Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Frank Kelsey papers, 1911-2002
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Kelsey, Frank, 1912-1991.
- Title
- Frank Kelsey papers
- Dates
- 1911-2002 (inclusive)19112002
- Quantity
- 11 boxes, (5.25 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 467
- Summary
- This collection contains materials from the life of Frank Kelsey, a Utah aviator who owned an air service business in Salt Lake City.
- Repository
-
Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu - Access Restrictions
-
No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
William Frank Kelsey was born March 31, 1912 in Salt Lake City. His involvement in aviation was life-long; in 1928, he constructed a glider based on an M.I.T. glider he had seen in an article.
In 1949 Kelsey and Mark Kemp opened a business based at the Salt Lake City Airport called Kemp and Kelsey Air Service. Hague Ellis purchased Kemp’s interest in the business in 1962 and it became known as Kelsey-Ellis Air Service. Functions of this business included air-taxi services, charter flights, plane rental, aircraft repair, and helicopter patrols.
Kelsey also tried to expand the business into fog seeding, for which he developed methods and equipment throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Fog seeding, the practice of dropping dry ice pellets from an aircraft into a fog in order to dissipate it, was a desirable service in the Salt Lake Valley because fog was such a safety concern for airports. In 1968 Kelsey sold his interest in the company to Ellis and left the business. Ellis changed the business’ name to Key Aviation.
Frank Kelsey also tried to start a business building, selling, and exporting Stressed Skin Trailers, which he marketed for transporting gliders. In 1975 he bought the rights to build and sell a design by Herman Stiglemeier, however the SST business failed and Kelsey sold it to Keven Murphy and Anthony Estrin in 1986.
In addition to his business ventures, Kelsey participated in a variety of professional activities. He was a prominent member of many aviation associations such as the Soaring Society of America, the Experimental Aircraft Association, the National Soaring Museum, and many more, in 1982 he was inducted into the Soaring Hall of Fame. He acted as a consultant for many businesses and organizations and in the mid-1980s he served on a committee to start a degree program in Aviation Maintenance at the Utah Technical College. Frank Kelsey died August 11, 1991.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This collection contains materials related to the various activities of Frank Kelsey throughout his life. These materials are divided into the following main categories: Personal History, Correspondence, Consulting and Professional Organizations, Historical Materials, and Business Records.
The first section contains materials related to Kelsey’s personal life including a cassette tape containing vignettes from his work in Kemp and Kelsey Airservice, a collection of his “One-Liners”, and a biography of his wife, Ida Mae Kelsey.
The Correspondence section consists of letters between Frank Kelsey and his friends, colleagues, or customers, mostly relating to aviation and gliders. Letters from the most common correspondence are grouped and those folders are alphabetized.
The Consulting and Professional Organizations section contains papers related to Kelsey’s work related to these activities. However, this category also contains magazines and articles published by aviation associations in which Kelsey may or may not have participated.
The Historical Materials category reflects Frank’s interest in aviation history and contains historical manuals, photographs, articles, and other publications related to the history of gliding and airplanes.
Finally, the Business Records section contains correspondences, manuals, articles, and other documents related to Frank Kelsey’s business ventures. Prominent among these is his air service in Salt Lake City, stressed skin trailer production, and fog dispersal service. Included here is a cassette tape containing a conversation between Kelsey and his employees with a representative of Dr. Fukuta, a scientist proposing an alternative method of fog seeding than the one that Kelsey and his company was doing.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.
Permission to publish material from the Frank Kelsey papers must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: Frank Kelsey papers USU_467, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.
Following Citations:USU_467, USUSCA.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
These materials are arranged into the following main categories: Personal History, Correspondence, Consulting and Professional Organizations, Historical Materials, and Business Records.
Processing Note
Processed in June of 2014
Acquisition Information
This collection was donated to USU Special Collections and Archives in 2012 by Frank Kelsey’s son, James Kelsey.
Related Materials
Frank Kelsey Photograph collection, P0537
Bibliography
book
My Father Loved Flying: A History of F. Kelsey 1912-1991Kelsey, James F. My Father Loved Flying: A History of William F. Kelsey 1912-1991: 2012Bibliography
obituary
Death: William F. Kelsey"Death: William Kelsey." Deseret News, 12 August 1991Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Personal History, undatedReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Frank Kelsey- Personal History, Notes, and Goals |
1980-1989 |
| 1 | 2 | Kelsey, James- My Father Loved Flying |
2012 |
| 1 | 3 | Wiliam Frank Kelsey, Obituary |
1991 |
| 1 | 4 | Cassette Tape: Kelsey, Frank-Kemp and Kelsey Charter Flight Vignettes |
undated |
| 1 | 5 | Soaring Hall of Fame |
1981-1982 |
| 1 | 6 | Ida Mae Kelsey- Biography |
1968 |
| 1 | 7 | Frank Kelsey- One-Liners |
1960-1989 |
| 1 | 8 | Signpost Names |
1970-1979 |
| 1 | 9 | Cartoons |
1960-1989 |
| 1 | 10 | Kelsey, Frank- Super Albatross |
1943 |
| 1 | 11 | Kelsey Speech- American Institute of Aeronautics |
1986 |
| 1 | 12 | Business Cards |
1960-1999 |
| 1 | 12a | Aircraft Registration |
1970 |
Correspondence, undatedReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 13 | Arnold, Les; Buzzard's Roost |
1983-1986 |
| 1 | 14 | Benbough, Richard |
1977-1991 |
| 1 | 15 | Blacksten, J. Raul |
1990-1991 |
| 1 | 16 | Evangelisti, Giorgio |
1977-1978 |
| 1 | 17 | Greenwell, Eric, about Trailers |
1983 |
| 1 | 18 | Johnson, Richard |
1980-1986 |
| 1 | 19 | Kimball, Bud |
1981-1990 |
| 2 | 1 | Lamson, Robert about Seminar, Walton Fatality |
1986 |
| 2 | 2 | McGarth, Patrick |
1981-1989 |
| 2 | 3 | Moore, Robert Lee |
1981-1989 |
| 2 | 4 | Olson, Jack |
1976-1986 |
| 2 | 5 | Parks, Wm. R. |
1980-1990 |
| 2 | 6 | Prue, Irv: Prue Two |
1986 |
| 2 | 7 | Saudek, Victor Mead |
1979-1989 |
| 2 | 8 | Schweizer, Paul |
1977-1986 |
| 2 | 9 | Scott, Jan |
1975-1982 |
| 2 | 10 | Scott and Steele about Bowlus Blueprints |
1978-1979 |
| 2 | 11 | Schoen Mike; Aero-Auto Salvage |
1979-1981 |
| 2 | 12 | Short, Simine and Jim |
1981-1984 |
| 2 | 13 | A-C |
1950-1999 |
| 2 | 14 | D-M |
1950-1999 |
| 2 | 15 | N-W, Unidentified |
1950-1999 |
| 2 | 16 | Bowlus and Baby Albatross Correspondence and Pictures |
1973-1977 |
Consulting and Professional Organizations, 1930-1991Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 1 | Ad Hoc Committee on Aircraft Mechanics |
1984-1985 |
| 3 | 2 | Airframe and Power Plant Mechanic Survey |
1984 |
| 3 | 3 | USU- Aerospace Technology and Professional Pilot Programs Information |
1988 |
| 3 | 4 | Utah Technical College- Aviation Maintenance Advisory Committee |
1984-1986 |
| 3 | 5 | Utah Technical College- Proposal for Aviation Maintenance Program |
1983-1984 |
| 3 | 6 | Utah Technical College- Proposal for Aircraft Mechanics Program |
1983 |
| 3 | 7 | Utah Technical College- Program Advisory Committee Handbook |
1983-1985 |
| 3 | 8 | Utah Technical College- Newspaper, Articles |
1984-1986 |
| 3 | 9 | British Gliding Association- Sailplane and Glider |
1936-1940 |
| 3 | 10 | Experimental Aircraft Association |
1980-1986 |
| 3 | 11 | EAA- Flying and Glider Manual |
1931 |
| 3 | 12 | EAA- "How-To" Series: Basic Hand Tools vol. 2 |
undated |
| 3 | 13 | EAA- Miniplane Plans |
1957 |
| 3 | 14 | National Glider and Airplane News |
1931 |
| 4 | 1 | National Power Glider |
1930-1931 |
| 4 | 2 | National Soaring Museum |
1981-1990 |
| 4 | 3 | NSM- Quarterly Journal |
1985-1991 |
| 4 | 4 | Popular Aviation |
1932 |
| 4 | 5 | Soaring Society of America |
1957-1991 |
| 4 | 6 | SSA- American Soaring Handbook |
1965-1966 |
| 4 | 7 | SSA- New State Soaring Records |
1970-1976 |
| 4 | 8 | SSA- Sailplane Homebuilders Association |
1983-1990 |
| 4 | 9 | 50th Anniversary Soaring, Sailplane Airmail |
1981-1982 |
| 4 | 10 | Southern California Soaring Association- The Thermal |
1941-1972 |
| 4 | 11 | The Utah Pilot |
1968-1990 |
| 4 | 12 | Vintage Sailplane Association |
1979-1990 |
| 4 | 13 | VSA- Bungee Cord |
undated |
| 4 | 14 | Soaring Society of Utah- Pamphlets and Ads |
1965 |
| 4 | 15 | By-Laws of an Aviation Club |
undated |
Historical Materials, 1911-2002Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 5 | 1 | Utah State Aeronautic Commission |
1939 |
| 5 | 2 | United States Army Air Force- Your Body in Flight |
1943 |
| 5 | 3 | US Army Center of Military History- SLC and US Army Signal Corp. |
1986 |
| 5 | 4 | Salt Lake City Municipal and International Airports |
1920-1999 |
| 5 | 5 | Biplanes, Salt Lake City Municipal Airport, Pictures |
1930-1969 |
| 5 | 6 | Aviation Articles |
1960-1999 |
| 5 | 7 | Deseret News Articles |
1911-1989 |
| 5 | 8 | 11th Annual Gliding and Soaring Contest Program |
1940 |
| 5 | 9 | International Glider Meets; German, French, English |
undated |
| 5 | 10 | World War II Gliders |
1986 |
| 6 | 1 | Huntington Alloys Advertisement |
undated |
| 6 | 2 | Homeowner's Annual, Shaper Manual |
1936-1944 |
| 6 | 3 | Stits, Ray- Aircraft Building Manuals |
1965-1980 |
| 6 | 4 | Utah Resource and Activities, Guide |
1933-1951 |
| 6 | 5 | Rosenhan, Alfred- Court Case |
1940-1949 |
| 6 | 6 | Schmirnoff Sailplane Derby |
1972-1973 |
| 6 | 7 | SE-5 Logbook |
1917 |
| 6 | 8 | Smithsonian Institution- Handbook of the National Aircraft Collection |
1932 |
| 6 | 9 | Szekely Aircraft Instruction Book |
1931 |
| 6 | 10 | Peterson, Garth N.- Western Air Express: Flight from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, Missing |
1976 |
| 6 | 11 | Miscellaneous Advertisements, Rosters, Pamphlets, Certificates |
1960-1989 |
| 6 | 12 | Meakin, Bob- Utah Gliding History, 1927-1950: Workbook |
1997 |
| 6 | 13 | Meakin, Bob- Utah Gliding History, 1927-1950: AAHS Journal Publication |
2001-2002 |
| 6 | 14 | The Piper Aztec C |
undated |
| 6 | 15 | Skiis by CallAir |
undated |
| 6 | 16 | Thalman Aircraft Corporation: Mt. Pleasant, Utah |
1957 |
Business Records, 1950-1999Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 7 | 1 | Air Taxi and Chartaire Flights Information |
1950-1959 |
| 7 | 2 | Helicopter Patrols |
1964 |
| 7 | 3 | Kelsey-Ellis Airservice, Inc.- Corporation Record Book |
1960-1969 |
| 7 | 4 | Kemp-Ellis and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Correspondence |
1953-1968 |
| 7 | 5 | Kemp-Ellis and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Certificate, Financial |
1960-1989 |
| 7 | 6 | Kemp-Ellis and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Ads, Tickets, Receipts, and Letterheads |
1960-1969 |
| 7 | 7 | Kemp and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Forgery Scandal |
1959-1961 |
| 7 | 8 | Kemp and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Beechcraft Model B Fifty Flight Handbook |
1953 |
| 7 | 9 | Kemp and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Beechcraft Queenair Manual |
1962 |
| 7 | 10 | Kemp and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Line Service Manual |
1959 |
| 7 | 11 | Kemp and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Mooney Mark 21 Manual |
1961 |
| 7 | 12 | AOPA 180 Degree- Flight Safety |
1954-1955 |
| 7 | 13 | Kemp-Ellis and Kelsey Airservice, Inc.- Advertisements and News Clippings |
undated |
| 7 | 14 | The Circuit- Troubleshooters in the Sky |
1954 |
| 7 | 15 | Intermountain Industry- Up in the Air with Kelsey-Ellis Air Service, Inc. |
1963 |
| 7 | 16 | L-5 Sale |
1981-1982 |
| 7 | 17 | Minutes- Utah Aviation Fuel Tax Committee Meeting |
1965 |
| 7 | 18 | Frank Kelsey- The Kelsey Adjust-o-Matic C.G. Compensator |
undated |
| 7 | 19 | Barograph Traces- Flight Data Including Altitude |
1965-1972 |
| 7 | 20 | Kemp and Kelsey Airservice Signed Holiday Card with Photo of Staff |
undated |
| 8 | 1 | Stressed Skin Trailer Co.- Correspondence: Stiglmeier, Estrin, Murphy |
1975-1987 |
| 8 | 2 | SST- Costumer Correspondence |
1977-1980 |
| 8 | 3 | SST- Correspondence- Kunda, Rudy |
1974-1982 |
| 8 | 4 | SST- Assembly Instructions |
1970-1979 |
| 8 | 5 | Sump Dumper |
1957 |
| 8 | 6 | Sunbird Aviation Company- Stock Purchase |
1979 |
| 8 | 7 | Federal Weather Modification Reports |
1967-1988 |
| 8 | 8 | Fog Dispersal Methods |
1990 |
| 8 | 9 | Fog Dissipation Using Liquid Propane Studies |
1964-1990 |
| 8 | 10 | Aeroport de Paris- Fog Dispersal |
1963-1966 |
| 8 | 11 | Fog Dissipation using Carbon Dioxide Studies |
1965-1977 |
| 8 | 12 | Dr. Fukuta, Norihiko- Research, News Clips |
1986 |
| 8 | 13 | Cassette Tape: Fog Seeding Interview: Controversies, Research, Debate with Representative from Dr. Norihiko Fukuta, |
1990-1999 |
| 8 | 14 | Fog Dissipation using Dry Ice Studies |
1964-1967 |
| 8 | 15 | Great Salt Lake Effect Snowfall |
1985 |
| 8 | 16 | North American Weather Consultants- Ground Based Fog Dispersal, SLC |
1990 |
| 9 | 1 | Warm Fog Dispersal |
1968-1970 |
| 9 | 2 | Kelsey Fog Seeding Business- Correspondence, Files |
1965-1986 |
| 9 | 3 | Kelsey-Ellis and Interwest Aviation- Fog Seeding Logs |
1965-1985 |
| 9 | 4 | Fog Seeding, Inc. |
1986-1991 |
| 9 | 5 | Warm Fog Seeding, Inc. |
1986-1989 |
| 9 | 6 | Artificial Fog Dispersal History |
1964-1986 |
| 9 | 7 | Fog and Fog Seeding News Clippings |
1964-1991 |
| 9 | 8 | Fog Seeding Pictures |
1950-1989 |
| 9 | 9 | Kelsey- Frank- Notes and Written Works on Fog Seeding |
undated |
| 9 | 10 | J. Vern Hales- Fog Dissipation at Salt Lake Airport |
1962 |
Newspaper Clippings, 1911-1985Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box | ||
| 10 | Kelsey and Aviation History News Clippings |
1911-1985 |
Legal Sized, 1911-1972Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 11 | 1 | Air Show at Barrington Park, SLC |
1911 |
| 11 | 2 | Kemp/Kelsey-Ellis Airservice, Inc.- Stock Agreements |
1949-1968 |
| 11 | 3 | K&E Sky Sailing Certificate of Incorporation |
1968 |
| 11 | 4 | Kelsey's Appointment for Notary Public Certificate |
1968 |
| 11 | 5 | Affidavit of Publication- Betty Phelps and K&E Sky Sailing Inc. |
1972 |
| 11 | 6 | Key Airlines Pamphlet |
1969 |
Blueprints, 1937-1946Return to Top
(see map cabinet 6, drawer 15)
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Folder | ||
| 1 | McMurray, T.J.- Glider Blueprint |
1946 |
| 2 | Universal Gliders Model UG-2P2 Blueprints |
1937 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Aeronautics--Utah--History.
- Fog--Control.
- Gliders (Aeronautics--Utah--History.
Personal Names
- Kelsey, Frank, 1912-1991.
Corporate Names
- Kelsey-Ellis Air Service.
- Kemp and Kelsey Air Service.
- National Soaring Museum (U.S.)
- Salt Lake City Municipal Airport.
- Soaring Society of America.
Finding aid/Register created by Joanna Dobrowolska and Clint Pumphrey
2014
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
