Paul Revere Braniff
Encyclopedia
Paul Revere Braniff was an airline
entrepreneur
. He was, along with his brother Tom, one of the original owners of Braniff International Airways
.
. He grew during the early era of aviation
, and, as a youngster, became fascinated with the new way of transport.
Braniff joined the United States
Army
during World War I
as a mechanic and private, in 1917. He went to France
, becoming a corporal, then a temporary sergeant. In France, he learned to shoot, becoming an avid gun
man, although he never used this ability other than for war
fare.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, he joined brother Tom in an insurance company that carried the family's name. Paul Revere, however, kept dreaming about aviation all along; he got a pilot's license in 1923, obtaining the license from Orville Wright himself. In 1924, Braniff was able to buy his own aircraft.
Braniff began his own, small flying company soon after, eventually helping convince Tom Braniff and other investors to bring money and form the Oklahoma
aero club, in 1928. Reserved for use of the six investors, the company was registered as the Paul R. Braniff Airlines, thus marking the birth of Braniff International Airways. Paul Revere Braniff flew the company's first flight. At the time, the airline was very involved with the National Transcontinental air race.
In 1929, Revere Braniff left the United States
to go to Mexico
to help someone build a struggling Mexican airline company (apparently this person was Alberto Braniff
, but no evidence of this, nor of Alberto Braniff being related to the American Braniff brothers, has ever been reported). In November of that year, the airline he helped form had merged with Universal Airlines
, to become a real airline company, acquiring that airline's planes and setting up headquarters in St. Louis
.
Paul Revere Braniff remained in Mexico until 1930. While in Mexico, he gained airline industry expertise, and he returned to the United States with innovative ideas for Braniff International, including the use of faster aircraft,. which, in his mind, would help the airline by bringing quicker turn-around times and, as a consequence, carrying more passengers.
With that idea, Braniff convinced Tom and the other four investors to buy two Lockheed
Vega
aircraft.
Braniff headed to Washington, D.C.
in 1934, being called to testify before the congress, which was heading an investigation against air mail
services. Braniff returned to St. Louis with a contract for Braniff Airlines to carry mail, the first time the airline had obtained such type of contract.
Braniff then set on exploring new markets for the company that bore his last name. In 1936, Braniff headed to Brazil
, and he returned to St. Louis convinced that Braniff would do great economically if established in South America
.
Intending to retire from aviation
, Braniff sold the airline to his brother Tom. By then, the airline had changed its name to Braniff International Airways. It was after Paul Revere Braniff left that Braniff International Airways became a major player in United States-South America travel and vice versa, as Braniff International Airways began daily flights to various points in that continent and to Europe
after the jet
era began, with their distinctive livery that included many colors not seen before on aircraft fuselages.
Paul Revere Braniff went to Oklahoma to try to work as a mechanic, and he established the Braniff Engineering Corporation. That company was the first one to introduce the Lennox Air Conditioners and heating systems in Oklahoma.
Then 44 years old, Braniff was re-called into military service as the United States entered World War II
, in 1941. Revere Braniff would fly aircraft once again, this time with the Army's ninth air troop carrier command, in England
. But, after his second service in the military
was over, so was Braniff's flying career.
He later worked for the Douglas Company. in Los Angeles
, as an advisor. He decided to move to Oklahoma, where he worked another aviation-related company as salesman, selling used aircraft parts to customers.
Revere Braniff was diagnosed with cancer
later in his life, and he went on to spend his last couple of years resting. Expected to survive, Mr. Braniff suffered a cold
in the summer of 1954, which later turned into a pneumonia
. He had surgery
to correct the pneumonia, but the surgery affected his cancer disease, and he died from cancer complications that were directly connected by his doctors to the pneumonia surgery.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
. He was, along with his brother Tom, one of the original owners of Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982, primarily in the midwestern and southwestern U.S., South America, Panama, and in its later years also Asia and Europe...
.
Biography
Revere Braniff was born in Altoona, PennsylvaniaAltoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
. He grew during the early era of aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, and, as a youngster, became fascinated with the new way of transport.
Braniff joined the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as a mechanic and private, in 1917. He went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, becoming a corporal, then a temporary sergeant. In France, he learned to shoot, becoming an avid gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
man, although he never used this ability other than for war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
fare.
After being honorably discharged from the Army, he joined brother Tom in an insurance company that carried the family's name. Paul Revere, however, kept dreaming about aviation all along; he got a pilot's license in 1923, obtaining the license from Orville Wright himself. In 1924, Braniff was able to buy his own aircraft.
Braniff began his own, small flying company soon after, eventually helping convince Tom Braniff and other investors to bring money and form the Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
aero club, in 1928. Reserved for use of the six investors, the company was registered as the Paul R. Braniff Airlines, thus marking the birth of Braniff International Airways. Paul Revere Braniff flew the company's first flight. At the time, the airline was very involved with the National Transcontinental air race.
In 1929, Revere Braniff left the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to go to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to help someone build a struggling Mexican airline company (apparently this person was Alberto Braniff
Alberto Braniff
Alberto Braniff was a Mexican airplane pilot.Braniff was born in a wealthy and powerful family in Mexico during the Porfirio Diaz era. His father was the industrial Thomas Braniff, who came to Mexico to build the Veracruz railroad. Alberto went to study in Europe, where aviation flourished as he...
, but no evidence of this, nor of Alberto Braniff being related to the American Braniff brothers, has ever been reported). In November of that year, the airline he helped form had merged with Universal Airlines
Universal Airlines
Universal Airlines was an airline based in Georgetown, Guyana. The Universal Airlines operated a scheduled passenger service to the USA and to nearby Trinidad and Tobago...
, to become a real airline company, acquiring that airline's planes and setting up headquarters in St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
Paul Revere Braniff remained in Mexico until 1930. While in Mexico, he gained airline industry expertise, and he returned to the United States with innovative ideas for Braniff International, including the use of faster aircraft,. which, in his mind, would help the airline by bringing quicker turn-around times and, as a consequence, carrying more passengers.
With that idea, Braniff convinced Tom and the other four investors to buy two Lockheed
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
Vega
Lockheed Vega
|-See also:-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Allen, Richard Sanders. Revolution in the Sky: Those Fabulous Lockheeds, The Pilots Who Flew Them. Brattleboro, Vermont: The Stephen Greene Press, 1964....
aircraft.
Braniff headed to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1934, being called to testify before the congress, which was heading an investigation against air mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
services. Braniff returned to St. Louis with a contract for Braniff Airlines to carry mail, the first time the airline had obtained such type of contract.
Braniff then set on exploring new markets for the company that bore his last name. In 1936, Braniff headed to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, and he returned to St. Louis convinced that Braniff would do great economically if established in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Intending to retire from aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
, Braniff sold the airline to his brother Tom. By then, the airline had changed its name to Braniff International Airways. It was after Paul Revere Braniff left that Braniff International Airways became a major player in United States-South America travel and vice versa, as Braniff International Airways began daily flights to various points in that continent and to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
after the jet
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
era began, with their distinctive livery that included many colors not seen before on aircraft fuselages.
Paul Revere Braniff went to Oklahoma to try to work as a mechanic, and he established the Braniff Engineering Corporation. That company was the first one to introduce the Lennox Air Conditioners and heating systems in Oklahoma.
Then 44 years old, Braniff was re-called into military service as the United States entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1941. Revere Braniff would fly aircraft once again, this time with the Army's ninth air troop carrier command, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. But, after his second service in the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
was over, so was Braniff's flying career.
He later worked for the Douglas Company. in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, as an advisor. He decided to move to Oklahoma, where he worked another aviation-related company as salesman, selling used aircraft parts to customers.
Revere Braniff was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
later in his life, and he went on to spend his last couple of years resting. Expected to survive, Mr. Braniff suffered a cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
in the summer of 1954, which later turned into a pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. He had surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
to correct the pneumonia, but the surgery affected his cancer disease, and he died from cancer complications that were directly connected by his doctors to the pneumonia surgery.