HARRY RUSSELL 1946 - 1957 SUPERINTENDENT OF MAINTENANCE DEN Harry Russell started with Monarch Airlines July 1, 1946 and was Superintendent of Maintenance - Monarch/Frontier until the mid 1950s. -Ken Schultz (4/22/03) How I came to be employed at Frontier: There was an inaugural flight for Challenger Airlines from SLC to DEN and it (DC3) had an engine failure in CYS. I was working for United Air at the time. Challenger asked United to change the engine. It was my day off and United's superintendent of maintenance called to see if I could change the engine. When I finished changing the engine, Floyd Ririe, Challenger Chief Pilot, told me I could come to work for Challenger. I said I would if I could move to BIL. I told the Challenger Station Agent in CYS that I wanted to go to work for Challenger in BIL. I gave my 10 day notice at United and left for Blil ings to go to work. I don't recall ever Filling out a job application for Challenger but began working for them in April of 1947 at the age of 26. I worked for Challenger until March 1948 when Monarch took over maintenance in BIL. (I had to fill out an application for employment this time) I worked for Monarch until 1950 when it became Frontier. I started as Lead Mechanic in BIL where I worked through 1965 when the maintenance base was transferred to GTE. I worked there until 1966, when I was offered a position as General Foreman, Line Maintenance in DEN. After a short stint in management, I chose to go back on the line as a Lead Mechanic in 1968 and remained in that position until I retired in 1984, as People Express was buying Frontier out. After my retirement, we remained in DEN, where Irene and I enjoyed golf, travel, gardening, and particularly getting together on a regular basis with a group of other FAL employees we called the 'Birthday Bunch'. We gathered on each other's birthdays for years. The 'Bunch' included: John Brenner, Larry Larsen, Bob Miesenbach, Bob Houston, Harold Wagner & Fred Gulliksen. I played golf on a regular basis with Harry Russell, Don Wardman and Bill Howard until we moved back to BIL in 1998 for Irene's health. Irene passed away on September 11, 2002 and I remain in our home. Our oldest son, Warren A., and his wife Anne live in BIL, our daughter, Sharon Pielaet, and her husband, Rick, live in BZN and our youngest son, Dave, and his wife, Debbie, in Thornton, CO. I still enjoy reminiscing about FAL and the many great people who made the company. -Warren Hill (2003 BIL Reunion Booklet) Harry is shown on the Colorado Aviation Hall Of Fame roster sent by Ken Schultz. Says he was inducted in 1988. -Jake Lamkins (3/23/08) Harry E. Russell Supt. of Maintenance Born Jun 27, 1913 and died Apr 11, 2003, age 89 at Wheat Ridge, CO. Date of hire with Monarch was Jul 1, 1946. -Ken Schultz database dated Mar 22, 2008 HARRY E RUSSELL Born 27 Jun 1913 Died 11 Apr 2003 Age 89 At 80005 (Arvada, Jefferson, CO) SSN issued in Kansas -SSDI (10/30/08) Harry E. Russell Colorado Aviation Historical Society Honored in 1988 Harry Russell was born in Denver, Colorado on June 27, 1913. He started in aviation as a line boy for Curtiss in Denver. He had his first ride in 1928 in a Hisso-powered Standard. He took some flying lessons from Ray Melberg in an OX-5 plane and soloed in 1941 in a Luscombe 8A. He received his private license shortly thereafter. Hard work and dedication lead to his certification as an A&E, A&P and parachute rigger/repairman and many years of experience that followed. Harry proved to be a great teacher of the skills required to keep aircraft in the air safely. His special skills were in aircraft overhaul, wood and fabric work. Harry helped build a number of special planes, including the MG-1 & MG-2 with Ray Melberg, Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame - 1974, and "Dutch" Greenemeier, Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame - 1973. He also was a major contributor to the success of the Gyro Crusader, designed and built by Tom Shelton, Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame - 1970, and test-flown by Ray Wilson, Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame - 1970. Harry worked for the city and county of Denver as an aircraft mechanic from 1934 to 1940, during the time many airlines were flying into Denver Municipal Airport. He assumed the duties of mechanic inspector for the CAA and certified a great many mechanics entering this career field. He encouraged many young people to enter the aviation field, helped train them and, in many cases, to certify them in mechanics, parachute packing and similar crafts. Many famous flyers coming into Denver got to know Harry, and asked him to work on their planes. Word got around that his work was first class and flyers felt safe with his name in their airplane log. Harry worked with the pioneer aeronaut, Ivy Baldwin, Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame - 1969, on some of his hot air balloon flights. He assisted Ray Wilson during the founding of Monarch and Frontier Airlines. He purchased the first four C-47s, brought them to Denver, and converted them into DC-3 airliner configuration. He was the maintenance supervisor for Frontier for eleven years and later worked for the CAA & FAA for 21 years as an inspector. He was active in the OX-5 Aviation Pioneers, the Colorado Aviation Historical Society, and the Retired Frontier Employees organization. Harry was a teacher and a friend to many, and left his mark on quality work and safe airplanes in his work, spanning the years from Jennys to the DC-8 jets. -http://www.coloradoaviationhistoricalsociety.org/bio_popup.asp?id=207 (10/31/08) Posted at FLacebook and the FL Club: Maintenance supervisor Harry Russell's memorial webpage has been updated. http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Harry_Russell.html Several items added to his webpage. Post your remembrances of Harry. -Jake Lamkins (3/3/12) H E RUSSELL DEN Supt Mtc Per the Nov 1955 and Nov 1956 employees rosters. He is not on the Dec 1957 employee roster so he left in 1957 which agrees with the 11 years his obituary says he was with Frontier. -Jake Lamkins (2/10/23) FLacebook FLIGHT WEST UPDATED Frontier Memorial Webpage HARRY RUSSELL 1946 - 1957 SUPERINTENDENT OF MAINTENANCE DEN http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Harry_Russell.html He attended the Jun 1993 DEN Reunion - 36 years after he left Frontier! Harry was a pioneer in aviation maintenance and is in the Colorado Historical Society's Hall of Fame. Post your remembrances of him. -Jake Lamkins (2/11/23) Karen Berry RIP Harry Fred Watson R.I.P (2/11/23) Pam Coffman Ellis RIP (2/13/23)