McGee Airways
Encyclopedia
McGee Airways was an American airline, founded in Anchorage, Alaska
, in 1932 by Linious "Mac" McGee. Starting with a single three seat Stinson
airplane, the company grew and the fleet of aircraft expanded to seven Stinsons.
Although McGee was an excellent manager, there were two major competitors in Anchorage - Star Air Service
and Woodley Airways. There was not enough business to support the three companies, and they were all struggling financially. In 1937 McGee sold the company to Star Air Service.
When Mac McGee sold the company, he began working several mining claims, but was called back to manage Star Air Service on several occasions while they continued to struggle financially. He left the airline business for the last time in 1937 when he arranged to sell Star Air Service to a new group of investors who hoped to make the company a major player in the Alaska airline business.
McGee Airways was the original Alaska
air service that, through a long series of mergers and acquisitions ultimately became Alaska Airlines
in 1944.
with a three-seat Stinson SM8A which they had purchased from Varney Airlines
in San Francisco. In 1932 McGee bought Barnhill’s interest and dissolved the company. McGee obtained a bank loan and purchased a second Stinson airplane and hired half-brother Estol Call to bring it to Anchorage, where he founded McGee Airways.
, going from place to place delivering and picking up cargo and passengers until returning to home base in Anchorage. The pilots collected cash for the flights and settled with McGee each time they returned to Anchorage. The Interior Department paid to have indigenous natives, who were wards of the government, flown to hospitals for medical care.
The airplanes had no radios or navigational instruments. Only a very few of the large cities had landing fields. In summer the planes were equipped with pontoons for landing on lakes and rivers. Lake Spenard was the Anchorage pontoon base. In winter the planes were converted to skis, landing on ice and snow covered waterways or clearings. Winter home base was Merrill Field
in Anchorage.
In the fall of 1934 McGee Airways obtained the first airmail contract to deliver mail to the Bristol Bay
area of southwest Alaska
. He hired Roy Dickson to fly the new mail route. Dickson had brought a B-1 Ryan
airplane to Alaska in March, 1934, and flew the summer mining season for Alaska Exploration & Mining Company out of Cantwell
. McGee approached him in the Parsons Hotel in Anchorage with a proposition. "It's a new project, never been tried before, do you want to try it?" Dickson was anxious to get on McGee's payroll so he could bring his family to Alaska from the states. His Ryan was in need of an overhaul, and he had been paid mostly in company stock rather than cash for his summer's work. He accepted McGee's offer, sold the Ryan to Bowman Airways, and sent for his family. Dickson flew the mail route until late 1935, when he founded his own company Bering Sea Airways.
The new air mail delivery flight took a minimum of three days with deliveries to Iliamna Lake
, Naknek
, Egegik
and Ugashik
, the southernmost village on the run, then returning with deliveries to Nushagak
, Dillingham
, another stop at Iliamna Lake and back to Anchorage. This new connection to the "outside world" allowed remote villagers to obtain products previously unavailable. The pilots always had a shopping list when they returned to Anchorage.
Previously mail had been delivered by steamships in the summer and dog teams in winter. In winter months from October 1 until May 1 only letters, cards, packages of seeds weighing less than a pound, and newspapers going
to libraries or newspaper publishers were carried. Packages were held in Seattle until the summer months when they could be taken in by boat.
McGee was a workaholic, working seven days a week. He was also known as an honest businessman, and shrewd manager. He pioneered the concept of having a fleet of identical aircraft so that parts would be interchangeable. In order to make a profit, he loaded his planes with all they could carry, causing the Department of Commerce aircraft inspector to frequently cite the company for overloading aircraft.
McGee Airways had two significant competitors in Anchorage, Woodley Airways and Star Air Service
. Woodley Airways was founded by "Art" Woodley in 1932, and in April 1932, three young Seattle pilots Charlie Ruttan, Steve Mills and Jack Waterworth founded Star Air Service, planning to offer flight instruction and charter service.
. McGee was also anxious to work some mining claims he had staked. Star Air Service acquired McGee Airways in 1934 for $50,000. McGee stipulated that if not paid on time, he would return and manage the operation until receiving his money. The acquisition made Star Air Service the largest airline operation in Alaska. By 1936 it had a fleet of 22 planes and a gross annual income of $190,000. But Star's pilot owner/managers were a restless bunch and changes in the front office were common. McGee returned to manage the company twice, and in 1937, he bought his way back into the airline and finally sold the company to a new group of investors, ending his involvement in the airline business. After working his mining operations for a number of years, McGee retired to the "lower 48" and died in Reno, Nevada
, in 1988 at age 71.
Anchorage, Alaska
Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States...
, in 1932 by Linious "Mac" McGee. Starting with a single three seat Stinson
Stinson Aircraft Company
The Stinson Aircraft Company was an aircraft manufacturing company in the United States between the 1920s and the 1950s.-The Company:The Stinson Aircraft Company was founded in Dayton, Ohio, in 1920 by aviator Edward “Eddie” Stinson, brother to Katherine Stinson. After five years of business...
airplane, the company grew and the fleet of aircraft expanded to seven Stinsons.
Although McGee was an excellent manager, there were two major competitors in Anchorage - Star Air Service
Star Air Service
Star Air Service, later Star Air Lines and Alaska Star Airlines was an American air service in Alaska from 1932 to 1944. With financial help from a wealthy Alaska miner, three pilots who had started a flying school and charter business in Seattle, shipped an open-cockpit biplane by steamship to...
and Woodley Airways. There was not enough business to support the three companies, and they were all struggling financially. In 1937 McGee sold the company to Star Air Service.
When Mac McGee sold the company, he began working several mining claims, but was called back to manage Star Air Service on several occasions while they continued to struggle financially. He left the airline business for the last time in 1937 when he arranged to sell Star Air Service to a new group of investors who hoped to make the company a major player in the Alaska airline business.
McGee Airways was the original Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
air service that, through a long series of mergers and acquisitions ultimately became Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
in 1944.
History
McGee came to Alaska as a stowaway in 1929. He worked as a miner, truck driver, dishwasher and fur trader. In 1931 he partnered with Harvey W. Barnhill to found Barnhill & McGee AirwaysBarnhill & McGee Airways
Barnhill & McGee Airways, one of the earliest air services in Alaska, was founded in Anchorage as a partnership between Harvey W. Barnhill and Linious "Mac" McGee in 1932. The airline served McGee’s fur business and offered service between Anchorage and Bristol Bay...
with a three-seat Stinson SM8A which they had purchased from Varney Airlines
Varney Airlines
Varney Air Lines was an airline company that started service on April 6, 1926 as an air-mail carrier. Formed by Walter Varney, the airline was based in Boise, Idaho, United States.-Historical background:...
in San Francisco. In 1932 McGee bought Barnhill’s interest and dissolved the company. McGee obtained a bank loan and purchased a second Stinson airplane and hired half-brother Estol Call to bring it to Anchorage, where he founded McGee Airways.
Operations
Although McGee learned to fly he did not like flying. He preferred to hire pilots and personally manage the company. He paid his pilots on commission based on the income they generated. Originally the operation was completely un-scheduled. They flew trappers, hunters, tourists, salesmen, sport fishermen and commercial fishermen to destinations throughout the Alaska TerritoryAlaska Territory
The Territory of Alaska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 24, 1912, until January 3, 1959, when it was admitted to the Union as the State of Alaska...
, going from place to place delivering and picking up cargo and passengers until returning to home base in Anchorage. The pilots collected cash for the flights and settled with McGee each time they returned to Anchorage. The Interior Department paid to have indigenous natives, who were wards of the government, flown to hospitals for medical care.
The airplanes had no radios or navigational instruments. Only a very few of the large cities had landing fields. In summer the planes were equipped with pontoons for landing on lakes and rivers. Lake Spenard was the Anchorage pontoon base. In winter the planes were converted to skis, landing on ice and snow covered waterways or clearings. Winter home base was Merrill Field
Merrill Field
Merrill Field is a public-use general aviation airport located one mile east of downtown Anchorage in the U.S. state of Alaska. The airport is owned by Municipality of Anchorage....
in Anchorage.
In the fall of 1934 McGee Airways obtained the first airmail contract to deliver mail to the Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay
Bristol Bay is the eastern-most arm of the Bering Sea, at 57° to 59° North 157° to 162° West in Southwest Alaska. Bristol Bay is 400 km long and 290 km, wide at its mouth...
area of southwest Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He hired Roy Dickson to fly the new mail route. Dickson had brought a B-1 Ryan
Ryan Brougham
The Ryan Brougham was a small single-engine airliner produced in the United States in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Its design was reminiscent of the M-1 mailplane first produced by Ryan in 1926, and like it, was a high-wing, strut-braced monoplane of conventional design.-Design and...
airplane to Alaska in March, 1934, and flew the summer mining season for Alaska Exploration & Mining Company out of Cantwell
Cantwell, Alaska
Cantwell was a railway flag stop at the junction with the Denali Highway. The original town is off the Parks Highway. It is a census-designated place in Denali Borough, Alaska, United States...
. McGee approached him in the Parsons Hotel in Anchorage with a proposition. "It's a new project, never been tried before, do you want to try it?" Dickson was anxious to get on McGee's payroll so he could bring his family to Alaska from the states. His Ryan was in need of an overhaul, and he had been paid mostly in company stock rather than cash for his summer's work. He accepted McGee's offer, sold the Ryan to Bowman Airways, and sent for his family. Dickson flew the mail route until late 1935, when he founded his own company Bering Sea Airways.
The new air mail delivery flight took a minimum of three days with deliveries to Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake
Iliamna Lake or Lake Iliamna is a lake in South-West Alaska, at North end of Alaska Peninsula, between Kvichak Bay and Cook Inlet, West of Seldovia, Alaska Bristol Bay Low....
, Naknek
Naknek, Alaska
Naknek is a census-designated place located in Bristol Bay Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of the 2000 census, the population of the CDP was 678....
, Egegik
Egegik, Alaska
Egegik is a city in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 116.-Geography:...
and Ugashik
Ugashik, Alaska
Ugashik is a census-designated place in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. The population was 11 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ugashik is located at ....
, the southernmost village on the run, then returning with deliveries to Nushagak
Nushagak, Alaska
Nushagak was a trade center and settlement near the present-day site of Dillingham, Alaska, USA, at the northern end of Nushagak Bay in northern Bristol Bay. It was located near the confluence of the Wood and Nushagak Rivers....
, Dillingham
Dillingham, Alaska
- Natural resources :Dillingham was once known as the Pacific salmon capital of the world and commercial fishing remains an important part of the local economy...
, another stop at Iliamna Lake and back to Anchorage. This new connection to the "outside world" allowed remote villagers to obtain products previously unavailable. The pilots always had a shopping list when they returned to Anchorage.
Previously mail had been delivered by steamships in the summer and dog teams in winter. In winter months from October 1 until May 1 only letters, cards, packages of seeds weighing less than a pound, and newspapers going
to libraries or newspaper publishers were carried. Packages were held in Seattle until the summer months when they could be taken in by boat.
McGee was a workaholic, working seven days a week. He was also known as an honest businessman, and shrewd manager. He pioneered the concept of having a fleet of identical aircraft so that parts would be interchangeable. In order to make a profit, he loaded his planes with all they could carry, causing the Department of Commerce aircraft inspector to frequently cite the company for overloading aircraft.
McGee Airways had two significant competitors in Anchorage, Woodley Airways and Star Air Service
Star Air Service
Star Air Service, later Star Air Lines and Alaska Star Airlines was an American air service in Alaska from 1932 to 1944. With financial help from a wealthy Alaska miner, three pilots who had started a flying school and charter business in Seattle, shipped an open-cockpit biplane by steamship to...
. Woodley Airways was founded by "Art" Woodley in 1932, and in April 1932, three young Seattle pilots Charlie Ruttan, Steve Mills and Jack Waterworth founded Star Air Service, planning to offer flight instruction and charter service.
Dissolution
By the winter of 1934, it was apparent that there was not enough business to support three air services in Anchorage with the surplus of airplanes and an economy suffering from the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. McGee was also anxious to work some mining claims he had staked. Star Air Service acquired McGee Airways in 1934 for $50,000. McGee stipulated that if not paid on time, he would return and manage the operation until receiving his money. The acquisition made Star Air Service the largest airline operation in Alaska. By 1936 it had a fleet of 22 planes and a gross annual income of $190,000. But Star's pilot owner/managers were a restless bunch and changes in the front office were common. McGee returned to manage the company twice, and in 1937, he bought his way back into the airline and finally sold the company to a new group of investors, ending his involvement in the airline business. After working his mining operations for a number of years, McGee retired to the "lower 48" and died in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, in 1988 at age 71.
Pilots
The bush pilots who flew in the 1930s were a most important element in the development of air services in Alaska, and indeed in the development of Alaska itself. They flew single engine aircraft all over the Territory, with no weather reports, no navigation aides, no radios in aircraft, not even good maps, and there were very few landing fields. The pilots took the risks and their contributions to the inhabitants of Alaska were of enormous importance. The bush pilots who flew for McGee Airways were:Aircraft
McGee Airways only operated Stinson airplanes.Further reading
- International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 29. St. James Press, 1999.
- Alaska Airlines: General Information and History, Seattle: Alaska Airlines, 1992.
- Alaska Airlines, Archie Satterfield (1981). The Alaska Airlines Story. (Anchorage, AK: Alaska Northwest Pub. Co., 207 p.). Alaska Airlines—History. ISBN 978-0882401645
- Robert J. Serling, Character & Characters: The Spirit of Alaska Airlines (Seattle: Documentary Media LLC, 2008), 492 pp., hardback, ISBN 978-1-933245-11-9
- Robert W. Stevens D.D.L. (1989). Alaskan Aviation History. (Des Moines, IA: Polynyas Press, 1095 pp., hardback 2 volume set). ISBN 0929427017
- Pat Wachel (1967). Oscar Winchell Alaska’s Flying Cowboy. (Minneapolis, MN: T.S. Denison & Company, Inc., 210 pp., hardback). ASIN B0006BQWQE
External links
- A diamond in the sky: Alaska Airlines celebrates 75 years of service above the clouds., Alaska Business Monthly
- Alaska Airlines 75th Anniversary Web Site, Alaska's World
- Funding Universe, Alaska Air Group, Inc., Company History
- Roy Dickson 1930s Alaska Bush Pilot
- Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum
- AIRLINES - Business History of Carriers, Kipnotes
- Alaska Air – 75th Anniversary, January 1932, Kipnotes
- Airlines of North America
- History Link.org The Free Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, Alaska Airlines