Ryan Aeronautical Company was a US aircraft manufacturer based in San Diego, California, that was founded by T. Claude Ryan in 1934. Throughout its history, the company produced several significant aircraft, including four innovative V/STOL designs. Ryan’s most successful production line was the Ryan Firebee, a line of unmanned drones used as target drones and unmanned air vehicles. The company became part of Teledyne in 1969 and was later acquired by Northrop Grumman in 1999.
Before founding Ryan Aeronautical, T.C. Ryan established a flying service in San Diego in 1922 that led to additional aviation ventures bearing the Ryan name, including Ryan Airline Company in 1925. Despite Ryan’s involvement in building several previous companies, he had no part in building Charles Lindbergh’s famous transatlantic Spirit of St. Louis aircraft.
Ryan Aeronautical’s first significant aircraft was the S-T Sport Trainer, a low-wing tandem-seat monoplane. The company followed this with the improved Ryan ST-A Aerobatic and the SC-W Sport Coupe. Interest from the United States Army Air Corps led to a shift towards producing training aircraft, including the PT-16, PT-20, PT-21, and the definitive PT-22 Recruit ordered in 1941. Ryan also pioneered short takeoff and landing techniques in its YO-51 Dragonfly observation aircraft.
After World War II, Ryan Aeronautical continued to produce military aircraft and carried out research on various V/STOL designs. The company eventually merged with Teledyne in 1969 and later became part of Northrop Grumman in 1999.