established a foundation in the late 1920s to teach aeronautical engineers at
The 1920s also saw
advancements in research and training. Harry Guggenheim,
the son of a multimillionaire, an ex-navy pilot, and an aviation enthusiast,
established a foundation in the late 1920s to teach aeronautical engineers at
universities and develop flight instruments. Guggenheim also funded Western Air
Express with $180,000 in an experiment to see if airlines could profit from
passenger fares alone. Western flew 5,000 passengers from Los Angeles to San
Francisco in its first year with a flawless time and safety record. Yet, the
company could not make enough money to survive without airmail subsidies.