WELCOME TO THE "OLD" FRONTIER AIRLINES

Frontier Airlines was officially born on June 1, 1950 when the new company, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, acquired the certificates of three feeder carriers - Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines and Monarch Airlines. However, it dated it's origin to November, 1946 when Monarch began service over routes in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. It would die nearly 40 years later in the last days of August, 1986. These pages are a collection of images and recollections from the employees of "that fine little airline".

Frontier DC-3 over Denver in early 1950s.
Frontier DC-3 in about 1960.


In 1957 a Frontier Airlines DC-3 crashed into a mountain.
It continued flying and landed safely
Click here to read the story.


L.B. Maytag became President in early 1959 after he acquired controlling interest in the airline in Apr 1958.

Frontier's route system in 1956.


The Maytag family sold their stock in March, 1962 to Goldfield Corp. The next month, on April 26, Maytag bought controlling interest in National Airlines and became President/Chief Executive Officer the same day. At National, he moved up to Chairman on February 11, 1972. National was sold to PanAm in 1980 and Maytag's profit was enormous. Lewis W. Dymond became President of Frontier after Maytag's departure.



DC3, N65276, parked at Phoenix. This aircraft was determined to die. It ran off the end of the runway in Salt Lake City while operating with Challenger Airlines, a predecessor airline of Frontier. It hit a car and injured a lady in it. Next, it smashed into a mountain and knocked off 12 feet of its left wing but landed safely. See story above. Finally, it crashed and burned in Denver during takeoff on December 21, 1967 while being used as a freighter. Two Frontier pilots, Rocky Crane and Rick Cochran, were killed.

...Frontier Photo Gallery...Frontier Home Page...Frontier Aircraft... Frontier Airlines Alumni Club...Frontier Obituaries...Frontier Websites...Rick Broome's Frontier aircraft paintings...FLypaper


From a painting by Dave Paulley, a Frontier DC3 making a night landing at Denver.
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Many thanks for help go to Bill Buse, Chuck Tisckos, Billy Walker, Air Nikon, and the ex-Frontiersmen at the FL Alumni Group.



Jake Lamkins