Martin learned to fly to cover his sales territory faster. He was one of the first independent sales agents for the Luscombe Company in 1939. He joined the United States Army Air Transport Command in 1941, and delivered B-17 bombers to Europe. During World War II, he delivered supplies in the China-Burma-India “Hump” operation, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster. In 1946, he joined Cessna Aircraft, and became the company Sales Manager and later Vice-President of marketing. In 1970, Martin became President of the Mooney Airplane Company, before becoming CEO of the parent company, Butler Aviation International. Frank Martin’s Efforts brought hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to Kansas which employed thousands of aircraft workers and contributed enormously to the global stature of Kansas aviation.