BARNSTORMING THE AIRSHOWS INSURANCE SHOPPERS GUIDE CONVENTION FACILITIES SELECTED COAST TO COAST TO COAST IN A J-3 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION' OF TWA Officers and Directors of the Association Lyle Spencer, President R. G. Derickson, First Vice Pres. A. T. Humbles, Secretary Dean Phillips, Treasurer
Sam Gracy, Vice Pres. East W. F. Merrigan, Vice Pres. Central Lou Cook, Vice Pros. West Wallace Mazer, Director Ritchie Beighll., Director
ART SESSI AND HIS MIDGET MUSTANG
Larry Decelles, Director Howard Hansen, Director Roy Van Etten, Director Slim Pahl, Director
ART SESSI AND HIS MIDGET MUSTANG By Andy McCarthy Five years of painstaking workmanship went into the pride and joy of Art Sessi, his glistening Midget Mustang. Art began the project in 1968, and rolled the tiny craft out of the workshop in the spring of 1973. The first flight was described by Art as the "greatest thrill in the world". The 16 foot ship weighs slightly over seven hundred pounds, which is almost two hundred pounds heavier than the original plans called for. The additional weight can be attributed to a larger engine (a Lycoming 115 H.P. as opposed to the recommended Continental 85 H.P.), a metal prop, and the use of .032 aluminum stock throughout rather than the .025 skin that was part of the design plan. The use of the thicker and heavier metal allowed Art to use flush riveting to improve performance and appearance. The little metal airplane is hardly one for the average pilot. The Midget Mustang stalls at 90 miles per hour! The cruise speed is 160 true airspeed, and the airplane is aerobatic. Art prefers to do the roll maneuvers, instead of the type of vertical aerial exploits that are so popular today. The reason is that the ship will constantly be on the high or low speed stall all the way around in a simple loop, thus the leaning toward the point manipulations. Art has decided to paint the aircraft after all these years. It seems that the coruscating sparkle cannot be obtained with-out the use of much elbow grease and polish, so the paint job will bring welcome relief. The Midget Mustang of Art Sessi is the embodiment and perfection of Art's fastidious personal style. It can be genuinely said of the aircraft it is truly a work of Art.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
I am sure you are all wondering about the recent mailing you received with an application blank, a cover letter and an extra TARPA TOPICS. This all came about because of a membership drive by TARPA. We wanted to contact all pilots 50 or over, but not retired. Since it is- against ALPA policy to release names and addresses of ALPA members, we had to go a roundabout way. We obtained ALPA agreement to mail this membership information and bill TARPA for the postage. Unfortunately, the men in charge of the project went on vacation and left the job to secretaries who used the wrong mailing list - those of us who are already re-tired. Please don't blame A. T. Humbles for this as he was an innocent bystander. A new mailing has gone out to the proper people and ALPA is paying for the printing and postage on this. It was not a complete loss as we did pick up some new members from the retired list. Please, when you call a friend or acquaintance, identify yourself on first contact. Wives don't like to admit to unknowns that their husbands are not at home. We are still working on getting TARPA a tax exempt status. It is a long drawn out and frustrating experience. The plans for the 1983 Convention are coming along well. There is more information in this issue. The return on the questionnaire in the July issue was 12. These with the 56 we received at the 1982 convention is a small return from a membership of approximately 800. This is YOUR organization. How do you want it run? Where do you want your Conventions held? What time of the year? You will notice in the TARPA policy printed in this issue that nominations for the Award of Merit must come from the membership. If you have a nominee, please let Ed Betts know.
Lyle Spencer
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1983 CONVENTION NEWS
Convention plans Chairman Lyle Bobzin has been hard at work and is well along with plans for the Fifth Annual TARPA Convention to be held in Las Vegas May 10, 11 and 12, 1983. Lyle has arranged for accommodations at THE DUNES. North and South tower rooms have been guaranteed in writing at a daily rate of $43.00. This rate applies for three days before the convention and for three days afterwards. Golf, tennis, swimming and bridge are all available right on the Dunes property. May 10, Tuesday; Check-in, registration, golf, tennis, trap shooting and bridge available if desired. HOSPITALITY HOURS three to eight P. M. May 11, Wednesday: Golf 7:30, tennis, bridge, tours, etc. Business meeting 1:00 P. M. HOSPITALITY ROOM open until 8:00. May 12, Thursday: Golf 7:30, tennis, bridge, tours, etc. Business meeting 1:00 P.M. Cocktail party in the Seahorse Terrace at 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. followed by the banquet in the Crown Jewel Room. A Grand Canyon Air Tour, fashion shows, and bus tours are available if desired. Remember, the reservations will be for TOWER ROOMS. TARPA conventions are great fun and are a good place to renew old acquaintances, so make your plans to be there, or you'll miss a fine time. CONVENTION BANQUET Lyle needs to know your wishes regarding the banquet. Lyle says that most of us are probably tired of "the bird" at banquets, but that a meat entree raises the price of the meal by $4.00 or $5.00 minimum. One solution would be a buffet, but as Lyle points out, pilots don't like to stand in line. Lyle has looked into this and he comments: "A buffet can be set up with four access lines. This would mean that with the past 300 attendees, about 75 persons per line if all are there together. If combined with the cocktail hour, it could be
staggered somewhat. The set up for the Dunes is a live bar service available in the dining room. This is not the same bar that will be used for the prior cocktail hour, but will be the bar for drink purchases in the dining room. It is possible this could make a buffet acceptable". You will find a questionnaire at the end of this issue. Please fill it out and mail it to Lyle so he will know what you want. * * * * * * * * * * O.K. - so you've got this dope elsewhere, but if you're like us, you've already buried it, so here it is again.
Where to Get Benefits information
OTHER BENEFIT PLANS INFORMATION
J3 Fantasy Project: Crew:
Reason: Dates:
Coincidence: Aircraft: Engine: Route: Routine:
Delays: Servicing: Notable: Whimsey:
J3 Cub: coast-to-coast, round trip. Herb Ottewill: Captain TWA (Ret) — Captain USN (Ret) — First 747 captain to have been retired by FAR 121.383c (Oct. 7th 1970). Don Frazier: Captain TWA — Lieutenant Commander USN (Ret) — Presently on B 727's; previously a carrier fighter pilot during the Korean War. A Cub love affair. Nostalgia for Ottewill; to see "how it was" for Frazier. Mostly, just for the hell of it. Departed Bayport Aerodrome NY on Sept. 15th 1980. Arrived Oceanside CA on Sept. 26th. Arrived back at Bayport NY on Oct. 3rd 1980. The 50th anniversary of Bill Piper's Cub. The trip had fifty segments. Piper J3 Cub — N 87927, born Lock Haven PA 1946. Total time at last Annual: 17101 hours. She carries her age proudly. Continental 65. Majored to zero time prior to trip.
Thru El Paso westbound; Albuquerque eastbound. Day VFR. Flown leg and leg, pilot forward; navigator aft. Navigation by sectional charts and mag compass only. No radio, no lights, no filed flight plans, no controlled airports or controllers. Nothing but plain, old fashioned, beautiful flying—and an occasional rough landing. Low ceiling at Columbus OH, high winds at Wichita, and dancing girls at Kansas City. Supervised throughout by A&P Mechanic No. 10194. Density altitude at Gallup NM reported at 9200'. Four airports without fuel; three without FBO's. After learning of the Piper anniversary, the last RON of the trip was made at Lock Haven PA. Total operating cost for the trip: $715.14. N87927 — PIPER CUB .13 — COAST R/T LEG TIMES
The sting: 15
17 18
19
20 21
22 23
September 1980 Westb Bayport Aerodrome NY Flanders Valley NJ 1:40 Grimes PA 1:25 Bellefonte PA 1:45 McVille PA 1:35 Beach City OH 1:45 Holmes County OH :30 Columbus OH 1:25 Canceled—low ceiling Reese IN 1:30 Highland IN 1:40 Taylorville IL 1:50 Bowling Green MO 1:45 Salisbury MO 1:30 Kansas City MO 1:30 Canceled—fun & games Pamona 1:55 Emporia KS :50 Wichita KS 2:10 Canceled—high wind 2:00 Gage OK
24
25 26 27
2
29
Amarillo TX Portales NM Artesia NM Carlsbad NM El Paso TX Deming NM Cochise Co. AZ Phoenix AZ
2:10 1:45 1:55 :50 2:10 1:30 1:50 1:55
Buckeye AZ Desert Center CA Oceanside CA September 1980 Oceanside Thermal CA Blythe CA Phoenix AZ PR Local Show Low AZ Gallup NM Albuquerque NM
:40 2:00 2:00 East CA 1:35 1:20 2:25 :30 2:10 2:10 2:10
Las Vegas NM Dalhart TX
1:50 2:35
Liberal KS Kingman KS Manhattan KS Kansas City MO October 1980 Hannibal MO Mattoon n L IL Winchester IN
2:00 2:20 1:55 1:45
Norwalk OH Huron OH Franklin PA Lock Haven PA 3 Hazleton PA Lincoln Park NJ Bayport NY Westbound time Eastbound time Round trip total Fuel amount (gal) Fuel cost Oil Tie cost down cost Parts cost Total trip cost
2:10 :20 1:55 1:50 1:15 1:25 1:20 45:30 40:40 86:10 382 6 $643.1 277 00 6.22 $715.1
30
1
2
2:00 2:00 2:10
TARPA POLICIES AWARDS Awards Committee established.
(Convention 1980)
Criteria for TARPA Award of Merit 1.
The award shall be made only on the basis of the individuals "Contribution to Commercial Aviation".
2.
Nominations should be solicited from the membership at large.
3.
All nominations including those submitted by the Committee, must be accompanied by a written substantiation of their "Contributions to Commercial Aviation".
4.
Honorees shall be limited to a maximum of three (3) per year.
5.
Candidates shall be limited to TWA employees or former employees, but not restricted to cockpit crew members.
6.
The Awards Committee shall prepare a list of nominees together with substantiating data on each, and submit same to the Board of Directors for a final vote by secret ballot.
7.
A minimum of eight (8) votes will be required for a candidate to qualify as an honoree.
8.
The Award ceremony, when appropriate, should take place at the annual TARPA meeting.
9.
TARPA shall pay for the hotel room and banquet dinner for the honoree and his spouse. (Board of Directors 1982)
CONVENTION SITE AND DATE The Board of Directors shall make every effort to designate the place and date of each Convention at least two years in advance. (Board of Directors 1982) DUES Annual dues shall be $15.00
(Convention 1980, 1981, 1982)
Dues are pro-rated for persons joining after the calendar year starts, i.e.: first four months $15.00, next four months $10.00 and last four months $5.00. (Convention 1982)
ENDORSEMENTS TARPA will avoid any action which might be construed as sponsorship or endorsement of a business or commercial venture. (Board of Directors 1981) RETIRED AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION TARPA will affiliate with RAPA and the annual dues will be paid from the TARPA general fund or central treasury. (Convention 1979) RETIREMENT TARPA approves and encourages the continuing efforts of the TWA MEC and its Retirement Committee to improve the investment flexibility and performance of the TWA Pilots Trust Annuity Plan. (Convention 1981) TARPA shall pursue every avenue open to obtain a legal voice in the administration and operation of the "B" Plan. (Convention 1981) TARPA, having reviewed the Trust Annuity Plan resolutions #82-6, #82-7, #82-8, #82-9 and #82-10 endorses the actions of the TWA MEC and recommends that the Chairman of the Retired Pilots Committee, Captain Roy Van Etten, be selected to fulfill the additional post of observer at the meetings of the Investment Committee, and further whenever the need arises, TARPA will make similar recommendations to the TWA MEC for their consideration and approval. (Convention 1982) RETIREMENT PARTIES TARPA favors domicile retirement parties. (Convention 1981) TWA SENIORS Full cooperation in every way with the TWA Seniors organization is intended by TARPA. (Convention 1980) * * * * * * * * * * * * THE GOLDEN RULE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES: Whoever has the gold makes the rules. * * * * * * * * * * * *
June 1982
Dear TWA Senior: As announced in Mr. D. J. Ryan's letter of May 10, 1982, we are pleased to enclose your new Class 7R term passes. These passes are effective for use immediately and will replace the cards now in your possession which become invalid as of this date. Please note the following: 1.
The 7R classification and the seniority date shown on the enclosed pass will become your permanent retiree boarding priority and will not be subject to further adjustment at or after age 65.
2.
The Class 7R is valid for space available travel systemwide, including international and transatlantic segments, without seasonal embargo.
3.
The Class 7R will board after active employees holding Class 7 passes; within the 7R classification passholders will hoard by company seniority date as shown on the pass.
4.
Replacement cards will he reissued in accordance with the expiration date shown on the enclosed term pass.
5.
In the event of your death, your spouse and eligible children may retain the pass in their possession until the expiration date shown on the pass provided marriage was entered into prior to retirement; thereafter, Class 9 survivor term passes will be issued upon written request by your spouse. If marriage was entered into after retirement, pass privileges will continue for one year only. Allotment for children will continue as long as they remain eligible but not to exceed the period to which your spouse is eligible; remarriage of spouse will revoke all p rivileges for spouse and children. Death of spouse will revoke all privileges for childre n ..
Station personnel have been advised that Class 7 or 9 retiree passes are invalid after July 1, 1 9 8 . avoid embarrassment at the air p ort ticket counters, please do not attempt to 'se your existing Class 7 or 9 pass beyond that date A self-addressed return envelope and acknowledgement form are enclosed for your convenience in returning your old passes and acknowledging receipt of replacements. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU RETURN YOUR OLD CARDS PROMPTLY as our record of their cancellation will determine your eligibility for future term pass renewals. Sincerely,
John F. Mock ManagerPersonnel Benefits Enclosures
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1982 FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF ICD
On February 26, 1942, TWA's Intercontinental Division made its first flight across the Atlantic Ocean under contract to the Air Transport Command of the United States Army forces. Started with personnel taken from TWA's domestic operation, it grew rapidly to where it was flying more than 1,000,000 miles per month, linking five continents and 24 countries. ICD helped to put transworld flying on a scheduled basis, operating with a transatlantic flight completion record of as high as 98%. This operation was a proud achievement for TWA. Further, the experience and know-how gained during the ICD years made it possible for TWA to transition smoothly into international commercial flying beginning with Hal Blackburn's historic flight to Paris on December 3, 1945. * * * * * * * * * *
the small society
by Brickman
* * * * * * * * * * The cartoon on the following page has appeared in several pilot's newsletters. We don't know where it originated, so we are unable to give credit for it. * * * * * * * * * *
RAPA
The tragedy of the Braniff bankruptcy and its impact on employee pensions has been cause for RAPA to investigate ways of protecting the employees pensions in such events. At the moment, one hope seems to lie in some proposed legislation in the form of HR-4330, which would make retirement plan fiduciaries, corporate officers, pension plan administrators, corporate and plan attorneys, and substantial owners of corporations personally liable for pension benefits. It would allow the PBGC to claim the assets of those individuals if that agency is not notified of certain reportable events and if it is unable to recover the guaranteed amounts from corporate assets. These "events" include declaration of bankruptcy, selling over 10% of company assets, restructuring debt, and closing more than 20% of the company facilities. * * * * * * * * * * * The 1982 RAPA Convention will be held at the KONOVER HOTEL in Miami Beach, December 1st through the 4th. The cost for three nights at the hotel, three free cocktail parties, meeting facilities, and a banquet dinner will be $120.00 per person double or $170.00 for singles. Every effort will be made to pair singles for those who are interested. RAPA is also sponsoring a week long cruise on the S. S. NORWAY immediately following the convention on December 4th. They have 50 outside state-rooms reserved at a cost of $575.00 per person double occupancy. While RAPA By-Laws provide for only one voting delegate per airline, there is no limit as to how many members from one airline can attend as non-voting delegates. Anyone interested in attending this event, or taking the associated cruise, please contact Dave Richwine. * * * * * * * * * * *
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the small society
by Brickman
Another luncheon crowd at Lake Quivera, Kansas City, Kansas April, 1982
Faces in the crowd, starting from left, bottom row: Orson Rau, Earl Lindsly, John Roche, Joe Bell, Dick Kleiner, Jim Fennell, Moe Hansen Wayne Tague, Chris Carper, Art Eggiman, Wade Dohoney Bob Gaughan, Gordon Durlin, Dean Miller, John Clark, John Robertson, Art Prestia, Ernie Glaeser Gale Storck, Bud Powell Jack LeClaire, Barney Garriott, Russ Means Dayton Orr, Jake Fisher, Parky Parkinson Paul Jones, Harold Neumann Jim Obertino, Harold Wright Al Brick, Bert Cooper, Jim Mueller
PENSION PLAN REPORT By Roy W. Van Etten
We finished 1981 with a "B" plan unit value of $23.578. Your October, November, and December checks will be computed using the unit value as of June 30, 1982. That number is $21.490 or, in other words, we have taken about a 9% loss for the first six months of this year. The next valuation date will be September 30 and the J a n u a r y , F e b r u a r y , a n d M a r c h c h e c k s w i l l b e determined by that number. I think it is safe to say that in this current booming market we have recovered all of this years losses. If we can just sustain this upward move until the end o f S e p t e m b e r , n e x t J a n u a r y ' s c h e c k s h o u l d be at least a 1 0 % increase over October's payment. The restructuring of the "B" plan is proceeding along the lines that we discussed at our last two conventions. Progress is slow a n d t h e r e a r e m a n y p r o b l e m s to s u r m o u n t . An i n v e s t m e n t c o m m i t t e e now e x i s t s and it s m e m b e r s a r e : for A L P A , R. J. Flannery and William Proctor; for TWA R. A. Peiser, Vice President and Treasurer and Nicholas Moren, Assistant Treasurer. I have attended the meetings of this committee, as an observer, in August and September and will attend a forthcoming meeting in October. All phases of the restructuring are being discussed and acted upon. The installation of individual accounts will require the assistance of specialists in that area and steps are being taken to secure that help. I am cautiously hopeful that when our next convention convenes e v e r y t h i n g w i l l be in p l a c e and o p e r a t i o n a l s o tha t a presentation can be made explaining your new options and the procedures for implementation. If you opt for an individual account, it will provide you with some control as to how your "B" plan assets are invested. Those who do not wish to make s u c h c h o i c e s w i l l r e m a i n in the general fund. You have probably all read about Braniff's pension problems since the demise of the airline. The articles prompted me to c o n t a c t E q u i t a b l e to d e t e r m i n e how s a f e a r e o u r " A " p l a n p a y m e n t s i n t h e e v e n t o f a s i m i l a r f i n a n c i a l d i s a s t e r on TWA. You will be pleased to know that once you receive your annuity certificate from E q uitable the amount of payment stated thereon is guaranteed by Equitable for the remainder of your life. At a recent, company sponsored, retirement seminar it was pointed out that only one other airline provides for their retiree's in like manner. And with that pleasant thought I will conclude this report.
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(With apologies to those we have Not Identified.)
Front Table: R. C. Downing, J. O. Jarrard, Ken Meinen (TWA Attorney), Marvin Horstman, Ray Rowe, Dave Halperin, Ed Frankum, John Carroll, N.I. N.I., Bill Wintersteen, Paul Fredrickson, Ed Minser, W. B. Miller, Herb Kampsen, N.I.
Middle Table: Orm Gove, Lyle Hincks, Tudor Leland, Stan Kasper, Fred Austin, N.I. Bill Campbell, Bob Springer, Les Munger, Dave Spain, Ruby Garrett, Bob Mueller, George Rice
Back Table: (L. to R.) Gerry Bradford, Bill Burgner, N.I., Chris Carper, J. C. Hagins, Bob Eads, Dave Kuhn. Clark Hood, Joe Peterson, Bob Overman, 4 N.I.
Head table: (Not all identified) Frank Busch, Bill Merrigan, Carter Burgess, Floyd Hall, Clarence Sayen, N . I . John Harlin, Don Smith.
TWA Officials, including the line's new President, Carter Burgess, joined with ALPA President, Clarence Sayen, the TWA Negotiating committee and the TWA Master Executive Council in ceremonies during mid-February on the occasion of the signing of a new employment agreement between ALPA and the company.
AN HISTORICAL AGREEMENT
A part of the caption from the magazine reads:
PHOTOGRAPH FROM COVER OF THE AIR LINE PILOT, MAY 1957
INSURANCE OVER 65 AND TRAVELLING OUT OF THE COUNTRY? Please be reminded that, with certain limited exceptions involving Mexico and Canada, Medicare does not pay for any medical expenses incurred outside of the United States. Likewise, Medicare supplement policies, including our own RAPA and TWA policies do not cover you while outside the U. S. There are some travel policies that provide limited reimbursement for medical expenses, including AAA. You are urged to check on these, particularly any that may be offered by the sponsor of a tour you may go on. AGE 65 INSURANCE TRANSITION: There are some things about making the transition from the TWA basic health insurance policy to Medicare and the supplemental policies needed to make up for its many shortcomings which are not too well known. The key factor is that your coverage during this transition period is governed by the month of your birthday and not your actual birth-date! For instance, if you enter the hospital on or before the last day of the month preceding your birthday month, you will be covered under the TWA basic policy for as long as the illness continues, even beyond your 65th birthday. However, if you enter the hospital at anytime during your birthday month (even before your actual birth date), you will be covered under Medicare. The reason for this is that Medicare starts its coverage as of the first of your birthday month. For example: Assuming a birth-date of October 15th, and you enter the hospital on September 30th, all of your expenses for that particular illness will be covered under the TWA basic medical plan. If you enter between October 1st and October 15th, you will be covered by Medicare even though you are not yet age 65. NURSING FACILITY CARE: The question of SKILLED NURSING CARE COVERAGE after leaving the hospital has been raised. Medicare pays 100% of the cost for the first 20 days, provided you are confined for at least three days. For the 21st through the 100th day, it pays all but $32.50 per day and nothing after the 100th day. The RAPA policy pays $35.50 up through day 100 and then $33.33 per day ($1,000.00 per month maximum) up to 365 days. The TWA "AGE 65 PLUS" Major Medical Plan does not cover nursing facility care. RAPA vs TWA PILOTS GROUP MAJOR MEDICAL (AGE 65 PLUS): I have been asked to make a comparison between these two policies which are available to our members over 65. This is sort of an apples/oranges situation, but I will try. (continued)
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The TWA policy recently made available to us through the efforts of the Pilots Negotiating committee, is primarily a Major Medical Type designed to protect only against a financially disastrous type illness and accordingly pays nothing until you have had to spend $1,000.00 out of your own pocket over and above what Medicare pays. After that, it pays in accordance with the basic benefit schedule recently mailed to you. For another $150.00 out of the pocket expense (total $1150), you are eligible to go on the Major Medical schedule which, in general, pays 80% of the "covered expenses". After you have paid out a total of $1950.00 of your own money, the "stopgap" portion of the plan then pays 100% of the remaining expense for the balance of the calendar year, subject to a lifetime family maximum of $250,000.00. As mentioned above, this policy does not pay for extended nursing care facilities and also, there are some specific limitations in certain areas. It is also a "coordinated" policy, which means that the company coordinates benefit payments with any other company's you may be insured with to ascertain that you do not collect more than the actual charges. In other words, if you were collecting from RAPA or some other Medigap policy, this one would not make duplicate payment. The exception to this is the case of indemnity type policies which pay so many dollars per day while you are in the hospital. You can collect those without losing any of the TWA policy benefits. Also, all benefits are based on the calendar year and not continuous illness. Deduction credits do not carry over from one year to the next and must be met again the first of January each year. The cost for this policy is $13,00 per month. The RAPA policy is designed to pay virtually all expenses not covered by Medicare except the $75.00 deductible for the Medical portion and includes care in a skilled nursing facility. It has (for the time being at least) the unique feature under part B which pays all of the Doctor's out-patient charges after the $75.00 deductible has been satisfied, whereas Medicare pays only a percentage of what it determines the doctors services are worth....not what he actually charges. It is presumably the only policy in existence that has this feature. This policy pays up to a maximum of $150,000.00 per person and costs $396.66 per year. Its only apparent drawback is that, if the loss ratio becomes too high, the company will either raise the premiums or reduce the present coverage. In summary, it appears that if you can stand to pay the first $1,000.00 and are willing to take limited coverage until you have spent a total of $1,950.00 of your own money, the TWA policy provides good (but not total) protection in the case of
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a really major medical problem, and it can be carried for $13.00 per month. The RAPA policy, as now constituted, wll cover virtually all of the expense not paid by Medicare but costs $33.33 per month and is subject to change. If you should elect to carry both policies, RAPA would pay for all of the TWA deductibles up to your $1,950.00, but TWA benefit payments would be coordinated after that and payments limited accordingly. In short, you get about what you pay for! The following pages are from the "Medicare Supplement Insurance Shoppers Guide" put out by the State of Florida and which was referred to in the last issue of TARPA TOPICS. It will give you some idea of the worth of the RAPA policy (which has been inserted at the very end for comparison purposes), and what is available on the open market in case anything happens to the TWA and RAPA policies now available to us. I urge you to read it. I will be interested in hearing of any unusual experiences, good or bad, that our members may have with these policies, in-_ cluding any other interpretations thereof that might arise in the course of settlements.
Dave Richwine, Chairman, -Insurance Committee
The reason there were fewer wrecks in the old horse and buggy days was because the driver didn't depend wholly on his own intelligence! * * * * * * * * * * When in doubt, give advice. * * * * * * * * * * First rule of dieting - if it tastes good, spit it out! * * * * * * * * * A meeting is an event at which the minutes are kept and the hours are lost.
* * * * * * * * * * *
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Retired Airline Pilots Association 6600 S.W. 126th STREET o MIAMI, FLORIDA 33156 (305) 665-4919
BULLETIN ------------------------------------------------------ SEPTEMBER 1982 THE WASHINGTON SCENE What can we expect before November? Very little! After November? Well, that is a. whole new ball game. Here are some of the things to watch for after the November elections. You can be sure that Social Security and Medicare benefits will be on the chopping block, especially, the COLA and Medicare deductions. Also watch for the Treasury and IRS to make still another try for taxing our fringe benefits. A big push is on to eliminate or limit the deduction of interest on home mortgage payments, repeal the deduction of state and local sales taxes, eliminate medical deductions, and many other current deductions are being looked at with an eye on REVENUE ENHANCEMENT. You can also look for a move to treat real estate taxes as user fees, thus eliminating this tax deduction. Billions of dollars must be raised in the guise of tax reform. Incidentally, key bureaucrats are being warned not to take vacations during August and September, their favorite vacation months. They will be needed to make sure their agencies spend all their allotted money before the government's fiscal year ends on September 30th. Congress and its agencies will spend $1.5 billion this year, while each Senator will cost us $2.3 million and your Representative will will cost us only $846,000. What can we do? A lot! Write letters to your Congressman or Congresswoman and to your two Senators. Express your views on any or all of these matters that will affect you, do it before November! Then vote according to their response to your desires and requests. Your letters DO count, try it! Also ask your relatives, friends (even your enemies). and neighbors to write letters. It all counts. *********************************** HEALTH CARE Health care costs rose 31 percent in the past two years. The total medical bill for 1981 was $287 billion ($1 out of every $10 spent by Americans) while Medicare and Medicaid paid only $73.2 billion or 25 percent of the total cost. Most comprehensive health policy premiums have risen about 150 percent in the past year, from $30 to $75 per month. We expect RAPA's Comprehensive Medicare Supplement premium to remain at the semi-annual cost of $198.33 or $33.05 per month. Remember, RAPA's plan pays 100 percent of the difference between what Medicare pays you and what the doctor actually charges you. There is no other plan available that offers this kind of protection. Watch for another mailing this fall. We hope you never have use for this benefit, but just in case! ****************************** - 20 -
EXCERPTS FROM THE AUGUST, 1934 ISSUE
Line Squalls
Should a herd of fifteen elephants suddenly become air-minded and decide to stand upon the wings, fuselage, and tail surfaces of the TWA Douglas air-liner, no damage would result, for the huge all-metal monoplane, which recently set a record of 13 hours and 2 minutes from Los Angeles to New York, has been built to withstand the weight represented by fifteen elephants. The plane itself has a gross weight, fully loaded, of 18,000 pounds. Actual flying tests proved it capable of withstanding a weight of 99,000 pounds - the equivalent of fifteen elephants, each weighing in excess of 6,000 pounds.
AUGUST, 1934 Vol 2 No 8
Published monthly by
TRANSCONTINENTAL & WESTERN AIR, Inc.
...Over 200 test flights were made and 15,000 gallons of gasoline used in making the flights. The plane flew more than 400 miles on only one of its two motors following its most spectacular test when it took off at Winslow, Arizona, fully loaded and flew over the Continental Divide at an altitude of 9,000 feet to Albuquerque, N.M., using only one of its 700 horsepower motors through the flight. Another test made was that of landing with the wheels in the retracted position. As expected, no damage resulted except to the propellers and the plane was flying the next day. PAGE 1
TARPA TALES
The plane already holds more speed records than any other transport plane ever built, including Los Angeles to New York in 13 hours and 2 minutes; Chicago to New York in 3 hours and 10 minutes and Pittsburgh to New York in 1 hour and 20 minutes. These records more than justify the claim that the plane is the fastest multi-motor plane in the world and reveal its ability to cruise comfortably and under normal conditions at 200 miles an hour. * * * * * * * * * * *
HAROLD NEUMANN AND "IKE" 1935
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The following story of a barnstorming airshow pilot was written about Harold Neumann by his neighbor, Roy Thornton, after many session with logbooks and pictures. "Rather than recording his flying deeds, Harold wanted to express the joy of flying and his pleasure in sharing this with his friends and peers", Mr. Thornton says, and he adds, "You might be interested to know that I am a frequent flyer on TWA. In order to fly some more on TWA-to-Europe, I'm working on 60,000 miles this year on my home-town airline".
BARNSTORMING THE AIRSHOWS By Roy Thornton In 1933, Harold Neumann lived with his wife, Inez, and infant daughter, in Moline, Illinois. Ben Howard had hired him to fly his racing plane, Ike, to airshows that season, and Harold was at the Moline airport on April 27th to fly his own 90 HP Lambert powered Monocoupe to Kansas City where the racer was based. Ben was there too, enroute to Kansas City from Chicago, flying a NAT Airlines Ford trimotor, and they decided to fly alongside one another part of the way. Ben told Harold later that he was impressed with the Monocoupe's clean lines in flight, and that he could see how the air passed over the wing and fuselage top in a smooth, unbroken flow. Ben had flown with John Livingston in his clipped wing Monocoupe earlier, so now he'd seen it both inside and from the outside. He'd just completed his Ike and Mike racers, but could have already been thinking ahead about building that biggest Monocoupe in the sky, "Mr. Mulligan". The racers were kept in the NAT hangar in Kansas City, but Ben's employment contract forbade his air racing or flying in airshows, so John Livingston, who was managing the American Air Aces group, would fly the Ike in the show's air race exhibitions, and high speed aerobatics. John had ordered his own racer from Cessna, and there was an understanding that when it was delivered later that summer, Harold would assume the airshow flying of the Ike. Harold was to be paid $75.00 a week. plus expenses, and his duties included maintaining the airplane. On April 30th he took the Ike up for the first time and found it was light on the controls and a wonderful airplane to fly, with a solid feeling of control from the snug cockpit. You felt the flying action and engine operation as though you were a part of the airplane, and though built for speed and high performance, the Ike had no vicious traits. If you approached a stall, it did not drop off suddenly, but warned you with a gentle wing buffet. This was desirable because the airplane had no flaps,
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brakes, or landing gear shock absorbers, so you wanted to touch down as soft, as short, and as slow as possible. The high gear put the airplane in the proper attitude, but this left you without directional control with the rudder during roll out. The tail skid digging into turf helped to brake, and contributed to directional control, but short bursts of power and rudder bar kicking were necessary right up to full stop. The harder the landing surface the less the tail skid helped. If you landed on a hard surfaced runway, you gunned the engine to get momentary control with the rudder and headed for the turf where the tail skid could do its work. If you had no turf, you kept the tail low, used blasts from the engine to keep the airplane going straight until you ran out of runway, then you applied a full power burst with full rudder to ground loop the airplane. With power chopped the friction of the tires and tail skid would then usually bring the Ike to a stop within one or two turns. The gear was strongest with the tail low, because at that angle the wings still generated lift and prevented the airplane from landing hard. If you did land hard and the airplane bounced, the best thing to do then was to apply full power and go around for another try. You had to stay ahead of the airplane, so there was no such thing as a routine landing with the Ike. The typical landing approach was a flat glide with little or no power and your airspeed under strict control. Over the runway boundary you cut the power and waited for the airplane to begin to sink. You then added a bit of power and felt for the runway, and you had very good power response during landing. You didn't slip to lose altitude in the Ike. If you did, the fuselage would blank out a wing which would drop while the airplane fell like a rock. The throttle was on the left side of the cockpit and to taxi the Ike on a hard surface, Harold would walk on the left side of the plane, his hand on the throttle inside the cockpit. applying slight power while bumping the airplane to turn it one way or another. The propeller was adjustable on the ground to meet the next flight's requirement. On May 2nd Harold flew the Ike to Ft. Worth for an airshow the following weekend. The open cockpit was not ideal for comfort on cross country flights, but draftiness was minimized by the smallness of the cockpit opening. There was just enough windshield to direct the slipstream around your head, and visibility was excellent in every direction. Much different from looking out of the Monocoupe. The wind crackling around the little windshield left Harold deaf for about 24 hours after he arrived, and upon landing it was strange when the first person
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to talk to him opened and closed his mouth from which came no sound, making Harold think of a fish. After this experience, Harold stuffed cotton in his ears when he flew the Ike cross country.. He never used the airspeed indicator in flying or landing the Ike. He flew by feel rather than numbers, and after flying cross country he would approach the airport at reduced speed as if to land, but would fly low down the runway and then pull up and. go around again to land. This gave Harold a chance to look over the usually strange field's surface and determine what type of landing would be required. It also gave him a chance to make the transition to controlling the lower landing speed after flying cross country. This dragging the field maneuver led some local wags to report, "He always overshoots the airport the first time". In Kansas City, a young man had built an antique airplane and Ben Howard hired him to fly it to and in the airshows. In 1933 an antique would be like a Wright Brothers airplane, and you flew it out in the open. He started to Fort Worth, but turned back, having made it no further than Bonner Springs, a Kansas City suburb, unable to cope with the cold spring winds. Harold told him the only way to get that airplane to Fort Worth was to disassemble it and take it down on a trailer. No one wanted to take the responsibility for doing this, not knowing what Ben might think. Harold ordered it done, then left town before Ben arrived to find what had taken place. Then, because he'd arrived early, Harold had plenty of time to practice aerobatics before the show in Fort Worth. The positive result of all this was that the airplane and pilot arrived safely. Later in the year, enroute to a show in Indiana, the low flying antique craft struck a single telephone line and crashed. The pilot survived the crash, but in fighting the resulting fire he breathed in some of the flames, which seared his lungs, and he died a few days later. After the Fort Worth show Harold flew the Ike to Oklahoma City and got in some more aerobatic practice before the show on the 19th and 20th of May. The routine included snap rolls at the top of a loop, dives during which airspeed approached 300 MPH before pulling up into a vertical roll. The finish was a series of low level slow rolls in front of the stands. The air race demonstration usually concluded with a low level inverted speed dash past the stands and then pulling up into a victory roll finish. For years Harold was billed as the inverted speed record holder and had this painted on the nose of the Ike. The title was never challenged. The show that weekend was rained out, but the next weekend the Oklahoma City crowd got everything they came to see. They
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were thrilled by a Ford Trimotor performing low level loops, snap rolls, and stunts made to seem even more spectacular when performed by an airliner. Up until then, George Brill had been doing low level fly-bys and some limited aerobatics that did not excite the paying customers. Today Harold suspected the hand of a pilot who knew and could fly the airplane to its performance limits, and he went over to where it had been "MIKE" taxied away from the crowd after landing. He saw Ben Howard cautiously open the door and carefully look around so he would not be seen exiting. That would have cost him his job with NAT Airlines. George Brill gained great confidence from this flight and from Ben's other instruction that day, and went on to thrill audiences wherever he performed. It was not unusual to have a local talent participate in traveling airshows and Roy Hunt, from nearby Norman, Oklahoma, flew a brilliant low level aerobatic show in his Great Lakes biplane. The show's regular pilot, Art Killips, was on the spot, and went up to meet the challenge. He flew his clipped-wing Waco lower than he'd ever performed before, and then went into a series of power snap rolls no more than fifty feet off the ground. A power snap roll is a high speed horizontal spin. A wing is stalled and full rudder brings the airplane around while its speed drives it on a straight, horizontal line. If the nose gets too high the airplane will get too slow, won't hold the line, and will barrel the roll. Art had no margin for error as he snapped through his first roll. His nose came up a little and he snapped through another. His nose came up a little more, but he got away with another. Harold remembers saying out loud, "Don't try another". Half through it, the nose got too high and Art barreled into the muddy ground. He was killed and the crash drove his body into the front cockpit area with the engine. Ironically, Roy Hunt was hired to replace Art Killips in the show, and when the Curtiss Candy Company later contracted
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with him to promote their new Butterfinger candy bar Roy came to be called "Butterfinger Hunt". Harold was to have yet another anxious time before the show moved on. Ben Howard had flown down from Kansas City with his wife, Maxine "Mike" in Harold's Monocoupe, and had to get back to work his scheduled NAT flight Monday. The sod field was in poor condition, very wet, and the Monocoupe had wheel pants. If they were to become filled with mud it would retard acceleration, or possibly bring the takeoff run to a sudden and disastrous halt. The field was long enough, but upgrade to near the very end, where it leveled off. Harold watched with growing anxiety as his maroon colored Monocoupe continued to run uphill without breaking free of the ground. He thought, and might even have said out loud, "There goes my Mono-coupe", but near the very end of the field, where it was level, the Monocoupe took to the air. Harold had been gone from home three weeks when he lifted off from Oklahoma City the next morning at daybreak, bound for Kansas City, where he would drop off the Ike and continue on in his Monocoupe for a day or two of home life before the next show. '82 It is a bright, cold February Saturday in the Kansas City suburbs. Harold Neumann sits in his study, surrounded by pictures of friends, trophies, old and recent flying awards, and warm mementos from his many years of flying. He's bringing these stories to life from his 1933 logbook, and reflects on how he's looked forward to going home all his married life. '27 When Harold was a young unmarried man the social event was usually a dance, and he'd attended many in the neighborhood. He didn't consider himself much of a dancer, but he enjoyed the company and the prospect of company as he ventured to dances farther from home. At a dance one night in Moline, a lively group came in whose standout leader, in Harold's eyes, was an energetic girl named Inez Johnson. He was happy she responded to his signal requesting a dance, but she was a popular girl and he couldn't get a date with her. He made eager inquiries, found she lived on a farm just outside of town, and flew his Jenny over one day and circled her house until the airport manager, thinking he was a lost aviator, flew over to bring him to the airport, and became upset when he found who it was and what he was up to. He was lost, all right! His intention from the beginning was marriage, and Inez soon understood this. It seemed to Harold like it was a long time coming, but from the day she finally decided to make him her man, it was to be that way ever
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after, as they say in stories. Her understanding and encouragement has always sustained his flying, as it does yet today. Sometimes she tells him he is still the best in the world. She sometimes tells him to go out and practice. '33 So it was with keen excitement after nearly a month away that Harold lifted off from Oklahoma City bound for home. It was to be an even more eventful day than he imagined. The Ike's Menasco engine was a very early manufacture of the design, and had the bad fault of breaking valve rocker pins, which was corrected in engines built later. When this happened, you lost valve action and were forced to land. Somewhere over Kansas that morning a pin broke and Harold landed in a pasture. He located a blacksmith who formed a pin replacement and repaired the tail skid which had been damaged in landing. Getting out was going to be a bigger problem than getting in had been. The pasture was small, and the takeoff run would be uphill unless he waited for a wind direction change, and there were wires at that end. Determined to get home, Harold paced off the distance and calculated that he could get the Ike into the air, hold it just off the ground in level flight and gain enough airspeed to zoom over the wires. Beyond, having spent his speed in the zoom, he would drop below the wire height, but he was sure he could recover to level flight, and regain airspeed to climb out. '82 Harold is dry from talking, so goes to the kitchen. He pours a Pepsi and tells how, before flying out of that Kansas pasture 47 years ago, he first dreamed it. He visualized the doing vividly, and then worked himself up so that the actual flying was more like redoing the vision. Harold's flying credo could be stated, "If he could dream it, he could do it". Harold has achieved extraordinary flying success for many years, so that today people still expect something special from Harold and he never disappoints. Back in the study, Harold sips his soda and continues with the story of that flight home. '33 He was in Kansas City before 1:00 P.M. He doesn't remember eating lunch, and wasted no time getting off again for home in his Monocoupe. It was not later than 5:00 P. M. when he landed in Moline where Inez was waiting with the car to drive them home. On May 26th, Harold flew the Ike to Springfield, Missouri, for an airshow the next day. His log shows he flew in formation with Art Davis and John Livingston. Here he met Doc Mesker, who
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later would become Chief Pilot for TWA. The next airshow was in Enid, Oklahoma, on May 30-31. He logged more formation flying there, and in Wichita on June 3-4. Harold was not paid for this extra flying. It was a contribution to the show that came straight from his love of flying. Harold flew lead in the formation and one maneuver had Art and John back off to give him room to roll inverted, after which they reformed on Harold to fly past the crowd with two up and one upside down. While doing this inverted pass, the cap came off Harold's oil tank, located just in front of the cockpit, and oil poured out all over the windshield, and drenched Harold, who was hanging from his seat belt with his head beyond the windshield. Oil covered his goggles and he was blinded until he could roll upright and wipe them. He was concerned about where John and Art were during this, but they had seen he was in trouble when he signaled by shaking his control stick, and had vacated the area. Another maneuver in formation was a pylon turn. It was Harold's style to turn pylons very low and this made John a little nervous because it put his position in the formation very close to the ground, and in formation all flyers' eyes are on the leader at all times. Another stunt that was practiced, but never put into the show was a low level loop in formation. The air-planes were all of the same type, but had different horsepower engines, which made a precision loop in formation difficult, and also very dangerous, because the taperwing Waco could easily snap roll during the maneuver, which would have been disastrous in close formation. John dropped the idea of putting this stunt into the show. On June 5th, Harold flew the Ike to Kansas City, and his Monocoupe home. Inez flew back to Kansas City with him for the airshow on June 9-11. Their frugal expense budget never allowed for first class accommodations, but they enjoyed each other's company and spent time together whenever possible. They seldomattended parties at air shows. It was more their style to go to a movie together. The movies were about the only cool place in town, as temperatures that weekend reached 100 degrees. * * * * * * * * * * * TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT ISSUE * * * * * * * * * * *
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CHIEF PILOT IN A CHANGING ORGANIZATION By Phares McFerren
I have reported to you on my experiences with Lowell Yerex and the Latin American Airline, TACA, which Jack Frye purchased from Yerex in the early '40s. I was asked by John Collings if I would accept the position of TWA System Chief Pilot, since Bob Buck was leaving that office to do some all weather research, flying in hurricane studies. It appeared to be a very good chance to advance in the company, and since I had been, for several years, the Regional Chief Pilot in Chicago, I accepted, effective 1 January, 1946. The remainder of December I was off on vacation, and got the family settled in a new home in Kansas City. I remained away from the operations office. On the first of January, I was ready to take over. During the first few days, I experienced several shocks. First, my salary, which was frozen by the war effort, would remain the same. Second, the organizational structure of the company had been changed to Line-Staff. Third, I could make no changes in my office staff another result of the freeze. I was quite pleased to keep Red Foster as my assistant - he was very effective and. knew the ropes. Fourth, I was immediately swamped by the grandiose plans of the new "Planning Group" up in the Fair-fax building, which had the greatest plans for an immediate expansion of the airline into just about every hamlet and village within several hundred miles of our main route. This had caused the hiring of 75 first officers a month for some months, and was all set to continue. These situations were added to by the soon to be introduction of the new Connies into service. That training program would keep us busy for some time. Bob had quite a training program going in the old Goebel hangar on the field, with "Toots" Kasper in charge. He was operating under severe budget restrictions - I thought at the time that the Planning Group was using so much money in high salaries there was none left over for the training department. But we made do. I turned the program over to Red Foster and he worked things out with Kasper. The progress charts of the student groups were kept up to date, and I could tell just where we stood on the program. It soon became evident to me that we could not get enough crews qualified to handle the program envisioned by the uptown group, and, of course. there were no planes available then on the market we could get to provide such a feeder service. Sometime in February I had a talk with John Collings. I pointed these things out to him and advised that, in my best TARPA TALES
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judgment we already had more pilots than we could use in the next two years, and that we should stop hiring. He took it under consideration and some time later I received written permission to stop. I have always believed he already knew the situation but had to overcome the opposition of the group referred to. In anticipation of getting the Connies in service, it was necessary to call many of the ICD captains back to K.C. for training and qualification on the new type. The ICD operation did not require the high degree of instrument flying proficiency with CAA checks, etc., which we met on domestic operations. The training and qualifying of the ICD pilots became a much larger task than we had anticipated. Some required additional practice, and I took on some of this work, I tried to get in at least forty hours per month flying time to maintain my own proficiency. It was during this time that the CAA (later to become the FAA) insisted on the inspectors sitting in the co-pilot seat during rating rides. This put the company check pilot in the jump seat, and I did not like that because it put the only man qualified on the plane out of reach of the controls, and with the instrument hood up it was not acceptable. John Collings felt the same way and he told the CAA they could not occupy the co-pilots seat. This brought the checkout program to a halt, which was resolved after a few weeks by the CAA accepting our way. The ripple effect of this was felt throughout the industry. During this period we were required to have the student make some no-flap landings. This was a critical procedure and appeared too dangerous, so it was no surprise that we had a problem one evening. Fortunately, I was the one involved. I was giving landings at Richards Field and the student came in high and hot. I reviewed the correct altitude and speed over the fence as we pulled up and went around. I told him to take the power off at the end of the runway and let it settle in. He did just that, but was a little high and slow, when he suddenly closed all throttles. The plane dropped the nose rapidly and before I could pull the wheel back we had hit the runway with a very hard impact. I could still taxi, but when we arrived at the hangar line we saw all four engine mounts tilted forward and down several degrees. There was further damage to the landing gear attaching structure. As a result of this episode Lockheed re-engineered the engine support structure on all the Connies. The original design had no supports on the lower one third of the ring. I knew I was fortunate to have no more damage than we had. Subsequently, the no-flap landing requirement was deleted from the rating ride. This simplified the training and reduced the accident hazard. Another problem encountered was in restarting the engines in the air. I thought the recommended procedure was wrong, and
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it resulted in an undue fire hazard from excess fuel before ignition was turned on. I found it easy to start in any altitude and temperature. I permitted the engine to windmill with ignition on, then as I enriched the mixture, it started when the fuel-air mix was right. I made special flights to demonstrate this, but I never was able to get the engineering department to adopt it. When we got the first Connie, I saw the control wheel was a full circle rim on the top. This obscured vision of some of the flight instruments and required an awkward position to see them. I went to Burbank to discuss this with our representative there. We went out to the shops and I cut out a control wheel from a piece of heavy plywood. This model was what I wanted. It was finally adopted and used on all the Connies, but the testing and engineering took about a year to complete. A simple thing like moving the ash tray from in front of the pilots' knee to the window location took over six months. The original location resulted in hot ashes being knocked off and dropping down along side the control column, which was dangerous. They eventually put a leather glove around the column. Two or three Connies were lost in training because some one approved the use of an iron thrubolt for the electrical output from the generators to the main buss. This bolt got red hot under load and since it was placed in a position where the kapok insulation was immediately under a leaking hydraulic line joint, the whole thing caught fire and filled the cabin with dense smoke. This happened on ICD and was not a responsibility of mine, except as it could happen in our domestic training program. Fortunately, it did not. During the spring our department had received a directive from the office of Mr. Richter. He had become aware of the new aptitude testing programs which were being developed, and in conversations with the President of Northwest Airlines had decided to apply this type of test to all our First Officers still with-in their probationary year. We were directed to survey the field, select a program and administer it to our new hires. We surveyed the various programs and narrowed it down to a program developed by Professor Flanagan, of the University of Pittsburgh and used by the Air Corps for approximately three million applicants. This was called the "Stanine Test", derived from "Standard Nine". In pursuit of information, I arranged with the Professor to have about six volunteer Captains take the test in Burbank. myself included. This was done and I asked to have my test evaluated, and discussed with me. This was done and I could see the entire picture. My belief was that it would require ten years to get a proper evaluation. I knew there would be a lot of feeling about the program. However. it was administered by Professor Flanagan and his crew. Frank Busch and I had finally agreed that the results of the tests would have minimum weighting in any decision to terminate; I was fully aware that a rejection based solely on the test would make employment by another airline extremely difficult. TARPA TALES
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The Planning Group uptown was still going ahead with plans for a big feeder system - using war surplus DC-3s, I was told. I was greatly concerned about our excess of co-pilots, some of whom were not flying for weeks at a time. One day before the Stanine Tests were given, I discussed this with John Collings. He assured me there would be no furlough, that we would need all the men. So I wrote a letter to be put in the monthly Operations Letter, had Mr. Collings and Mr. Busch O.K. it, and put it away for 30 days. Then I got it out, they again O.K.ed it, so I put it out to the pilot group. Within thirty days of that time, a decision was made uptown to reduce the pilot force by furlough. I was very disturbed, and immediately checked with Mr. Busch to determine how the results of the Test would now be weighted. I was told they would be given greater weight than we had agreed upon. I strongly disagreed with this decision, but was told that was the final word on it. I then advised I was withdrawing from the entire program;: would have no part of it. I was offered the job of Eastern Region Operations Manager, but I decided against that, and would remain in the Chief Pilots Office for a while at least. The decision to reduce the pilots force was caused by a general fall-off in business; money got tight, plans changed, and letters of furlough went out. Needless to say, I felt terrible. During this time, Mr. Hughes was getting more deeply involved in the affairs of the company. He was putting more money into it; he had qualified on the Connies (Busch Voigts can tell about that because I had sent him to Burbank for that purpose), and was standing in the shadows causing everyone to worry about his next action. The pilots were negotiating a contract for the new equipment. I do not remember who was doing that, perhaps it was Jimmy Roe - he did a lot for the TWA pilots and ALPA during those years. Paul Richter told me one day he had just returned from a trip to Chicago where he had talked with Dave Behncke and made him a good offer, which was rejected. As a result of the impasse, the pilots took a strike vote and would strike if necessary. I was not close to these talks, so was taken by surprise when in the fall of 1946 the TWA pilots walked out on strike. My office work continued while the strike was on. Sometime later I was told that Mr. Hughes had demanded of Jack Frye that the pilots who refused to work be fired. Mr. Frye refused to take such drastic action, knowing it would be impossible to re-place the entire force with qualified pilots off the street. Mr. Hughes therefore determined to get rid of Mr. Frye. (He eventually was successful in this). In the meantime, Mr. Collings received orders (I think direct from Hughes) to call the pilots, one by one, starting with the Chief Pilot, order them to work and to terminate them. one by one, if they refused. On one pre-text or another, he managed to avoid this, and when the strike was settled, we all returned to work. I would have been the first one to go - assuming I had refused to cross the picket line. I have no idea what I would have done if ordered to fly.
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As a result of the strike and shutdown of the airline, a time interval was created which gave the "top brass" a chance to study the situation. An immediate result of this was the dismissal of the "Planning Group", their plans discarded, and the airline was to conduct the service for which it was formed. I believe this strike was the reason the Company regained its sense of balance and saved the airline from disaster. The postwar enthusiasm was not tempered by good judgement, and the old heads, such as John Collings, were in the minority. I decided that my Quaker mother had instilled too many of her old time values in me to permit me to do the things a good executive must do, so I handed my resignation in to Mr. Busch, effective 31 December. I suggested that Paul Frederickson, who had gotten a non-deserved reputation as an axe-man, would be a good replacement. He accepted the position, with some changes in the limits of his authority, which I had found difficult. I returned to the line as a captain, and it was several years before I again became active in the affairs of ALPA. * * * * * * * * * * *
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THE TARPA
GRAPEVINE OCTOBER, 1982 "B" Fund checks will be down about 1 1/2% in the last quarter of 1982, according to JOE SCHIAVO. Prospects are excellent, however, for a healthy increase in 1983's first quarter if the market continues on its current upward trend through September 30. * * * * * * * * * * DICK BECK sent us a card from sunny San Clemente, CA. He says, "We appreciate the good work you are all doing with TARPA. Keep it up! (Mainly I mean the good work.)" * * * * * * * * * * ED (CECIL B.) HALL swears he's so busy in Florida that he doesn't have time to take vacations outside the state. Like many of us, Ed says he can't figure out how he ever found time to fly. Under "Hobbies" on his application he lists "Girl Watching". Could Ed's hobby have anything to do with Dr. Joyce Brothers' assertion (from statistics, of course) that men over 35 think of sex 6 times an hour? In Florida, with all those bikinis, you could keep pretty well occupied "just thinking"! Ed did, however, include fishing, boating and photography as other hobbies. Just to rest his mind occasionally, no doubt. Actually, Ed has been a member since the first meeting in Phoenix in 1979, when he was also nominated for TARPA President. * * * * * * * * * * LEON VESTAL wrote to say that JIMMY STANTON was involved in motorcycle accident on July 22 while they were riding their Hondas in the hills near Prescott. Jimmy broke his left leg in the upset. In an earlier note to A. T. before the accident, Jimmy had said "The convention was great. Looking forward to next year". Boys will be boys! * * * * * * * * * * KARL RUPPENTHAL, one of the original ICD pilot group of 1942, has requested information about
TARPA. Karl is in Vancouver, B. C., and is a Professor with the Centre for Transportation Studies at the University of British Columbia. * * * * * * * * * * MACDONALD (MAC) HAYS, Amarillo, now a Texas TARPAN, is still in the agriculture business. Mac was with TWA in Kansas City from 1940 to 1950, when he left to manage the family farms near Amarillo, following the death of a brother-in-law. He says he flies a Stol 210 and had just returned home from a Mexican fishing vacation. * * * * * * * * * * FRANK MCCAUL, MKC co-pilot of years ago, sends his regards to all and mentions recent "interesting adventures" such as soloing two Chinese-built planes back to the States, "hand-flying all the 55 hours' worth". He adds, "didn't miss a lick, but got stranded for a couple weeks at Babelthop, Micronesia, waiting for a replacement starter-generator. Then headed for Guam, Wake, Midway, Adak, Anchorage, Seattle and Roswell, N. M. Will be moving shortly back to our home near Fountain Inn, S. C." Frank's letter is like a voice from the grave. Viva TARPA! Viva Frank! * * * * * * * * * * JOHN LEIN's note says that he and DANIELE "truly enjoyed the TARPA convention at LAS, and looking forward to a repeat in 1983". John also conveyed his thanks to "all you guys who have worked so hard on the Board putting it all together". Merci, monsieur. C'est une plaisir. (Ask Daniele, John) * * * * * * * * * * A. J. MCCARTHY, living in Wellesley, Mass., has joined us. He stopped flying in April, 1965, and is now part-owner of a Boston television station, Channel 7. He is restoring a Bucker Jungman and is "looking forward to flying the homely little devil out of Bedford, Mass." He also went aviating recently with GEORGE DREW in George's Piper J-5. * * * * * * * * * * CARL JOHNSON, (N. Y.) in a note sent with his application, says to A. T., "You may not be totally aware of it, but you have a great booster club behind you who do really appreciate the good work that you do and have done for many years". (Anyone who knows A. T. will agree with that statement). * * * * * * * * * * THE GRAPEVINE
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FRANK C. SMITH, as a response to the mailing of the extra application blanks to old members, said, "I received your note about joining TARPA, but ignored it since I joined at the first meeting we had (in Phoenix) to organize TARPA. Thanks anyway for the work you are doing in behalf of all of us". * * * * * * * * * * BOB WIDHOLM retired in March this year and he and FAY have moved to Naples, Florida. Bob says he'll make the next convention and promises his support of TARPA. * * * * * * * * * * At 86, H. H. (DUTCH) HOLLOWAY must be our most senior "Eagle". Dutch says on his application that he keeps busy with mining and land development in Hawthorne, Nevada. * * * * * * * * * * BOB CUMMINGS has completed the Vari Eze and says this about his 4-year, 3000-hour project: "I have about 70 hours on the Vari Eze and am quite pleased with it. It's fast, economical and stable, with good stall characteristics". From an accompanying clipping, we see that the cost was about $10,000; it cruises about 165 IAS; uses about 5 gph; and flies like a conventional aircraft "except for landings and takeoffs". Bob says he will be living in Phoenix for the next year while his wife attends school for a Masters degree in International Business Management. * * * * * * * * * * RITCHIE BEIGHLIE informs us that he and SHIRLEY are spending winters in Texas and summers and holidays at the Huntington, N. Y. homestead. He has recently become a rated sailplane pilot and will be flying a Schweizer 2-33. When not flying, Ritchie says he fishes, and the large mouth bass cooperate. * * * * * * * * * * CHARLIE STRICKLER conveys his appreciation of our efforts and "thanks to all of you who make TARPA possible". Editor AL CLAY will be happy to know that Charlie has noticed that "TAR-PA TOPICS improves with each issue and to my mind is an outstanding publication of its kind". * * * * * * * * * * TARPA has had a hard time keeping up with JOE BARTLING's place of domicile and his mailing address, but DEAN PHILLIPS finally tracked him down. Joe and AILEEN are still in Paris. (Ah, Paree! How we do miss the Windsor's goose-down comforts in the THE GRAPEVINE
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winter and the Celtic's noisy plumbing!) Now that Joe is getting his mail again, we expect him to know that we have a convention every year. That's the Dunes in Las Vegas in May, 1983. But, Joe. if you don't bring Aileen, don't bother!. * * * * * * * * * * LEE JEKEL, from a long letter to A. T., "Thank you for your persistence. Despite my moves since February, TARPA TOPICS was waiting for me an hour ago. I regret missing the convention. After reading all the familiar names, my head is kaleidoscopic with faces, places ; and so many days and nights and years. Say hello to RAY CRAFT and LOU COOK for me." * * * * * * * * * * ROGER SAILORS says "I am active in my favorite pastime, golf. I play in most of the events in California and Texas - and also play in the annual ALPA golf tournaments. This year it is being held in Puerto Rico". Roger missed the convention because of a death in the family (Shirley's father). * * * * * * * * * * BLACKIE BLACKBURN, on his application, chides us again with a reproduction of last issue's list of TARPA EAGLES. He wasn't on it! Don't blame us, Blackie, we all thought you were some-where around 50 - looks are deceiving. His application now says, "Date of birth - Xmas, 1901"! This strange case of arrested development must have resulted from all that horn blowing as a young man leading a 1920's band in South Dakota. * * * * * * * * * * AL RAFFANIELIO writes that he has moved to Florida where he is enjoying the golf and swimming but "never misses a Phoenix retirement party". A ladder slipped out from under him last year and he wound up with a broken elbow, but is pretty well recovered and is getting back to normal. * * * * * * * * * * DAVID HALPERIN says that he and CHEN MEI had hoped to attend the convention, but the fracture of a small bone in her foot which developed complications kept her on crutches for four months. "You can believe", he says, "that I will certainly make the next convention, God willing, and look forward to once again renewing ties with old friends and acquaintances and to partake of the fellowship that is always in abundance. I've filled out the questionnaire except for the item "PRN" which is unfamiliar to me". You're not the only one, Dave. PRN is Payroll Register Number, according to my walking encyclopedia. MOE HANSEN. Thanks, Dave. THE GRAPEVINE
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BILL DIXON reports that his disc problem is better and he is playing golf again. but may still need that operation. We missed BILL and JUNE at Las Vegas, but have their promise to be there in '83. * * * * * * * * * * * * DICK DOYLE tells A. T., "Your position as Secretary has to be like being on the Schedule Committee - sometimes thankless however, I would like to thank you for the time and expertise that you put in. A job well done. Having been to my first convention, needless to say it was just great, and to all involved, one hell of a pat on the back. The whole thing went off without a hitch. Always nice to get the TOPICS. It's about our only contact with friends. Have one for me; I just had one for you". Let's all have one! Thanks, Dick. * * * * * * * * * * FRED AUSTIN, former LAX Chief Pilot and now President of Shorts Aircraft, Irvine, California, has joined TARPA. We are glad to have him back with us. Fred very thoughtfully sent a nice telegram to the convention, expressing his regrets and congratulating the organization through President DAVE RICHWINE at the business meeting. * * * * * * * * * * Four of our members who deserve a pat on the back for their aggressive service to the TWA Seniors Club are ALBERT W. (WOLLY) WOLLENBERG, now First Vice President and former President, Northeast Region; E. C. (LUM) EDWARDS, Second Vice President and Tour Director; R. P. (BUD) POWELL, President, Ozarks Region; and WILLIAM E. (BILL) TOWNSEND, President, Southeast Region. They all do good work and we respect them for their volunteer-ism. * * * * * * * * * * PHARES MCFERREN tells us he passed his 75th birthday in September, 1981, which qualifies him as a TARPA Eagle. "We had a great meeting in Las Vegas", he says. "It's encouraging to note how well those other old fellows are concealing their true age! Must be the company they are keeping. Thanks to you (A. T.) and DEAN PHILLIPS for your time and effort in our behalf. The July issue of TARPA TOPICS is a real winner". Phares still plays golf with scores somewhere near his now-76 age, which is a commendable feat anytime. * * * * * * * * * *
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The three "UPG's" in the July TOPICS picture, taken at LARRY GIRARD's party, were ROY BRISTER, JACK QUINN and HELEN MCGEARY. They were named as guests in the April issue. Helen, of course, is a 44-year TWA veteran who started in TWA's Kansas City general office back in the 30's. She has been "Assistant Chief Pilot" in LAX under six bosses, currently for BRAD BERG. * * * * * * * * * * * JOHN M. PHILLIPS, Saratoga, California, passed away July 20, 1982, after fighting cancer for some time. In a note to A. T., Millie had said that he was requiring full nursing care and seemed to be deteriorating rapidly. Millie also says, "I want to thank you and John's many friends and co-workers with TWA for all the cards, messages, visits, prayers and words of encouragement. It means so much to both of us". * * * * * * * * * * JOHN FRAZEY, 71, died July 17 at his home in Edwardsville, Kansas. John flew out of Kansas City from 1940 to 1966, when he retired. He is survived by his wife, Pat; a son, Jay; and a daughter, Susan. * * * * * * * * * * MORGAN SCHRACK, Watsonville, California, died July 14. He had been seriously ill for some time before his death, but we have no other information. * * * * * * * * * * FRANK PARENT passed away July 2 at his home in Sedona, Arizona. Frank was one of the original group of TWA flight engineers selected to fly on the Boeing 307 Stratoliner in 1939. He held the No. 1 position on the F/E seniority list for many years. CLAYTON GRAVES attended the services in Arizona and said in a note to A. T. that "it was a sad goodbye to a close friend for 45 years." Frank is survived by his wife, Jane. * * * * * * * * * * VIRGIL ELLIOTT succumbed at his Kansas City home on June 16. from a heart attack. Virgil started with ICD and flew for TWA for 30 years before his retirement in 1973. He was 69. He leaves his wife, Billie, and two daughters, Maria and Barbara. (Frank Brown, a Kansas City Captain who flew with "Virg" as a First Officer, wrote a nice tribute to him in a July issue of the Skyliner.)
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JAMES M. (JIM) WALKER, Winstead, Connecticut, died June 11. His wife, Charlotte, in a note to DEAN PHILLIPS, says that Jim became ill in February. She says also, "He was an ardent advocate of TARPA and the excellent programs which are a benefit to all". * * * * * * * * * * AGNES L. (TIP) PARKISON, the wife of MAX PARKISON, died June 30. She was a hostess for TWA before she and Max married in 1941. Her illness began in the spring and they had moved to the Blue Hills Centre, Apt. 610, 12942 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Mo. 64119. Max will continue to live at that address. * * * * * * * * * * WALT and LU GUNN's son, Timothy, passed away June 28 after a lifelong siege with cystic fibrosis. He was 33 years old. In a touching eulogy which he read at the memorial service, Dr. Dale Smith, a close friend of the family's, said this: "Tim, you have lived your entire life with cystic fibrosis and so many devastating complications. Most of us would have failed that test, but you became your own physician. You even had patience with and taught those of us who tried to be of some help to you. I can imagine that if it were possible to ask you now how you were able to accomplish that task, you would answer, so simply, "It was no sweat". Walt and his brother, George, flew the Porterfield over Lake Lotawana and dropped Tim's ashes where he used to enjoy water skiing and other sports years ago. * * * * * * * * * * A. T. has recently added the following widows to TARPA's list of Honorary members: Jane Butler, Bennie Lou Chakarian, Billie Elliott, Kathleen Evans, Barbara Herman, Roberta Lundin, Elaine Moffitt, Betty Morders, Jane Parent, Millie Phillips, Marjorie Shaver, Inez Voris and Charlotte Walker. * * * * * * * * * * The 1982 TWA Seniors Club annual meeting and dinner was held at the Airport Hilton near KCI early in June. Attendance as somewhere around 650. Eleven of the twelve former Presidents of the club since 1968 were present: CLIFF ABBOTT*. Jim Wulpi, Joe Bell. Robbie Robinson, G. R. (Parky) Parkinson. BUSCH VOIGTS*,
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George Levering, Al Jordan, Curt Twing, LLOYD HUBBARD*, and Jerry Condon. The new President for '82-'83 is Bob McCormick, Ojai, California. Old-timers who were awarded the coveted 50-year mugs for 1982 were Charlie Tidd, W. C. (Bill) Neustrom, Bill Dahnke, Melvin Culbertson, ANDY BEATON,* Worth Johnson, A. T. Stubbs, George Mehalov, Carl Sherrick, John Gaiser and Joe Bell. When called upon for his annual report as Treasurer, Jim Fennell stood up and said, "We took in a little; we spent a little; and we have a little left", and he sat down. The crowd reacted with a big laugh and applause. As speaker of the evening, TWA President C. E. Meyer, Jr. later started his talk with the comment that he "would like to reactivate Jim Fennell as TWA company Treasurer to make reports at all future TWA stockholders' meetings". * TARPA MEMBERS * * * * * * * * * * * Twenty six Kansas City TWA pilots, active and retired, turned out for a beautiful afternoon of golf at the Sunflower course near Bonner Springs, Kansas, on a recent Monday. Six teams played a "Texas Scramble", in which, after tee-off, each player on the team hits each succeeding shot from near the position of the best ball. It's goofy golf, but it becomes both hilarious and depressing to see 5 guys miss the same 3-foot birdie putt. We had six teams of 4 or 5 men, which brought up the complaint that a 5-man team has a 20% advantage. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Ron Huff, Jack Brookshire, Jerry George, Don Scantlin Warren Cantrell, Moe Hansen, Clem Wittman, Jerry Adams Wayne Hidalgo, Lytle Norton, Ed Rafferty, Bill Woods Harold Aikin, Dick Schmidt, Bob Rafferty, Joe Montinaro Bill Cooper, Gordon Durlin, Gene Huff, Jerry Riani, Dick Kleiner Sam Luckey, Tom Haskins, Dick Hampton, Greg Moorhead, Ole
After 18 holes, teams #4 and #6 were tied at 8 under. After 2 or 3 beers and considerable discussion, it was decided to proceed with a sudden-death play-off. The two teams struggled through 4 extra holes with nary a birdie and no winner! At 7:30 it was decided to divide the prize money - and eat. A good time was had by all - even the losers. * * * * * * * * * * * THE GRAPEVINE
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Another luncheon meeting of the Kansas City clan, engineered by MOE HANSEN and ART EGGIMAN came off on August 6. Cocktails, food and stories were served up from 11 to 3 o'clock. The group grows with each event. You may find a familiar name or two among those attending: Cliff Abbott Harold Aikin Arky Ainsworth Joe Bell Al Brick Justin Becker John Borges Chris Carper Chris Clark Bert Cooper Bill Cooper Ray Dunn Gordon Durlin
Art Eggiman Jim Loosen Eddie Fritts Earl Lindsly Bob Friday Russ Means Jake Fisher Ed McMahon Hugh Graff Jim Mueller Moe Hansen Whitey Neuberger Ray Hughes Jim Obertino Joe Imeson Ole Olson Marvin Karlsen Dayton Orr John Kieffer Parky Parkinson Al Knudsen Louie Proctor Jack LeClaire John Robertson George Levering John Roche * * * * * * * * * * *
D. O. Smith Dick Schmidt B. K. Steussi Gale Storck Don Thompson Busch Voigts Jack Weiss Red Williams Harold Wright Ray Yount
About 50 TWA "Lakers", part of the organized group of Seniors at the Lake of the Ozarks, assembled for their annual August "Memorabilia Night" at the Shrine of St. Patrick's (B.Y.O.L.) near Gravois, Mo., on the 14th. We found there a goodly display of TWA albums, photographs, literature, small aviation hardware, models and general nostalgia - not to mention two cakes, one a fantastic Ford tri-motor and the other a sculptured replica of Dolly Parton's supine chest topped with two red cherries. VERN LAURSEN brought TWA Training Department films of the early days, showing how it was on a transcontinental trip by train and plane (it was 110 mph, primitive, expensive). Among the guests were several of your friends and mine:
Eliese and Joe Brown Ruth and John E. Clark Ernie Glaeser Dianne and Vern Laursen Marjorie and Joe Leonardo Alice and Dean Miller
Marion and Bud Powell Rosanna and Art Prestia Pat and D. H. Smith Nola Sollmann Marjorie and Joe Patty and Tom Wilson Joanne and Bob Brockman
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By this time, you have probably read about the accidental mailing to the entire TARPA membership of applications and extra copies of TARPA TOPICS. Of course, it wasn't supposed to be done that way, but some good has and will continue to come from this misunderstanding. Many members have returned filledout information forms for the first time, providing a needed completion and up-date of the Secretary's files. The extra copy of the TOPICS which you received can be handed or mailed to a retired TWA friend who may not be aware of TARPA. * * * * * * * * * * Two more 1979 "charter members", CHRIS CLARK and CLEO MATTKE, sent in up-to-date information sheets along with a reminder that they have been paid up for four years. * * * * * * * * * * BURDICK STONE, from way up there in the mountains of Montana, suggests, succinctly, that we "check the records". * * * * * * * * * * 0. O. KEIFER, San Diego, has sent in his application for membership and joins TARPA as an Eagle. * * * * * * * * * *
DON W. SMITH sent in a dues payment and says, "Although I will be seventy-five in a couple weeks, I feel that the least I can do is send the check. As I live in an area where there are few TWA retirees, news such as TARPA sends out helps me have some idea of what is happening to people. When I first retired, I was quite busy with civic work. Twice President of the Chamber of Commerce, twice Chairman of the United Fund Drive, President and member of the Board of the Country Club, Board member of the hospital and member of Elks, Legion and so forth. As the years passed, it became too much and now I am really retired get in two days of golf a week, mow the lawn and do work around the house". * * * * * * * * * * TOM BECK has sent us a very interesting packet of information on his home building project at New Port Richey, Florida. Tom
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writes that he and his son, Jerry, are building about 30 houses a year in the $37,000. to $68,000. range, "on your lot". He suggests, "If anyone is interested in this part of Florida, have them look us up. The area is really growing and only an hour northwest from Tampa International Airport. Spring Hill has two golf courses and is five miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Shopping malls are everywhere". Tom also provides relocation assistance for those who have temporary housing, storage and other relocation needs. For a friendly welcome to Florida, if you have any idea of moving to the Gulf Coast, write or call Tom at 7514 Pinebrook Lane, New Port Richey, Florida 33553 (904-683-4702). * * * * * * * * * * A. T. sent us a copy of Eagles' Aerie, the newsletter of USAir's Retired Pilots' Association. It was no great surprise to see that its Editor, reporter, publisher, distributor and Secretary of the organization is Captain FRANK PETEE. Frank was a pilot on the TWA-ICD operation from about 1942 until 1946, and moved to Allegheny (or was it Mohawk?) in late 1946. He worked his way up to become Chief Pilot many years ago. Our last contact was at the 1975 reunion of ICD in Las Vegas. Frank's a great guy and a good pilot. * * * * * * * * * * With a wicked twitch of his mustache and with a sharp needle, BOB WITTKE sticks A. T. with the following after an exchange of notes: "Wadda yah mean, 'poor folks'? I have it that you burned your hand putting hot tar around coffee cans filled with Krugerands which you have buried all over N.C. Also one of the Redbones you had trained to sniff out the cans died and you are frantically training another before you forget where they are! Iffen evahboddy was as poah as A. T. WOOWEE!" * * * * * * * * * * We are told that the new TARPA membership directory of names and addresses will be in the mail shortly. Also, the TWA Pilots' History Book, to which ED BETTS has contributed so many pictures and so much labor, should be making its appearance any day now. * * * * * * * * * * If we sometimes seem to be patting ourselves on the back with complimentary quotes from your letters, please understand the
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reasons. It's our best way of sharing your correspondence with all other members, as well as with LYLE SPENCER, A. T. HUMBLES, DEAN PHILLIPS, AL CLAY, our committee chairmen and other current and former officers, to let them know their efforts are appreciated. For all of us, it's a labor of love. Spread out as we are, mail communication keeps that feeling flowing. * * * * * * * * * * * Saw this on a birthday card recently: You're at that Perfect Age! somewhere between "I can't wait a minute!" and "Wait a minute, I can't!" * * * * * * * * * * * Keep in Touch!
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NOTES FROM YOUR SECRETARY I'm still having problems with the two address fellows. Some just say winter on one address and summer on the other. Well, then, I wonder where you are in the spring and fall? I need the specific dates you will spend at each place for the U.S. Postal service will not forward our third class bulk mail but, instead, destroy it and send me the correct address. This necessitates my mailing another booklet at first class rates plus they charge me a quarter for the address correction. Those of you who change address please remember to advise me for the postoffice handles it the same way as above. Even if you haven't moved and the post-office changes your mailing address they won't deliver it. To say nothing of the trouble it costs us money. For example, our last mailing cost a little over a dollar to print and the bulk mailing rate was 130. On a return I have to pay the post-office 250, send you another TARPA TOPICS which cost a dollar and the postage runs 850. So you can see the bulk rate saves us a bundle and sometimes gets there about as quick as first class. On one mailing I had mailed the stuff out on a Tuesday and that week-end visited with Howard Swayne in Lynchburg, Virginia, and he had gotten his. I appreciate the nice notes I get from many of you but it is impossible to answer all of them and still keep my old house from falling down. Newly joined Gene Jones said he enjoyed working with me on the 1011 check out. A fine gentleman and excellent instructor who patiently shepherded this old codger through the 1011 program. Leo Regan said it has been a long time since Newark and the Martin he and I used to fly. Gene Richards recently joined and dropped me a note. He is on the ALPA Flight Time Duty Time Study Committee. He liked my treatise I sent the FAA in response to their proposed new rules which practically throw the flight, duty time restrictions out the window. I considered it a sell out of the pilot group and a threat to safety. Remember how refreshed \you used to, end up after a flight from New York to Geneva to Athens where your "adequate crew rest facility on board" was a seat in the passenger cabin? I was impressed with Dick Ellis' application in that he is active in so many civic and fraternal activities there is not room to list them here. I appreciated the picture John Lein sent me taken at the convention which is of me and two of my favorite people, namely; Daniele and Harry Moiler. Al Clay says Harry Mokler will have an article in the January issue on the retirement foundation along with an application for those needing a boost. Thanks to Lyle Spencer and Roy Van Etten our membership is close to 900. Welcome aboard to all who have recently joined. There is a seperate page following this which is an application. Use it to enlist someone or, if you are not a member, we extend a most cordial invitation. A. T. Humbles, Secretary
And, your Treasurer, Professor Phillips, requested the following be published:
According to our records, the following Members still owe 1982 dues;
Guzik,R Lokey,C. O'Malley,E Palmer, K Stahlberg, P Witten, J Creswell,J Garretson,J Hawkins,W Lyon, I Reid, R Ruff, E Wright, J
In addition, Ben Brown and Henry Michaels owe $5.00 each. Both had a partial carry-over of $10.00 from 1981. Help ole Deano clean up the books. Mail your checks to our Treasurer, Dean L. Phillips, 7218 Onda Circle, Tucson, AZ 5715. Make the check Payable to TARPA.
CONVENTION BANQUET QUESTIONNAIRE
1.
I prefer a served dinner with the most economical entree
2.
I prefer a served dinner with a meat entree.
3.
I prefer a Buffet.
Please mark this questionnaire and mail to: Lyle D. Bobzin, 1983 TARPA CONVENTION Chairman Drawer 37, Boulder City, Nevada 89005
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