2008.11.TARPA_TOPICS

TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION

NOVEMBER 2008 ISSUE 93

TARPA TOPICS Editor 1997 through 2008Captain John P. Gratz

2009 DUES ARE DUERETURN ENVELOPE

ENCLOSED

Season GreetingsHappy New Year

Dave (L) and John Gratz

John Gratz took over as TARPA TOPICS editor in early 1997. He enlisted the aid of his computer savvy brother, Dave, to transition the publication from the typewriter to the computer. In addition to typesetting, formatting, photo editing and layout, Dave has offered technical support—but much more importantly, moral support, along with our printer, Roger Martin (below) through the last twelve years and thirty four issues of TARPA TOPICS. This terrific trio has brought you the finest magazine of it’s type, which is the main reason most of us joined and remain in TARPA.

John is not going very far away. He has promised to be available in an advisory capac-ity and to lend a hand now and then. Without his moral support and good consul, I don’t think I would have taken on the daunting challenge of editing this magazine. —JJH

Editors: Prior to 1982, there were news letters written by TARPA (then) President Dave Richwine 1982—87 A. J. Clay 1987—93 A. T. Humbles 1993—97 Chuck MacNab 1997—08 John P. Gratz, longest serving

A TRIBUTE TO DAVID AND JOHN GRATZ

Our printer, Roger Martin (L) of RC Printing, St. Charles, MO and John finalize the Nov 07 issue.

PAGE � ... TARPA TOPICS

TARPA TOPICS THE MAGAZINE OF THE TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION

CONTENTS

FEATURES

2009 CONVENTION/CRUISE Vicki McGowen ………………………… 7

SKYLINER ARCHIVES PRESERVATION PROJECT Ona Gieschen …………………………… 17

REPRINT OF THE MARCH 1975 TWA SKY-LINER Featuring Peter Sellers ……………… 18

THE BOEING 707 Captain Jim Schmitt …………………. 34

THE RIGORS OF BEING AN EARLY AIR-LINE PASSENGER, andTAT’s FORD TRI-MOTORS

“Doc” Mosher …………………………… 44 “Doc” had a forty year career as a corporate pilot and is a serious restorer and historian of antique airplanes. Reprinted, with per-

mission, from the winter 2005 TO GO,publication of the Sport Aviation Asso-ciation.

PALADWR’S HOWARD HUGHES—…, andTWA—AN AIRLINE AND ITS AIRCRAFT

Books reviewed by Ed. ……………... 48

Material contained in TARPA TOPICS may be used by not for profit or charitable organizations if credit is given. All other use of material must be by permission of the Editor. All inquiries concerning this publication should be addressed to: Jeff Hill, Sr. 9610 Hidden Lane, Woodstock, IL 60098 <[email protected]>

DEPARTMENTS

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE ……………………… 3 Guy A. Fortier

SECRETARY/TREASURER REPORT …….. 4 Ed Madigan

EDITOR’S NOTE ………………………………….. 6 Jeff Hill, Sr.

FLOWN WEST …………………………………….. 51 John Gratz

GRAPEVINE ………………………………………… 61 Jeff Hill, Sr.

TARPA TOPICS is the official publication of TARPA, The TWA Active Retired Pilots Association, a not for profit corporation. The Editor bears no responsibility for accuracy or unauthorized use of contents.

FRONT: Captain John P. Gratz BACK: TWA Flight Safety poster, late 1980s INSIDE FRONT AND BACK: Covers of allTARPA TOPICS from Jul 2008 back to Jan 1982

TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION

NOVEMBER 2008 ISSUE 93

TARPA TOPICS Editor 1997 through 2008Captain John P. Gratz

2009 DUES ARE DUERETURN ENVELOPE

ENCLOSED

Season GreetingsHappy New Year

PAGE � ... TARPA TOPICS PAGE � ... TARPA TOPICS

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITORJeff Hill, Sr. 9610 Hidden Lane Woodstock, IL 60098 (815) 338-3551 <[email protected]>

EDITOR EMERITUS John P. Gratz 1646 Timberlake Manor Pky. Chesterfield, MO 63017-5500 (636) 532-8317 <[email protected]>

INTERNET WEBMASTER William A. Kirschner Box 3596 State Line, NV 89449-3596 (775) 721-4386

<[email protected]>

PRESIDENT Guy A. FortierBox 6065 Incline Village, NV 89450 (775) 831-3040<[email protected]>

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT William A. KirschnerBox 3596 State Line, NV 89449-3596 (775) 721-4386 <[email protected]>

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Dusty West4700 Pinnacle Drive Bradenton, FL 34208-8497 (941) 538-0729

<[email protected]>

SECRETARY/TREASURER Ed MadiganP.O. Box3565 Incline Village, NV 89450 (775) 831-1265<[email protected]>

SENIOR DIRECTOR Robert C. Sherman1100 Dranesville Rd. A-320 Herndon, VA 20170-2092 (703) 953-3804

<[email protected]>

PAST-PRESIDENT Charles L. Wilder 122 Wild Dunes Way Jackson, NJ 08527-4058 (732) 833-2205<[email protected]>

DIRECTOR OF HOSPITALITY Robert W. Dedman3728 Lynfield Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (757) 463-2032 <[email protected]>

EDITOR Jeff Hill, Sr.

9610 Hidden Lane Woodstock, IL 60098 (815) 338-3551 <[email protected]>

EDITOR EMERITUS John P. Gratz 1646 Timberlake Manor Pky., Chester-field, MO 63017-5500 (636) 532-8317

<[email protected]

OFFICERS/DIRECTORS

FLOWN WEST COORDINATOR John S. Bybee

2616 Saklan Indian Drive #1 Walnut Creek, CA 94595 (925) 938-3492 <[email protected]>


PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

I love quoting Yogi Berra...as I am writing this message, we are twenty-one days from the start of what promises to be one of our better conventions, in Nashville. When you read this, the convention will be in the rear view mirror...sounds like "deja vu all over again", right?

I hope as many of you as were inclined, signed up for, and enjoyed the convention. Our rosters for all the tours are robust, and should have been great fun as we look back. These are generally our only contacts with many of our fellow TWA'ers, and I really enjoy the comments we receive before and after the events.

I want to thank all the people who work together to make these conventions such an enjoyable success. Vicki McGowen, our convention planner, Ed Madigan who puts on a second hat receiving all the registrations, banking the funds and providing "how-goes it's" to me, in addition to his considerable duties as Secretary/Treasurer. And, thanks to all our volunteers that help with registration, hospitality and the other jobs.

You will note on the "Editor, Officers and Directors” page several important changes. John Gratz, and his brother David have hung up their eye-shades and turned the TOPICS editor job over to Capt. Jeff Hill Sr, who has actually put out the last two issues, (with their help and oversight). John has agreed to continue on the board as EDITOR EMERITUS...we value his background and experience on the board.

There are really no words to properly THANK both John and David for their stewardship of this fine publication over the past twelve years. They have maintained a quality level of both content and presentation that have made TOPICS the envy and standard of the industry...and looked forward to with happy anticipation by the subscribers and readers.

THANK YOU CAPTAIN JOHN P. GRATZ, EDITOR and now EDITOR EMERITUS, and DAVID R. GRATZ, ASSOCIATE EDITOR.

Best Regards,


SECRETARY/TREASURER’S REPORT August 31, 2008

As of August 31, 2008, the membership was as follows:

(R) Retired: 722 (A) Active: 25 (E) Eagle: 454 (H) Honorary: 141 TOTAL: 1,342

There are also 47 subscribers to Topics and 11 who receive complimentary copies. We have added four new members since the last Topics. They are listed later on the next page.

Following is the financial report for the period from January 1, 2008 thru August 31, 2008:

1/1/2008:

Opening Balance $66,791.59 Income $21,728.02* Expenses $40,831.57 Cash Flow($19,103.55)

Balance 8/31/2008: $47,688.04

*Income reflects a low amount as a large portion of the 2008 dues was collected in 2007.

As mentioned above we have four new members, but would like more. Please contact your TWA pilot friends and ask that they join us in future events. They can contact me or go on the web site at <www.tarpa.com> to get an application.

Don’t let your TARPA Membership expire. See the renewal notice and return envelope

contained in this issue

Respectfully Submitted,

Ed Madigan


NEW MEMBERS

Tom Domville (Carol) 17462 Tam O’Shanter Dr. Poway, CA 92064 Email: <[email protected]>

Jack Exum (Susan) 12322 E. Doubletree Ranch Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85259 Email: <[email protected]>

John Legg (Inge) 23676 Mt. Pleasant Landing Cir. St. Michaels, MD 21663 Email: <[email protected]>

Mary Wahl (Peter) 3125 N.E. 8th St. Boca Raton, FL33431

“Welcome aboard!”


EDITOR’S NOTE

Your last issue of TARPA TOPICS arrived late due to an odd chain of events. Our deadline was May 15th and John Gratz delivered the finished copy to our printer the following Monday. The printer sent the printed pages to the binder who had equipment break downs which caused a lengthy delay. The bound copies finally got to the mailer who says he was delayed by illness and shortage of staff. The magazines were finally delivered to a branch post office which sent them on to the main post office where it was discovered the mailings exceeded 16 ozs., making the mailers permit invalid, so back to the mailer… If you noticed, the envelope your copy arrived in had a postal permit pasted over the original one printed on the envelope. We are sorry to have made you wait for what was certainly one of our finest issues ever.

Stew Gilbert’s “Missing in Action” article in the July issue prompted many favorable comments. It is an irony that it fell into our hands at all as neither Stew, nor his daughter Diane, intended for it to be published. It makes one wonder, how many other stories are out there that will go untold and are soon to be forgotten?

TWA has a great legacy which will be preserved for generations in reference works and the fine writing of authors like Ed Betts, Bob Buck, Bob Rummel, Bob Serling and many others, but you’re not likely to find much mention of us “guys in the trenches” in their works; you will, however, in the TARPA TOPICS archives. TARPA TOPICS is a fine record of the legacy of TWA flight crews and to preserve it, we have digitized it and made it available on CD-ROM. We also hope to make it available to the general public on the Internet in the near future and will send CDs to several libraries.

Along those same lines, you may have seen Ona Gieschen’s report in the September TWA Seniors Skyliner (TWA Senior’s Club) on the project she is spearheading to preserve the TWA Skyliner archives. If you missed it, please see the reprint on page 17. For more information on the Seniors club, go to: <twaseniorsclub.org>.

Ona’s article is followed by a reprint of the March 1975 Skyliner – “Those were the days, my friend….” “Up, Up and Away, TWA” The fab Peter Sellers commercials. The new wide body jet fleet. The seventies were surely our high water mark!

TARPA is a dying organization, what with just over 1300 members with a median age of well over sixty and no “new blood” coming in, how can that be denied? My point is, if you have something you would like to share with your children, their children, their children’s children and any other interested parties, don’t wait to put it in writing and send it to TOPICS, even if it’s only a short paragraph for “The Grapevine”. At some future date, someone in the family might recall that great granddad was a TWA pilot and search for your name in our thousands of pages – they’re likely to find you, even if only on a list.


TARPA’s Cruising in 2009!

A “Fall Colors” New England – Canada cruise is in the making for our fall Convention in 2009. Mark your calendars now for one of the most scenic, historic, and unique cruises available.

This is a 9 night cruise, departing Baltimore onThursday, September 24, 2009. We will be sailing with Royal Caribbean on the Grandeur of the Seas. Prices for an inside

stateroom will start at $1,185.01 per person.See Registration Form for full details.

Suites are limited so be sure and register now for upgraded accommodations. All first deposits are required by Jan. 27(see registration form) so don’t hesitate, join us now for this

fabulous cruise and our2009 TARPA Convention!

Vicki McGowen McGowen Marketing

Email: [email protected] Phone: 775-849-1377


TARPA’s 2009New England/Canada Cruise

Cruise Schedule

Thursday, September 24 Depart Baltimore, MD Friday, September 25 Cruising Saturday, September 26 Portland, Maine Sunday, September 27 Bar Harbor, Maine Monday, September 28 Saint John, New Brunswick

(Bay of Fundy) Tuesday, September 29 Halifax, Nova Scotia Wednesday, September 30 Cruising Thursday, October 1 Boston, Massachusetts Friday, October 2 Cruising Saturday, October 3 Baltimore, MD

Full details with stateroom dimensions and amenitiesare listed on the registration form.

The Grandeur of the Seas was completely renovated in 2007. This ship has a beautiful glass atrium, eight bars, 2 pools (including the indoor/outdoor Solaruim

with sliding glass roof,) 4 whirlpools, complete day spa, fitness center, Casino Royale, and the Great Gatsby Dining Room that embodies the elegance and carefree

style of the 1920’s.

There are a limited number of Suites available on this cruise. If you prefer a suite be sure and contact me soon so I can secure your stateroom now. Prices listed on the

registration form include all fees: nine nights cabin fare, port fees, tax, fuel surcharge, gratuity and five private TARPA cocktail parties.


[email protected]


ReturnTARPA - 2009 Convention

Royal Caribbean – New England/Canada Fall Cruise September 24 – October 3, 2009

Cruise Registration Form

Last Name____________________________Passport First Name______________

Spouse/Other__________________________Passport First Name______________

Address______________________________________________________________

City________________________________State______ Zip Code ______________

Home Phone___________________________E-mail__________________________

Cell Phone____________________________

Please provide your complete name as it appears on your passport. You will be required to carry a valid passport for travel to and from Canada. If you would like a different name listed on your convention name badge please provide this name below.

First Name for badge_____________________________________

Spouses’ Name for badge __________________________________

Are you a US Citizen?**___________________________Age (on 09/24/09)___________ Spouse/Guest US Citizen?**________________________Age (on 09/24/09)___________

** If you are a non-US citizen please also provide passport numbers or alien registration number. __________________________________________________________________

Crown & Anchor Members

Are you a Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Member? Please list your numbers below:

Name and C & A Number ____________________________________ Name and C & A Number ____________________________________

PAGE �0 ... TARPA TOPICS PAGE �� ... TARPA TOPICS

Page –2 -All stateroom prices include cruise fare for the nine night cruise, all meals, four private hosted cocktail parties, port charges, taxes, and gratuities.

Price

Per Person Total Category L – Inside cabin, Deck 4, 146 sq. ft

_________ $1,205.01 $2,410.02

Category I – Outside cabin – Full window Deck 2, 154 sq. ft. _________ $1,345.01 $2,690.02

Category “H” - Outside cabin – Full Window forward and aft, deck 3, 154 sq. ft. _________ $1,365.01 $2,730.02

Category “F” - Outside cabin – Full Window “Main” deck 4, dining room level, 154 sq. ft.

_________ $1,495.01 $2,990.02

Category “D2” – Outside cabin with balcony, Superior view, sitting area with sofa bed, refrigerator forward and aft on Deck 7, 190 sq. ft., 36 sq. ft. balcony

_________ $ 2,045.01 $4,090.02

Category “D1” – Outside cabin with balcony, Superior view sitting area with sofa bed, refrigerator Centered on Deck 7 190 sq. ft., 36 sq. ft. balcony

_________ $ 2,095.01 $4,190.02

Category “JS” – Junior Suite with Balcony, Deluxe Suite accommodationsDeck 8, sitting area with sofa bed, refrig, bathtub, private balcony, superior view 245 sq. feet, 58 sq. ft. balcony _________ $2,545.01 $5,090.02

Category “GS” – Grand Suite with Balcony, Superior Suite accommodations Deck 8, sitting area with sofa bed, refrig, bathtub, private balcony, superior view 349 sq. feet, 107 sq. ft. balcony _________ $ 3,065.26 $6,130.52

Category “OS” – Owners Suite with Balcony, Ultimate Suite accommodations - Deck 8, superior view, separate living area with sofa bed and bar, refrig, deluxe bathtub, 511 sq. feet, 107 sq. ft. balcony _________ $ 3,765.26 $7,530.52

GRAND TOTAL $__________


SaveTARPA - 2009 Convention

Royal Caribbean – New England/Canada Fall Cruise September 24 – October 3, 2009

Cruise Registration Form

Last Name____________________________Passport First Name______________

Spouse/Other__________________________Passport First Name______________

Address______________________________________________________________

City________________________________State______ Zip Code ______________

Home Phone___________________________E-mail__________________________

Cell Phone____________________________

Please provide your complete name as it appears on your passport. You will be required to carry a valid passport for travel to and from Canada. If you would like a different name listed on your convention name badge please provide this name below.

First Name for badge_____________________________________

Spouses’ Name for badge __________________________________

Are you a US Citizen?**___________________________Age (on 09/24/09)___________ Spouse/Guest US Citizen?**________________________Age (on 09/24/09)___________

** If you are a non-US citizen please also provide passport numbers or alien registration number. __________________________________________________________________

Crown & Anchor Members

Are you a Royal Caribbean Crown & Anchor Member? Please list your numbers below:

Name and C & A Number ____________________________________ Name and C & A Number ____________________________________

PAGE �� ... TARPA TOPICS PAGE �� ... TARPA TOPICS

Page –2 -All stateroom prices include cruise fare for the nine night cruise, all meals, four private hosted cocktail parties, port charges, taxes, and gratuities.

Price

Per Person Total Category L – Inside cabin, Deck 4, 146 sq. ft

_________ $1,205.01 $2,410.02

Category I – Outside cabin – Full window Deck 2, 154 sq. ft. _________ $1,345.01 $2,690.02

Category “H” - Outside cabin – Full Window forward and aft, deck 3, 154 sq. ft. _________ $1,365.01 $2,730.02

Category “F” - Outside cabin – Full Window “Main” deck 4, dining room level, 154 sq. ft.

_________ $1,495.01 $2,990.02

Category “D2” – Outside cabin with balcony, Superior view, sitting area with sofa bed, refrigerator forward and aft on Deck 7, 190 sq. ft., 36 sq. ft. balcony

_________ $ 2,045.01 $4,090.02

Category “D1” – Outside cabin with balcony, Superior view sitting area with sofa bed, refrigerator Centered on Deck 7 190 sq. ft., 36 sq. ft. balcony

_________ $ 2,095.01 $4,190.02

Category “JS” – Junior Suite with Balcony, Deluxe Suite accommodationsDeck 8, sitting area with sofa bed, refrig, bathtub, private balcony, superior view 245 sq. feet, 58 sq. ft. balcony _________ $2,545.01 $5,090.02

Category “GS” – Grand Suite with Balcony, Superior Suite accommodations Deck 8, sitting area with sofa bed, refrig, bathtub, private balcony, superior view 349 sq. feet, 107 sq. ft. balcony _________ $ 3,065.26 $6,130.52

Category “OS” – Owners Suite with Balcony, Ultimate Suite accommodations - Deck 8, superior view, separate living area with sofa bed and bar, refrig, deluxe bathtub, 511 sq. feet, 107 sq. ft. balcony _________ $ 3,765.26 $7,530.52

GRAND TOTAL $__________


Single occupancy will be approximately $435 less than the prices listed above.

Would you like the beds together as a queen bed or as twins? ______________________

DepositsAn initial deposit of $500.00 per stateroom is required to confirm all accommodationsand is due no later than January 27, 2009.

If you prefer to pay for the cruise by check, please make checks payable to McGowen Marketing and mail to the address listed below. You can make additional payments as often as you like, however the total balance due must be submitted no later than Friday, July 16, 2009.

The initial deposit is due no later than January 27, 2009 and is fully refundable up to 6 months prior to departure, March 28, 2009. See Cancellation Policies for full details.

If you prefer to pay for the cruise by credit card, please complete the information below.

Credit Card Payment

Type of credit card: (circle one) American Express Carte Blanche/Diners Club Discover MasterCard Visa

Card number ________________________________________Exp. date_______________

Name on Card_______________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature________________________________________________________

Mail all cruise registration forms and payments to:


15600 Millie Lane, Reno, NV 89511 Phone: 775-849-1377

Fax: 775-849-1007 Email: [email protected]

Comments/Special Request:

Please let us know if you are handicapped or have special requests. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



TARPA - 2009 Convention Royal Caribbean – New England/Canada Cruise

September 24 – October 3, 2009

Cancellation Policies and Important Dates

The initial deposit of $500 (due no later than Jan. 27, 2009) is fully refundable up to 6 months prior to departure (up to March 28, 2009). After this date, penalties may apply if we cancel more than 10% of our room block.

Between 3/29/09 and 5/27/09 there may be a $275.00 per person charge.

Between 5/28/09 and 7/26/09 there may be a $275.00 per person charge.

Between 7/27/09 and 8/25/09 there is a cancellation fee of 50%.

Between 8/26/09 and 9/24/09 there is a cancellation fee of 100%.

Optional Trip Cancellation Insurance will be made available to all cruisers by Berkely Care. Information will be provided in your confirmation packet.

Any Questions? Please contact our meeting planner: Vicki McGowen

Phone: 775-849-1377 Fax: 775-849-1007

Email: <[email protected]>

***You can keep this page for your reference***


WIR WERDEN ENGLISCH SPRECHEN

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

Author unknown

PAGE �� ... TARPA TOPICS PAGE �� ... TARPA TOPICSPage 3

TWA SKYLINER (AND IT’S PREDECESSORS) ARCHIVES

The following appeared in the September 2008 TWA SENIORS SKYLINER and is reprinted here with permission. If you would like to join the TWA Seniors Club (only $15/yr.) go to their great web site – <twaseniorsclub.org> and click on “membership info”.

THE SKYLINER PRESERVATION PROJECT UPDATE By: Ona Gieschen, TWA Historian

With your generosity we have reached our first milestone, that of collecting a bit over $3,000 that we estimated would be needed for the micro filming of the entire set of Skyliners. We have completed the filming of the issues for 1960 through 2002 the last issue. Thanks too for loaning us many of those issues. Those issues are now preserved on film and are available for your use. We are in the process of reviewing the earlier 1929-1959 publications and with your expert help in finding the missing issues we will be able to microfilm these soon.

I find these older ones really fascinating. From TAT's need to tell the traveling public, the stockholders and its employees of the sophistication and safety of the operation, through the progression in TWA's "Firsts". In the 30's-40's Jack Frye's 'Between You and Me' column kept us informed of the 'doings' from the top staff while the center pages of the Skyliner came under the by-line of 'Along the Line' and was devoted to the doings of each of the stations. The hostess news came under the 'SKYWAY SALLY' heading. Other issues dealt with all the highs and the lows of our operations, the deliveries of every aircraft, the tragedy of each and every loss.

Many of you will find articles featuring your part in these tangible artifacts that are so quickly disappearing. WE are most happy that you have helped us to preserve this changing technology.

What we need now is to make it more accessible by digitization. Many of you are familiar with TARPA TOPICS the organization of retired TWA flight crews that have used digitization. This process is expected to be very expensive, perhaps $1 a page but I believe the history of TWA as written in the pages of the Skyliner is our legacy. Our human experiences, people who made the airplane fly and the people who flew in them go beyond the hardware and the inanimate airlines and their builders. WE are those people and our stories are told weekly, monthly, yearly, issue-by issue in our TWA publications. We have this wonderful opportunity through the WHMC-UMKC to make them easily accessible through digitization.

The $3,100. that so far has been collected has been for the most part been given by individuals. We are very appreciative of the gift of $500 that the TWA Seniors gave us at the AGM 2007 meeting in Scottsdale as well as the TWA DCS Alumni Association meeting in Tucson who gave us $200 through the association, but almost each of the DCS members gave us individual checks ranging from $25.00 to $350.00 totaling more than $1000.00. This from a small group of 73 members and friends, we salute you.

Many of our contributions come as memorials from family and friends of loved ones who have 'gone west'. What better way to have their legacy live on forever?

YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT HELPS KEEP HISTORY ALIVE. We can't do all this without YOU! Remember that WHMC-UMKC is a non-profit organization and the Skyliner project is supported by donations and bequests! Your contributions are tax-exempt. I have become aware that I have neglected to tell you all the method of accessing these complete tapes. They are stored in the WESTERN HISTORICAL MANU-SCRIPT COLLECTION, UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, KANSAS CITY on campus. Researchers may visit here and make copies of the film. Film may also be borrowed through a local library lending service. You will need to have your library contact WHMC-KC and you need to make sure that your library has a microfilm reader. Depending on the WHMC-KC staff availability they might make copies of selected pages for a fee. When digitized, current plan is that it would be accessible via www. (thru WHMC-KC site) and free.

You will need to contact David Boutros, Associate Director for further information. 302 Newcomb Hall, University of Missouri Kansas City, 5100 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Mo 64110 Tel; (816)235-1543 email [email protected]

Editorsnote:Just imagine, every issue of our TWA Skyliner and its predecessors could be made available to everyone, online, if the digitizing process can be accomplished. What a wonderful opportunity indeed. All we need is your help in funding this project. Please send financial contributions to:

Ona Gieschen TWA Seniors Club Historian,P.O.Box901439, KansasCity,Mo64190.Checksshouldbemadeout toWHMC-KC.Pleaseadd Skyliner fund inthememoline.


















THE BOEING 707

THE FIRST 25 YEARS

A few TWA employees considered us “featherbedders” – the term ap-plied to excess railroad crewmembers carried on board by antiquated union rules. We became the fourth crewmember in the cockpit of the newly delivered Boeing 707. The captain, first officer and flight engi-

neer each had his station; and until the Doppler Navigation System was ap-proved for Atlantic crossings, a navigator occupied the second ACM (Additional Crew Member) seat. We “second officers” rode in the seat just behind the captain. With only a radio (audio selector panel) and an emer-gency oxygen mask it was hard to look busy – hence the “featherbedding” implication.

I bid for that seat in early 1960, soon after TWA received its early 707s. We qualified for inter-national second officer with 12 hours in the simulator, eight hours copilot time and nine land-ings back in Kansas City. TWA and ALPA had come to an agreement creating this temporary position to prevent a few pilot layoffs. This pact also permitted TWA, for the first time, to pro-mote flight engineers to captain. There were benefits to TWA with the new second officer po-sition. He was frequently the only man in the cockpit with jet time accumulated over several

By Capt. Jim Schmitt [email protected]

Photo by the Ed. From the internet

John Travolta’s B-707-138B, N707JT (left) on display at Oshkosh, WI for EAA Airventure 2008 on July 31; probably the nicest (and least modified) 707 flying today. N737TW (top right) at an unknown time and place. The Second Officer occupied the forward jumpseat (bottom right) unless ignominiously displaced by a check airman or FAA Inspector.

years of military flying while the captain, first officer and flight engineer may have just com-pleted initial jet training. (In 1960 I had 500 hours in single engine jets – the T-33, F-84F and F-86 and I was currently flying jet fighters in the NJ Air National Guard.) We ex-military second officers had probably experienced CAT – Clear Air Turbulence – and other high-altitude phenomena.

Another feature unique to all jet engines was “getting behind the power curve.” Our seasoned piston engine drivers had spent years feeling that immediate surge of power when the big pro-pellers sucked the plane right out of trouble. Now they had to wait several seconds until the jet engines “spooled up” for a go-around. As another safety factor in this brand-new high-altitude environment, we took the working crewmember seat and wore the oxygen mask any time the captain, first officer or flight engineer left his station. We made position reports and monitored area weather along the way.


THE BOEING 707

THE FIRST 25 YEARS

A few TWA employees considered us “featherbedders” – the term ap-plied to excess railroad crewmembers carried on board by antiquated union rules. We became the fourth crewmember in the cockpit of the newly delivered Boeing 707. The captain, first officer and flight engi-

neer each had his station; and until the Doppler Navigation System was ap-proved for Atlantic crossings, a navigator occupied the second ACM (Additional Crew Member) seat. We “second officers” rode in the seat just behind the captain. With only a radio (audio selector panel) and an emer-gency oxygen mask it was hard to look busy – hence the “featherbedding” implication.

I bid for that seat in early 1960, soon after TWA received its early 707s. We qualified for inter-national second officer with 12 hours in the simulator, eight hours copilot time and nine land-ings back in Kansas City. TWA and ALPA had come to an agreement creating this temporary position to prevent a few pilot layoffs. This pact also permitted TWA, for the first time, to pro-mote flight engineers to captain. There were benefits to TWA with the new second officer po-sition. He was frequently the only man in the cockpit with jet time accumulated over several

By Capt. Jim Schmitt [email protected]

Photo by the Ed. From the internet

John Travolta’s B-707-138B, N707JT (left) on display at Oshkosh, WI for EAA Airventure 2008 on July 31; probably the nicest (and least modified) 707 flying today. N737TW (top right) at an unknown time and place. The Second Officer occupied the forward jumpseat (bottom right) unless ignominiously displaced by a check airman or FAA Inspector.

years of military flying while the captain, first officer and flight engineer may have just com-pleted initial jet training. (In 1960 I had 500 hours in single engine jets – the T-33, F-84F and F-86 and I was currently flying jet fighters in the NJ Air National Guard.) We ex-military second officers had probably experienced CAT – Clear Air Turbulence – and other high-altitude phenomena.

Another feature unique to all jet engines was “getting behind the power curve.” Our seasoned piston engine drivers had spent years feeling that immediate surge of power when the big pro-pellers sucked the plane right out of trouble. Now they had to wait several seconds until the jet engines “spooled up” for a go-around. As another safety factor in this brand-new high-altitude environment, we took the working crewmember seat and wore the oxygen mask any time the captain, first officer or flight engineer left his station. We made position reports and monitored area weather along the way.


The early jet engines did not have bypass fans and other fuel-saving features, so things hap-pened fast below 10,000 feet. At approach altitudes, the fuel consumption was enormous and all four crewmembers could be quite busy in bad weather. On more than one occasion, rather than a diversion to the alternate airport, my latest weather update permitted a normal desti-nation landing. That saved TWA more than my year’s salary by eliminating a landing fee, wasted fuel, missed connections, hotel overnights and passenger complaints. Of course the greatest benefit with the second officer’s position was the experience we were gaining for TWA’s future.

With a congenial captain we could expect to fly one leg out of three or four. I was handy at cockpit provisioning – fresh fruit, seedless tangerines, figs, nuts, Camembert – and usually could generate a few more courtesy visits from the flight attendants working economy class. Most captains appreciated these extra touches and the esprit de corps occasionally garnered an extra landing for me. Flying the airplane and making a landing was of course the highest prize for any pilot and I always considered it a gift from the captain. I flew the 707 as second officer and then first officer with many fine gentlemen – John Archer, Jack Asire, Jake Bash-ioum, Ford Blaney, Roy Brister, Jim Brogden, Chris Clark, Harry Gaines, John Graham, Walt Gunn, Al Heath, Bob Jaekel, and John Niven, to name a few.

My previous ocean crossings had been as a Lockheed Constellation first officer in the crew of captain, relief pilot, two flight engineers and a navigator. There were three bunks just behind the cockpit and one of my jobs was to schedule the rest periods. The upper bunk was for pi-lots only and the side-by-side lowers with a 12-inch high “bundling board” were shared by the flight engineers and cabin crew. In 1959, it could take 14 hours to carry our load of 70 passen-gers to Rome Ciampino Airport from NYC’s Idlewild. In 1960, the 707 flights to Rome took less than nine hours even with a Paris Orly stop en route, and no more bunks (in the cabin) – they were gone forever from TWA. Our payload was 142 passengers plus more mail and cargo than we could ever imagine in the Connie. The traditional limit of 20 kilos baggage (44 pounds) for economy and 30 kilos for first class would soon be lifted as passengers became more creative in their purchases. Although each pound we carried “across the pond” con-sumed more than one pound of jet fuel, it was cheap and the 707 could handle it easily.

The 707 brought massive changes to the airline industry. Our last Connie, the Lockheed 1649A (right) was a beautiful plane, designed to fly long dis-tances easily – such as Paris to Los Angeles nonstop in 21 hours. The engines were located further out on the stretched Connie wings, resulting in a very quiet cabin. The interior was elegant with several compart-ments and a luxurious first-class section. Other than a super-charger problem at higher alti-tudes, it was the finest commer-cial plane in the world. How-ever, the 707 made it obsolete in less than three years! The jet engine quickly destroyed the fu- An L-1649 deplanes passengers in the ‘50s


ture of most piston engines and then proceeded to knock the long haul turboprops out of the sky. Miami International Airport pastured older airplanes in the northwest part of the field, aptly called “Corrosion Corner.” This area soon filled up with a museum assortment of DC6s, DC7s, Connies and Electras. Most of these would never fly again unless an enterprising air-line promoter could match a plane with a dream, cash and a flyable crew. Lots of flyable crews could be found in the bars just across the fence from Corrosion Corner, but most of them, lacking that coveted jet rating, likewise, would never fly again.

The tourism industry was a whisper in the dark before the 707. That airplane demanded that we take our kids to Disneyland, that we go to Europe once or twice or maybe every summer, and that Hawaii should be for everyone – not just the newlyweds and nearlydeads. Suddenly the carnival in Rio was only 10 hours away and a trip to the Pacific Rim could be an option with only a two-week vacation. A Transatlantic ticket would decrease from $1000 to $800 to $500 to $300 in wintertime. Off-season flights to Europe in winter became commonplace as we learned that January was balmy in Lisbon and southern Italy. Off-season flights to the Caribbean in summer coaxed many hotels to stay open in July and August. Folks discovered that Barbados had less heat, haze and humidity than NYC in those torrid months and they also liked the idea of a midday siesta. Caribbean tour operators bought buses and taught their staff basic English. Fancy hotels would be built all over the Caribbean, only to be mortally wounded within 20 years by the burgeoning cruise industry that needed jets-only to deliver customers to their departure piers. Hilton Hotels – once part of TWA – were springing up all

over the world. TWA crewmembers were housed in them until the occu-pancy level became profitable, at which time they were usually evicted. Eve-ning flights from NYC to Europe and from LAX to Japan saved a hotel night, which TWA Getaway Tours and Ameri-can Express Vacations capitalized on immediately. Not mentioned was the fact that the hotel rooms wouldn’t be ready on arrival. A seat on a bus was a lot cheaper than an early hotel check-in for the tour operator, so the bleary-eyed traveler was given a free half-day “City Orientation Tour” before getting his hotel room.

We learned to love Brie, Camembert and Gorgonzola on our Paris and Rome trips and now it could be delivered daily to the USA in the huge cargo compartments of our Boeings. TWA (bought several) 707 all-cargo planes (right). I tried to avoid these flights as they were gener-ally all-night, with a sleepy crew, nothing to see outside the window, and no passengers to ap-preciate an occasional really smooth landing. One exception was a flight to Ireland with a load of racehorses and their couriers -- three pleasant young ladies who had never even been in a cockpit! We carried Formula One racecars to the Long Beach Grand Prix, new helicopters to Paris and fancy dogs to animal shows. I once flew 80 purebred, pregnant Holstein dairy cows to Tehran. After our much-delayed arrival, the late-night departure curfew would soon go into effect. We were given a typical Mideast ultimatum: we were told that we could not leave, but that if we stayed overnight TWA would lose its cattle contract! I threw myself on the Iranians’ mercy, and at midnight they raised the curfew for a few moments so we could ferry our rather pungent cow hauler to Athens.


TWA cornered a large part of the winter strawberry market in Germany that had previously been supplied by Turkey and Spain. We put 100,000 pounds of California strawberries on a 707 out of LAX in the evening and offloaded a few pallets in STL. The routine there was to drop one pallet hard enough to break it open and thus permit access to cartons of fruit. I brought home lots of fresh berries after my morning arrival at JFK. The rest of the fruit con-tinued on its way to Germany, where it arrived in plenty of time for breakfast just two days after being harvested in California.

Most of TWA’s long-haul charter flights were made by the Boeing 707. It was the perfect vehicle for many rea-sons. Filling 400 seats in a 747 or more than 220 in a wide body could be a formi-dable task, even if a plane was available for a round-trip. But a travel company or a sports team or a university could easily schedule a last-minute all-economy 180-seat 707. They knew that it would be fairly easy to fill the seats, especially with the sterling reputation of TWA’s four-engine 707s. That airplane became as familiar as a DC-3 at most airports and there was al-ways a local mechanic who knew how to fix a problem, even with duct tape and baling wire! The 707 became something like a pilot’s pickup truck for the airlines and I flew all sorts of in-teresting missions. One was a Boston to Bozeman, Montana “inaugural” for a Thanksgiving football game. It would be hard to imagine a 747 or 1011 being handled at that snowbound airport – we practically had to “kick the tires and light the fires” by ourselves for our “denaugural” a couple of days later.

On a Stanford University Christmas charter from SFO to JFK the marijuana smoke was over-whelming our flight attendants. I made a cabin walk-through and gave the problem some thought. I then announced to our partying college kids that we were all breathing the same air and my young copilot and flight engineer were really enjoying it. And if the passengers wanted their cockpit crew to be about six miles high when we landed at JFK, they could just continue what they were doing. The air cleared immediately!

Las Vegas hotels frequently chartered our 707s for their high-roller “junkets” and I felt like Judas Iscariot delivering these folks to their doom. I stayed at the same hotel and watched the organizer at work. He was the man who had put the group together at ORD, EWR, PHL or DFW and then rode with us to their three night “complementary” hotel in LAS. Late one night as we were returning the cabin carnage to ORD, I had a conversation with him in the cockpit. When I asked what his main job was, he said, “Captain, we take good care of our cli-ents! If a guy needs a gal, I get him one. If a gal needs a guy, I get her one. And of course I monitor their gambling level and remind them that they are our guests and thus expected to participate in the hotel games of chance. But most of all, I arrange further credit!” This is af-ter the client had sent $3000 to the hotel in advance to establish credit!

13 SEP1972, 707-331C laden with strawberries in SFO Bay after high speed abort.


International flying introduced me to the massive, worldwide unfairness to USA Carriers, fre-quently from our closest allies. At Rome’s new Fiumicino Air-port I monitored the radio as we requested startup clearance. There would be a pause from ground control and we would eavesdrop as Alitalia was que-ried (in Italian, on their com-pany radio) as to their readiness.

Almost invariably we would be held back until Alitalia’s DC-8 could taxi out first for JFK and of course get the preferred (routing and) altitudes all the way. At JFK there was never any pri-ority given to US carriers over the foreigners. TWA was restricted to two flights per week to Bombay and Air India was limited to twice weekly service to NYC. When the traffic to London became lucrative, Air India advised that they were going to daily flights, with their first stop either London or Paris eastbound. TWA complained but got nowhere, while AI skimmed off lots of good business. When TWA and El Al Israel Airlines both operated 707s from Tel Aviv to NY, we were held to a comfort cap of 120 passengers until El Al filled its 707 to capacity of 142—and then we could accept any over-bookings.

I was copilot on our inaugural cargo 707 to Rome. The Italian Government hadn’t yet given permission for this operation, but everyone assumed it was a Go. We landed in Switzerland and enjoyed three days of cheese, chocolate and beef fondue before off-loading our cargo into trucks to forward to Rome. TWA never did receive cargo authority to Italy! Our State Depart-ment was making deals, buying military and other favors from dozens of third-world coun-tries. All of them were given landing rights in the USA, which would eventually be worth bil-lions – to the detriment of USA Airlines! Tiny countries with one international airport would eventually operate into half-a-dozen of our lucrative USA stops. The Fifth Freedom rights by IATA (International Air Transport Association) were established, amongst other things, to distribute traffic fairly in accordance with the number of passengers generated by each coun-try. These rules were ignored all over the world. I perused the air transport section of “Aviation Week” and after buying Freehold Travel Agency, obtained another source of bad news. Digesting that information showed me how unfavorably US airlines were treated in the world market – and often by our own Government! I posted lots of this giveaway information on TWA bulletin boards and sent many letters to our State Department, without receiving any answers.

TWA had a marvelous routing to East Africa on the 707. Every other company, even today, requires an overnight to London on BA, Amsterdam on KLM, Frankfurt on Lufthansa, and then an all-day hotel stay before resuming the flight to Nairobi for a sleepy morning arrival on the third day. I cherished our pass benefits and took our kids out of school at least twice yearly for trips to Hawaii, Bombay, Ceylon, Israel, Egypt, all of Europe and much of the USA. They learned more than any geography class could ever teach them. In 1967 we took Mark age 12, Steve age 9, and Lisa at the tender but very receptive age of 4, straight through from JFK to Tanzania. Departing for Athens in the evening, we then rode through Uganda and Kenya to Dar es Salaam. We checked into the New Stanley Hotel on the second evening after 16 hours of flying. There was no change of planes, no hotel stay, and only a pleasant night’s rest before our 6-day adventure in what was then an enchanting and safe country. Tour op-

B-707-331 at FCO in the early ‘60s with Alitalia DC-8s in background.


B-707-331B ‘INTERCONTINENTAL’

erators were striving to keep their clients happy and this flight would have done it admirably, but TWA was never mentioned in all my East Africa travel brochures. I never understood why we gave it up. East Africa has been a favorite destination for many years!

A one-year call-up with the NJANG and then some time on domestic Connies for my captain upgrade took me away from the 707 in 1961 and 1962. By 1963 I was back in the international second officer seat and in 1965 I was upgraded to first officer and received my 707 ATR (Air Transport Rating). I was in hog heaven and might have stayed there forever, but a trip to Hong Kong in 1968 changed things. My captain, Bert Cooper, who had hired me back in Kan-sas City, suggested it was high time for me to move to the left seat. He was a fine gentleman and made his point by directing me to the “Gents” restroom at HKG Airport as he stepped into the one marked “Officers.” I bid domestic first officer, as I felt pretty rusty after goofing off on International with about six landings a month, usually in VFR conditions. Flying JFK Domes-tic on the 707, I brushed up in a hurry with OKC, TUL, STL, PIT, LAX, PHL and such, and within three months I was getting my captain upgrade. On November 4, 1968 I flew my first captain trip on the 707 – JFK-IND-JFK – and by June 1970 I was really swinging with an in-ternational captain bid!

The beauty of flying reserve – which was my lot frequently – is that one could get a pleasant surprise and fly almost anywhere on the 707. Tunis and Tripoli are in my logbook and my longest captain flight was JFK to TLV in 11 hours. El Al departed about the same time that evening and I mentioned to the passengers that El Al was refueling in Rome, but we were non-stop due to skill and cunning. I neglected to mention that El Al probably had our extra pas-sengers!

As TWA acquired newer airplanes, I told the passengers they were on a vintage airplane with one window for every two or three passengers. I was never gentle with the competition and once announced to my guests as we were taxiing in to JFK, “From your left window, you can see Laker Airways unloading 300 passengers from a 180-seat 707, in the rain!” I usually said goodbye to my passengers and on this occasion one guy asked me if I’d ever been sued. Occa-sionally I did have to write a letter, apologizing for a stray comment, but I never achieved law-suit level. (Freehold Travel refused to sell Laker tickets! I challenged Sir Freddy once at a travel agent meeting, but I was stomped on rather quickly.)


Once in STL our 707 was a replacement for a Lockheed 1011. At that time, the McDonald Douglas DC-10 was having problems and being referred to as “The Turkey of the Airways.” So my announcement was, “The good news is that this is not a DC-10. The bad news is that it’s not a 1011 either, but we will give you an excellent flight in this vintage 707!” There were a couple of Douglas executives on board and later we had a chat. It ended amicably, so no letter that time! Another “good news, bad news” announcement of mine was, “Ladies and gentle-men, the good news is that we loaded on extra fuel in SFO. The bad news is that we are going to be using some of it, as we circle here over ORD.”

On the 707 I always took time to walk through the cabin and thus put a face on the announce-ments. A 747 pilot couldn’t get far away from the cockpit and a DC-9 pilot was usually too busy. Each flight was a fun adventure for me and I tried to work the entire planeload into it. They were, after all, paying my way.

I kick myself frequently for not keeping a logbook beyond 1972. That was about the time our 707 spent less than six hours in the air between ORD and Paris CDG and we were pretty sure we had set a record. Everything was perfect with a fast eastbound departure from ORD, a quick climb to 41,000 feet with a light load, tailwinds to die for, and then a straight in to CDG. I inquired about records, but was quickly shushed because of the worldwide fuel problems at that time. It might have appeared to the public that we were cruising faster and wasting fuel, while actually we were lucky and flying smarter to save fuel on that crossing.

The 707 was the first successful jet passenger plane. The tragic experience of the Comet, BOAC’s 36-passenger jet airliner that ended with explosions in the sky, was well noted by Boeing. The 707 was built with an excess of strength to prevent another episode of metal fa-tigue. This added weight and made it less competitive, but we knew it was much stronger than the rather flimsy DC-8 and subsequent jetliners. We always said that our 707 could fly through anything but a mountain. That airplane was so wonderfully dependable! In all my captain years, I had to divert only twice. Both these diversions occurred on one snowy day flight going STL-BOS-JFK. We made a PIT stop (literally!) for extra fuel as BOS had suddenly gone horrid. After BOS we headed to JFK, but had to land at EWR be-cause JFK had closed due to snow.

Toward the end of the 707 transatlantic days, TWA came up with a great idea – ‘change of gauge’ in France. Our eastbound transatlantic loads always decreased markedly after the first stop, so the company based 707s and their crews (generally a 2-week gig for the JFK crew) in Paris. The 747s and 1011s brought passengers in from all over the USA, and we carried a smaller load from Paris to Rome, Athens, Tel Aviv and Cairo on the 707. I often wondered why we didn’t go for payback and fly into Ro-mania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and all those other countries that received landing rights from our ultra-generous De-partment of State.

As a travel agent with a TWA captain card in my pocket, I spent lots of time in third world cockpits. These countries were using state-of-the-art Boeings and their very proper crews had been trained in England or comparable first-


first-class facilities. I suspect the pi-lots’ pay scale was not drastically below our ALPA rates. These airlines could practice economies with operations and maintenance in their own country, but as soon as they landed elsewhere they had to pay the going rate, same as TWA! Our greater experience, tech-nical knowledge and expertise should have permitted us to compete with any third-world carrier. If you have changed airlines at London Heathrow or Paris De Gaulle lately, you are probably thinking twice about ever do-ing it again. My own 2-hour connec-tions left me breathless and I was saved only by departure delays. With TWA through-flights we could have picked up our State Department chits and car-ried Americans all over Europe with a change of planes, not airlines, in Lon-don, Paris, Frankfurt and Rome.

Why did our 707s go on the block after only 25 years? With a little creativity they could have fit well into a niche

market – like my suggestion in “The Skyliner” in 1983. At that time, first class was about $3000 r/t Europe, economy was $500 and there was no business class yet. I had flown one of our ARAMCO (Arabian American Oil Company) charter 707s fitted with only 100 luxurious seats. With 707s like that, we could have carried financiers to London, fashion mavens to Paris, and tool designers to Frankfurt for about $1200 r/t, at 41,000 feet in real style both ways. We would never have to worry about getting altitudes with a light load of 100 passen-gers, because the only other fellow up there was the SST. We could have done well for a few years, plus we would have introduced airborne luxury to many more travelers. The DC-8 had already been stretched for 200 passengers in relative discomfort. My beloved 707 had a short but sturdy landing gear, so it could never be stretched without damaging the tail assembly on takeoff. There was no plane in the air at that time that could have competed with us!

...I flew TWA 707s for most of 22 years. I was involved in many other projects and had no love for the simulator, so I stayed on the only plane I really knew. I upgraded on the 747 in 1982 but never had seniority to fly it as the real captain. The day after my 55th birthday in 1983, I checked in for training at Skystar International. A Pan Am friend of mine had set up this charter outfit flying Catholics on pilgrimages to Rome, Lourdes, and Fatima. They started with one 707 – “The Queen of the World” – and flying that old Pan Am airplane was a treat, plus it was an introduction to the strange world of charter airlines. (Flying to Lisbon one night I noticed fresh candle wax on the carpet outside the cockpit. Sure enough, the hostesses had all joined in prayer while they watched the priest light candles.) In my time with Skystar I had some great flying but an inordinate amount of time in training – my nemesis! After 16 months I retired to work full time at Freehold Travel.


This article was titled appropriately because the 707 still flew (until quite recently—they have now been replaced with B-757 and Gulfstream G-Vs—Ed) and not for some bare-bones char-ter outfit but for the US Government! As Air Force Two with our VP on board, or Air Force Three carrying the Secretary of State…. And, the (re-engined) KC-135 aerial tankers still “drag” our F-16s across the Atlantic….

I can honestly say there was never a time in my 27 years with TWA when I didn’t want to go to work. The TWA employees were wonderful people. Thank you all for helping me along when-ever I needed it. And, yes, flying a Boeing 707 for almost a quarter of a century has indeed been a privilege!

The re-engined KC-135R (above). The engineer’s panel is gone (below) the pilot’s panels are partial “glass”, looks like about early 757/767 technology and the navigation is GPS. The engines are de-rated as they are capable of thrust far in excess of the airframe

design limits. Also, it appears they’ve improved the looks of co-pilots by about 1000%.






HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE “PALADWR”?

As in, “Paladwr Press”? Don’t know, it’s not important, but at least two of their books will be to many TWA pilots. First there is, Howard Hughes – An Airman, His Aircraft, and His Great Flights. (Paladwr Press, 1906 Wilson Lane # 101, McLean, VA 22102,©2006, 90 pages, many color illustrations and black and white photos, $35.)

There’s more to this little book than we see at first blush; beginning with the dust jacket (above). The aircraft on the dust jacket are drawn to the same scale. They dramatically emphasize the size of the Hughes-Kaiser HK-1 “Hercules” (Howard hated “Spruce Goose”). You will also note that the XF-11 (upper R) in which Hughes nearly killed himself and the XH-17 (lower R) largest helicopter ever built outside the USSR, were also very large machines.

XF-11 XH-17


HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE “PALADWR”?

“…this book covers the entire spectrum of Howard Hughes aviation achievements, but keeps his film work, his women and his latter-day eccentricities in perspective.”

“Emphasis has been placed on his role in developing the Lockheed Constellation and asserting that this was his greatest achievement and a most significant contribution to the progress of the world’s passenger air transport. Only Hughes could have done alone what he did. He owned the TWA airline which placed the necessary launch order; he had the wealth and the technical knowledge to influence, even control, its design; and he was able to pilot the airplane himself to deliver an innovative airliner in great style to the authorities in Washington in 1944.” (From the dust jacket)

The other book is, TWA – AN AIRLINE AND ITS AIRCRAFT. (Paladwr Press, 1906 Wilson Lane # 101, McLean, VA 22102,©2000, 112 pages, many color and black & white photos, many excellent drawings, $35.)

This book is dedicated to TWA Captain Ed Betts (1920 – 2001; TWA 1945 – 1980) “…veteran pilot, historian, and writer, who, over the years, has faithfully documented the history of a great airline. In so doing he has set a fine example of accurate record keeping and research to other aspirants, including this author.” (R. E. G. Davies) Those of us familiar with Captain Betts work will readily understand the authors indebtedness


to Betts, as the book is crammed with detail such as, fleet sizes with delivery dates, registration and manufactures serial numbers and disposal information. Who but Ed Betts kept records like that? In addition to the many fine color and black and white photos there are many excellent drawings by Mr. Machat, in color, and in the livery with which the aircraft were delivered. He often includes scaled size comparison drawings such as the one of the DC-2 and the Constellation below.

There is a good section on Ozark and all the data on their DC-3s, Martins, Fairchilds and DC-9s.

The text does an excellent job of presenting a fairly detailed, yet concise, history of TWA and its predecessors and Ozark. This is a book that any TWAer would be proud to own. – JJH


IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN JAMES T. McCLURE

NOVEMBER 30, 1920 – JUNE 4, 2008

A man may consider himself lucky if he has three true friends during his lifetime. I know that I have had the privilege to call James T. McClure a friend. He was a man of boundless knowledge. Jim could talk in great details about complex mechanical con-cepts and effortlessly launch into an in-depth dissertation on ancient Greek culture.

Jim was truly a remarkable man in many ways. Although he faced many difficulties during his life, never did he complain or show self-pity. Instead, he looked at all the good things in life and often expressed gratitude for his family and the vast array of ex-periences that were part of his life.

Always he spoke respectfully and lovingly about his wife Betty. Together, they raised three children and loved them all equally.

Before Jim celebrated his twenty first Birthday, he had become an accomplished pri-vate pilot and was a qualified instructor. One week before “Pearl Harbor” he turned twenty-one and held the distinction of being the light heavyweight Golden Gloves box-ing champion. In spite of his many qualifications, he was rejected by the military to be

Flown WestFlown West


a combat pilot due to a slight degree of color blindness. Jim attempted to be a non-combat pilot, but was rejected by all military flying programs. Someone was wise enough to have him assigned as a civilian instructor to train other young men to be combat pilots.

After training many young men to fly, Jim’s mission for the military was completed. He became a pilot for TWA and then flew for twenty-eight years before retiring.

At the graveside service, family members gave an oral tribute to their Dad and Grand-father affectionately called, “Pappy.” When Jim’s favorite poem, “High Flight” was be-ing read, a small plane lifted off at a nearby airport, banked into a turn and joined the sun split clouds. It was not a planned incident, but could not have been timed more perfectly.

All stood in silence as a lone bagpiper, dressed in Scottish kilt, filled the air with the sounds of “Amazing Grace.” In this moment, each person said a private silent farewell to a much loved and respected man. Jim wrote a note several days before his passing, saying that he wanted only smiles at his funeral, no sadness, and no tears. It was not possible to honor this request.

In keeping with his great patriotism and love of country, it was fitting that his burial was on June 6, D-Day. Jim, you have slipped the surly bonds of earth, from all of us who knew and loved you, fly away friend… fly away.

- By Curtis E. Lipps

IN MEMORY OFCAPATAIN DELBERT L. RICHARDSON

AUGUST 24, 1920 - AUGUST 10, 2008

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN LACELLE “LES” WOOLSEY

APRIL 16, 1923 – AUGUST 5, 2008

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN JAMES S. HAGER

MARCH 3, 1920 – AUGUST 17, 2008


IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN WILLARD TEOMMEY

OCTOBER 23, 1930 – APRIL 18, 2008

Willard (Bill) Teommey was a New Yorker from the very beginning. He was born in Brooklyn October 23, 1930, graduated from a Brooklyn high school and graduated from Seton Hall University in South Orange New Jersey in 1952. He used to talk about many pleasant summers going to Rockaway Beach in South Brooklyn while growing up.

He joined the US Air Force and received his wings August 1, 1953. He was assigned to a KC-135 tanker squadron. Bill got out of the Air Force in the summer of 1956 and joined TWA August 13th of the same year.

Bill progressed through the ranks with TWA becoming a First Officer on Domestic and International at various times before going through Captain up-grading in late 1963. He began to fly captain on Connies in 1967 and moved up to the B-727 and finally the Lockheed 1011 which he flew until retirement in November 1986.

As his copilots will attest, Bill was a very “laid back” individual. Almost nothing could upset him and his crew could always anticipate a very relaxed and pleasant flight with him as the Captain.

Bill became my best friend with TWA over the years and I will always recall he was the one I turned to whenever I had a problem or a down turn in life. During his career Bill lived in Rosedale, Queens, New Canaan, Connecticut for a while in Stamford, Connecti-cut and Cross River, NY before moving to Maine after retirement. He was an avid ten-nis player, a very good skier, drove a motorcycle and even got into radio control model gliders while in Maine. Finally the Maine winters got to him and he moved to Lake Worth, Florida where he was also involved with piloting/flying full sized gliders and sailplanes.

He became sick just before Christmas of last year and was in a hospital in Lake Worth where he finally passed away April 18th, 2008. A daughter Pamela who lives in Day-tona Beach survives him.

Bill Teommey will be missed by all who knew him. - By Captain Russ Day


IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN JAMES M. “JIM” COUGHLIN

JUNE 29, 1925 – JULY 6, 2008

“Rolling down the runway before takeoff; that’s the best feeling in the world. And then, once I was in the air, I was home.” That was one of the last conversations I had with my Dad. He never lost his passion for flying.

The oldest son of Marguerite Miles and Mart Coughlin, Jim was born and raised in the Flint Hills of Kansas. In August 1943 he joined the U. S. Army Air Corps and trained as a navigator. He was going to fly no matter what the job was. Eventually he was ac-cepted to pilot school and got the wings he really wanted in October 1948. Two long separations from his family, one for the Korean War, convinced him there was a better alternative. He tried real estate and didn’t sell one cents worth but every time an air-plane flew over he stopped talking, looked up and watched it.

He joined TWA on June 15, 1953 and was promoted to Captain in 1959. He spent six years as an Instructor Pilot at the Kansas City Training Center, then moved to Arizona and commuted to LAX. For TWA he flew the DC 3, Martin 202A and 404, all the Con-nies (049 through 1649), CV 880, B 707, B 727, DC 9, L1329 (Jetstar) and L1011.

When the time came to retire no one thought he would be able to live without flying but he proved them wrong. He took up golf and started traveling with his high school sweetheart, and wife of 62 years, Lela Little Coughlin. They went to New Zealand and on many stateside trips and cruises.

Jim spent the last years of his life taking care of Lela especially after she suffered a massive stroke while they were vacationing on the Oregon coast.

Our father was always a gracious man, almost gallant. He was considerate of others and treated them with respect. A great conversationalist, he preferred to listen to what others had to say rather than talk himself. A short and very thin man, he filled every room with his presence. He was strong. He fought and won several challenging physi-cal battles. He even outlived the life expectancy of the melanoma that eventually claimed his life.

Jim is survived by Lela, his brothers Frank and Charlie, son Patrick, daughter Carolyn and her husband Joe, one grandchild Alexander Gruchacz, and many dear friends.

- By Carolyn Coughlin


IN MEMORY OF NORMAN O MILLER

APRIL 14, 1929 – MARCH 1, 2008

TWA Flight Engineer, 1956 – 1989. He was one of the fortunate people that had a job he really loved! He leaves behind a wife, Fran, of 52 ½ years, a daughter, Sheila, a son, John and four grandchildren. He will be missed by so many!

- By Fran Miller

IN MEMORY OFCAPTAIN ROBERT L. COCKS

FEBRUARY 11, 1931 – JULY 30, 2008

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN LAUREN L. ASHCRAFT APRIL 30, 1918 - AUGUST 4, 2008

IN MEMORY OF ROBERT W. CROSKELL

MARCH 30, 1928 – JUNE 28, 2008

IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN JOHN M. MORIN

JUNE 20, 1921 – May 3, 2008


IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN H. REESE WHITE

MARCH 18, 1928 – JUNE 30, 2008

Captain Reese White, age 80 took his final flight west on June 30, 2008. He passed away at home from cancer, surrounded by family.

Reese always loved flying from a young age. He joined the Air Force and served in the Ko-rean War. During that war he flew 100 missions in a P-51 earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the UN Service medal and several oth-ers.

After returning home, he wanted to continue flying and applied with TWA and was hired on September 14, 1953. He was type-rated on the Boeing-707 and 727, DC-9, L-1011, DC-3 and Lockheed Constellations. He was also a Flight Instructor while based in Kansas City, Flight Manager and Check Airman based out of San Francisco. He loved his life with TWA and all his fellow employees and friends he made during his thirty-three years with the company. He retired October 1, 1896 and moved to Sedona, Arizona with his wife Rose-marie. He chose Sedona because of the many times he flew over the Red Rocks that he al-ways admired.

Reese had an infectious personality and was always the life of the party. You could always count on him entertaining family, friends or strangers with his jokes and flying stories. He also loved to flirt with the ladies, young or old. When two members of the family became a part of the Aviation Industry, Reese was thrilled. He again became a part of the very special “family” of individuals that only those who have also been a part of aviation know. That old saying, “its in your blood” held true with Reese.

In retirement Reese loved to read, do crossword puzzles; spend time on the computer, watch football and the Weather Channel. His favorite pastime was enjoying the company of his wife Rosemarie. There was a special love between them, they were soul mates. He also enjoyed a brandy or two in the evening. He was a loving husband, great father and terrific friend. There are many dear friends that will miss him, his humor and his wit.

Reese’s wife of 35 years, Rosemarie, son Michael, daughter Kathy Biller, son Tom Darak, daughter Karen, daughter Julie Darak, six grandchildren, one grandson who has just re-turned from Iraq, and will be stationed in Korea in October, where his first child will be born. Three great grandchildren and a very special friend and spiritual advisor, Angie Mikitka, also survive him.

We shall miss you Dad. You will be in our hearts forever. - By Kathy Biller


IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN ALBERT VANDE VELDE

MARCH 7, 1921 – JUNE 1, 2008

Al was born in Chicago, IL and graduated from Lane Tech High School. He joined the Navy in 1942 and flew DC-3s and PBMs during World War II. Al married Mary, his wife of 64 years, on July 15, 1944. After the war he attended the Illinois Institute of Technology (ITT).

Al joined TWA in November 1947 and started flying the DC-3s as a co-pilot. He flew the Martin 202 and 404, all the Constellations and the Convair 880. He finished his career with TWA on the L-1011.

Al and Mary have lived in Glen Ellyn, IL since 1958 and for the past 37 years they have spent their free time at “the farm” in Ladysmith, WI. It is his legacy to all his family and continues to be enjoyed by Mary, his three children, twelve grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

Al loved flying and his kids grew up thinking that he never went to work, he always just “went for an airplane ride”. What a wonderful career to have.

Mary Vande Velde

IN MEMORY OF ALBERT H. GETTINGS

MAY 5, 1924 – APRIL 17, 2008


IMPORTANT FLOWN WEST NOTICE

American Airlines has changed the procedure for reporting the deaths of our Members. They have outsourced the collection and recording of that information to a company called Mercer. The primary purpose of that no-tification is to determine eligibility for receiving insurance benefits. Also, American Airlines and TARPA maintain these records for future reference. TARPA uses the information for the Flown West section of TOPICS and for the In Memoriam section in our Directory. All TARPA Members should save this notice and provide it to their family members.

The people at Mercer responsible for collecting the information are:

Diane Aguillar 1-972-720-3900 Ext 3602 <[email protected]>

Jamie Arvie 1-972-720-3900 Ext 3660 <[email protected]>

Family members and friends can send Memorials for those who have Flown West to TOPICS Editor Emeritus John P. Gratz

Memorials can be sent online or by mail to: John P. Gratz 1646 Timberlake Manor Parkway Chesterfield, MO 63017 636-532-8317


JUST A CLOUD AWAY

He’s there, look, just beyond that cloud, he’s never left the sky

From that long ago moment when he knew that he must fly.

Do not lament nor ever fear that he is now alone

For he is with his peers of flight, he’s with all those who have flown.

Will we ever see his like again? He’d laugh if we should ask;

“All those I’ve taught will carry on, they’re equal to the task.”

“In them you’ll find a part of me, I’ve simply left my seat

In life’s cockpit and moved on, for my check list was complete.”

Barry Craig – July 2003


COCKPIT EVOLUTION

From the big four engine pistons to the “heavy twins” jets – from plotting lines of position to get a position fix, to synthetic vision (perpetual VMC) – from flying at altitudes where most of the weather was, to flying above most of it – from complicated, ‘do right the first time or die’ operating procedures, to automatic systems (including engine operation). The DC-7 panel (above) is particularly cluttered as, unlike the Connie, most of the engine instruments and controls were up front and the F/E sat on a “jump seat” between and aft of the pilots. It was probably designed for a two man crew, but that’s a long story…In the B-787 (below) the name of the game is “automatic flight” (note HUD for both pilots). We first saw auto-flight in the L-1011 whose auto-land did a better job than a lot of pilots. All of this came to be in just the span of many of our careers!


TWO HISTORIC AVIATION EVENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2008

As we go to press in mid-September 2008, two very significant aviation events are in progress. The first, sponsored by Boeing and Jeppesen, is a transcontinental airmail re-enactment flight that commemorates the 90th anniversary of air mail service in the US, honoring pioneers of commercial aviation. The flight consists of the oldest Boeing made aircraft still flying, a 1928 Boeing 40, a 1930 Boeing Stearman 4E and a 1927 Boeing Stearman C3B, perhaps the oldest Stearman still flying. The C3B is being flown by retired TWA captain Larry Tobin who did the beautiful restoration of it. (See the March 2008 TARPA TOPICS, p. 36.) As this is being written, they should be winging their way west-ward, somewhere over Nebraska en-route from New York to San Fran-cisco. We’re hoping Larry brings back lots of pictures and that we can coax him into writing a brief ac-count of his adventure for TOPICS!

THE

Larry Tobin with his Stearman C3B

The second event is another transcontinental flight, an eastbound from California to JFK where Ruth Richter’s beautiful Lockheed 12-A (see TARPA TOPICS March 2007)

will be the guest of honor at the Jet Blue opening of their new terminal, the center piece of which is our own, fantastic, (still) futuristic, Eero Saarinen designed, Terminal Five. While we’re hoping for pictures and an account by Ruth—HEAR THAT, RUTH—you won’t have to wait to hear more about it. For an in-depth, three part interview with Ruth go to <youtube.com>. The URLs are about a mile long, so just enter <richter lockheed 12a> in the “search” window.

Ruth Richter’s Lockheed 12-A


GEORGE GAY: FROM SEVERAL TARPANS via email

“This is a wonderful, visual tribute to the pilots/crew of Torpedo Squadron 8 who were all KIA in the battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. You can even get to see, for the first time, what Ensign Gay looks like. He was the only survivor of the squadron’s thirty pilots and radiomen. Ensign Gay actually watched the Battle of Midway from a front row seat, sitting on a piece of wreckage from his plane. A video that is meant to be kept as a record of heroic men that once more confirms what President Roosevelt said, ‘Where do we get these kinds of men. God Bless them.’”

To view the video, go to <www.youtube.com> and search for “torpedo squadron 8” or, the exact page is: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsK1PeoMfNQ&feature=related>

Ca. 1940

Screen shot from the video (which is in color) Ensign George H. Gay, Jr. (right), sole survivor Ca. 1960 of VT-8's TBD Devastator group, in front of his aircraft with George Arthur Field, ARM3c while Hornet was in the Coral Sea, circa May 1942

George Henry Gay was born Mar. 8, 1917 in Waco, TX and died Oct. 21, 1994 in Marietta GA. Captain Gay was shot down during the battle of Midway. He ditched his aircraft and hid under wreckage until nightfall when he felt it safe to inflate his raft. After spending thirty hours in the water, he was rescued by a Navy PBY. Of the squadron’s thirty pilots and radiomen, Gay was the only survivor. Gay met with Admiral Nimitz and confirmed the destruction of the three carriers.

Gay hired on with TWA Oct. 18, 1945 and retired Nov. 2, 1976. He authored the book Sole Survivor about his wartime experiences. In 1975 he served as a consultant on the set for the movie Midway, in which Kevin Dobson played Gay. (Wikipedia)

An Adobe search of the TARPA TOPICS Archives CD for “george gay” yielded 18 hits in seven documents, including two pictures. You’ll find tons of stuff on the Internet, just google “george gay”, “torpedo squadron 8” or “battle of midway”.


ABANDONED & LITTLE-KNOWN AIRFIELDS: THE INTERNET

http://members.tripod.com/airfields_freeman/index.htm

“On the following pages, you will find information on vanished or abandoned airfields and their unusual histories….” So states the author’s greeting on the home page. He then lists just under 1,400 of them along with pictures, aerial views, maps and charts and brief histories. As an example, most of us know that the first TWA overhaul base was at the Kansas City, KS Fairfax Municipal Airport, just across the river from MKC. It was heavily damaged by a flood in 1951 and relocated to MCI in 1954. Fairfax was an airport from 1921 to 1985. Most of it is now the GM Fairfax Assembly Plant where they make the Chevy Malibu and Saturn Aura.

From the web site: A 1930 (color) postcard 1941 Sectional Chart 1949 airport directory

1941 airport directory (looking NE)

6,608 North American B-25s built at Fairfax GM plant 1996

FROM MARC BRECY via email: TWA COMMERCIAL ON <WWW.TWASENIORSCLUB.ORG> FEATURING THE L-1011


FROM WAYNE BOYD – A HOLIDAY COMMUTE STORY

In the mid-1980s I commuted from Kansas City to Chicago to fly First Officer on the Boeing 727. With several TWA flights a day between cities, getting to and from work was relatively uncomplicated and the Chicago domicile proved to he a pleasant working environment.

Having just returned to O’Hare at the completion of a four day flight pairing, I was pleased to discover that I could hold an ACM seat on the last flight that evening back to Kansas City. It was New Year's Eve, and although the flight was operating late because of poor flying weather at the departure station, it was homeward bound! Choosing a seat in the passenger boarding area near the departure gate, I settled down for the wait. When the agent arrived to begin working the flight he made a brief announcement explaining the weather delay and assuring everyone that there was plenty of time for the check-in process. He also added there was room for everyone. That’s when I started to notice that several people (whom I mentally named sidewinders) would by-pass those waiting in line and walk straight up to the agent. Their behavior implied, "My question is shorter than those other people’s!” With the approach of each sidewinder the agent would tactfully say, "Please wait your turn; there is plenty of time for each person to wait their turn in line!" Finally, after having repeated this several times, the agent ceremoniously stopped what he was doing and activated the PA and sung beautifully (to the tune of Auld Lang Syne):

"For those of you with reservations, On planes I cannot find, If you want to talk to me, You will have to wait in line."

The effect was immediately evident on those waiting to check in for the flight. The sidewinders sheepishly returned to their rightful location in line, and the agent quietly resumed the check-in process.

That Agent was one of Chicago’s graybeards. Unfortunately, I don't remember his name but have often wondered whether that beautifully seasonal application of' crowd control was spontaneous, or something he had used previously in his many years on the job? Whatever the case, his actions were exactly what was needed at the time!

The flight finally got to Kansas City without further ado.

DOONSBURY BY GARRY TRUDEAU


FROM DICK PUERTA via email

I just finished reading the July "Tarpa Topics". Nice work. I look forward to future editions of our publication.

Stew Gilbert's account of his WWll experiences in Italy was excellent. I flew F/E on the 880 for Stew one month when he was moving from Chicago to Albuquerque. Was he the original "commuter"? Every trip involved loading wooden crates from his ORD pickup into aft cargo and unloading them at ABQ into another pickup. I think the crates contained scrap iron, anvils and engine blocks .

Stew was special.

(We’ve had several nice comments on Stew’s article in the July issue. We were indeed fortunate that he wrote it soon after the fact, while details were still fresh in his memory,

that if fell into our hands, and that we were allowed to publish it. But most of all, we were very fortunate to have known and worked with him. – Ed.)

GUESS WHAT?

CAN YOU “ID” THIS NINE-WING TRIPLE TRI-PLANE FLYING BOAT?

ANSWER IS THE LAST ITEM IN THIS ISSUE’S GRAPEVINE

FROM KEN DEGLER via email

To all those involved, I just read my July TARPA TOPICS from cover to cover and I must say it is the best issue I ever read. Thank You!

FROM WES ROMINE via email

We just received our July issue of TARPA Topics. It was a delightful read - especially the Gilbert article. What an extraordinary story. Please print more in this genre - real-life adventures - from the fellas who served in the military or survived other amazing events. I know there must be others who have vivid memories who might be willing to share their courageous tales or misadventures with us (fearless or funny, give us more).


Your staff does a fine job of entertaining us on a wide variety of topics. And it's heartwarming to know that your work outshines American's. Keep it up.

FROM LOUIS BARR FORMER LAX F/E

I thoroughly enjoyed the memoir of Stew Gilbert in the last issue of TOPICS. I flew many times with Stew on the L-1011 and every one was a real treat. Not only was Stew a fine person, he was also an expert pilot. His “aw shucks” attitude masked a fine mind.

On another note, in January, 2008, Noreen and I sailed out of New York on Cunard Lines new Queen Victoria. We booked a segment of the inaugural world cruise, New York to Los Angeles via the Panama Canal. The transit of the Canal was not new to us, having done so years ago with a group from the TWA Seniors Club, plus several other voyages. All three Cunard Queens, the QE2, Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria rendezvoused at the Statue of Liberty. This was the only time that the three Queens were in port simultaneously and was celebrated with a spectacular fireworks display. Sailing down the East Coast the QE2 paralleled our course, sometimes coming as close as ½ mile.

During the cruise I celebrated my 89th birthday. I received a nice birthday card from the ship’s captain and a delicious cake which was shared with our dining room tablemates.

The Queen Victoria is a beautiful ship and the trip was most enjoyable. We particularly liked the Pub for lunch, washing down the fish and chips with a pint of Guiness. The entertainment was first rate. The décor of both the theater and the pub made us feel we were back in London.

Keep up the good work. I eagerly look forward to each issue of TOPICS and read it cover to cover.

Former TWA plane number 16006, N626TW, is now serving the Italian Air Force as a KC-767 refueling trainer being used to qualify crews that will man their soon to be delivered fleet of new KC-767s.


ARTICLE BY JON PROCTOR IN THE AUGUST 2008 AIRWAYS

We’ve published several items on the Paris based “motor-toter” Fairchild C-82A in the past few years, but Jon Proctor has a more in depth look at it in the August 2008 issue of Airways magazine. He also gives details on it’s C-47 predecessor and the Cairo domicile. Jon reveals the interesting history of “Ontos” (Greek for “thing”). It has been painted in many liveries; including United’s where it was used to survey routes.

The five page article is accompanied by three color and nine black and white photos.

With the arrival of the B-747, it’s huge new high by-pass fan engines were too large for even “Ontos”, so Boeing

came up with a fifth engine mount (inboard of the #2 engine) to which a fifth engine could be mounted for ferrying. A look at the 747 P&P manual shows a surprisingly small degradation in aircraft performance with the fifth engine installed.

B-747-100 with fifth engine installed


“HOW CAN I BECOME AN AIRLINE PILOT?”

Most airline pilots are used to fielding questions from young people about how to get into a piloting career. Nowadays, it’s tempting to say, “It’s not the job it used to be, get into another field.” But, wait a minute; isn’t that the same thing we were told by the old heads many years ago? If a young man or woman is really in love with aviation, they should be encouraged to follow their dream as we did. And, while it is indeed, not the job it used to be, there are many others that are far less appealing.

The jobs are out there. According to ALPA, airlines hired over a thousand pilots a month from April 2007 through March 2008 and the forecast if for hiring to increase, despite the recently announced schedule cuts and furloughs. Where are these pilots coming from? Not the military. As far back as 1996,

the USAF was graduating only 525 pilots per year. The new-hire pilots are not following the traditional path through general aviation, either; i.e. four years of college, private, instrument, commercial and CFI. Then primary flight instruction to build time and trying any scheme imaginable to get a few hours of coveted multi-engine time.

Today’s new-hires are coming out of schools like Airline Transport Professionals, American Flyers, Baylor Inst. of Air Science, Delta Connection Academy, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., FlightSafety Academy, Flight Training Services International, Florida Inst. of Tech., Gulfstream Training Academy, Middle Georgia College, Ohio State Univ. Oklahoma State Univ. Purdue Univ., Southern IL Univ., San Juan College, Spartan College of Aero., Univ. of Cincinnati, Univ. of Illinois, Univ. of ND, Utah Valley State College, Westwind School of Aero. and others. Programs range from zero time to a Part 135 or 121 right seat in six months, to four year programs which include a bachelor degree. Several schools have internship programs with major airlines. If the kids do well in these, they’re practically guaranteed a job offer later, if the company is hiring.

There is an excellent article in the July 2008 issue of Plane and Pilot which expands on the above and gives thumbnail sketches of eighteen of the above listed schools/academies along with web addresses and phone numbers. I have scanned the six page article with color graphics into an Adobe PDF file. If you’d like me to email it to you send a brief note to: <[email protected]>. Flight training has changed a lot since we learned to fly, but happily, it seems to be for the better. – JJH


2001— NOT A VERY GOOD YEAR

The sign comes off STLT Henry VIII is razed

September 11th 2001 was another “date which will live in infamy”. Closer to home, it was the year TWA lost it’s identity and to make room for the new Runway 11/29 at STL, a large neighborhood which included the St. Louis Training Center and the Henry VIII motel where so many of us spent so many nights while commuting or on reserve. Ironically, with AA’s drastic reduction of service at St. Louis, it is has been largely unnecessary. 2001 was not a good year.


LAKE O’HARE

A friend who’s still flying for UAL sent these pictures after the remains of hurricane Ike passed directly over Chicago, right behind another deep low on the weekend of Sep. 12-14 bringing over 7” of water. Larry Tobin and the NYC-SFO airmail commemorative flight team were weathered in at Rochelle, IL for four days!

“Water ski, I mean Jet Blue, hold short of the outer…”

Aren’t you guys glad it wasn’t snow?


HOWARD HUGHES' SPRUCE GOOSE HANGAR FOR SALE

Workers put finishing touches on the 320-foot wingspan for the seaplane Hercules, better known as the Spruce Goose, in July 1945at a Hughes Aircraft hangar in what is now Playa Vista. The redwood hangar is now for sale.

Associated Press

The cavernous space where the mogul built his infamous seaplane is now used as a soundstage for movie and TV shoots. Real estate experts value it at more than $60 million. By Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 7, 2008 A chunk of Howard Hughes' Los Angeles is on the block: the cavernous hangar where the aviation mogul built his infamous Spruce Goose aircraft that flew only once -- for about one minute -- in 1947. ¶ It was wartime when Hughes Aircraft Co. got a government contract to build three flying boats intended to transport troops and equipment across oceans. Hughes set out to build a seaplane capable of carrying 750 fully armed soldiers nonstop from Honolulu to Tokyo. ¶ Among his many challenges was the fact that no plane that big had ever been built, and he couldn't use materials considered crucial to the war effort, such as aluminum, to make it. He decided to use wood and settled on birch, which made the popular nickname "Spruce Goose" irksome to him. ¶ The plane's real name was Hercules. It sported a wingspan of 320 feet and weighed 200 tons. It was built in a redwood hangar that remains south of Marina del Rey on a wide patch of land where office campuses are being built to complement Playa Vista's residential neighborhood under construction next door.

The hangar that was built to help win a war is now used mainly for movie and television shoots. Its owner hopes to sell the building to a studio operator who will enlarge its role in the entertainment industry.


"We don't pretend to know that business," said John Miller of Tishman Speyer Properties, a New York real estate company that acquired the hangar last year when it bought 64 acres south of Marina del Rey to develop a $1.2-billion office complex.

Miller declined to reveal how much his company hoped to get for the property, but real estate experts familiar with the hangar value it at more than $60 million.

The hangar is longer than two football fields and at 281,000 square feet is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. It is all under one roof looming about seven stories up. It was divided in two the long way so that Hughes' teams could build the plane's fuselage in one half and the wings in the other.

The vast expanses have lent themselves to the creation of spectacle-size motion picture sets. Movies filmed there include "Titanic," "World Trade Center" as well as "Transformers" and its coming sequel. Raleigh Studios manages shooting there on Tishman's behalf.

The enormous scale of the facility is a testament to the country's determination to win World War II and Hughes' vision, ego and nerve. In 1942, months after the U.S. went to war, Hughes and shipbuilder Henry Kaiser got an $18-million government contract to build flying boats, and Hughes set out to bring the world's largest plane into the fight.

The hangar did not, however, play a part in "The Aviator," a 2004 movie about Hughes that was filmed in Canada. But it remains one of the most visible pieces of the Hughes legacy. He died in 1976.

"It's really a unique facility," said Todd Lindgren of FilmLA Inc., a nonprofit organization that arranges filming throughout the city and county. "It does see a good amount of filming."

Busy as it is, the building does have some limitations as a soundstage that a new owner might need to address. Among other things, noise travels from one side to the other, so both stages can't be used at the same time.

"It has sound issues," said Victor Coleman of Hudson Capital, a Hollywood studio owner familiar with the property. Also, it's not certified by the county Fire Department as a soundstage, which means each production needs an on-location filming permit.


Bringing it up to standards found at established studios would be costly, Coleman said. "Big capital expenditures will be needed, including probably a parking structure."

But, Coleman acknowledged, the Westside is a desirable location for filmmakers, and the sheer size of the Spruce Goose hangar makes it competitive. "The demand for that type of facility for a major feature is still pretty high," even in a tight economy, he said.

The audaciousness of the plan suited Hughes, who was at his swashbuckling peak at the time, said Geoff Schumacher, author of "Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia and Palace Intrigue." In the 1930s Hughes set airplane speed records, cavorted with movie stars and built motion picture and aviation empires.

After the U.S. was drawn into World War II, "he tried very hard to become a major defense contractor and help win the war," Schumacher said.

But Hughes fell out with partner Kaiser, failed to complete the plane in time for the war and faced an angry Senate committee concerned that he had misappropriated funds. He put $7 million of his own money into the Hercules project to keep it going.

On Nov. 2, 1947, Hughes himself was at the controls when the plane was finally placed in Long Beach Harbor for early tests to see if it could taxi smoothly through the water. But to the delight of surprised reporters and onlookers, he lifted the plane about 70 feet off the water and was airborne for about a minute.

"It was crazy," author Schumacher said in an interview, for the chief executive to play test pilot, but Hughes had been involved in every facet of development and was determined to prove to doubters that the big bird could fly.

But that was it. The Spruce Goose was stored and then displayed in Long Beach before being moved to an Oregon museum in the 1990s. The hangar where it was built has changed little and is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, said Linda Dishman of the Los Angeles Conservancy.

That place could be hugely productive again if a new owner refitted it, said Miller of owner Tishman. "You could divide one side into three TV soundstages and film movies on the other. You could do multiple shoots at the same time."

Investors and large film production companies looking for a reliable place to shoot are checking it out, said real estate broker Carl Muhlstein, who represents Tishman. "There is a shortage of soundstages," he said. "And investors like studios because they have irreplacable tracts of land in dense urban areas."

[email protected]


IN THIS ISSUE WE FEATURE THE “HEAVY TWIN” THE “SEVEN FIVE/SEVEN SIX SEVEN”

We continue our series of TWA aircraft cockpit panels. They were all scanned from the card-board familiarization line drawings that we got with our “course notes” in the initial equip-ment transition ground schools. They show exactly the original equipment configuration. You will not find this kind of accurate detail anywhere else. Special thanks to Capt. Tom Hoppe and F/O Jeff Hill, Jr. for supplying the materials reproduced here.


CAPTAIN’S INSTRUMENT PANEL


FIRST OFFICER’S PANEL


OVERHEAD PANEL


CENTER PEDESTAL

Is there anyone that can make the B-747 panel drawings available for scanning? Contact <[email protected]>


FROM DICK NIKERSON VIA EMAIL

I can't believe I have been retired 14 plus years. Time goes by fast when your having fun. When I retired in 1994 I ran a charter fishing boat with my two older sons. On one particular charter I had Ken Outland on board (1997)and he said, "are you ready to fly jets again?" I was getting bored fishing and playing golf and said, "yes". In 2000 I joined the FAA in Fort Worth, Texas, at the American Airlines Certificate Management Office. I got checked out the the B-777 in 2001 and now hold the position of B-777 Aircrew Program Manager. The FAA is sending me to B-787 school in March of 2009. I love the job and will continue doing so as long as I'm making a difference, having fun and remain in good health. If any one of these change I will retire, but until then life goes on.

Tarpa is a magazine I truly enjoy, It reminds me of wonderful times and many friends I truly miss.

(Dick attached a link to the TWA informercial we did an article on in the November 2007 “TOPICS” p. 77, which included some very interesting input from members regarding the TWA people in it. It was a b&w 16 mm sound film showing TWA’s Flt. 2 going from LAX to MKC and LGA in the 1950s, Captain U. J. Kampsen commanding. If you missed it go to <youtube.com> and enter “Flying aboard the Lockheed Constellation part 1” and “Flying aboard the Lockheed Constellation part 2” in the search window. It is in two parts and the airplane was an 049. – Ed.)

ANSWER TO GUESS WHAT

“The Caproni Ca.60 Noviplano was a nine wing flying boat intended to be a prototype for a 100 passenger trans-atlantic airliner. It featured eight engines and three sets of triple wings. Two pontoons, mounted on each side, were intended to give the aircraft stability. Only one example of this aircraft was

built by Caproni. The prototype only made one short flight on 4 March 1921 over Lake Maggiore in Italy. The aircraft attained an altitude of only 60 feet and crashed shortly thereafter. It broke up on impact and quickly filled with water, sinking to the bottom of the lake in a few minutes. Both pilots were killed. See Wicipedia.com for more info. See a great video on youtube.com <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnGZBhrrlMk>.

There is an excellent example of a Caproni aircraft in the USAF museum in Dayton; a CA. 36 three engine bi-plane bomber (ca. 1917). It has two 6.5mm machine guns, MGwt 8,820 lbs and 1,764 lb. payload, three 150-hp water cooled engines, a range of 372 miles, max speed 87 mph, wing span 74’7”, length 36’3” and a crew of four.


WE’RE PATIENTLY AWAITING YOUR INPUT

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Anecdotes – good “hangar flying” stories BiographiesPhotos and art work Interesting bits of information Interesting web sites Anything else you think fellow TARPAns might find interesting or entertaining


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FFA IMPROVED FEB 3 1964

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ANY AVIATION RELATED ITEMS YOU COME ACROSS (ESP. AIRLINE,ESP. TWA) – INCLUDING PHOTOS & GRAPHICS!ANY INTERESTING WEB SITES YOU COME ACROSSA PARAGRAPH OR TWO ON YOUR BEST TRIP, YOUR WORST TRIP,YOUR FIRST TRIP, YOUR LAST TRIP, YOUR MOST MEMORABLE TRIP,JUST LOOK AT YOUR OLD LOG BOOKS, THEY’LL GIVE YOU IDEAS!ANY NEWS ABOUT OUR OLD BUDDIES.WHAT YOU’RE DOING – HOBBIES, ORGANIZATIONS, ANY THING…RECOLLECTIONS OF UNUSUAL AND INTERESTING CREWMEMBERS.ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK WOULD FIT WELL INTO THE GRAPEVINE.

INCLUDE YOUR WHOLE NAME, NICK NAME, YEARS AT TWA AND WHEREYOU’RE LOCATED – AND IF YOU HAVE AN INTERESTING IDEA FOR ANARTICLE, BY ALL MEANS, WRITE ONE, OR AT LEAST PASS ON YOUR IDEA._______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________add as many pp as you like

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