parker pen co. and aviation
- PARKER PEN CO. AND AVIATION.
The first official and registered motor flight was made in the United States on December 13, 1903, by Orville Wright getting the first sustained 12-second flight while his brother and partner Wilbur was watching his short but successful progress.
It took 17 years until an agency was created that was responsible for the development of air transport. It was not until the mid-1920s, when the US Department of Commerce urged the creation of an internal agency, which they called the Aeronautics Branch, not only to develop and ensure the safety standards of safety regulations but also to encourage and maintain air commerce, establish new air routes and standards air traffic, operation and maintenance of air navigation aids and licensing of pilots and certification of aircraft. The Aeronautics Branch engendered the objectives and bases of the future Federal Aviation Administration.
The interest of Parker Pen Co. about aircraft came from Kenneth Parker. Son of the founder, Kenneth was attending Brown University when America´s entry into WWI. He enlisted in the fledgling air service and, after flight training at Miami Air Base, Kenneth was assigned to officer training in tactical maneuvers at Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida (1). Kenneth was so interested in aviation that, after the war, he considered becoming a U.S. Mail pilot before he opted for the family business to which he transmitted this passion for flying as well as its Parker Pen Co. employees so «a 1946 informal survey showed that there were 43 private pilots among the ranks of them» (2).
In 1926, before acquiring their first aircraft, Kenneth, as advertising manager, used aviation to present Duofold’s Permanite non-breakable proven to resist cracking by launching some pens from the 3,000-foot drop and then picked-up them on land without damage. Similar tests were performed in 1928 from the Duofold Fairchild and somewhat later, in 1930, from a De Havilland during an advertising tour in the European northeast.
From their first company business plane, the Parker Duofold Fairchild, they used it as an innovative advertising weapon inviting his dealers: «This helped sales of course. Before it was retired, the Fairchild took up more than 14,000 dealers and their families in all 48 states, most of them for their first airplane travel. The company´s willingness to fly wives and children of dealers, too, won for it an extra bonus of good will» (1).
Such a fortunate advertising campaign was carried out also in Europe during August to October 1931 with a De Havilland Puss Moth DH.80A G-AAXV, serial number 2026, in conjunction with their advertising agents, the First International Agency, a member of whose staff, A. S. d’Ydewalle, piloted the monoplane.
The aircraft was decorated by Airwork Ltd. with the name “Parker Duofold” painted in large letters on both sides of the fuselage with a large reproduction of a pen Parker Duofold modern black and pearl on one side and the matched pencil on the other side. The plane was flown through fourteen countries of central and southwestern Europe and was landed in 68 airports covering 29,500 miles for five cents per mile. This cost included fuel, oil, hangar rental, landing fees, pilot and plane insurance, expenses of pilot and depreciation of the plane. A generous newspaper space was obtained and the successful campaign attracted much attention (6).
This promotional and advertising interest was linked to logistic and business cost savings: «Overhead brings the total costs a passenger mile to 16 cents. But this is subject to a discount when compared with passenger-mile cost of the surface. Airline distances run at least 25 per cent less than either rail or road mileages.
Cheaper than surface travel. If the time element is injected -such as the salaries of the passengers- the 16 cents is well below the cost of surface travel. Just as one instance Mr. Parker points out -it takes a matter of two hours to cross the Chicago complex of traffic by either rail or road. Any of the Parker planes can span it in ten minutes. Savings grow as distances rise to a thousand or more miles.
To these definite dollars and cents, Mr. Parker adds a mass of such intangibles as consultation with suppliers and subcontractors´ engineering and production heads, either bringing them to Janesville or sending Parker people to them and the securing of supplies whose lack might shut down production lines or clerical systems.» (7).
Parker incorporated their aircraft to the logistic and supply chain from the beginning: «Louisville, Ky. Loaded with a consignment of Parker pens, pencils and desk sets from the Parker Pen Co. Janesville, Wis., “Parker Duofold” a Fairchild plane, recently arrived at Bowman Field, the municipal airport in Seneca Park. Officials of the company stated that the firm´s new Wasp powered plane proved of great value in filling holiday orders wired at the last minute by dealers» (9).
In the same vein, we will listen to Allen Center, coordinator of the plane’s activities in the 1950s: «Even when the weather is inclement and is cutting down flight-hours, an all-weather plane such as the Beech can pay its own way compared with others means of travel. Especially when such items as meals, hotel and salaries are considered… this should be taken into account when discussing economy for corporation aircraft» (2).
The Parker Pen Co. was a pioneer in the use of airplanes. During years before acquiring their first aircraft, the Fairchild, officials of the company already having been using planes in their displacements for business. The Parkers participated very actively in the development of aviation in the county, so we see them encouraging and promoting airfield opening or donating money for airport lights that allow night flights. They will participate as speakers in the airport inaugurations, in acts of delivery of diplomas to new pilots, as judge of acrobatic flying races or ccollaborating with their Parker Pen Band in the parades of famous pilots visiting Janesville and in aeronautical festivities. The company was a member of the National Business Aircraft Association.
Kenneth Parker was part-owner of the Gray Goose Air Lines Inc. (10), company that, operating from Chicago Municipal, where the Sky Harbor flying school was also based, connected to several Midwest cities. Mr. Parker also belonged to The Janesville Civic and Industrial council committee to make plans for the definitive location of the current Rock county airport.
Kenneth was member of QB, the Quiet Birdmen aviation club begun in 1921 by Baron Ladislas D´Orcy and to which belonged noted flyer as Charles Lindberg, Wiley Post, Arthur Goebel or James Doolittle. The regional QB “hangar” of Kenneth was in Chicago where he flew frequently.
On May 7, 1945, in Reims, Ike showed his affection to Kenneth by posing for the eternity with two Parker «51», in a V-for-Victory sign, immediately after allied signed the unconditional German Surrender Acts. Kenneth also gave Ike, when was President of the University of Columbia, a unique desk set mounted on a base that contains stones from places important in his life -a stone from his birthplace in Texas, another from the Philippines, France, England, etc.
In 1955, Kenneth Parker attends dinner with President Eisenhower, in what was described as «an invitation to old friends.»
On May 7, 1945, in Reims, Ike showed his affection to Kenneth by posing for the eternity with two Parker «51», in a V-for-Victory sign, immediately after allied signed the unconditional German Surrender Acts. Kenneth also gave Ike, when was President of the University of Columbia, a unique desk set mounted on a base that contains stones from places important in his life -a stone from his birthplace in Texas, another from the Philippines, France, etc.
In 1955, Kenneth Parker attends dinner with President Eisenhower, in what was described as «an invitation to old friends.»
The saga would continue with Daniel Parker -we can see him, as a child, occupying the Verville front seat in the photo below-, who piloted both airplanes and helicopters: his first business activity with helicopters dates from 1955. In 1962, even presiding over the Parker Pen Co. founded Omniflight Inc., a company that is currently a leader in aerial medical services and assistance, using a fleet of 100 helicopters.
- Dubacker, H. (November, 1959). “Airborne Penmanship”. Flying magazine, p. 40.
- “Pen –Air”. (September, 1950) Skyways magazine, pp.28-29, 48, 52.
- Photo collected from Parkergrams.
- Photo collected from National Naval Aviation Museum. http://collections.naval.aviation.museum/
- Ad collected from The Saturday Evening Post. Aug. 21, 1926, p. 130.
- “Parker pen plane makes tour of Europe” (February 1932). Aviation Week, 94.
- “Plane fleet pays for Parker Pen Co.”. (July 6, 1952). The New York Times.
- Photo collected from Hedberg Public Library´s. Gruver photo collection. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu
- “Rush Pen Orders by Plane” (January 12, 1929) Aviation Week, 114.
- “Kenneth Parker buys own plane” (August 2, 1929). Janesville Daily Gazette, p. 11.
- Photo collected from National Air & Space Museum https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/membership- card-quiet-birdmen-james-h-doolittle
- Ad collected from Aviation Week, p. 37 (August 2, 1929).
- “Two Parker Executives Visit White House… Give Ike Pencil” (January 12, 1955). Janesville Daily Gazette, p. 12.
- Eisenhower, D. (1970). The papers of Dwight David Eisenhower. The war years; III. P. 1569-1570.
- Photo collected from Eisenhower Presidential Library & Museum. Abilene, KS. USA.
- Gentleness of Rock County Historical Society. August 16, 2019.
©Ramón Campos. Registro Propiedad Intelectual V-1132-19 de 27.09.2019 — Code Safe Creative 1909061851196 06.09.2019.