Walter Thomas Varney | |
---|---|
Born | December 26, 1888 |
Died | January 25, 1967 | (aged 78)
Occupation(s) | Pilot, Airline executive |
Spouse | Aileen Varney |
Children | 1 |
Parent(s) | Thomas and Ella Varney |
Walter Thomas Varney (December 26, 1888 – January 25, 1967)[1][2] was an American aviation pioneer who founded forerunners of two major U.S. airlines, United Airlines[3] and Continental Airlines,[4] which combined under United Continental Holdings long after his death. Varney was also one of the most prominent airmail contractors of the early 20th century.
Varney served as a pilot in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps during World War I. After the war Varney established an aviation school and air taxi service in northern California.[5]