Skip to main content

Floyd D. Hansen papers

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_COLL MSS 536

Scope and Contents

This collection contains materials primarily related to Floyd D. Hansen and his involvement in aviation. The collection has been divided into four major categories: Personal History, Logan-Cache Airport, Flying Manuals/Resources, and Flying Clothing.

Hansen's collection will be of particular interest to those who study early aviation, whether it be civilian or military. Hansen was involved in the Logan-Cache Airport from its creation around 1930 through later expansions in the following decades that allowed for pilot training and commercial aviation to come to Cache Valley. The resources pertaining to the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) during World War II may be of particular interest to researchers as the Cache Valley Flying Service was the largest such training program in the region.

Dates

  • Creation: 1920-1996

Language of Materials

Material in English

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the Floyd D. Hansen papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

Floyd D. Hansen was born September 15, 1907 in Mink Creek, Idaho. Hansen graduated from Preston High School, and afterwards attended Brigham Young University from 1922 to 1926. While attending BYU he witnessed the aerobatic performances of barnstormer Tommy Thompson, and being inspired, took his first flying lesson in 1927. From that point on Hansen’s life would revolve around the advancement of aviation.

Settling in Cache Valley in the late 1920s after learning to fly, Hansen stored and operated his biplane in a cow pasture. He avidly promoted aviation in the valley upon his arrival and was instrumental in the construction of the Logan-Cache Airport, a process which began in 1928. In April 1930, Hansen began to utilize the new airport by creating the first air service in Logan - the Hansen Flying Service, which offered sightseeing, passenger, and some express services. In 1938, Hansen was hired by the US Postal Service to fly the first airmail out of Cache Valley which occurred on May 19 of that year.

The announcement of the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) instituted by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) in 1938 allowed for a further improvement of the Logan-Cache Airport so it could meet federal standards to train pilots under this new program in preparation for war. Hansen took advantage of this opportunity, and expanded the Hansen Flying Service in order to train pilots. The company was incorporated under the name Cache Valley Flying Service in 1941, and would soon become the single largest flight training operation in the region. At its peak the service employed fifty-five instructors and had a fleet of fifty planes. Between the two companies, over 3,000 pilots were trained at the Logan-Cache Airport from 1940 to 1946.

In 1946, Hansen sold his company to the Valley Airmotive Corporation. He became the manager of the Logan-Cache Airport in 1948 and served in that position until his retirement in 1972. Throughout those years of service he heavily promoted commercial aviation, making Logan-Cache Airport a terminal for Western Airlines, among other companies.

In addition to aviation, Hansen contributed to his community as a member of the Logan Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Civil Defense Council, the Utah Wildlife Federation, and the Imperial Glee Club. He was also an active member of the LDS church.

Floyd Hansen married Meda Althea Staley on August 18, 1928 in Preston, Idaho. Together, Floyd and Meda had four children: Keith, Brent, Dorene, and Clara. Floyd D. Hansen passed away January 28, 1987 in Logan.

Extent

4 boxes (6 linear feet)

Abstract

A collection of papers and other items pertaining to Floyd D. Hansen, an early pioneer of aviation in Cache Valley. Hansen was instrumental in establishing the Logan-Cache Airport and served as aiport manager from 1948 to 1972.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged topically and by material type.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Dorene Hansen Squires donated the Floyd D. Hansen collection to USU Special Collections in October 2017.

Related Materials

Frank Kelsey papers (COLL MSS 467)

Frank Kelsey photograph collection (P0537)

Separated Materials

The photographs were separated and given to the photograph curator.

Processing Information

Processed in January of 2018

Title
Guide to Floyd D. Hansen papers 1920-1996
Author
Finding aid/Register created by Landon Wilkey and Clint Pumphrey
Date
©2018
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid encoded in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)