Honored 2023
Larry started his career in aviation as line service technician in 1953 at Combs Aviation while still in college at the University of Colorado. Larry advanced through sales, operations, and management, becoming President of Combs-Gates in 1976. During this time, Combs-Gates became the nation’s top-rated FBO general aviation service provider.
Following his involvement in numerous fruitless searches and rescue missions for lost aircraft in the Rocky Mountains, Larry determined that general aviation aircraft should be equipped with Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT). This would allow search and rescue teams to locate a crash site and quickly evacuate the survivors. He wrote articles for aviation journals and enlisted the aid of Colorado Senator Peter Dominick to introduce legislation mandating the use of Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELT). This effort led to the ELT becoming standard equipment on all military aircraft, and subsequently, all U.S. general aviation aircraft in 1970. ELTs are now used worldwide and credited with saving many lives.
In 1979, Larry founded the Denver JetCenter with Terry Combs. Ulrich and Combs took over the facilities of the first FBO at Arapahoe County Airport, Clinton Aviation, converted the original building to an executive terminal and added four jet hangers. In 1983, Denver JetCenter was sold to Beech Aircraft. Larry then worked in Wichita, KS as the COO for Beechcraft for several years, but returned to the Rocky Mountains and to Denver JetCenter, the company he had founded in 1996. By 2001 Approximately 400 aircraft were based at Denver Jet Center’s facilities at Centennial Airport, which also included flight schools, a restaurant, and various other aviation businesses. It was consistently ranked in the top 10 of FOBs throughout the nation.
Ulrich received the prestigious Captain Elrey Jeppesen Award in 2008 for his role in the successful ELT legislation.
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