The history of aviation
in southern California is closely connected to Glendale. Leslie
Brand is credited with building the first private airplane hangar
in Glendale, which was located at Mountain Street and Grandview
Avenue in 1912. Aviation enthusiasm in Glendale was also fueled
by activities sponsored by the Aero Club of Southern California
and the Commercial Aviation Association. These two organizations,
which included pilots returning from World War I and private airplane
owners, saw a need for a municipal airport in Glendale, to promote
the aircraft industry. Additionally, there were reports that US
Air Mail service would be extended to Los Angeles. However, as
there was no airport in Los Angeles County to receive it, this
group of pilots appealed to the Glendale Chamber of Commerce to
develop a landing field to accommodate private hangars, service
facilities, aircraft manufacturing, flights to and from San Francisco,
and airmail service.
In December 1922, after being convinced that aviation would become
a major industry, the Glendale City Council agreed unanimously
to 
establish
an airport. Shortly after, funds were allocated to purchase a
33-acre ranch for the construction of an airport adjacent to and
parallel with the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks near the Los
Angeles River. Although the Glendale Municipal Airport officially
opened on March 17, 1923, Winfield B. Kinner, proprietor of the
Kinner Airplane & Motor Corporation had leased land at the
airport prior to the official opening. He built the first hangar
in 1922, constructed of iron covered with corrugated metal, where
he manufactured the Airster, a small biplane made primarily out
of plywood.
At the grand opening
of the airport, an "air rodeo" was held with participants
from throughout southern California, and included such luminaries
as Long 
Beach
stunt-pilot Earl Daugherty, skywriting pilot Captain Leslie Tait-Cox,
and sport-plane pilot Amelia Earhart. The event was also intended
to encourage citizens to vote for a bond, which would pay for
the airport property. The property cost $66,000 and the City had
only $17,000. However, the bond issue failed and thus, public
ownership of the airport was short-lived (less than a month).
Consequently, a private syndicate called the Glendale Airport
Association, headed by Dr. Thomas C. Young and six associates,
purchased the airport acreage from the City for $66,000.
The airport's 1,200-foot
runway was considered too short for commercial airline flights.
Additionally, there were power lines near the south end of the
runway, which were a safety hazard, and a peach orchard at the
northwest end. Several accidents had occurred in less than a year,
prompting Dr. Young, on behalf of the Western Aero League, to
appeal to the City Council to bury the wires underground. The
City Council did not respond to the appeal and within a month
the airport witnessed its first fatal crash involving a Navy flier.
Following an inquiry, Glendale was placed off limits to government
aircraft. This decision ended Glendale's hopes of making the airport
a terminal for the U.S. Air Mail service it desired.
Although the Glendale
airport was not considered safe for commercial aviation, it was
used extensively by the motion picture industry for location and
aviation scenes. As a result, several small aviation firms moved
into Glendale, particularly from Santa Monica, and became involved
in the motion picture industry, either intentionally or inadvertently.
Some of these firms were charter flight firms, some manufacturing,
and some distribution firms for other manufacturers. However,
most firms provided piloting services or refurbished private planes
for use in the motion pictures.
