Harry Sr. learned to fly in 1928-the year after Charles Lindbergh touched off an aviation mania in the United States with his nonstop flight to Paris-and by 1934 Ballance was something of a Stinson aficionado. His motion picture distribution business required him to travel extensively throughout the southeastern United States, and flying became essential to the meet-and-greet style of his profession. He began using a Stinson SM cabin monoplane to cover the miles. He chose well. The Stinson company had been founded in 1925, when movers and shakers in the Detroit business community decided to back a new venture headed by one of America's best known pilots, Edward A. "Eddie" Stinson, and his business partner/promoter William Mara. Stinson had learned to fly in early Wright airplanes, and by 1925 he had had his fill of freezing in open cockpits. He proposed an enclosed-cabin biplane, with comfortable seats, brakes, an electric starter, and a heater. When the first SB-1 Detroiter was built, Stinson was able to demonstrate it to potential clients even in a Detroit winter- with tire chains installed! After a couple sales to wealthy individuals, the new company was off and running, becoming one of the best-selling marques in the country.
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