Page 28 - February 2015 Volume 9, Number 2

This aerial photograph taken during the autumn of 1929 shows the five main buildings of the Travel Air Company located on East Central Avenue in Wichita, Kan. Sales and marketing offices were housed in a separate area, along with the front office managed by Olive Ann Mellor. Tours of the factory were an effective sales tool used by Walter Beech to showcase the com- pany’s dedication to workmanship and quality control. By 1942, tremendous expansion required by World War II production contracts quickly enveloped the original factory campus. (EDWARD H. PHILLIPS COLLECTION)
That year also marked publication of the company’s first parts catalog. It was deemed necessary because so many dealers and distributors ordered wrong parts because there was no guidance available from the airframe manufacturer, and part numbers were not easily obtained. By contrast, detailed maintenance and parts publications were available for radial engines built by Pratt & Whitney, Wright Aeronautical Corporation, Kinner, Continental, Lycoming and other manufacturers. King Air owners are familiar with the various types of factory service bulletins and other advisory
that being called into the boss’s office meant something very serious was afoot. Once assembled and with the door closed, Mr. Beech announced that beginning immediately, every Type 2000 biplane powered by a Curtiss OX-5 or OXX-6 engine would be flown for a minimum of two hours before delivery to the customer, dealer or distributor.
The reason, he explained between slow puffs on his ubiquitous pipe, was a sudden rash of engine failures that resulted in forced landings away from the factory. President Beech suspected the cause had something to do with the enormous pressure to deliver airplanes each week at a rapid rate that no one (including Beech) ever anticipated. Pushed by deadlines and impatient customers, supervisors and workers on the production lines were hurried and inspectors were missing mistakes made during installation of the engines. In an attempt to remedy the situation, Beech told every pilot to peruse every ship before flight and be certain sufficient fuel was aboard for more than two hours (this was in addition to the usual factory test
information, but similar documents were rarely issued by Travel Air and then only when deemed appropriate. These publications were aimed chiefly at upgrades and improvements for the airframe that could be accomplished in the field, although others were issued for spare parts availability and changes in pricing.
One interesting factory mandate imposed on dealers and distributors was the requirement to have an airplane always “at the ready” for immediate dispatch of parts to customers in an AOG situation. The Wichita factory always had a ship (usually a Type 6000 monoplane) stocked with a variety of parts ready to fly where needed. Travel Air also would dispatch an airplane to transport technical help to dealers and distributors coast-to-coast.
One example of how far Walter Beech was prepared to go to ensure customer satisfaction occurred in the summer of 1929. One day an urgent meeting was called in Mr. Beech’s office. Every pilot on the flight line was required to attend. Monty Barnes, one of the company’s pilots, remembered
26 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
Walter Beech hired talented people who knew how to develop sales and marketing strategies and manage dealerships and distributors spread out across the United States, South America, Asia and the Pacific region. To handle that responsibility, in 1928 Beech hired Owen G. Harned to accomplish that important task. Harned, who spent much of his time “on the road” visiting Travel Air agents as well as talking with customers about their airplanes, was a major contributor to the company’s success. (TEXTRON AVIATION)
flight of 30-60 minutes duration).
Instead of dreading the news, Monty Barnes was thrilled! He would be all alone in a factory fresh Type 2000 to enjoy two hours of free flying time. When his turn came to check an airplane, he told the author that he would take off, climb to an altitude of 6,000-7,000 feet and “punch through the clouds, the white, fluffy summertime cumulus that dotted the Kansas skies.” Although a majority of the OX-5 engines in ships tested by Barnes never “missed a pop,” he
FEBRUARY 2015