly like Western Airlines had done earlier.