From the early days of aviation, flying seems to have intrigued many members of the Simonds family. In fact, Alvan Tracy Simonds played a role in the establishment of the Fitchburg-Leominster Airport in 1929 by serving as part of the original nine-man airport commission back in the late 1920's.
In September of 1936, Red Streak Airways Inc. was founded by Alvan T. Simonds, his son Daniel Simonds II, A. Andre Gelinas, and Joseph Fluet, who was the pilot. Fluet actually started as a mechanic at the Fitchburg Airport when it opened in 1929. Red Streak Airways featured a $15,000 Stinson cabin plane painted red and creme. The airline, operating out of Fitchburg Airport, serviced predominately the needs of Simonds Saw & Steel, until Fluet, a noted pilot and former manager of the Fitchburg-Leominster Airport, left to join the Civil Aeronautics Board (which becomes the Federal Aviation Authority) as director of the Northeast Division. Upon Fluet's departure in 1938, Red Streak Airways was dissolved.
In the late 1940's, Harlan K. Simonds Jr. fulfilled his flying dreams with the purchase of a Globe Aircraft/TEMCO Swift airplane. He bought the plane two days after it was certified as "airworthy" and based it out of Fitchburg Airport. Harlan Simonds owned the plane for a year and since then it has changed hands many times. It has been fully restored and still flies over the skies of New England.
In December, 1950, Blue Streak Airways Inc. began operations, operating out of Fitchburg Airport. Lawrence Hayward, a director of the company, was the pilot for the twin-engine Beachcraft plane owned by the company. Blue Streak Airways as with its predecessor was predominately a corporate airline for Simonds Saw & Steel.
In the late-1950's, Simonds added a new Beachcraft Bonanza "V" tail A-35 to its roster of aircraft. Over the past 50 years other planes have flown under the corporate banner, as well.
All in all, Simonds has a proud heritage taking to the skies!