Kenneth Giles Friedkin was born in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 during World War I. He had a wife (Jean Friedkin) and one child (Thomas Friedkin

Thomas H. Friedkin

Thomas Hoyt Friedkin is a businessman whose net worth, according to the Forbes 400 in 2008, was estimated at $2 billion.He has been described as by Forbes magazine.-Airplanes:...

). He and his parents moved to Kansas, and later San Diego, California

San Diego, California

San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...

. Friedkin got interested in aviation after he saw an air show in San Diego at the age of 8. Friedkin obtained his pilot license at the age of 17. In 1945, Kenny opened a flight school called the Plosser-Friedkin School (later named the Friedkin School of Aeronautics). The parent company to the school was Friedkin Aeronautics Inc. The school was not making enough profit. He tried numerous business methods from aerial fish delivery to banner

Banner

A banner is a flag or other piece of cloth bearing a symbol, logo, slogan or other message. Banner-making is an ancient craft.The word derives from late Latin bandum, a cloth out of which a flag is made...

 towing

Towing

Towing is the process of pulling or drawing behind a chain, line, bar or some other form of couplings. Towing is most visibly performed by road vehicles, but anything from waterborne vessels to tractors to people can tow cargo. Troop carrying and cargo carrying gliders were towed behind powered...

 with the help of his comrades J. Floyd Andrews and Bill Shimp. Friedkin tried a charter airline called Friedkin Airlines

Friedkin Airlines

Friedkin Airlines was an unsuccessful charter airline created by the ambitious businessman and aviator, Kenneth Giles Friedkin. The airline flew between El Centro and San Diego, California....

. Friedkin Airlines was a failiure.

Pacific Southwest Airlines and Death

Using the lessons learned from Friedkin Airlines and receiving advice from a travel agent, he and his wife Jean Friedkin created an airline called Pacific Southwest Airlines

Pacific Southwest Airlines

Pacific Southwest Airlines was a United States airline headquartered in San Diego, California, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was one of the first large discount airlines in the United States and is considered a precursor to Southwest Airlines...

 in 1949. The airline was a success, and gave Friedkin Aeronautics Inc. profit. Friedkin Died at the age of 47 in 1962 due to cerebral hemorrhage. His wife, Jean Friedkin, died the following year. After Kenny died, J. Floyd Andrews became the president of PSA. His son, Thomas, lived to see PSA disappear into USAir.

Friedkin's Companies

• Friedkin Aeronautics Inc. (Later Pacific Southwest Airlines Inc.)-Parent company for most of Friedkin's businesses.
  • Plosser-Friedkin School (Friedkin School of Aeronautics)
  • Friedkin Airlines
    Friedkin Airlines
    Friedkin Airlines was an unsuccessful charter airline created by the ambitious businessman and aviator, Kenneth Giles Friedkin. The airline flew between El Centro and San Diego, California....
    
    
  • Pacific Southwest Airlines
    Pacific Southwest Airlines
    Pacific Southwest Airlines was a United States airline headquartered in San Diego, California, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was one of the first large discount airlines in the United States and is considered a precursor to Southwest Airlines...
    
    
• Giles Inc.- Aviation Leasing Company