sedona legend helen frye

A Frye Family Aviation Legacy

Sedona Legend Profile Series

Patrick
Mc Donald
Frye

November 29, 1906

Wheeler County, Texas

November 4, 1942

Dallas, Texas

PRESS RELEASE

Donald Frye, founder and director of the copyrighted system of schools which bear his name is a pioneer in the aviation industry. At the age of 10, he was building model airplanes with his brother Jack Frye, who is now head of T.W.A. Airlines. When 24, (1930), Donald Frye had already served 2 years in the U.S. Air Corps and was engaged as a flying instructor for the Guatemala Air Service. Later in California he worked in almost every department of the Douglas Aircraft Company. Leaving Douglas, he became personnel manager for Consolidated Aircraft Company. While serving in this capacity for five years, he became aware of the critical shortage of trained aircraft workers. Knowing the needs and requirements of the aircraft manufacturers, Donald Frye organized the Frye Aircraft Company with the sincere purpose of helping American men and women get basic training in aircraft production.

This website has led me down many paths and to the doors of many remarkable people. When I decided to start a remembrance for Jack and Helen Frye and their association with Sedona Arizona, I never dreamed it would lead in so many directions. I came to know Jack's sister Ople, who I found to be a rich source of information, and her daughter Pat. Through Ople I came to realize that Jack had a beloved younger brother who not only helped him get started in the airline business, which led to his founding TWA and building it into a World-Wide-Airline, but as well this brother also had a remarkable career in aviation himself. His name? Patrick Mc Donald Frye. He grew up with Jack in Texas on the family cattle ranch near Wheeler. He and Jack both joined the Army, a path that later led them to California. Don was not only one of the original investors in Aero Corporation, which Jack Frye founded, but worked for the company for a time as well. Born in November 1906, Don was Jack's "younger" brother. For a time he lived with Jack and his first wife Debbie Greer in 1920's Los Angeles. See profile on Don Frye below, from about 1941.

A rare early photo of Jack Frye with arm around his beloved brother Don, in about 1924 at Burdett Airport, Los Angeles. Both were immersed in the infancy of United States aviation, each forging noteworthy paths. See this page. Donald, like his brother Jack, was a crack aircraft mechanic. His friend Walter Hamilton trained him and included him in airshow outings and maintaining planes.

PRESS RELEASE

Patrick Donald Frye was born in Wheeler Texas, November 1906, of English and Irish ancestors. Experience in aviation since 1922, includes mechanic, pilot, purchasing agent, toolmaker, Jr. Tool Designer and Inspector. Don Frye (1920-1921) broke into aviation at the age of 15, becoming so far as it is known, the world's youngest pilot at the time! He took a job as a dishwasher to get started and became a flying member of the famed Holmoky Flying Circus, stunting clipped winged Spads and Newports. Donald Frye

worked with Aero Corporation of California, Standard Airlines, Western Air, the United States Army, Guatemala Air Service, and Douglas Aircraft. Mr. Frye joined Consolidated Aircraft Company as an assistant in 1935, and soon became director, a position he currently holds. Having worked in many phases of the aircraft industry and observed it from all angles, Frye knows the viewpoint of the man seeking work for the first time. Consolidated has many of the finest aircraft craftsmen in the world. We consider ourselves privileged to be associated with, and hire trained students from the Frye Aircraft Company!

For further information on the Frye Aircraft Company, as written by Don Frye, please click here to read the PDF File.

The Frye family name stands tall and solid. A beacon in the development of the largest most advanced air transportation network in the world (TWA). And a nationwide school to train men and women to work in the aircraft industry and the war effort. An amazing legacy of dedication and leadership!

Frye Aircraft Company, Dallas and Omaha.

Please click on photos for larger files

Frye Aircraft Company, Denver and St Louis

April 7, 1941
Douglas Aircraft Company Inc.....
Permit me to say a few words in behalf of the Frye Schools. For several years, I have personally known Jack and Don Frye, and I am happy to say that both are fine gentlemen and are doing a splendid job in organizing schools and training personnel for the aircraft industry..... (see letter above to the left.)

My Brother Don- By Ople May "Sunny" Frye Thomas

Patrick Mc Donald Frye- my brother called Don was born November 29 1906, Wheeler County, Texas. Died November 4, 1942 in Dallas, Texas. He was married to Marguerite Wilkinson and attended Rock School, Wheeler Jr. High, and Clarendon High School. Don was at 16, one of the youngest pilots in the nation. He held a transport pilots license, barnstormed over the country, was a stunt flyer and owned a flying circus. At 24, Don served 2 years in the Army Air Corps and was an instructor for Guatemala Air Service.

Donald Frye was at one time the Personnel Director, and served in other capacities for Douglas Aircraft Industries, before becoming Personnel Director for Consolidated Aircraft Corporation. Don realized the critical lack of trained aircraft workers, so he organized and became President of "Frye Aircraft Company, a Copyrighted System of Schools for Basic Training in Aircraft Production." The first facility was located in Kansas City, with others in Omaha, Denver, St. Louis, Dallas, Long Beach, and Salt Lake City. Don's career, of such promise, was ended tragically in a Dallas Hotel, November 4, 1942. He was buried in Wheeler, our dear friend and school principle, Judge R.H. Forrester was the speaker. Don was quiet, sensitive, very bright- a good artist and writer, with an analytical mind. His death- a very useless and sad loss!

October 2007- Sadly Sunny Frye Thomas, reigning matriarch of the Frye family has passed away. This remarkable woman was the very last of Jack Frye's immediate family, a lady who truly knew him and Don their entire lives. I am saddened by her death and honored to have been her friend. Sunny was a rich wealth of information in regard to the Frye Legacy and a staunch advocate of my work! Bless you Sunny!

Thank you for visiting
Sedona Legend Helen Frye