Historic Hood River
Oregon Washington & Idaho Airplane Company
4-25-2013
Notes
His another view of our friend Victor Vernon and his Curtiss Jenny ready for takeoff in Hood River. You can read more about Mr. Vernon and the Oregon Washington & Idaho Airplane Company in this earlier HHR post.
l.e.
A link about the life of Victor Vernon.
http://earlyaviators.com/evernon.htm
Under his memoirs of Oregon & Washington, he says his health was bad and
"thinking the climate of Portland and the northwest would be more beneficial than New York’s. I saw to it that J. D. Hill, Walter Lees, and an expert mechanic were employed to accompany me to the Oregon, Washington & Idaho Airplane Company which was to operate off a small neck of land adjoining the Willamette River which flows through Portland, thus accomodating both land and water planes. We found it a marvelous country, but we were too early for the full acceptance of flying and what is now known as airline operation. In the third year I came down with typhoid fever and while incapacitated the directors decided to take their losses and close up shop. I was retained as receiver and closed its affairs in June of 1922. At least there I recovered my health while we lived in a small cottage on nearby Lake Oswego from where I sometimes commuted by flying boat to the airport."
l.e.
Walter Lees accompanied Victor Vernon on the Oregon, Washington & Idaho Company venture.
Here is an ad for flights from Grand Dalles. $10.00.
http://home.earthlink.net/~ralphcooper/pimagd12.htm
nels
Considering the stage of development of the automobile in 1920, taking the motor to a flying machine with enough power really was quite an accomplishment, and a very brave action in my mind.