Scheduled airline passenger service was established in 1946 by Southwest Airways with Douglas DC-3 aircraft.

Douglas DC-3 of Southwest Airways (second photograph on the page)

Running on slim operating margins, Southwest Airways was a no-frills airline decades before low-cost carriers became common.

The two co-founders of Southwest Airways died within nine months of each other in 1971.

In 1956 airline flights started on Southwest Airways.

Southwest Airways started passenger flights with Douglas DC-3s that year.

Southwest Airways had previously served San Luis Obispo with Douglas DC-3 aircraft.

Southwest Airways subsequently changed its name to Pacific Air Lines which in turn introduced new Fairchild F-27 turboprops into its fleet.

Southwest Airways and its successors were the only airline at Chico from 1947 until June 1979.

Hayward's interest in aviation led to his co-founding, in 1941, Southwest Airways, with financial help from his Hollywood friends.