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Kenneth Giles Friedkin (September 1, 1915 – March 16, 1962)[1] was an American aviator and businessman.

Kenneth Giles Friedkin
Born	September 1, 1915[1] New York City, New York
Died	March 16, 1962 (aged 47)[1] San Diego, California
Nationality	American
Other names	Kenny (nickname)
Occupation	Businessman
Known for	Creating Pacific Southwest Airlines
Spouse(s)	Jean Friedkin
Children	Thomas H. Friedkin
Parent(s)	Joel Friedkin, C. Irene Hedden

Biography

He was born in New York City during World War I, the son of a Russian-born tailor and American mother.[2] He and his parents moved to Kansas, and later San Diego, California.

Friedkin became interested in aviation after he saw an air show in San Diego at the age of 8. Friedkin obtained his pilot license at the age of 17. In 1945, he opened a flight school called the Plosser-Friedkin School (later named the Friedkin School of Aeronautics). The parent company to the school was Friedkin Aeronautics Inc. The school was not making enough profit. He tried numerous business methods from aerial fish delivery to banner towing with the help of his comrades J. Floyd Andrews and Bill Shimp. Friedkin tried a charter airline called Friedkin Airlines. Friedkin Airlines was a failure.

Using the lessons learned from Friedkin Airlines and receiving advice from a travel agent, he and his wife Jean Friedkin created an airline called Pacific Southwest Airlines in 1949.[3] The airline was a success, and gave Friedkin Aeronautics Inc. profit. Friedkin died at the age of 47 in 1962 of a cerebral hemorrhage. His wife, Jean, died the following year. After he died, J. Floyd Andrews became the president of PSA. His only child, Thomas Friedkin, lived to see PSA purchased by USAir.[4]

In 2015, Friedkin was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.[5]

Friedkin's companies

• Friedkin Aeronautics Inc. (later Pacific Southwest Airlines Inc.) - Parent company for most of Friedkin's businesses
  • Plosser-Friedkin School (Friedkin School of Aeronautics)
  • Friedkin Airlines
  • Pacific Southwest Airlines
• Giles Inc. - Aviation leasing company

References

External links

• Pacific Southwest Airlines By Alan Renga, Mark E. Mentges

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