John Paul Riddle

Civilian
media-21482.jpeg UPL 21482 John Paul Riddle

5BFTS First Anniversary

Object Number - UPL 21482 - John Paul Riddle

Formerly a barnstormer and flying instructor for stunt pilots, John Paul Riddle was a pioneer in aviation history taking the controls only 17 years after the Wright brothers’ first flight. His career in aviation had taken him from the Embry-Riddle Flying School in 1926, winning the first Federal air mail contracts, to globe-trotting with Howard Hughes and the Prince of Wales.

In 1934 he opened a charter seaplane service in Miami and in WW2 operated three schools in Florida and one in Tennessee for US and UK pilots. His role in setting up the Riddle-McKay Aero College for 5BFTS at Clewiston, Florida, is well documented. His vision, beyond the war, was to set up an Aeronautical College and the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Daytona Beach is the fruition of that idea.



Supplementary Biographical Detail:



Born in 1901 at Pikeville, Kentucky, John Paul Riddle attended Pikeville College and graduated in 1920. When he left college he married Adele Goeser.



From 1920-22 he served in the US Army Air Service and was sent to the mechanics’ school at Kelly Feld, San Antonio. From there he went on to Chanute Field, Illinois and then to flying school at Carlstrom Field. His career in aviation next took him to Post Field, Lawton, Oklahoma, where he learned the value of sound aircraft construction. On leaving the USAAS he became a barnstormer. Flying a $250 Jenny he would give rides to passengers for a few dollars across a dozen states.



In 1925 J. P Riddle formed the Embry-Riddle Company at Lunken Airport, Cincinnati with T. Higbee Embry. They had met while J.P.Riddle was barnstorming and had landed in a polo field. Embry was offered a ride and a friendship was formed.



As general manager, Riddle was responsible for selling Waco Aircraft. In 1926 the company opened the Embry-Riddle Flying School. The school’s early pilots were trained for America’s first package express business and in 1927 the school won one of the first Federal air mail contracts. This in turn became part of AVCO, the Aviation Corporation of Delaware, later known as American Airlines. The flying school was a successful venture and the company became known as Embry-Riddle Aviation Corporation.



In 1934, with his partnership with Embry now dissolved, Riddle opened a charter seaplane service in Miami and a new flight school at Miami Municipal Airport.



In 1939 Riddle decided to go into the business of training pilots and, now living in Florida, he teamed up with John G Mackay. Together they re-established the Embry–Riddle School of Aviation and provided training under the Civilian Pilot Training Program. They went on to form the Riddle Aeronautical Institute at Carlstrom Field to train pilots for the USAAC in 1941 and, in a separate division, provided technical training in maintenance and metal work.

With the introduction of training for RAF pilots, owing to the Lend Lease Scheme, Riddle built and set up the 5 British Flying Training School at Clewiston, Florida, named Riddle Field.

In 1944 McKay purchased Riddle’s share of Embry-Riddle and the end of the war, in 1945, brought an end to the BFTS scheme.



In 1939 Riddle had also set up the J.P. Riddle Company which contracted five flying schools to the US and British governments. Consequently a Brazilian flying school was set up in 1943 and in 1945 the company relocated American transport instructors to Brazil. This was operated by Riddle Airlines, an air cargo carrier which operated from Miami.



John Paul Riddle retired in the 1960’s and died on 6th April 1989 at Coral Gables, Florida. He is remembered by a marker along with his RAF cadets at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Arcadia, Florida.







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Embry-Riddle Fly Paper various issues 1943/44

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Embry-Riddle Flypaper

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Embry-Riddle Flypaper

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Embry Riddle Flypaper

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5BFTS Anniversary Book

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www.5bfts.org.uk
RAF Wings over Florida - Will Largent

John Paul Riddle: Gallery (11 items)