mahoney

BF Mahoney came up with an idea for an airline. "You've got the airplanes here doing a lot of local flying," he said to Ryan. "Did you ever think about running a schedule to Los Angeles back and forth on a daily schedule basis?" Ryan had doubts. Undeterred, Mahoney pointed out that "people are more ready to accept flying than you may think." And he offered to put up the money for an airline for a share of the profits. Ryan agreed, and the Los Angeles­ San Diego Air Line came into being on March 1, 1925. The fare was $14.50 one way, $22.50 round trip. It was claimed to be the first airline in the United States to operate all year on a regular schedule. On April 19, 1925, Mahoney bought a half interest in Ryan's operations--the airline, aviation school and the charter and sightseeing business--for $7,500. The two became partners under the name Ryan Airlines. www.charleslindbergh.com/plane/mahoney.asp

Another Bain/LOC photo from this occasion: And another: Still another: And yet one more:

LOC -- The man on the left is not "Hog." In another photo, he is identified as "Capt. Hoge" -- although you have mis-titled that photo with the name "Hodge."

Wystan--Thank you for giving us the correct spelling of "Hoge". We will update the descriptive information for these images.

He is Benjamin Franklin Hoge.

A photo of the Ryan NYP "Spirit of St. Louis" at Curtiss Field (adjacent to Roosevelt Field) on Long Island, after the replacement of the original nose cone. Standing from left to right are, B.F. Mahoney, Harry F. Guggenheim, Lindbergh, and Charles Lawrance. Mahoney was the owner of Ryan Airlines, the builders of the "Spirit of St. Louis." Guggenheim, a wealthy buinessman and philanthropist from the North Shore of Long Island, had just met Lindbergh. After Lindbergh's triumphant return to the US, he and Guggenheim would assist the work of another aviation pioneer, Robert F. Goddard. Lawrance was an aeronautical engineer who was instrumental in the development of the air-cooled radial engine. His own company, the Lawrance Aero Engine Company, was purchased by Wright Aeronautical in 1923. In 1925, Lawrance would become the president of Wright Aeronautical and lead the development of the Wright J-5 Whirlwind that powered the "Spirit of St. Louis."

BF Mahoney had already purchased Ryan Aircraft. BF kept the name of the company as Ryan Aircraft leading to some confusion. see link: www.charleslindbergh.com/plane/mahoney.asp