Aviation’s Enterprising Salesman, James E. Granger

James Granger sold safety in the air. He believed the public’s view of a pilot as an irresponsible circus performer could be changed to that of a conscientious professional. As he stated, “Aviation will never become a universal means of transportation as long as the average man thinks of a licensed pilot as a cross between a bird and a man endowed with superhuman powers.”

In a short span of eight years, Jim Granger played an integral role in the advancement of aviation through his passion, foresight and respect for his fellow flyers.

Born March 22, 1890, in Webster, Mass., James Earl Granger migrated to Pasadena, Calif., in 1910. Armed with a practical knowledge of electrical circuitry, he easily found work with the Edison Electrical Co. supervising the conversion of gas lighting to electrical. Pasadena’s Huntington Hotel was one of his largest projects. Two years later, longing for independence and adventure, Jim opened a Brush Runabout and Briggs-Detroiter agency in Long Beach. Billed as Every Man’s Car, the Brush provided a steady income for Jim until the company merged with several other auto manufacturers to form the United States Motor Corp. Two major decisions caused the company to close its doors in 1913. Its directors attempted to operate under the same premise as GMC and the introduction of enclosed vehicles superseded the Runabout that offered little protection in inclement weather.

A renovated bootlegger’s barn in Spadra, a now defunct town on the well-traveled route between Pomona and Whittier, provided Jim with a suitable location for his next enterprise. He opened a gas station and garage, attracting customers by lighting up the intersection with Prest-O-Lites mounted in an old car chassis. The Spadra station originally offered Standard Oil’s Red Crown gasoline and Zeolene oil but switched over to Union products in 1922; at the same time, Jim opened a Ford dealership. His gregarious personality earned him the nickname Sunny and the position of first president for the local Citrus Belt Auto Dealers Association that later merged into the California Auto Trades Association. In 1922, Jim promoted the first automobile show at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona and a convention for the Automobile Trades Association on Catalina Island in 1923.

An airplane ride in the spring of 1926 resulted in a dramatic turn of events for the car salesman. Inspired by the flight, Jim was certain that aviation would play an important role in the advancement of transportation and he wanted to be part of the exciting probability. He excelled in the automobile business; operating an aviation company shouldn’t be that difficult. He just needed an airplane, someone to teach him to fly, and a promising location. After exploring southern California for airports, Jim settled on municipally-owned Clover Field in Santa Monica. There were several aircraft manufacturing companies located on the field, a good indicator of stability. Before the end of the year, Jim sold his Spadra business, purchased Union . . .

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