Editing Eddie Rickenbacker (section)

=== Florida Airways ===

While he was supposed to be focusing on RMC, Rickenbacker tried to achieve speed and distance records in aviation across the United States.<ref name=":4"/> His focus shifted to creating a light plane that would be affordable for private ownership.<ref name=":4"/> In January 1923, he announced the Glider Trophy, an annual worldwide contest he established to encourage experimentation with glider design.<ref name=":22">{{Cite news |date=1923-02-01 |title=Rickenbacker Offers Glider Trophy. |language=en-US |page=10 |work=The New York Times |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1923/02/01/105844636.pdf |access-date=2022-09-04 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The Trophy cost $5,000 to produce.<ref name=":22"/>

In 1926, Rickenbacker started [[Florida Airways]], with wartime comrade [[Reed McKinley Chambers|Reed Chambers]].<ref name=":4"/> Investors in the company included [[Henry Ford]], Richard C. Hoyt of the [[Hayden, Stone & Co.]] financial empire, and [[Percy Avery Rockefeller|Percy Rockefeller]].<ref name=":4"/> Ford's investment included supplying three new airplanes.<ref name=":4"/>

Florida Airways began carrying airmail in April and passengers two months later, going between Miami and Jacksonville.<ref name=":4"/> However, Florida Airways was out of business before completing a full year of operations. It was a victim of the 1926 hurricane, the decline of the Florida real estate boom, and the failure of Tampa officials to deliver a promised airport.<ref name=":4"/> The company was purchased from receivership by [[Harold Frederick Pitcairn|Harold Pitcairn]].<ref name=":4"/>