VOLUME 46 NUMBER 21 OCTOBER 10, 1983

Museum of Flight Opens at Seattle ' Kans8sCity Citing Losses, Sche.dules TWC Considers TWA Spin-Off Upped50°/o The Board of Directors of Trans World Corporation, meeting in Chicago on Sep­ T~A will increase its flight schedules tember 28, announced that it is considering at Kansas City by 50% effective Octo­ the possible separation of TWA from Trans ber 30. · World Corporation. The Board instructed The new services will include daily management to develop a detailed program nonstop flights to nine domestic cities, under which the company's 81% common including a second daily nonstop to stock holdings in Trans World Airlines, Los Angeles. Inc. would be distributed to Trans World Flight frequencies will increase Corporation's common stock holders, es-. from the current 20 to 29 connecting tablishing TWA as a separate, publicly Kansas City with Albuquerque, Wi­ owned company. · chita, Denver, San Diego, Omaha, Trans World said that the separation of Los Angeles, Cleveland, Dayton, TWA from Trans World was one of the Philadelphia and Boston. · options presented to the Board in early Neil Effman, senior vp-marketing September by Goldman, Sachs and Co., and planning, said the increases are in the investment bankers retained to study direct response to announced inten­ the structural and financial alternatives tions by Eastern Airlines to initiate a available to Trans World. The Board is major buildup at Kansas City, which giving this option its most careful consider­ would have a major impact on TWA's ation and today announced that if it votes to own future growth plans there. proceed with a separation plan, Trans "The Kansas City metropolitan World would seek stockholder approval at · Members of the SEATAC chapter of TWA Clipped Wings acted as hostesses for pre­ area can economically support only a a special meeting late this year or early next opening celebrations ofthe Museum of Flight, which opened last month in Seattle. On finite amount of capacity, and TWA year. "Antique Aircraft Day" the group wore TWA uniforms from the Clipped Wings intends to be the carrier that provides " We have weighed- and we will con­ collection. From left are: Margaret Flanagan Samson, Vicki Cochrane King, Pat the dominant share of it," Effman tinue to weigh-all of the relative benefits Ca_in Cysewski, Barbara Rocap Diver, Dede Wilson Buckley, Ann Sack Pheland, said. to the stockholders," said L. Edwin Smart; . Judy Kent Rose, and Cindy Malean. (For information on the museum, see page 5.) Trans World's chairman. "Should separa­ tion occur, Trans World stockholders would hold shares in two major corpora­ TWA Retires Last 7075 on October 30 tions ,- one, a $2-billion enterprise en­ Boeing 707 service in the United States will last 707 schedules and routes to book a passenger comfort. The U.S. government gaged in international hotel, food and real come to an end October 30 when TWA farewell flight. Their choices diminished has mandated that all 707s be withdrawn estate service operations and the other, retires its last four. on September 30 with the retirement of two from scheduled and charter service in the America's premier international airline.'' TWA has operated the famed aiq)lane in .707s, leaving only four in the fleet. U.S. by the end of 1984 for environmental Commenting further, President Ed scheduled service longer than any other Throughout October, TWA will operate reasons. Meyer said, "Whether this separat~on airline. The Boeing 707 gave birth to the its last 707s on routes linking New York Since TWA's first 707 went into service takes place, I am absolutely confident that· · "jet age," led to the creation of the "jet (JFK) with both Pittsburgh and Miami, -March 20, 1959 the airline has operated TWA's people-the-best in the industry in set'' of the fifties and sixties and introduced . Pittsburgh and St. Louis and St. Louis and 126 707s in· several versions. The 707 skills and enthusiasm-will move forward air travel to tens of millions of people K.ansas City. played a major part in TWA's becoming the positively to address the severe difficulties around the globe. The venerable airplane has been sur­ first all-jet airline in the United States in that afflict the company and the entire air- . (topage3) Airline buffs and sentimentalists have passed by today's more cost-efficient jets 1967, and the· number one transatlantic been calling TWA daily inquiring about the with their quieter engines and increased carrier today. ' Response Line Horstman and' Roger Kruse flying. Lloyd 'One of the Fine.st Aircraft Ever' . Olson was in command of the return trip. Questions: Call to 11-free 800-221- by Capt: Ed Betts and Ted Vreeland were the crew, along TWA took delivery of 12 of the 331 2842; iq New York',_370-1714. Answers: Call toll-free 800-221- The 707 was the airplane that brought with .navigators Lawrence Guernon and models at $·5,550,000 each. The 331 's 2840; in New York, 370-1713. TWA into the jet age. All told, 126 Boeing 'Wilbur Bey. Lyle Hincks was captain ori 159,829 pounds of fuel capacity was al­ 707s flew in TWA colors during nearly a the first westbound trip. On December 3, most th~ same as the maximum gross lAM Local 1650 Hotline: 816-741- 1959, Flight 800 inaugurated jet service quarter century of operations. weight (160,000 pounds) of the largest 4934. (topage6) The first official TWA jet flight was from Idlewild to Paris and Rome with Marv Flight 46 from San Francisco to Idlewild (JFK) on March 20, 1959. Gordon Granger, Orville· Olson and Eugene Mc­ Clure flew as pilots, and Dale Beede and Harry Kampe as engineers. The trip took five hours 34 minutes. The original model 131 , all long since retired, carried 121 passengers and grossed out at 247,000 pounds. TWA ordered 14 . planes at $4,750,000 each. Another three (model 124) were purchased from Conti­ nental in 1967. These were the "water wagons," using water injected into the engines for added takeoff power. The 131 was noisy, left a trail of black smoke and, when the water was depleted, created a momentary negative "G" force?n the pas­ sengers. On November 23, 1959, TWA ·intro­ duced the long-range 331 model 707 on its international schedules when Flight 700 departed from IDL for London and Frank­ furt. Gordon Granger, Charles Swartzell Trail of black smoke was a hallmark of the original 707s, which used water injection for added takeoff power. in a position to, o_r called upon, the Seniors . Students Receive High Marks' group does all it can to help "our airline." In August, Arizona retirees aided the Phoe­ Editor's Notes nix sales office by monitoring the arrivals and departures of new-entrant Air Amer­ A feature of the TWA Seniors newsletter, ica. And the month before, they assisted in edited by Matt Messina, that we enjoy very distributing announ~ements of the opening much is a column on the whereabouts and · of a new TWA Travel Store in the west . whatabouts of many members. We notice Phoenix area . that there's a common theme, which is how Never a·dull moment. one looks forward to having time to do all A 74-year-old old salt who just wanted the things he never had time for - and now • something to keep busy didn't know what there still isn't time! In fact, many retirees he'd let himself in for when he offered to seem busier than ever. reproduce TWA belt buckles like one he How, for example, can anyone keep up made for Dave Gwinnis of Kansas City with Bob Berle? In the four years since (Skyliner, August 15). Fred (The 01' Peli­ returning home to Denver from Paris, Bob can) Georgeson says that as the result of the has made 87 trips within the U.S. and publicity he received about 15 orders right overseas, ''and all but 12 of them on off the bat. TWA." This has got to be a record. Although he skippered a yacht for a From Nova Scotia, Dick Feldman re­ living, he's always had a yen to fly. In fact, ports he's got seven acres of land on a he did take up a Jenny at age 16, sometime peninsula, "with 362 islands protecting around)925. "When my father found out, me." Dick, who has retained his U.S. he clipped my wings," says Fred. So he citizenship, says he plays at farming, but became a sailor, "likely a sublimation of what he'd really like to do is build or buy a my ·desire to fly," he says. Scott McCoy (left) and Joe Morse (right) are congratulated by Ken Johnston, Lafitte skiff, a boat native to Louisiana's At an age when many people are think- director-aircraft engineering, on completion of their engineering internship at MCI Cajun country. If you know of orie for sale, . ing of retiri~g he and his wife,. Joan, em­ this summer. Scott is a senior at Central Missouri State University; Joe is in his senior or where to get plans, write to Dick at St. barked on a cruise business in their year at Missouri Western College. In addition to college credits they received, through Anne du Ruisseau, Yarmouth City, Nova Bermudian cutter. Fred got hooked on peli­ TWA, a great deal of experience in aircraft engineering skills. Photo - Morrison Tivis Scotia, Canada BOW 2XO. cans in the secluded coves of the West .. Ray Terry writes that he bought an old Indies. "They are sagacious birds and fishing camp in New Hampshire that once damned good fliers to boot," he notes. or six and today's 270 commuter and re­ belonged to Grover Cleveland and in sum­ In case you missed the offer, his TWA gional airlines will shake out to about 50. mer he operates it as Acorn Lodge. He buckles are made to individual order and "The key to whether the commuters and Seniors winters in .Pompano Beach, Florida, oper­ sell for $18, postage paid. Send check to regionals survive will be whether they rec­ ating a charter fishing service. Fred Georgeson, P.O. Box 262, Standard, ognize we are in a new ball game, one in In the shadow of Mt. Shasta in Califor­ CA 95373. which sr:nall airlines no longer have the A. A. Schupp, MCI, Nov. 1 (28) nia, Loyde Foster is busy building air­ option to stand alone at . the major hub CesarE. Carossi, SFO, Oct. l (21) planes . So far he .has completed two Pan ~merican on October 26 will mark airports. " David J. Bata, JFK, Oct. l (39) Vari-Ezes and a Quickie 2, and is now the 25tb 'anniversary of Boeing 707 service Philip E. Kerr, JFK, Oct. I (34) starting on a Glasair. "I work harder and with a reenactment of the first 707 flight "The safest thing modem man can do is D. L. Brown, M~I, Nov . l (30) longer hours than ever," he says with evi­ from New York to Paris. The 1958 flight get on an airli~er," says Scott Crossfield, Barbara M. Denison, MKC, Nov. 1 (15) took 8 hours, 41 minutes including a refuel­ technical consultant to the House Science Dominick A. Va1eo, JFK, Nov. l (26) dent satisfaction. Otis E. Jackson, MCI, Nov. 1 (37) Harold Posson, who farms 31 acres ing stop in Gander, Newfoundland. The and Technology Subcommittee. Plane ac­ cidents cause an average 145 deaths a year, Mary Ann Hecker, STL, Oct. 1 (31) outside Norton, Kansas, reports that he's original 707 that made the inaugural flight Edith Roberts, MKC, Oct. 1 (15) president of the Norton Eagles Lodge and has long since been sold, and the anniver­ while automobile accidents average 132 Marie C. Koenigsbauer, MKC, Oct. l (28) · is on the board of directors of the Northwest. sary plane will be a 707 delivered to Pan deaths a day. Keith H. Brune, MCI, Nov. I (39) Kansas Area Agency on Aging. He also Amin 1968. The chance of dying in a car is one in Andrew J. Magyar, JFK, Nov . 1 (38) serves as county coordinator of the Kansas 4,000, in contrast with one in 100,000 in a Andrew J. King, MKC, Oct. 1 (17) Butter has been creamed by United Air­ Joseph Melton, MCI, Nov . 1 ( 11) State Sheriffs' Association Boys Home, to plane. That means a moderately frequent lines, at least on its short 737 flights . air traveler is 25 times more likely to be Dan E. Matthews, MCI, Nov. I (11) prevent juvenile delinquency. Iva Finnell, MKC, Jan. I, 1983 ·( 19) 'Seems someone in the flight kitchen went killed in a car than in an aircraft. Maita Floyd of Phoenix always enjoyed Warren H. Berg, MKC, Oct. l (38) foraging through the leftovers ~o .find out drawing, and now that she's retired after 30 what passengers are and are not eating. St. Louis /fWAer Louis Bennett, Jr.· asks, Christine B. Jacks, MCI, Oct. l (17) years with TWA is able to tum her hobby in addition to the medical advice he has EdwardJ. Palecki, MKC, Oct. 1 (34) Finding that butter was going to waste, and . Whilma Botkins, MKC, Oct. l (17) into a profession. As reported previously, not waist, United pulled it from the menu. received, whether anyone has undergone Maita has produced a set of notepaper, Marian L. Wolfe, MKC, Oct. I (40) an eye operation called radial keratotomy. Rose Marie Lenhard, LGA, Oct. l (17) using 25 different designs based on Ar­ Hub warfare is forcing the regional and "I would appreciate their personal experi­ Robert T. May, JFK, Oct. l (37) izona scenes and sights she has seen in her commuter airlines to align themselves with ence . concerning this surgery," he said. Eleanor Tarson, MKC, Oct. 1 (38) travels around the world. The notepaper is .the major carriers, says Gordon Autry, Please write to him at P.O . Box 10124, St. Gerald Turner, JFK, Nov. l (16) boxed, with envelopes, and sells for $2.75 head of Denver-based Rocky Mountain Louis, Missouri 63145. Carl A. Gorlesky, JFK, Nov. l (30) per set, postpaid. Th'is would certainly be a Airways. He said that when he signed on Marvin C. Black, MCI, Nov. 1 (27) beautiful and thoughtful Christmas or with American's Sabre reservations sys­ Bernard A. _Hefner, MKC, Oct. I (38) Seniors News William H. Nicks, MKC, Oct. I (37) birthday gift. To order send a check (pay­ tem he saw his traffic between Denver and Bettie M. Nugent, MKC, Oct. I (23) able to "Maita's Creations") to Marguerite Colorado Springs drop 75% in 30 days. "It The Seniors International region chapter will hold its anmial meeting at the Paris ~argaret E. Ransier, MKC, Oct. l (27) Floyd, 5002 E. Oak St., Phoenix. AZ made me appreciate how effective United E. A. Whittington, MKC, Oct. 1 (39) 85008 . really is in Denver," he said. Autry be­ Hilton on Tuesday, October 25 . President Jeanne M. Sheridan, MKC, Oct. 1 (32) Finally, whenever and wherever they are lieves the major carriers will shrink to five Francis Degioanni extends a cordial wel­ Homer J. Akers, MKC, Oct. I (37) come to "visiting firemen." Maurine J. Shearer, MKC, Oct. l (20) The North .Pacific chapter (Washington, Robert E. Jones, MCI, Oct. l (37) Rams' Coach Gives Pep. .Talk Charles R. Anderson, LAX, Sep. 1 (25) Oregon and northern California) will hold Clarence W. Gray, LAX, Oct. 1 (18) its first general meeting in Redding, Cali­ Reva E. Morse, MKC, Oct. l (15) fornia, on October 19 at the Shasta Inn, Daniel A. McFeely, JED, Oct. l (27) president Pat Harris reports. Leroy H. Pride, MCI, Nov. l (16) Mary A. Habina, MKC, Oct. l (24) The next meeting of the Arizona chapter Joe T. Rensing, MCC Nov. 1 (38) will be a l~ncheon on February 2, 1984, at R. C. Rudaitis, MCI, Nov. l (36) the Turf Paradise Race Track in Phoenix. W. 0. Blake, MCI, Nov. 1 (27) One race will be in honor of TWA, says president Bill Geiger. The annual meeting of the Southeast chap­ ter will be held in Orlando, Florida on May 15-16, 1984 at the Holiday Inn. President Bill Townsend suggests allowing an extra day ort~o for Disney World, Epcot Cent~r, etc. · Published for Employees by the Public Affairs Department The Pacific chapter will hold its annual 605 Third Avenue, New York 101 58 John Robinson (center), head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, and before that the meeting on November 15 at the Hacienda Printed in U. S.A Hotel, Los Angeles. Author Bob Serling University of Southern California, recently spoke to the management club in Los Dan Kemnitz, Editor will autograph copies of his forthcoming Angeles on his experienc~ - ·and success - in motivating people. Seated at his table Anne Saunders, Associate Editor are Paul Rueter (left) manager-facilities & equipment maintenance, and Marv history of TWA and talk about his experi­ Ruthenberg, regional director-maintenance, with his wife, Judie. ences in writing the new book.

2 October 10, 1983 luctance to respond positively to manage­ 'Star' Woes ment's proposals: 1) a feeling that TWA Traffic ,.. should reduce its allegedly_excessive man­ TWA flew 2.6 billion revenue passenger TWA is big news in Kansas City. As one of agement staffing (although Cosley is miles in scheduled service in Sep­ the town's major business enterprises - syst~m quoted as saying that management cuts tember an increase with 6600 local.employees and contribut­ of 10.6% over the 2.4 have kept pace with those of mechanics and billion rpms flown in September of 1982. ing some half a billion dollars to the local TWA pilots, and that management has sustained TWA's international traffic rose 21.8% economy yearly' - its temperature is pay deferrals, cuts and freezes during a over the previous September's, reflecting a checked regularly by the local medi~. Un­ ...today: period in which contract wages and bene­ strengthening U.S. economy, favorable derstandably then, with the rash of recent fits, including retroactive settlements, developments affecting TWA and its in­ exchange rates for the dollar, and a conse­ have continued and escalated); 2) a belief quent improvement in U.S. -originating dustry, the Sunday, October 2, edition of that ·"management mistakes" have con­ travel abroad. TWA's domestic traffic was the Kansas City Star erupted with a wealth tributed heavily to the current situation, so up 0. 9% for the month. of airline and TWA news - more than 140 The long-awaited videotape on TWA's management should shoulder the blame The international load factor was 76 .5% column-inches of it, in fact, or about as scheduling department, running some 12 rather than the work force (though this for the month on a capacity increase of much as might have run had the Royals minutes, was released last week and has doesn't address the urgent need for mea­ 15.3%, an improvement of 4.1 perce~tage won Game Seven of the World Series ~ been distributed to all stations on the TWA sures to safeguard the airline); 3) the con­ points over last September's 72.4%. The The news, however, was nowhere near Today network. The program features the tention that management has traditionally domestic load factor was down 0. 7 points as jubilant as that. The paper's business and scheduling staff in an intensive discussion drawn negotiations long past" contract to 58.7% on a capacity_increase of 2.1 %. financial writer led off with a piece headed amendable dates, so unions shouldn't be of their problems and should be of interest ' "Profit drought may bring cut in [TWA's] Sept. '83 YTD '83 to all TWAers. stampeded into quick action on a conces­ RPMs vs. '82 VS~ '82 domestic-operations.'' It recounted TWA's sions package (i .e., an extended tongue). announcement that it was studying a plan to Domestic + 0.9% + 3.3% Meanwhile, union leaders, after observing Int' l +21.8% +14.2% shed most Spinoff• •• of its money-losing domestic that a concessions package would be ''dif­ System + 10.6% + 7.6% system in favor oflimited feed for its profit­ (from page one) ficult to sell to workers," have generally ASMs able international division, adding Domestic + 2.1%· 4.0% line industry. Those who will survive and there­ shunned interviews on progress toward a +- Int'l +15.3% + 6.6% cent report that the Trans World corporate resolution of the_issue. prosper will be airlines which have by con­ board was contemplating a handover of .its System +, 7.5% + 5.0% centrated effort and cooperation brought One union official, however, did con­ Load Factor shares of TWA to TWC's shareholders. their costs to competitive levels. That is cede, as noted by the Star, that "when Domestic 58 .7% (- 0.7pts.) 62.5% ( - 0.4pts. ) TWA's highest priority if we are to survive The article went on to spell out the fact workers have time to think about [recent Int'1 76.5% (+ 4.1pts.)71 .9% (+ 4.8pts.) System 66.6% ( + 1.8 pts .) 66 . 1% ( + 1.6 pts.) in today's highly competitive environ­ that high labor costs relative to the indus­ events at Continental and Eastern] the psy­ try's new entrants have put TWA at a seri­ ment. chological effect of what's happening will London Heathrow boarded 2,837,539 ous financial disadvantage, raising the "Hence, we must continue to focus our be enormous.'' pounds of revenue air freight in September, possibility of further retrenchment actions major attention on reducing our costs in the Other Sunday Star articles included a an all-time record for the station. short term through the programs I have that would reduce TWA's headcount from thorough review of the industrywide phe­ been outlining to the labor leadership. Es­ its peak of36,900 to as few as 17,000. This nomena wrought by deregulation - in­ Portugal/Spain year's seasonal furloughs, the Star re­ pecially in light of recent events, we must cludmg such scheduling skirmishes as the The consolidation of the Portugal and ported, would bite deeper than in previous not only reduce our current labor costs, but current one between TWA and Eastern at Spain districts under one general manager years . also make permanent changes to gain Kansas City - with special emphasis on to be based in Madrid has been announced A companion piece by the Star's labor greater productivity. We must also con­ the problem beside which, it said, all others by S. G. Long, vice president-field sales writer was headed, "Unions face major · · tinue to deliver the fine service product pale: labor. - and services. The move follows the retire­ gamble on benefits vs. jobs." It featured which ha$ always been of the highest stand­ The Star again quotes TWA's Cosley on ment of A. B. "Bud" Krueger, general lead-off quotes from TWA and the lAM. ard. the genesis of the problem: manager-Portugal. "Just about everything in our industry "If we achieve these two overriding "The traveling public paid for our life- Larry Stapleton, formerly- general has changed except for organized labor's goals - reducing relative costs and deliv­ . style. It's been a gravy train in the airline manager-Spain, was named general inability and unwillingness to consider· ering outstanding service - I have no industry for 30 years and we are all - and manager-Iberian Peninsula. concessions," said TWA spokesman Jerry doubt that TWA will be among those air­ when I say all I mean management, too-a In related appointments, Edward Hayek Cosley. lines that will survive and move on to bunch of spoiled kids. " _ has been named manager-sales-Portugal; "We're in a battle of wits with them prosperity in the years ahead." Noting that some union leaders have Torres Pereira continues as manager­ now, and it makes me' so mad I could been calling for partial reregulation, e.g., airport services in Lisbon. Both will report The "bad ingredients are all in place," scream," said lAM's Earl Wheeler. of fare "floors," to protect current pay directly to Mr. Stapleton. notes BusinessWeek magazine in expecta­ According to the Star's reporter, the scales, the Star quotes a Congressional Mr. Hayek formerly was manager­ tion of renewed fare wars on many fronts chief stumbling block on the road to agree­ staffer as saying he's seen "no clear con­ foreign and diplomatic sales in New York. due to weak traffic and over-capacity. ment on concessions is no longer a differ­ census of any needed action" in recent ence of opinion regarding the airline's hearings on deregulation's progress. The That is the hard lesson of what has photographically but was denied permis­ financial condition and what it needs for a nation's lawmakers seem well satisfied, he happened in the auto and steel industries, sion. One reason given was tharthe paper's restoration of profitability; rather, it's a says, that deregulation - painful chaos, where for the past four years the relevant labor writer feared that if his story were simple matter question for too many workers has been of trust. bitter-competition and all - is all doing reproduced in Skyliner it would hurt his how much they're not making instead of credibility with his readers. In other words, 'Lack of Trust' precisely the job it was meant to do: make how much they are making. U.S. airlines more efficient so they could what's believable in the Star becomes auto­ "Trust - really the lack ofit" says the lower- their fares. (Ed. note: Skyliner originally hoped to matically suspect if it appears verbatim in Star, "is a social and political canyon that For good measure, the Star included a reproduce this material from the Stcir in toto Sky liner. Interesting.) separate's TWA's managers and workers.'' column by its business and financial editor, As part of what it termed a "wave of cuts who sums up with this observation: . ·and work rule concessions'' sweeping over Thanks TWAers For a Job ~e~l Don~ the industry following deregulation, the The m~in problem facing the major carriers today is the same confronting Star cited TWA's proposal to lAM of a many other depressed industries: "menu" of wage and benefit concessions Wages that can't be supported in an that would save the airline $60 million, environment of growing competition. plus changes in work and staffing rules that Anyone who needs convincing on this would add $92 million, through the end of point need look no further than The Star 1984. Management, added the Star, also story on Tuesday concerning the prob­ seeks comparable cost-reducing conces­ lems of Continental, which reported the sions from pilots and flight attendants, company's move to slash personnel and having already cut salaried workers' pay by pay. . 10%. That Continental was forced to this draconian measure is no wonder, either. At other carriers, the Star said, accept­ The story told of ticket agents earning ance of similar concessions has been nearly $13 an hour and annual salaries "spotty," depending not only on how for flight attendams of $28,000. keenly a need is perceived but also on the Without inrending to be too harsh on historical climate of labor relations at a those involved, those are rather generous given carrier. pay rates for jobs that require fairly mun­ At Republic for example, noted the Star, dane skills. mechanics and five other unions joined However, this isn't to quarrel with management and non-union employees in airline employees being able to make that kind of money. a 15% pay cut last month, but a stormy As a "thank you" to Ken Erne, manager-maintenance, and his staff at Was~i~gton 's Power to them. labor climate at Continental had produced Dulles Airport, Boeing regional director Tom Ellis presen~ed a pla~ue Citing the But somewhere along the way, there an outright confrontation that now includes TWAers' "outstanding contributions toward the successfulmtroduction ?f the 767 must come the realization that there's~ a bankruptcy filing, contract abrogations, a large difference between being assigned into revenue service." On hand for the presentation were (from left) stan~mg: Hank lock-out and a strike. a salary level and being able to translate Bello, director-maintenance, East; Ken Erne; Darrell Reynard; To.m Ellis an~ Ton~ The Star article cites several reasons that pay rate into a job that brings spend­ Ristuccia, manager-field engineering. Front row: Ted Leszezynsk1; Lou Robmson, given by TWA's lAM leaders for their re- able bucks on a regular basis. Charlie Penn; Bill Lusk and Mike Orban.

October 10, 1983 3 EverY_body's Be$1 Friend Story and Photos by Anne Saunders

Everybody's friend retirea September 30 ' state disability insurance taken out; Penn­ Adams in· labor accountin·g, Ron Coe in me, I just can't take it any more. So I'm after 38 112 years with TWA. As manager of sylvania collects school and county taxes. flight payroll and Jerry Ostertag in ·ground retiring. . payroll for the past five years, Eleanor We have tq keep on top of all these tax laws. · payroll. They. rea~ly 'trained me when I How has working at TWA changed since Tarson has overseen a staff that makes sure Payroll issues the paychecks for every­ came to payroll and of course I'm crazy you started? everyone gets paid correctly and on time. one on the Unjted States payroll, that's about them. - In 1945, we were a very small company. Eleanor was a pioneer among women in everybody except overseas nationals. Most of the fellows and many of our air­ the TWA management ranks and has been TWA's official headcount right now is What were some of the highlights of your planes were off to war. All we were flying one of the most popular and capable man­ about 26,000, but actually there are more career at TWA? were DC-3s and traveling on a pass was agers in the airline. because part-time people are only counted difficult because you couldn't get on an On her 35th anniversary three years ago, as half a person on the headcount, but for I was hired as ·1supervisor of air cargo - airplane. Servicemen had priority of Eleanor's people showed their apprecia­ our purposes they are whole people. accounting in' February 1945 . .I had a col­ course. tion by presenting her with the "First An­ At the end of the year we send out about lege degree in business, not common for .a But we were like a big family. We cared nual Mother Hen of the Year Award" for 80,000 W~2 forms. (Everybody gets at woman at that time, and had been working about the company and we cared about "35 years of unique and unselfish dev~don least a federal and one state form). for a trucking company in Kansas City. each other. As the company got older and to her TWA family." It hung proudly on the We're a policing action besides every­ They were a,bouno go under so I decided to bigger and there were more employees wall9f her office. thing else. We constantly have calls from find something better. . some of that feeling went away ....The new Skyliner talked to Eleanor shortly before supervisors. "I didn't report this right." I think TWA was hesitant to hire me as a employees didn't have the same affection her recent retirement. The wide-ranging "Can you correct this?" supervisor because I was a woman, but the for the company nor for each other. That conversation revealed the wit and wisdom Sometimes it's hard to keep your pa­ war was still on and there weren '.t many family feeling is, I'm sorry to say, missing of a remarkable pers.on. tience when employees call up and scream men around, not even 4-Fs, so they had to today. that you aren't paying them the right settle for me, A big change for the better has been the Can you give us some idea of just what is amount. Usually it's because they forget In those days I think in the whole airline improvement in working conditions and involved in running the payroll depart­ that payday is every two weeks, not twice a there were only three women in supervi­ employee benefits. When I started we ment? month. Hardly anyone ever calls up and sory posi.tions. A man _would always be worked a 44-hour week, five and a half There are 38 people working in payroll, says you paid me the right amount of hired, or promoted, before a, woman. My days, Saturday until noon. It was consid­ including the manager, and we put out 17 mpney! supervisor told me "You will never have to ered a 48-hour week. We worked a lot of payrolls every month- salaried, execu­ Each member of the payroll staff spe­ worry about having a job here" but he overtime but only got paid for the hours tive, ho\).rly, part-time, flight crews and cializes. Sorrie handle only cockpit crews, added that I shouldn't expect to get any over 48 . · flight attendants, U.S. nationals overseas others only cabin crews. We also have higher in the company. Which was com­ We only had seven or eight holidays; and people on loan to Saudi Arabia. specialists for hourly payroll ~nd for sala­ forting, but at the. same time not comfort- now we have 10 including the birthday and Basically, we compute the gross pay, ried and part-time personnel. One person ing, for an ambitious young lady. . floating holiday. There was no retirement make all the deductions and issue the pay­ takes care of the garnishments. We also I was incargoforaboutfive years. Then, plan then either. checks, which have to get to the employees have an accounting unit and a group that to make room for an employee who was ' My hiring salary was $225 per month on time and all the deductions have to be handles all the taxes. coming back from 'the international divi­ and nobody could believe I was making so paid to the respective recipients. Among . Being manager of payroll is a prize job sion, I was m'oved' into food accounting­ much money. those deductions you'll find federal taxes, and I love it. The people are delightful and I which I hated with a passion. I only lasted We worked in an old building downtown state taxes (more than one if you live in one love coming to work. The morale in this six months there, before moving-to general - of course there was no air conditioning state and work in another), city taxes, section is just marvelous and there is hardly accounting in 1950. Five years later- on in those days. We would open the.windows FICA, Thrift Plan, Credit Union, charity, ever any turnover. Seniority here ranges my 1Oth anniversary in 1955 - I was · and get the fans going in the summer. savings bonds, political action committee, from 16 to 39 years. promoted to the number one supervisor in Papers would get into the fan ~nd get man­ union dues, safety glasses, safety shoes, I'm very proud that people say the pay­ general accounting. I was crazy about that gled before you could get them out. service and surcharges, garnishments, etc. roll department has never run bet.ter than it department, and stayed there until 1973. We had a few electric (not electronic) calculators but if you wanted to multiply Many states have their own deductions. does now. That's very soul satisfying. But I There was a period when we seemed to you usually used paper and pencil or an For example, Calif0rni~ personnel have have three wonderful supervisors - Don get a new manager of general accounting adding machine. every six months. or so. Finally we got a Data processing in those days of punch reaL good one in Clete Koetting. I was cards and sorters compares to today's oper­ acting manager when he wa·s away an.d had ation as a DC-3 compares to an L-1011. gone back to school .in 1965 and earned a -· I remember the first month that our pas­ master's in business administration. When senger revenue hit $4 million. That was in Clete retired in 1967 I told my boss; who 1945 or 1946. C. N. Oursler, later a vice shall be nameless, that I thought I was ·. president at American, jumped up and qualified for the manager's job. I'll never down with excitement. Last year passenger forget his response. He looked me in the eye and said "You? A girl? (I was 50 years old), That's ·just like reaching for the moon." They had never put a woman in that job and they weren; t used to the idea. So they bro_ught in Jim Murphy from the audit department in New York. Happiiy, he was a doll. · Then Jim left to go to Frontier, where he's now vice president and controller, and I tried agaip. I said, l9ok, l have my MBA, ... I've been here al.l these years. It's about · · time, and this time I was promoted to man­ ager, in December 1970-the first woman ,. : . •••• in the accounting or financ.e dep~rtment to · \ ' become amanager. I was manager of general accounting for two ~nd a h'!.lf years·. Then. in July 1973 I was switched to flight statistics to "broaden" my experience. This turned out to be the most miserable five years of my whole career. · I complained so much that they finally made me manager of payroll in July 1978 and I've loved every minute of it. I'm 66 years old now. When I was 65 and it was time for normal people ·to retire, I didn't': want to because I loved coming to work. But th.e last year has been less and less fun. To be quite honest about ·it, I haven't en­ joyed having. to decide who I'm goin·g.to · furlough next. Since ·1 have a motherly PhotosfromhertravelsaroundtheworlddecQratethewallsofEieanorTarson'soffice. aff~ction forall the people who work for Right hand men. Eleanor credits (from left) Jerry

4

~ ---~-----~------~------·------~----~~------~------~--~------·--~------liev~ three, planes which made similar Skyliner ·Readers landings in a short space of time. As hap­ Spot Stratoliner pens so often, the gear malfunctioned be­ cause of the wrong material being used in a Skyliner' s-August 15 mystery photo oftwo small part. The electric motor which oper­ TWA pilots examining a bent propeller ated the extension and retraction was at­ brought forth a record response. Not only tached to the gear by a 'woodruff key.' The . did we hear from retired Captain George material in this part was too soft, allowing Duvall, who made the wheels-up landing it to shear. In case of a power failure, the and is- the pilot standing in our photo, but hand crank operated the same motor which some eye witnesses and a number of other was already rendered useless so it was readers with good memories also wrote in . impossible to extend the gear." Capt. Duvall writes.: "Your picture Capt. R. A. Wittke, retired, remem­ Who, What, When, Where, Why???inthe bered the incident very well and noted that August 15th issue of the Skyllner caught "I brought the same plane fro~ Kansas : my immediate attention and here are· the City to Newark the day before. The aircraft answers . . had just come out of overhaul. " Who: Lyle Hincks is kneeling and I am ' We also heard from Capt. Cliff Abbott looking at the major damage to the Boeing (retired); Rudy Sadlon of the Hartford Stratoliner which we had just landed. · ATO; B _ McGregor of Dulles air freight; What: We had landed parallel to the Dave Huber, lAD; Ralph R. Steward, re­ northeast runway at LaGuardia Airport · tired LAX specialty foreman; William with a partly_re tracted right gear. Beck; Capt. Roger Don Rae (retired); Ed When: About 8 a.m. on December 11, Reid, retired maintenance instructor, JFK; 1946. Marv Horstman, retired general manager- Eleanor Tarson talked with Skyliner before her recent retirement. Where: LaGuardia A_irport, New York . flying, JFK, and Richard P Spater, general City. manager-France & Benelux, now retired, revenue averaged $234 million per month. to my retirement reception at KCAC, and Why: We left C~lcago Midway the night who was a passenger when Capt. Dave One thing has not changed: we weren't so many of them thanked IT)e that it may be before and made. a routine stop at Pitts­ Kuh·n made a similar wheels-up landing at making any money then either. . the most wonderful thing- that ever hap- - burgh. After our takeoff from Pittsburgh Burbank Airport in July 1946. "A magnifi­ pened to me. Despite that, I suspect that if you had it the right main gear indicated it was not cent landing" Mr. Spater recalls. I'm also proud at having broken the ice a to do over again you would still go into fully retracted and enroute to Newark, In addition to Capt. Duvall and first little bit for the advancement of women in the airline business... · which was supposed to be the final destina­ officer Hincks crew members were John this company. I was a generation or two tion of the flight: all efforts to either retract Borges, flight engineer, and cabin crew You bet. I have airline; fever, as most of ahead of my time. or extend the right gear proved hopeless. Ruth Schmidt and Mary Dibler. us db. It 's exciting, fascinating. I've gone Rather than interrupt air traffic we were places and done things that the average .What are your plans for the future? · requested ·to land at Republic's ait:Port .at Provide Class 4 Passes person could never do . I flew around the Knowing that I would retite, !'have con­ Farmingdale, however, their communica­ world once on weekend just so I could say centrated on finding fun things· to do out­ In recognition of the pay cut taken by sala­ a tions frequencies were m.ostly for military I'd done it. And I've been all over Europe, side. I'm a member of the Senior Acting ried employees effective September 1, aircraft which made direct communica- taken safaris in East Africa, visited Egypt Troup of Johnson C<:mnty Barn Players; President Ed Meyer announced a special . tions difficult. Also with a strong north-· and Israel, the Far East (my favorite be­ right now ~e 're rehearsing a comedy." I also positive-space pass for-those affected. Sal­ west w.inq prevailing· and no runway cause everything is different), Australia, belong to a clown troup that goes to hospi­ aried employees will be provided with two aligned in· that direction it would have New Zealand. tals, children's' parties and things like that. free Class 4 passes, positive in coach and meant landing across their runways so it But I wouldn't recommend young peo­ Two Sundays a ITIOnth 1 run the soda foun­ with upgrade to first class if space permits, was decided to use LaGuardia. After sev­ ple come to work for TWA right now. tain at the Kansas City Museum, where anywhere on the system. The special eral passes above-the tower it was deter­ Things are in a state of flux. My advice to they have an 1880 drug store. I work as a - passes may be used between October 15, mined the right gear was partly retracted. It them would be to get some experience volunteer at my local library, checking 1983 and October 15, 1984, subject only to was also decided to land on the grass paral­ somewhere else first and then come and see books in and out. And when the Thomas normal international restriction periods. lel to the runway. The plane landed with all us about a job when things settle down. Hart Benton home opens to the public I Passes are to be used by the employee engines shut down and rolled only 302 feet plan to be a tour guide there. I'm also and an accompanying eligible family after the tail wheel touched down. Besides What are you most proud of having done thinking of going back to school and get­ member or another TWA employee, and at TWA? the bent prop 'blades and #3 nacelle there ting a degree in some subject I've never will not be charged against one's annual was only slight damage to the flaps and Perhaps the thing I am proudest of is the studierl before, like fine arts.-There are all allotment. They may be requested through belly. Incidentally, this is the only ti1pe in people who have worked·under my guid­ sorts of useful things to do once a person local pass issuing -offices. · ·.. my 55 years of flying th~.t any damage ance and gone on to better things. There are starts looking. So I'm going to keep busy. "This is a small gesture, I know," Presi-·· resulted from my flying. The cause of this a lot of them. I call them my kids. When I hate .leaving while the company is , in ·dent Meyer commented, "But one I think one was a sheared key in the landing gear one of them drops in to say ''I want to thank . trouble, but I've done the best I could for it you'll recognize as not adding appreciably mechanis-m. " to the cost problems we're trying to solve." you for everything you did for me," it's a all these y~ars and now it's time to enjoy my Thomas Leyland, who retired as big thrill for me. Four huri.dred people came retirement. supervisor-ramp &·"Cargo services, LGA, Museum ·of Flight Opens · in 1975, was an eye witness. "Since I was . The Museum o( Flight at Boeing Field, on duty as a ramp agent at the time I was Seattle, opened September 2. The museum able to witness the terrific landing Capt. exhibits trace the development of flight Ge~~ge buvall made in-the dirt, in front of from the Wright brothers to space flight. the TWA hangar~ at LaGuardia," he says. The 180,000 square-foot complex, larger Doug~mith, whoretiredjn 19a1 afte~39 than a football field, houses over 20 full­ years with TWA., also .saw the landing. He size aircraft in a six-story-high building. wrote 'Twas a mechanic on the midnight A,mong them are a Boeing B- 17 "Flying shift and stayed around to ~atch the touch-· Fortress", Grumman Wildcat and a Lock­ down shortly after the shift had ended. It heed P-80 "Shooting Star''. The "Red was. a perfectly smooth' landing and ther.e Ba~", birthplace of the Boeing Company, were no injuries to the passengers or · has been completely restored to its original <,:rew .·" appearance and has bee