VOLUME 47 NUMBER 19 SEPTEMBER 10, 1984
Organization: TWA/Polaroid Offer Discount Travel Brier Named Engineering Changes To U.K._ Post Ken Johnston, staff vice president-engi Timothy G. Brier has been named general neering and quality assuraQce in Kansas manager for the United Kingdom, suc City, has announced a significant realign ceeding Laurence H. Langley who has ment of the engineering department. elected to retire after 33 years with the Jim Jensen, formerly director-propul airline. sion engineering, will now direct aircraft "Tim Brier brings a solid background of and propulsion engineering and will be passenger-oriented management experi responsible for avionics, passenger accom ence to his new job - one of the most modations, systems structures and propul important in the company," Pete McHugh, sion engineering. Reporting to Jim Jensen. vice president of the international division, will be: said in making the announcement. Larry James, manager-avionics Brier, 36, had been director of passenger engineering, marketing planning in New York since Warren Jones, manager-passenger 1982. His responsibilities included re accommodations engineering, search and development of TWA's in-flight Gene Palmer, manager-systems/ and ground services programs. Previously, structures engineering, he served as director of cabin services from Pat Dale, manager-propulsion 1980 to1982 and director of cargo services engineering, between 1978 and 1980. From 1976 to Bill Stone, manager-propulsion 1978 he held both sales and operations engineering. positions in TWA's charter programs. Ear Larry Brett, formerly manager-aircraft lier, he was a director of customer service. maintenance engineering, has been pro He first joined the airline in 1968 as a moted to director-ground equipment ·and budget analyst. aircraft maintenance engineering. In his Brier has an M.B.A. from Harvard Busi new position, he will be responsible for ness School; he also attended Marist Col ground equipment engineering, aircraft lege in Poughkeepsie, New York and the maintenance e_ngineering and propulsion University of London. maintenance engineering. Reporting to Larry Brett will be: Jim Bell Dies Phil McCaffrey, manager-propulsion maintenance engineering, Jim Bell, vice president of TWA's Western John Beavers, manager-ground region, based in St. Louis, died August 27. equipment engineering, He was 61 years old. Mr. Bell joined TWA (to be announced), manager-aircraft in 1945 at New York as a reservations maintenance engineering. Seeing double. Flight attendant Carol Lynne Cox (BOS-I) demonstrates Polaroid Sun agent. He held key sales positions in Day ton, Washington, D.C. and Germany, and Ed Haney will continue in his present 660 Autofocus camera by taking her own instant photo of TWA 747. · in 1966 was named regi9nal general sales position as director-technical development TWA is teaming up with Polaroid Corpora sor, between October 1, 1984 and January manager for Africa, the Middle East and and administration. Reporting to Ed Haney tion this fall in a joint promotion expected 31, 1985, will receive a certificate entitling India. He was appointed country director will be: to bring TWA an additional 50,000 passen them to a 25% discount on roundtrip coach for France in 1968 and general manager at Weldon Clark, manager-aircraft gers, who otherwise might not have flown. travel aboard TWA, including Super Saver Washington, D.C. in 1970. He was named development, Polaroid is spending $5 million on tele and APEX fares. city vice president at St. Louis in 197 5. John Leamon, manager-technical vision and newspaper advertising for the The discount travel is valid only between Mr. Bell was named vice president of the development and engineering promotion. People who purchase Polaroid January 1 and April 30, 1985, and October South Central region in 1977 as TWA re programs, 600-series c;;tmeras, five packs of Polaroid 15, 1985 and March 15, 1986, periods turned to a regional organization. In 1980 Ron Welding, manager-FAA and 600 high speed or .Time-Zero supercolor when loads are expected to be light. Holi three regions were consolidated under his industry liaison, film, five rolls of Polaroid 35 mm instant day blackouts apply. All certificates must leadership to form the Central region, Jim Heard, manager-aircraft -slide film, or a Polaroid 35 mm autoproces- be redeemed by March 1 , 1985. (to page 3) acceptance, in Seattle.
John McCarthy will continue in his present position as director-inspection and quality assurance with the current six man agers continuing in their present capacity.
Treasurer's Staff
As part of TWA's recent management re alignment, the following now report to senior vice president and treasurer Bob Peiser: Gary Fishman, staff vice president long-range planning, Lynn Kenner, assistant treasurer-tax administration Jim. O'Neil, assistant. treasurer-retire ment and insurance, Steve Souza, assistant treasurer-corpo rate finance and cash management, Lou Fourie, director-investor relations.
Controller's Staff
As part of the recent management realign ment, the following now report to senior
vice president and controller Charlie Glass: ...... ·-· George Gassett, general auditor (MKC) Shirley Hutchinson Beck (center) marked 40 years as a TWA flight attendant September 8. First woman to fly for 40 years, she'� Art Knudsen, vice president-properties now on loan to IFFA as grievance administrator. IFFA president Vicki Frankovich looks on as Bill Borden, vice president-inflight (topage3) services� bestows 40-year pin. Photo by Anne Saunders Friends of Bill Waddell will be saddened to learn of the death on July 27 of his wife, When Good Fellows ·Get Together... Editor's Notes Jayne Appleton Waddell. She was 66. The Waddells settled in Sun City, Arizona when Bill retired 13 years ago. As is so often the case, in employing Bill TWA got two for the price of one, for Jayne was as much a part of the airline as he. In an article in the Skyliner last April, marking the 25th anniversary of TWA's jet inaugu ral at San Francisco, Bill humorously re called how their marriage "survived" the warmed-over suppers and other uncertain ties that went with the job. ·Memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society would be welcome.
Ask aviation historians when Howard Hughes' association with TWA began, and the best answer would be 1939 - the year he bought his first stock in the company. However, research by retired TWAer Ed Peck has recently uncovered an indirect Old friends Jim F�nnell (left) and Parky Parkinson visit with Jim Wulpi on his connection much earlier than that. 95th birthday, August 13. · Back in 1926 when TWA predecessor Western Air Express was just getting "What in the hell are you two doing h�e?'' exclaimed Jim Wulpi when Jim Fennell started, it purchased three DeHavilland and Parky Parkinson walked in. Well, they were in Fort Wayne to visit Jim and wish DH-4B aircraft from the U.S. Air Mail him a happy 95th birthday on August 13. Jim was in his room at the VA hospital in Service. This had been a government Fort Wayne, where he's recovering from a broken hip. owned and operated airline which pre "We had a great time," reports Parky. "Jim [Fennell] and I flew to Indianapolis, ceded commercial contract mail carriers. and went out to see how the old codger was getting along. Was he surprised!" Jim Bell The DeHavillands were obsolete machines After Jim took them on a stroll of the hospital grounds, they went for dinner at his
whose design dated bacl� to the First World · favorite Chinese restaurant, then to his sol!_Don's home for birthday cake with Jim's A tri�ute to Jim Bell. Roger Cohen, who War! W.A.E. acquired then as backup for grandchildren and great grandchildren. wrote the following tribute, worked newer Douglas M-2 mailplanes. Appar ''Jim was sharp as a tack," Parky reports, and veterans of the annual Seniors · closely with Jim Bell as public relations ently .Jittle use was found for them, how- roundup at Wickenburg will be glad to know that "Free Bus to the Astor" is still in his manager in St. Louis. Roger is now direc ever, and in November 1927 W.A.E. sold repertoire of stories. tor-area civic affairs in Los Angeles.· all three of the decrepit biplanes to Para' Mail to Jim should be addressed in care of his son, Don Wulpi, 3919 Hedwig Working for TWA was the only job Jim mount Famous Lasky Corp., a Hollywood Drive, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46815. Bell ever knew. ADd, second only to his film company later to become Paramount family, TWA was his deepest love. . Pictures, Inc. The three DeHavillands Hughes' command post and.message cen The latest edition of the Airfare discount Sure, he enjoyed much of life's buffet were registered C-640, C-1487 and C- ter. directory is now available. This 330-page golf, good food, civic work, Johnnie 1488 when transfered from governmentto What became of the old DeHavilland directory lists thousands of discounts on Walker and soda- but he loved TWA. Not civil use. In those days no "N" national which Hughes bought from Paramount? In . hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals and air the corporation TWA, but the people in and prefix was used. 1933 it was again sold to Metro-Goldwyn fares around the world. It's a handy, digest around it. Old federal records reveal that one of Mayer Studios for use by their property size book which you can easily carry with Warm. Refined, Energetic, Inspira these airplanes was destroyed while owned department. Surely by then it was too rick you. A single copy costs $8.95. tional. Compassionate. Humorous. A gen by Paramount. Probably it was the victim ety for actual flying roles, though it might Airfair Interline Magazine publishes 11 tleman. That's how fellow TWAers of a staged crash called for in some script. have appeared as scenery in some aviation issues annually-nine regular magazines describe Jim Bell. A common refrain Another was sold by Paramount to First film. In 1934 the airplane was cancelled (featuring travel destinations worldwide around the workplace, where- sniping and National Studios in 1928 and dismantled from federal records and nothing further is plus current news of the airline industry) personal jealousy flare all too often, was the following year. heard of it. and two directories. A one-year subscrip that Jim Bell was the one man "you The third airplane was sold on April 6, tion costs $18, two-year $32 and three-year couldn't pay people to say anything bad "Stephanie is my champion and l'm very 1928 to the Caddo Company, Inc. whose $45. As a special offer, new subscribers to about." proud of her," says Los Angeles ramp president and general manager was How Airfair will receive the latest directory as a As top p1an in TWA's busiest city, Jim serviceman Ward Sullivan, who will cele ard R. Hughes. Caddo used it as a camera bonus. always kept an open door and a kind ear for brate his 27th TWA anniversary on Sep ship in the filming of Hughes' epic ''Hell's Send your name, address and check (or every employee, regardless of their posi tember 17. His daughter Stephanie is a Angels." Caddo was at that time located at Visa/MasterCard number and expiration tion or problem. Never one to revel in the missionary with the Eagle's Nest Christian 804 Ta ft Building in Hollywood, later date) to Airfair Interline Magazine, 25 pretense or trappings of executive service, Fellowship of Santa Ana, California. A moving to 1040 North Las Palmas Street. West 39 St., New York, NY 10018. Phone Jim disliked ceremo.ny. He would laugh college dance and theater major, Stephanie Sometime before 1933 yet another move (212) 840-6714. self-mockingly about his office teletype is now ·combining her performing skills . was made to 7000 Romaine Street, an ad code of "UA" and joke, in that rich Vir with her long-time ambition of doing mis dress to become familiar to TWAers as Mediterranean cruise: TWAers receive a ginia drawl, that it meant "You? A vice sionary work. After gojng through an ori- 50% discount on cruises of the M.S. - entation and training program with "Youth president?" Jim recognized that character, Money Winner Lindblad Polaris this fall. There's a choice not title, was the measure of a man. With a Mission," Stephanie recently did of three: Lisbon-Rome, Sept. 22-0ctober three months of field work in Belgium. She Professionally, Jim didn't deal in budget . 6; Rome-Ath_ens, October 1-13; and Ath minutiae or spend hours computing how then traveled to Southeast Asia where she ens-Lisbon, October 12-30. For informa performed with an evangelistic drama team many ramp servicemen were needed to tion and reservations -contact Lindblad in Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Bor unload an airplane. His greatest and un Travel at (203) 226-8531. matched skill was motivating, supporting neo. Stephanie then learned of a similar and leading those around him to achieve team that will be traveling in Africa. After a Thought-for-the-day: Financial colum excellence both on and off the job. When rest at home, she plans to go to Amsterdam, nist Adam Radzik, writing in theNew York the St. Louis employees inaugurated their where she will organize that group for its Post, told of a reader who complained that soccer tournaments with TWA London, mission in Africa. his boss was "constantly" asking him "to Jim and Grace Bellied the delegation down Our old fr iend and correspondent Mel do things that are not part of my job.'' the steps at Heathrow. Warshaw, now retired after many years in Replied Radzik: "If somebody told me, The St. Louis hub-in part located there the scheduling department, dropped us a 'That's not my job,' I'd tell him, you're because of the "city power" dominance line the other day after reading the August 9 right, and promptly give his job to someone TWA earned through Bell's command issue of The Wall Street Journal. A page else." was conceived and completed under his · one story that day dealt with TWA's opera guidance. He directed the battle to save tions department, with the focus on Bob Lambert against a costly white elephant Bender (see pages 4 and 5 this issue for a new airport in Illinois. He transformed the reprint of that article.) "I was intrigued by St. Louis terminal from a dingy, one-level the use of the computer, and· particularly shanty into an efficient showplace. 70 A happy Jim Reed displays a commemo about the gadgets that notify the dispatcher Published for Employees by the daily flights grew to 170. 700 TWA faces rative mug and his share of $200 that the flight will be late. Imagine a plane Public Affairs Department multiplied five-fold into 3500. Through it awarded his team for a second place that talks by itself!" Mel says. "In my day, 605 Third Avenue, New York 1 0158 all, Jim Bell remained caring and commit finish in the speed competition of the the only computers were between our Printed in U.S.A ted to each individual around him. A ears," he adds. "I'm glad someone wrote fifth annual Pulaski, New York White Dan Kemnitz, Editor plaque, co-signed by Jim, displayed on Water Thbe Race. More than 500 teams up the complexities of running. an airline. Anne Saunders, Associate Editor TWA's new St. Louis concourse is dedi competed. Jim's wife, Michele Reed, is a Please add my compliments to Mr. Bender cated to the employees who work there. secretary in operations control, JFK. and tell him I can feel for him."
2 September 10, 1984 I McHugh's staff at division headquarters • in London includes: yi Van Fleisher, director-international marketing Ken Malloy, director-industrial relations, international Jim Bell••. Keith Riggs, manager-qivision controls (from page one) Dave Wookey, director-passenger and headquartered in St. Louis. He was named cargo sales, international Western region vice president on February Charles Zambello, director-offline and l of this year when the sales & services interline saies. department was realigned into an Eastern and Westernregion. Recall Crew Members He is survived by his wife, Grace, two TWA recalled 13 pilot's from furlough this sons and two daughters. month, bringing the totafof recalls this year to 93. Some 270 flight attendants are also Organization/B•• back flying. (from page one)
and facilities (NYC) . Mark Mulvany, vice president-account ing and credit operations (MKC) - -•: � ' • •• - '• r • • • • I • • • ' � • • ·�_;t:,...... •'-1 Ramesh Punwani, vice president-finan ... cial controls (NYC) George E. Gleckler, retired Cleveland general man Maintenance/Engineering ager, died August 3I of a heart attack. He was 6I years TWA kicked off its 1984 United Way campaign in the Kansas City area today old. Mr. Gleckler joined TWA in February 1947 and (September 10) under the direction of its city-wide coordinator Jack LeClaire Reflecting further refinement of functional retired in February 1982. He was president of the Ohio (center), vice president-maintenance & engineering. "United Way is the most effec responsibilities and titles within the main .Valley chapter of the TWA Seniors Club. His wife, tive and efficient way for individuals to support the human service. needs of their tenance and engineering department, vice Marge, and daughter, Elizabeth, survive. communities," he says. Jack is shown with some members of this year's TWA team, president Jack LeClaire announced the fol Delores Bright-Malloy, 44, died Aug11st 19 after a reviewing campaign material. From'left are: Nathan Sanders, supervisor-system lowing staff organization: long illness. ·Delores joined TWA in April 1963 and held a variety of positions in St. Louis during her administration; James Jensen, director-aircraft & propulsion engineering; Judie Dick Ahsmuhs, staff v.p.-materials career. At her death she was supervisor-customer Schafers, director-automation services, and AI Calhoun, president Loca• 1650 lAM management services reservations. She is survived by her husband, &AW. Ken Johnston, staff v. p .�engineering & Reed Malloy, a sister and a brother.
quality assurance Helen M. Lynch, retired senior staff assistant at San Dave Kruse, staff v :p.-maintenance Francisco, died last month. She was 70 years old and Formal TWA·IAM Talks are Underway had retired in February 1974 after 27 years with TWA. operations Mrs. Lynch's husband, Joseph, survives . .. Joe Nemecek, staff v.p.-maintenance operations James D.Officer, 73, died August 8. He joined TWA in June 1938 and retired in October 1970 as an instruc Ken Garrett, director-contract liaison tor-flight simulator, MCI. Mr. Officer's wife, lola, Skuli Gudmundsson, director-ground survives. safety Kenneth R. Todd, retired MCI inspector, died July Mr. LeClaire said that further organiza 21 at age 67. Mr. Todd joined TWA in August 1944 tional adjustments within these major de and retired in January 1980. His wife died last year.
partments would be announced later, Don Schroepfer, Los Angeles reservations agent, died August 10. He was 57 years old. Don joined International Division TWA in April l945 as a fleet service helper at Kansas City, rejoining in June I946 after military service. He Pursuant to his appointment of Tim Brier as transferred to Los Angeles in 1955. Don is survived by general manager for TWA in the United his wife, ldabelle, two daughters and two sons� Kingdom, vice president Pete McHugh is sued this recap of other International divi sion general managers reporting to him: Jim Britain, general manager-Cairo -Seniors Ed Frankfurt, general manager-Israel Bill Malloy, general manager-Greece
Paul Mausezahl, general manager- Emesto S. Martinez, BWI, Sep. I (23) Germany William R. Hutton, STL, Sep. I (35) Aubrey Noble, general manager-Italy Chester!� Jacobs, LAX, Oct. 1 (16) Harry Schaible, general manager Betty Schlichting, NYC, Oct. I (IS) Officials from the lAM and TWA exchanged opening proposals on August 17 in France and Benelux Kansas City. Pictured (from left) are: William O'Driscoll, general chairman , District 142; Frank Score, president/general chairman, District 142; Dick Pearson, executive . vice president and chief operating officer, TWA; and Ken Garrett, director-contract TWA detway Upgrades PIA Service · liaison, TWA.
File Offerin� mences. The offering will be co-managed by TWA on August 29 filed a registration Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated statement with the Securities and Ex and Merrill Lynch Capital Markets. change Commission for a proposed public offering of $100 million principal amount Duarte Re-elected to IFSA of Senior Exchangeable Variable Rate Notes due 1994. The interest rate on the Mike Duarte, TWA's director of dining Variable Rate Notes will be adjusted quar serV-ice programs, has been re-elected to terly unless exchanged at the option of another three-year term on the board of J:'WA for Senior Fixed Rate Notes due directors of ,the Inflight Food Services As 1994. TWA plans to add the net proceeds sociation. from the offering to general corporate Mike is also chairman of IFSA's educa funds. tion committee, which seeks to· attract The Variable Rate Notes are exchange qualified hotel and restaurant students to able for TWA Fixed Rate Notes at the the inflight food service industry through option of TWA. on any quarterly interest scholarships and other programs. Mike payment date on .or prior to September Nowlin, manager-caterer pricing and duty 1989. The Fixed Rate Notes will bear inter free, helps Mike on this committee. est payable quarterly at a rate determined as As part of this program, IFSA is spon Ribbon-cutting ceremonies were held recently for the first and only jetway at Greater of the exchange date. soring a work/study student, Benjamin Peoria Airport. ''The jetway is used exclusively by TWA and does give us a marketing The exact terms of the public offering for Eapen, who is training with TWA's dining advantage," says Robert Plevel, sales manager. Doing the honors are (from left) : Jim the new TWA Variable Rate Notes have not staff for six months, while he earnscollege Steiner, manager-airport services, TWA; Arthur Szold, airport commissioner; Jim been determined and will be based upon credits. Benjamin, who comes fromIndia, Leonard, Chicago city vice president and general sales manager, and Robert Plevel, market conditions prevailing immediately attends the University of Houston's Conrad saies manager. TWA is one of five_ carriers serving Peoria and leads in passengers before the registration statement becomes N. Hilton College of Hotel & Restaurant boarded during 1984. effective and the public offering com- Management.
September 10, 1984 3
-· A -Giant Puzzle
Reprinted by permission of The Wall Street mechanical problems, he then may delay or Journal,© Dow Jones & Company, Inc., 1984. divert another to carry passengers from the All Rights Reserved. canceled trip. Or, if he has an ailing jet on by William M. Carley his hands, he may'try to replace it with a spare plane. NEW YORK - Robert Bender coils his Even in good times, the task is complex. lanky frame into a swivel chair and begins The spare plane may itself be due for main rapidly punching a computer keyboard. As tenance too soon to complete the extra a director of operations control for Trans flight and get to TWA's maintenance base World Airlines- and the man who will try at Kansas City, Mo. There are crew sched over the next eight-hours to keep TWA's jets uling problems, too. Pilots' flight hours are on time - he is getting worrie9. limited by federal regulations, union con On this day - Tuesday, July 24 - the tracts and TWA's own rules, and diverting a Federal Av iation Administration has plane to pick up stranded passengers may warnedthat it will delay departure of jets cause the pilots to exceed their allowable bound for Kennedy Airport up to 70 min hours. A standby crew may have to be utes to prevent congestion. That could hold used. up TWA domestic flights from around the· U.S., many carrying passengers trying t� A Changing Pattern connect at Kennedy with TWA routes to "It's like working a giant puzzle, except Europe. the puzzle keeps changing because the air In addition, Mr. Bender's computer line averages a takeoff or landing almost . screen is signaling that some TWA planes every minute all day long," Mr. Whitmore are being delayed by mechanical prob says. lems. A St. Louis-Baltimore-New York To keep track of the moving pieces flight has just been knocked out by a hy TWA's operations-control office functions draulic leak in a 727. It looks ·as if another around the clock. Mr. Bender is one of six 727, at Washington's National Airport, directors who take turns heading it. As 'he will be needing an engine change. And a works at his computer terminal in a large big L-1011 is sitting in the hangar at Ken- carpeted room behind the TWA hangar at . nedy with a faulty fuel system when it Kennedy, he has help. At a nearby desk should be in London ready to carrypassen some aides specialize in scheduling 727s, gers back to the U.S. another is expert at scheduling wide-body Before his day is over, Mr. Bender will jets, and still others concentrate on sched face even tougher problems. "It's chal uling flight crews. Bob Bender (standing), director-operations control, works closely with Bob Maloney, lenging," he says with a tense grin. When And there is TWA's computer system. manager-operational planning, to keep TWA on schedule. Photo by Bob Koch TWA's on-time performance falls apart, Signaled hy an electronic device on board says AlfredWh itmore, staff vice president most of TWA's 160 jets, the computer is the 727 with the problem in St. Louis is Then some of TWA's domestic jets, for operations control and Mr. Bender's alerted whenever one of the planes leaves supposed to start the day in Syracuse carry which generally have gotten in to Kennedy boss, "then it's Bob's job to put the airline the gate, takes off, lands or arrives at a ing 87 passengers to another city? Mr. without problems today, begin having trou back together again. It isn't an easy job." terminal. The computer compares the time Bender's answer: "The hope- and at this ble getting out, mostly due to delays in The task confronting Mr. Bender and · with the plane's schedule. When a domes- point it's only a hope - is that the 727 in taxiways. With computer consoles beep other operations directors at airlines ·tic flight is more than 15 minutes late or an Washington will have its engine changed in ing, tl).e delays glowing on the console around the U.S. is getting tougher every international flight over 30 minutes late, time to ferry it up to Syracuse." screens begin to read like a litany: Flight day. The nation's airline system has been the computer triggers a "beep-beep" There are other problems today. A flight 905 to Dallas takes off at 7:35 PM. after . hit by major delays recently. In June alone, warningon one of the terminals manned by attendant in Kansas City hit the wrong lever waiting on Kennedy taxiways one hour and over 40,000 flights were held up more than Mr. Bender's aides. just as a plane was taxiing away from the seven minutes; Fligl).t 801 to Houston de 15 minutes, double the number a year be As Mr. Bender moves through the first terminal, releasing an escape chute from parts at 7:45 p.m. after waiting on the field fore. The FAA estimates that July delays hour of his shift, which this day will run the plane's door. By the time this is fixed, 53 minutes; Flight 163 to Tulsa leaves at were as bad or worse, and severe delays are from 3 to 11 p.m. the operations control the plane will be three hours late in leaving. 7:53 after a delay of 48 minutes. expected to continue throughout the sum room is already alive with "beeps." "There's not much we can do about 20, Smoother Going mer. Dressed in gray slacks, short-sleeve shirt 40, 60-minute traffic delays," Mr. Bender and tie, and periodically groping for a ciga As the afternoonwears on, however, the says. "We just have to ride with them." Lots of Reasons rette in his shirt pocket, the 40-year-old TWA system begins to operate relatively Problems also crop up with the engine To some extent, the problems stem from director assesses today's problems. smoothly. A storm that had threatened to change in Washington. Robert Maloney, the air-traffic control system, still weak The FAA's decision to delay jets bound hit New York blows out to sea. As a result, the 727 overseer, tells Mr. Bender the re ened by the 1981 strike that led to firings of for Kennedy is already hurting. TWA flight the FAA at first reduces and then cancels placement engine was trucked from Ken over 11,000 controllers. Increased airline 48 from San Francisco to New York, for the departure delays for planes bound for nedy to Washington National but was scheduling of flights to converge on hub example, was held at the gate in San Fran- . Kennedy. reported damaged on arrival. It turns out cities, where passengers connect to other · cisco 55 minutes. The plane will arrive here Another problem, involving two flights however, that the only damage was to the flights, also is causing congestion and almost as late, and as a result will probably to Spain has cropped up, but has already crate. Now, he says, the engine change is some delays at the hubs. be delayed for its nexf flight, from New been resolved. A New York-Madrid-Bar going well, "but it's taking time enough Planes with mechanical problems are York to Paris. (Throughout this day, 66 celona jumbo jet ·has been delayed for that we risk runnmg into the 10 p.m. cur
· another cause of snafus. And when an un TWA jets will be held at departing gates maintenance. Mr. Bender's solution: Put few at National." The engine can't be usually high number of storms hit the frag around the U.S. because of air-traffic de any Madrid passengers on a later New tested aft�r the noise curfew at the Wash ile air-traffic system, as they have this lays.) · York-Madrid flight; when the maintenance ington airport. Testing it in the morning summer, they can play havoc with sched Robert Maloney, an assistant who over is completed, fly the first jet directly to might delay the ferry flight to Syracuse. ules. sees 727s, tells Mr. Bender it will take at_ Barcelona. A Costly Ride "One storm can clog the whole sys least three or four hours to fix the hydraulic "Things are beginning to look good - tem," says TWA'sMr. Whitmore. On June leak on the St. Louis-Baltimore-New York it's going to be an easy day," Mr. Bender Another problem: Mr. Bender has be�n 30, he recalls, a seven-inch rainfall closed flight. "Okay, cancel (flight) 590 in St. says. It is about 7 p.m., and the director and using his computer to scan passenger loads Kennedy Airport for over eight hours. Be Louis," Mr. Bender replies. his assistants eat lunch at their desks. in London, hoping to find some light loads cause so many flights were canceled, The St. Louis-to-Baltimore passengers As it turns out, it is only the calm before so that TWA flights to Kennedy can be nearly 5,000 travelers slept in TWA's ter will be carried ·to nearby Washington on the storm. consolidated. That way, the L-1011 being minal that night. another TWA flight. The Baltimore-New One inkling of trouble comes from a fixed in the Kennedy hangar wouldn't have While most TWA passengers will never York passengers will be turned over to a pilot who strolls over from the nearby flight to be ferried to London. But flights are meet Mr. Bender, their day's schedule is Piedmont Airline flight scheduled to leave briefing desk to complain about a mechani heavily booked. "We'll have to ferry that often in his hands. Even as travelers are about 30 minutes after TWA's canceled cal problem that dogged his 747 flight L-1011 over or those passengers just won't wondering what is going wrong, he is try trip. "We'll have to give some passengers across the Atlantic to New York. "That be able to get back here," Mr. Bender says. ing to set things right. Forced to cancel one to the competition," Mr. Bender says.. damn plane is nothing but trouble," the The <;:ostof the empty ferry flight fromNew flight because of air traffic, weather or But what about the next morning,when TWA pilot complains. York to London: $16,000 in fuel alone. _
4 Meanwhile, the New York-Madrid jet, American Airlines paid $150,000 for all financial analysts fear American's bold in Flight 906, has departed and is high over 25,000 copies of the first printing of vestment in new equipment will lead to the North Atlantic. And the New York .Industry News ''Splash of Colors, The Self-Destructionof serious over-capacity. Investors' main con-· Barcelona plane, Flight 904 delayed by Braniff International" and had them de cern is a drop in yit=:ld. maintenance, is about to leave the gate at stroyed. The book accused American of Northeastern International plans to add TWA's Kennedy terminal. United's financial report to employees "anticompetitive practices" against BI. Central America, the Caribbean and Eu At I0:25 p.m., a scheduling disaster covering second-quarter results notes that . The publisher, William Morrow & Co., rope to its route system if it can get govern ·strikes. Flight 906 over the Atlantic- the in I961 the merger of United and Capital agreed to print a corrected version. Author ment approval. The Ft. Lauderdale-based same plane the pilot had complained of created the world's largest airline. Tw enty John J. Nance, a lawyer, was a Braniff airline has grown dramatically since its earlier- has been forced to shut down one three years later, the airline's June 1 sched pilot. His book is a Book of the Month Club February I982 birth. RPMs were eight of its four engines. William Reynolds, ule change was equivalent to adding alternate and a main selection of the FQr million in May 1982, close to 37 million in manager of wide-body scheduling, tells another modest -sized-airline! _ tune Book Club. May .I983, and over I48 million in May Mr. Bender that the plane with its 289 People Express will raise fares OCtober 2 United Airlines will become the first-air 1984, with.a load factor of 73%. Madrid passengers aboard is returning to line to serve all 50 states beginning October on 60% of its flights; fares between PE's Western Airlines employees are balking at New York. 28, with the addition of Casper, Wyoming Newark hub and nine Northeastern cities Mr. Bender pivots in his chair. "Don't a 12.5% pay cut asked by management, on and Jackson, Mississippi to its routes. will go up $2 during.off-peak and $5 during let 904 (to Barcelona) get out of here," he peak flying periods. top of a 10% cut made last September. yells to Mr. Reynolds, who grabs a phone Midway Airlines said its acquisition of Air Some employees say airline officials have Though traffic's up, profits aren't what and orders 904 stopped just minutes before Florida, if approved, would be a way to warned the carrier could be forced into they should be and Wall Street is taking a it is to leave the gate. "Eileen," Mr. Ben expand quickly at little cost, and predicted bankruptcy if the pay concessions are re . decidedly negative view of the airlines. der says to another aide, "don't let any that within a year its revenues would dou jected. American Airlines (AMR Corp.) was re crews leave the airport," lest a standby ble. cently selling at around $24 a share, down In a move toward deregulating U.S. -Can-· crew be needed for one of the delayed Ozark flight attendants ratified a new from around $41 earlier in the year. Several ada air traffic, three carriers will begin Spanish flights. · three-year contract which includes a lower service between Montreal's under-utilized TwoScenarios pay scale for new hires and assurance that Maiden Flight Mirabel Airport and the U.S. Northeast Ozark will not form a non-union airline It has been three years since retired TWA· International Airways of Ft. Lauderdale, There now are two possibilities. Mr. during the contract period. Captain Robert Adickes founded Av tek and two Canadian airlines, Nordair and BenQ..er explains. Perhaps the returning Air 1 has obtained_ seven landing slots at Corporation and set out to develop a radi City Express will offer no-frills, low-fare plane can be fixed quickly and, with a new ORD and is planning to serve Chicago from cally new executive aircraft. Ten days from flights to points in Florida and New Jersey. crew, be sent off again. "But we don't its St. Louis hub later this year. now, on September 20, his dream will know if that's possible because we don't Deregulation, computer technology and become reality. know what's wrong with the plane," he People Express competition are changing ways consumers will purchase four used If all goes according to plan, on Septem says, "and we don't want to call the pilot buy airline tickets and make reservations. 747s from Boeing. Delivery would be ber 20 the six-passenger Avtek 400 will and ask because he's probably pretty Among recen.t developments: automatic scheduled over a two-year period and make its maiden flight from Camarillo, busy." The other possibility is that it will · ticket machines at busy airports; computer would double the size ofPE's 747 fleet. California. take many hours to repair the returning jet. ized phone information; new outlets for Pan Am plans to lease a dozen Airbus A- ABC-TV plans to cover the takeoff. In that case, the hundreds of passengers and ticket sales, including Ti cketron and direct 300s temporarily as a transition to the What makes Bob Adickes' plane so their baggage will have to be transferred to - access to airline reservations computers. A-3IO, a smaller version of the A-300 newsworthy is that there's hardly any metal Flight 904, which will then take off for both which features a crew of two rather than in it. It is built almost entirely of ultralight Airline CRT reservations sets are now in Madrid and Barcelona. three. The deal would be a setback to Boe space-age materials such as Kevlar nylon, use at 22,600 travel agency locations; more Meanwhile, Mr. Bender calls TWA's ing, said the Wall Street Journal. graphite and other composites. than 88,000 sets have been installed, ac Kennedy station manager and tells him to There's also its unconventional design. cording to Travel Weekly. wine and dine the passengers delayed at the American has taken on United at O'Hare, The Av tek 400 has two wing-mounted tur American's Sabre system is the choice at departure gate on Flight 904. "They must vowing to nearly double its ORD traf�ic by boprop epgines pushing the aircraft. The 8,200 agency locations; United's Apollo at be furious by now," he says. 1988. AAL had 202 daily Chicago flights wings however, aren't where you expect 6,000 locations, and TWA'sPARS at 3,500 Another nagging problem is that the in July; UAL had 312, or 43% of the ORD them to be. They're located at the rear of locations. In terms of market share,'Sabre TWA mechanics who were borrowing market. Nationally, United has 19% of the the fuselage. And instead of horizontal accounts for 37%; Apollo 28%, andPARS hangar space at Washington National to domestic market, American I4%. Delta stabilizers at the tail, a small wing called a about 18%. Systems marketed by Eastern change that 727's engine have been ousted and Eastern each have 11% and TWA is canard is located above the cockpit. and Delta account for the remainder. from. the hangar. "They must be changing fifth with 6%. The new aircraft, which promises much that engine by candlelight," one of Mr. Indian Airlines, the domestic airline of After seven weeks of operation Federal greater fuel efficiency than others in its Bender's aides jokes. In the end, the engine India, will buy I2 Boeing 757s worth $480 Express is averaging over 900 transmis class, is priced at $1.6 million, about half change IS completed under lights late at million as part of a modernization pro sions a day of "Zap Mail", its electronic that of the Beech Starship still on the draw night, and the plane is tested and ferried to gram. Delivery will be through I988. document transmission service. The $100 ing boards .. Syracuse early the next morning just in Pan Am million invested by FE to start the new Even though the Avtek has never flown will buy a used 747-200 from time for the scheduled flight from that city. service is expected to hurt earnings for a -no prototype was built - Adickes al Boeing, bringing its 74 7 fleet up to 48 aircraft. An Eight-Hour Delay while. ready �as over 100 orders. People Express plans to serve Denver in The saga of the flights to Spain doesn't Infant Seat Use time for the coming ski season, Travel turn out so well, continuing well beyond II Management Daily reports. p.m., when Mr. Bender wearily finishes Approved by TWA his shift. The ailing 747, returning to Ken TWA has developed an acceptance proce Southwest Airlines is buying 21 Boeing nedy after midnight, is found to have a bad dure for the use of child-restr�int infant 73 7-300s. The $500 million purchase is the fuel pump. That's a six-hour repair job. So seats in flight. The goal is to provide safe largest order yet for the aircraft. all 289 passengers and their· baggage are transport of infants while minimizing pre The number of passengers using Newark switched to Flight 904. That flight, origi trip and airline check-in procedures. airport has nearly doubled since People nally scheduled to leave Kennedy at 6:20 Called "Kinder Care", TWA's system E�press established its base there in 1981. p.m., finally takes off at 2:30 in_ the morn requires the use of Federal Aviation Ad American Airlines plans a fourth hub (in ing, an agonizing eight hours and IO min ministration approved infant seats, which addition to DFW, ORD and DEN) to be utes late. "It's a shame," Mr. Bender says after first use on a TWA flight, may be re centrally located on the eastern seaboard. later. used in a streamlined hassle-free proce Despite all the- problems, TWA's per dure, according to Carol Panuccio, Custom-Made Furs formance July 24 wasn't bad when _stacked manager of passenger and ticketing serv Custom-made furs at wholesale pnces are alongside those of other carriers. TWA ices. It works like this: available to TWA employees. Irwin Good carried 59,186 passengers that day, with • A child's-fare ticket must be pur man Furs, 345 Seventh Ave., New York, 74% of domestic flights arriving within I5 chased to use, an infant seat. This sticker, once affixed to an infant's NY I0001 (800) 221-8826, will hold minutes of schedule and 72% of interna • At the airport, a customer service seat, serves as a "seal of approval" for · showings this fall in Seattle, Denver, Bos tional flights arriving within 30 minutes of agent will check the seat against a list of use on future flights. ton, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta and schedule. American Airlines completed approved models and affix a special TWA Dallas. Call or write for information. 67% of its flights on time, Easternfinished Kinder Care sticker to the infant seat. ''The infant seat in the aircraft seat, although a 72% of flights on time and Pan American sticker serves to advise the flight attendant flight attendant will double-check to see New Area Code: JFK, LGA World Airways 71%, all based on arrivals that the seat is an approved model; and, on that it is properly in place. Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, in the within 15 minutes of schedule. futureTWA flights, avoids the need to have Infant seats are not permitted on a space New York metropolitan area, now have a July 24, the TWA men say, didn't pro agents or flight attendants go through the available basis. If a child's fare is not pur new area code-718. This includes Ken duce any calamity for schedules. On a approval procedure," Mrs. Panuccio said. chased, the infant seat must be checked as nedy and LaGuardia airports. Manhattan really bad day, says Mr. Whitmore, the Use of an infant seat on the aircraft must baggage with no additional chaige. and the Bronx will retain the 212 area code. vice president, ''we may be fighting not just not restrict access to an aisle or exit area. A The FAA has approved and TWA will Please make a note of the new area code and air-traffic and mechanical delays in the window seat is · the preferred location. accept various models of restraint devices use it when calling JFK or LGA (do not use U.S. but snow storms in New York, fog in Some seating restrictions apply and vary, manufactured by Century, Cosco, Pride TRANSCOM). Rates will not change. The London and sandstorms in Cairo." July 24, dependent upon the type of aircraft. Trimble and Strolee. To be sure a specific additional area code is only being put into says Mr. Bender as he heads home from The accompanying adult, not the flight model is acceptable parents should contact effect to permit more telephone numbers work, has been "just another day." attendant is. responsible for securing the TWA reservations, Mrs. Panuccio said. . for the New York area.
5 r==- --·- -- --
� ...... • • • , • � •. 'i. • t � • ··. ' �"'·. ico . Requests for reservations must be • ·� �. ... . ·. . ' - .. . • made on company letterhead and ad Tra vel Tip s dressed to: Hoteles Calinda , Londres 130, Zona Rosa, Mexico City, D.F. , Mexico, Att: Laura Barrera, corporate reservations �-.' ·.. ' · . . :· . . . ·. �. -� · ..· ---� manager. Presentation of company ID is China: 14-day package departs San Fran required upon check-out. For more infor ci�co on February 28 , visits Shanghai , mation contact Doris Whitehead (212) Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, Beijing, at $1775 . 838-7466 : each. 17-day tour departs November 15 , Portland. Oregon: The Oregon Historical 1984 imd February 28 , 1985, visiting Center Museum and Library, at 1230 S. W. Shanghai , Wuxi, Suzhou, Guilin, Park Av enue, will be hosting a '.'Heritage Chengdu, Xian and Beijing, $2095 per Quilts" exhibit of some 100 regional person .. Rates include positive space . patchwork quilts early next year. The ex roundtrip air from San Francisco and hibit opens January 12 for a five-month throughout China on CAAC, all meals, run. A demonstration of quilting tech hotels with private bath, daily sightseeing, niques will be-featured in conjunction with all transfers, visas and the Grand Canal the exhibit. Volunteer quilt makers will be Cruise. Eligible are employees, families, on hand to demonstrate their craft and an parents, retirees, brothers, sisters, and a swer questions from January 14 through non-interline companion. $400 is required May 25 . The Center is open Monday to hold space , with balance due 60 days through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and prior to departure. For information contact there is no admission charge. For informa Ve ntures Extraordinaire , Inc. , 940 Emmett tion call (503) 222-1741 . Av enue, Suite 12, Belmont, CA 94002 Photographed at the Costa Brava Hotel in Platj a d' Aro, Spain are (from left): John (415) 592-2629. Retiree ravel Rules Aspinall; Nancy Dario; a representative of the local tourist office; Jack Showman; Honolulu, Aruba, Jamaica, Acapulco: Retired employees are responsible for us Annette Teuball; Josep Gilbert i Casadement, mayor of Platj a d'Aro; the hotel Americana resoits in these locations are ing the proper forms and procedures when manager; Virginia Todd; Millie Fugere; Chit de Ia Rama; Donna Forte; Cara de le offering interline rates of $17.50 per per Vega; Leo de le Vega; Kerry· Wallace; a local tour guide, and a tourist ·office traveling. All retirees traveling as non · son per night double through December 2 i, revenue passengers musruse the formPAS representative. 1984. Airline employees, their families, 810 preprinted with the Class 7R term pass. by Millie Fugere begun in 1882 and still unfinished, a mas · parents, retirees and friends sharing the First class surcharges must be purchased terpiece designed by Barcelona architect same accommodations are eligible.Partic through the TWA airport ticket counter, A group of 20 employees from New York Antonio Gaudi; Montjuich Park with the ipating resorts are Americana Ala Moana, TWA ticket offices, or through Phillis reservations recently spent a fantastic week Museum of Catalan Art' and the Pueblo Americana Aruba Hotel and Casino, Moore , TWA personnel benefits, Kansas in Barcelona - the second familiarization Espafiol , a reconstructed Spanish village; Americana Ocho Rios, Americana ElPres City Administrative Center, P. O. Box trip to BCN this year for New York res. " Las Ramblas, and, of course, the TWA idente and Condesa del Mar. For informa 20007, 11500 Ambassador Drive , Kansas Barcelona, Spain's second largest city, office. We enjoyed a visit to the Costa tion and reservations contact International City, MO 64195. In no instance may a is one of TWA's smallest international des Brava, Spain's Riviera, and the Codorniu Travel Representatives, 25 West 39th St., retiree purchase a first class surcharge us tinations, but the TWA staff there and the Wine Cavas. · New York, NY 10018 (212) 840-2115. ing a payroll deduction from T-4229. city tourist office gave us the biggest and Our favorite restaurants were Los Cara When retirees list their flight itinerary friendliest welcome possible. Mexico: Hoteles Calinda, a Quality Inns coles, SietePuertas and Agust d' Avignon. · through reservations, they must state the International affiliate, offers TWA em Despite a hotel and restaurant strike that More elegant is the Gran Casino de Barce- pass class as a 7R and be prepared to ployees a 50% discount, year round, sub went on during our visit we all had a won - lona which offers gourmet dining. present their 7R term pass at the time of ject to availability, at hotels in Mexico derful time and highly recommend a visit to We of the New York rese�ations office airport check in. · City, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Ve ra this beautiful and ancient city on the Medi will always have fond memories of Barce · cruz, and nine other locations across Mex- Copenhagen: If you've ever been fortu terranean. lona. A special note of thanks goes to nate enough to visit the Danish capital you The five-star Ritz Hotel gives a 50% Antonio Albareda, of TWA,and Carmina Originat ·T·Shirts know it is one of the loveiiest cities of ' discount to TWAers and amo_ng the many Va les of the Barcelona tourist office. With Europe. Now an English-language cassette interesting things to see are the picturesque out their combined efforts these trips (�d tape allows visitors to explore the city on Barrio Gotico around the 14th century ca future one, we hope) would not'have been their own time, at their own pace. The thedral; the Church of the Sagrada Familia, possible. recording runs 90 minutes but it takes at "
least three hours to walk it. fers TWA employees a rate of $35 per Miami: Now through December 31, air Portable tape recorders can be rented at room, single or double, through September line employees receive a daily rate of Tu xen Foto, Ve ster Voldgade 14, a few 15, with no blackouts for holiday periods. $27.50 per person, double ($�8 single) at . steps from Town Hall Square, where the This is a 70% reduction from normal sum the Viscount-Miami Hotel , formerly the tour begins. Retail price of the tape is 98 mer rates. From S"eptember 16 through Miami Springs Villas and Kings Inn and kroner (about $9.40), including a high January 6, 1985, airline personnel will be now part of the Tr usthouse Forte's new lighted map, and it can be purchased at offered accommodations at 50% off winter Viscount group. For reservations contact leading hotels, souvenir kiosks, or directly rates of $75 to $115 per day, with no holi Viscount Hotel, 5301 N.W. 36th St.; Mi a from Walk-n-T lk Ta pe Tours, Skt. day-period blackouts. The hotel has two ami, Florida 33166 . Phone (800) 255- Thomas Aile 6, 4tv, DK-1824 Copenha swimming pools, tennis courts, health 3050; in Florida, (305) 871-6000. gen V, Denmark. club, four restaurants and 24-hour room service, and regular shuttle service be Christmas shopping weekends to Paris, . 20 +10 = 30 Lucerne, Munich, Madrid, London, or tween the hotel and seven-mile beach as Rome/Florence are offered as low as $229 well as Las Olas Boulevard and Galleria per person double, including trans-Atlantic Mall. For information and reservations call air fare, transfers, hotel accommodations toll free (800) 327-3796. Within Florida, with private bath, continental breakfast call (800) 432-1956. s daily and host/hostess service . Four to ix Quito, Ecuador: Hotel Inter-Continental days with optional �xtensions costing from · Quito offers airline employees a _50% dis $54 to $99 per person double. For full count through December 31, 1984, subject Kristin Morrissey models Teddy bear information contact Caesar Hotels, 7730 to space availability. Daily room rates are T-shirt. "Operation Liftoff" model has Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105 (314) $15.50 per person, double, $27 single, and been a best seller with TWAers. 727-1503 . reservations may be made within 30 days of Greece: Paradise Hotel, located out of arrival date. The hotel has 250 guest Te ddy Bear T- Shirts offers TWAers airline Athens , seven kilometers from Athens rooms, casino and heated swimming pool. jerseys, of no-shrink cotton-polyester, in Central Airport, off�rs a 15% discount to For more information contact Inter-Conti children's ($6.00) and adult ($8.00) sizes. active and retired TWA employees through nental Hotels, 2655 LeJeune Road, #601, The original full-color designs are all the October 20 . Rate is $19 single, $27 twin, Coral Gables, FL 33134 (800) 327-0200 . work of St. Louis-based first officer Dave $36 triple, breakfast included. All rooms Morrissey, who does similar color draw Miami Airport: Days Inn, located 1/4 mile with private bathroom. For information ings before every flight as a "welcome from MIA, offers TWA �mployees a 50% and reservations contact Frixos Servito aboard " message for his pas·sengers.· discount ($19 single plus $2.50 each addi poulos (retired TWA manager-aircraft LAX flight attendant Carol Spera (left) . Dave's partner, daughter Kristin, a Subur tional adl!lt). Airport courtesy service, 155 recently flew to Boston on her time off services , ATH), Danias 7, Armonias ban Airlines flight attendant, handles the guest rooms , 24-hour restaurant, swim for a joint anniversary celebration - Street, Vouligameni, Greece 16671, tele marketing end of the business. ming pool and gift shop. For information her 20th with TWA and the lOth for her phone 89-62-298 or 89-63-304-5-6-7-8. For an order form with full -information call toll free (800) 325-2525. Advise the friend Marie Houghton, secretary-air on styles, sizes and prices, contact: Te ddy Fort Lauderdale: Pier 66 Hotel and Ma reservationist that you are requesting an port services, BOS. A mutual friend Bear T-Shirts, 465 West Penn Ave nue, rina, a deluxe resort property on 22 acres airline employee room discount and snapped this photo of the two anniver Wernersville, PA 19565 (215) 670-1059. overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, of- present current TWA ID card at check-in. sary celebrants.
6 Septem�er 10, 1984 System Timetable
Effective September 15 through September 301 1984
FM TO ., � Fl T ED FRED FM TO PI' �FlTEDFREDFl'lTOIPTffN FlT EQ f'IID Rl TO IPT fiN FlT EO FRm F1'l TO PI' ffNFlTEOFREDFM TO If'T f'fN FL T ED FREDFMTOIf'Tf'fN FLT Ell FRED
Am 11:1 IID!A 1141" 294 7275 cu: ccm . JFI( CIM o 1'1111 o:M' o 5DF D'l'l' 1245P 125P 466 727S 511. C(M'o sn. !Xa'l 90?1'1 410 7275 511. 820P 845P 219 7C1 TPA 740P te::B" 815 7e75 m'l 819'1 911A 259 1'180 X6 sn. 806A 803A 153 727S CM' 620P 804P 181 1'180 sn. 9:D'I 1245P 94 707 TCl. 65eP 726P 533727S 'IU. 635P 915P 163 727S 511. 1050A 1047A 515 M80 CM' 950P 1125P 3 727S X6 sn. :.D8P 65eP 242 727S 511. 500P 500P 181 M80 aiD 79eA 801A 106 7C1 . I'I
September 10, 1984 7 No t JUStA If/lachine
by Edward Peck
Ed Pe._ck worked for TWA from 1951 through 1966 in Louisville, San Fra ncisco, Saudi Arabia and Ubya_. He now manages a pri vate airport in Kentucky and does exten sive research and writing on avia tion history.
She's a rare bird from the past, no doubt about that. This Waco AGC-8 biplane is also one of the oldest fo rmer TWA aircraft still flying - or about to fly again. Built in 1938 and delivered that year to Tr ansconti nental & Western Air (TWA) , she has sur vived the vicissitudes of numerous owners and not a few mishaps to ultimately reach the loving hands of Clark and AnnPester of Cincinnati, Ohio. There is a fascinating story spread across those 46 years of her seemingly endkss life, so let's fo llow this vintage airplane each step of the way.
For those interested in such details, she ... �- ' ": "'- , « "� ...... � came from the Waco factory at Troy, Ohio TWA's Waco AGC-8 NC-2312 is pictured at the factory. It was completed on September 20, 1938, delivered to TWA that month, with manufacturer's serial number 5063. and is being restored to flyingcondition. On her wings and rudder was painted the registratio� number NC-2312, which she Kansas City Waco distributor Tex LaGrone only fe rry permit. A re-birth to her former On May 30, 1982 thePesters and Hogan still carries today. There wa s accommoda in September 1938. Four months later, on glory was about to begin. took the re-born Waco on her first cross tion for four people, and at the front end a January 27, 1939, NC-2312 was over Pester imrpediately undertook the labo country flight in many years. With a picnic 330 h.p. Jacobs L-6 engine. The only visi turnedby a strong wind at Amarillo, Te xas. rious task of completely dismantling the lunch aboard, they headed 95 miles south ble airline identification was the small Apparently damage was minimal and the old Waco for a meticulous inspection of her into Kentucky. It was a long-promised pil "TwA" on her vertical stabilizer. Not even airplane soon returned to service, for it is vital parts. All wooden members in the grimage of sorts, a visit to the private air the overall colors were standard TWA red . recorded that she hit airport boundary steel frame fuselage were replaced and field where this writer lives. A lump in the and silver or white. Instead, the fu selage lights and a fence at Pampa, Texas on other items repaired as needed. The wings throat and quickening pulse were felt when and wings were light gunmetal-gray · August 3 that year. Then, on December 15 , were basica!ly sound, ··so these required the beautiful old biplane came into focus as trimmed in blue with a red pinstripe. TWA . 1939 this hardy lady made a forced land little work except new fabric covering. · it approached for a landing. Better yet was fleet number 231 was assigned to her. ing at Rodeo, New Mexico due to engine Month-by-month and year-by-year the the invitation to ride the Waco into her failure. Used As a Traine� slow process continued. Many hoped-for element - to feel her response to controls By February 1941 the Waco had outlived target date� slipped by unmet, but steady held by TWA pilots decades ago. This was To what purpo�e would. such a small its usefulness to TWA and it was sold to progress urged thePesters on in their deter a time machine, a fantasy with wings. airplane be put, the only one of this kind Franklin K. Knapp of Clarksville, Tennes mined efforts. The old Waco became a Each summer a gathering of other Waco ever purchased by TWA? It was· used see. During the ensuing 31 years subse fa mily obsession which demanded sacri aircraft is held at Hamilton Airport in Ham mainly as an instrument flight trainer to quent owners made a home _for her in fices of leisure time and money. ilton, Ohio. From throughout the U.S. and keep pilots' skills honed to a fine edge. Georgia, Mississippi , Texas and Arkansas. Canada came other Wacos of all kinds, A Dream Fulfilled Some of the special equipment included The most recent previous owner was Ro- each restored to pristine beauty. This is was a Sperry gyro horizon and compass, . bert E.Peters ofSumter, South Carolina. In With all of the structural work carefully · truly a reunion where the old biplanes can dual controls, a WesternElectric transmit 1964 she was again flipped over on her put into first class order, including a new line-up for a family portrait or joyously ter and RCA. receiver. NC-2312 also car back when Peters had an unplanned en rear seat to replace the original , which had strut their stuff for bemused onlookers. ried three parachute flares in the event of an counter with a snow bank at Marquette, disappeared along the way, th� exciting None is more fetching than ol ' NC-2312, emergency landing at nigpt. It must be Michigan. Again repaired·, the Waco was cosmetic treatment began . Numerous lay but yet another misadventure awaited her. assumed that the airplane also saw occa offered for sale at $55,000. Enter Clark and ers of dope were applied to her new fabric Upon touching down at Hamilton one sional use as an executive air taxi for TWA Ann Pester who purchased this well-used covering. The final touches included spar day in September 1983,Pester's Waco was officials, a common practice among major and abused airplane in April 1972. Al kling coats of bronze and white on the . caught by a freak gust of wind and stood on airlines in those times. though flyable, the Waco could not then wings and fu selage with accent stripes of her nose. For the third time in her life .this Few details of the Waco's airline career qualify for full airworthiness licensing, so black and burnished gold. New upholstery venerable flying machine went belly-up. can be found today. lt is a matter of re cord, it was nursed along from Marquette to its and headlining were installed, and at long There were no injuries or fire , but the wings however, that TWA took delivery from new home at Hamilton, Ohio on a once- last she stood proud and resplendent - and tail were extensively damaged. A less almost too beautiful to believe! dedicated owner might have washed his Nine long years of knuckle-busting la hands of the badly bent airplane and re bor arid. loving care climaxed one d�y in jected her in disgust and frustration. Clark June 1981 when the Waco again took to the and Ann Pester are made of sterner stuff. skies. Her re-birth was a rapturous celebra Immediately they began the now-familiar · tion of a dream fulfilled. Parents of a first process of dismantling, repair and restora · born child could hardly have been more tion. Already the wings are ready for re proud than Clark and Ann Pester. covering, and they hope to have her in the There were, of course, adjustments to be air again next summer -lovely as ever. · made, and some small changes to improve To some it might seem absurd to feel her appearance or performance, but this deep affection for a construction of steel , was just fine-tuning of a nearly perfect wood, cloth and paint, but the human machine which oozed history and nostalgia psyche is driven by heart as well as head. from every pore. Moreover, there were Maybe the doubters are missing a priceless hours of tutoring by an experienced old ingredient in their lives - that dimension time aviator named Art Hogan beforePes which accommodates an appreciation of ter could feel in full command of his the true worth and purpose of all things. unfamiliar charge. Gradually, airplane and What these have been and represent can be m�n became close friends, each attuned to as important as what they only seem to be The Waco as it appeared in 1981 after initial restoration. the other. today.
Bulk Rate Postage Paid Denville, N.J. Permit f/297
.. , �� I " f C • • \ o 0 • �