Viewing page 14 of 22

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

     In 1927 aviation called to Denehie again and he left the Reo organization to join his former associate, H. A. Sperl, to form the Sperl Aero Corporation in Los Angeles. They established the West Coast distributorship for Curtiss and Lockheed planes throughout the states of California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Land was leased, an airport established, hangars and shop facilities were erected and local dealers were soon assigned in the various states. They also set up a flying school under Denehie's supervision. During this time they sold the famous "Winnie Mae" to Mr. F. C. Hall, an oil industrialist, who named the airplane for his daughter and engaged Wiley Post as his pilot. 
     Early in 1929, they gave up the Curtiss and Lockheed sales franchise and formed Continental Air Express, Incorporated, operating from their airport, and also continued the flying school. The original airline operation was a daily schedule between Los Angeles and San Diego, flying single-engine Lockheed panes. Soon operations were expanded, adding schedules to Oakland, California, using Fokker and Ford tri-motored planes. It was not long until four other airlines were com-

2(a)