TARPA HONORS PARKY FINE TIME IN ANAHEIM
THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA MAY 1987
COVER PICTURE Mr. TWA, Gordon (Parky) Parkinson at the microphone at the TARPA convention in Anaheim, California. Hard to tell with a black and white photograph but Parky does have on a red tie, red socks and probably red underwear. Maybe from the way he put it, his face is also red. Needless to say, he is a beloved character.
TARPA TOPICS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS OF TWA GRAPEVINE EDITOR, R. M. GUILLAN 1852 Barnstable Road Clemmons, NC 27012
EDITOR, A. T. HUMBLES Rt. 2 Box 152 Belhaven, NC 27810
HISTORIAN & CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDWARD G. BETTS 960 Las Lomas Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 OFFICERS & DIRECTORS OF TARPA R. E. P. J.
G. A. S. S.
. L.A. . .
Derickson, President A. T Hall, First Vice President Hollar, Second Vice President W. H McCombs, Secretary/Treasurer H. N
Humbles, Senior Director Spencer, Director Proctor, Director Miller, Director
TARPA is incorporated as a non-profit Corporation under the non-profit corporation law of the State of Nevada. As stated in Article II of the By-Laws its purpose is social, recreational and non-profit, with a primary goal of helping its members to maintain the friendships and associations formed before retirement, to make retirement a more productive and rewarding experience and to assist those active pilots approaching retirement with the problems that are inherent in the transition from active to retired status. *
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TARPA A Quarterly Publication by The Active Retired Pilots of TWA
May 1987 Edition
The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA
P R E S I D E N T'S
M E S S A G E
The Ninth Annual TARPA Convention held at the Grand Hotel in Anaheim, California on March 24-26, 1987 had the largest attendance to date. Over 200 Members attended the Business Meetings on one or both days and over 400 Members and wives, including 5 Eagles, widows and guests dined and danced during the Awards Banquet. Details will be covered in other articles in this issue. Your attention is directed to the Trust Annuity Questionaire elsewhere in this issue. Please complete and return as soon as possible. Don Heep, President of the TWA Seniors Club addressed the membership during the Business Meeting and also extended a few kind remarks at the banquet. The guest speaker at the Convention was Gordon Parkinson. Just before addressing the Convention body, "Parky" was nominated to become an Honorary Member which was confirmed unanimously. We are most happy to have "Mr. TWA" as one of us ......but then he always has been. The Tenth TARPA Convention will be held in Tucson at the Sheraton Tucson El Conquistador on May 24-27, 1988. Jack Miller will be the '88 Convention Chairman and has plans well under way. The Eleventh Annual Convention has been set for the Clarion Hotel in New Orleans in May, 1989. John Lattimore has agreed to Chair this one. Joe Brown, Convention site Chairman, has suggested the Lodge of the Four Seasons, Lake of the Ozarks, for 1990. Ed Hall and Tim Crowley, NALAC insurance representative, explained the new Supplemental Medicare Insurance program to the Convention, the details of which are covered elsewhere in this issue. Phil and Joyce Hollar ran the '87 show in Anaheim and what a gala affair it was. They were ably assisted by Dick Ruble and his gallant crew of social workers as well as many others who assisted with registration and special events. We owe all of those involved a big round of applause. My special thanks to the 1986/1987 Board Members and Board Committees for their cooperation and assistance during the past year. Let's make 1987/1988 another banner year. Hope to see all of you in Tucson, if not before.
Kind regards,
Russ Derickson
S E C R E T A R Y / T R E A S U R E R' S
R E P O R T
By necessity, this is a lengthy report. It is the first year of a combined Secretary/Treasurer's Convention report. Please bear with me. I'm sure everyone who attended the '87 Business Meeting (Convention) in Anaheim March 25-26th will agree that it was the best bash to date. One Member, attending for the first time, remarked to me that he was impressed by the warmth and fellowship that existed throughout this meeting of life long friends. In spite of all the extra-curricular activities, significant progress was made during the business sessions. 209 persons signed-in on the attendance sheets and I'm sure quite a few attendees failed to sign the roster due to late arrival from a sporting event. A good number, unable to make the business meetings, attended the Awards Banquet. Phil Hollar will have that number elsewhere in this issue. I'm sure hotel guests on the sixth floor of the Grand Hotel became acutely aware that TARPA was in town during the daily social hours. As reported to Convention, death claimed 25 during 1986; eight have been lost to date in 1987. TARPA membership now stands at 1453 including 99 Honorary Members with additional applications being received each week. Membership is forecast to exceed 1600 prior to Convention '88. As of the date of writing (April 6th), 44 have yet to settle up for 1987. A final reminder will be mailed as soon as other work is completed. The Board of Directors, in session March 24th, acted upon the following Policy matters. 1. Confirmed Subscriber fee at $15.00 2. Changed TOPICS publication dates to February 1st, May 1st, August 1st and November 1st. 3. Set New Orleans as the Convention site for 1988. 4. Approved progress of the NALAC Supplemental Insurance plan. 5. Urged close association with the Ozark "Silver Swallows". 6. Approved further recruiting efforts directed towards active pilots over 50 years of age. 7. Approved purchase of new and larger lapel pin. Price and availability will be announced later 8. Approved suggested changes to By-Laws to be recommended to convention and discussed later in this report. As forecast in the November issue of TOPICS, TARPA incurred a deficit of $1,020.98 in 1986. If you would like to have a copy of the financial statements, please contact the undersigned. Although the Board recommended a dues increase to $25.00 retroactive to January 1st, the Convention body took exception and only approved a dues increase to $25.00 for new Members joining after the Convention date of March 25th. The aforementioned action will reduce the Treasurer's workload but will place a tight squeeze on the budget and, once again, we may end up with a deficit for 1987 maintaining our present level of service. I want to 2
thank the 70% who participated in the requested voluntary dues For those who did not recognize the seriousness of the increase. situation or forgot to mention the larger amount to the bill payer (spouse), the cash drawer is still open. The additional five bucks will be appreciated. One giant step forward was made when the Convention approved a change to the By-Laws which will permit the Board to establish the dues structure in a more timely manner rather than by Convention action some 19 to 20 months before the end of the following year. The Board now plans to review the current financial situation at a semi-annual meeting in October and then determine the dues amount for the following year. Dues return envelopes and blank cards will continue to be included in the November issue of TARPA TOPICS. Once again, and again, do not return Membership cards. You know your name and your check is This to save postage handling costs and my time. your receipt. The Convention also approved a By-Laws change removing all mention of dollar amounts from the By-Laws section and, henceforth, dollar amounts for dues and foreign postage will be included in the Policy Section. Foreign postage for 1987 has been set at $15.00 over and above normal dues. Article III, Sec. 4. was also revised to require that an Eagle must have been a regular dues paying Member for at least three consecutive years prior to receiving full benefits as a non-dues paying Member. The Convention body left little doubt as to their feelings concerning continued membership in the Retired Airline Pilots Association (RAPA). The Board of Directors had proposed a change in Policy which would have allowed the Board alone to decide upon continued affiliation with RAPA. The motion suffered a resounding defeat. Opinions varied but it would seem the consensus of opinion was to give Al Clay and the new RAPA ByLaws a chance to work. The Convention directed the Board to ballot the Membership concerning further action on the Lump Sum option for retirees. The matter and the ballot will be included elsewhere in this issue. The question is not whether you would choose the option if it became available but rather if you wish the matter pursued further. Tim Crowley, co-ordinator of the new TARPA Supplemental Medicare Insurance Plan made himself available to the Board Meeting and attended both sessions of the Business Meeting to answer any questions. Phil Hollar advised continued success with the Alcoholic Counseling Program and urged anyone with a problem or knowledge of a friend or family member with a problem to make contact with his group. Harry Mokler is withdrawing as an Officer of the TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation, Inc. but leaves the effort in good shape. A candidate for the Award of Merit was not selected for 1987. Dick Guillan, Grapevine Editor, mentioned, once again, that he would be overjoyed to hear from you. Give Richard some personal experiences, past and present for his consideration. There is no assurance your bit will be published but give him something to work with. 3
Don Heep, President of the TWA Seniors was a Convention guest and invited one and all to attend the Seniors Meeting at Lake of the Ozarks May 26-27th. Contact Joe Brown for further information. One of the finest highlights of the Convention was the selection of "Mr. TWA", Parky Parkinson, as an Honorary Member of TARPA. Just before addressing the Convention body as guest speaker, Parky was seated in the front row and I had the opportunity of watching his reaction to the nominating presentation by Dean Phillips. At first, he was attentive; then realization and disbelief took over and, finally, appreciation overwhelmed our friend. We thank him for his efforts on our behalf and on behalf of all TWA retirees and we wish him well. George Hinton and his nominating Committee came up with the following candidates for the 1987-88 Board of Directors and the slate was elected unanimously: Executive Committee President...........................Russ Derickson First Vice President ................ Ed Hall Second Vice President............. Phil Hollar Secretary/Treasurer ............... Joe McCombs Senior Director................... A. T. Humbles Directors Associate Member .................. Hal Miller Associate Member.................. Bill Proctor Past President/non-voting ......... Lyle Spencer Committee persons will be announced in the 1987 Directory which we hope to have ready for mailing around June 1st. In closing, I want to add my personal thanks to all those who assisted Phil and Joyce Hollar in making this gathering such a success. To the ladies who greeted us at the Registration Desk, to Dick Ruble and his staff of overworked bar persons who threw us out promptly at 8 PM and those who handled the special events, it would not have have been possible without you. Shake it easy guys & gals. Good to see all of you who attended the Convention this year and I hope to see the rest of you in Tucson next year.
Secretary/Treasurer
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The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA
M I N U T E S GENERAL MEMBERSHIP BUSINESS MEETING Grand Hotel, Anaheim CA March 25 & March 26, 1987 Call to order by President Russ Derickson at 1:40 PM , March 25th. Philps/Luckey There being no corrections or additions, upon motion by Minutes of May 29 & May 30, 1987 Business Meeting approved as published in the January issue of TARPA TOPICS. Secretary / Treasurer report by Joe McCombs. Moved Happy / Anderegg to accept report. APPROVED. Change of agenda to allow report by RAPA President, Al Clay. Motion by Hinton / Van Etten to accept report. PASSED. By-Laws Committee - Lyle Spencer. Resolved, That an additional sentence shall be added to TARPA Policy concerning the RETIRED AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION. This sentence shall read as follows: "Affiliation with RAPA is not mandatory and withdrawal from membership in RAPA may be determined by a fiveseventh majority vote of the Board of Directors". Moved Spencer / Beighlie Beighlie withdraws second Dyer seconds motion Motion FAILED on standing vote count. # # # # # # # # # # Resolved, That the last sentence of Article III, Sec. 4 shall be deleted from the By-Laws, and, be it further Resolved, That the Board of Directors shall set such Policy as is necessary to cover foreign mailing costs Moved Spencer / Guillan . MOTION PASSED # # # ## # # # # # Resolved, That the second sentence of Article III, Sec 4. shall be amended by adding the phrase: "and have been members of TARPA for at least three consecutive years immediately prior to reaching age 75." at the end of the sentence. Moved Spencer / Happy . MOTION PASSED. # # # # # # # # # # Resolved, That the present first sentence of Article III, Sec. 4. shall be deleted from the By-Laws, and, further, be it Resolved, That a new first sentence to Article III, Sec. 4. reading as follows shall be substituted: "Annual dues for REGULAR and ASSOCIATE members shall be established annually by a five-seventh majority vote of the Board of Directors." Moved Spencer / Happy. After lengthy discussion, question moved by John Harlin. Vote on original motion. PASSED 8
Moved by Spencer/ Weaver Resolved, the Board recommends to Convention approval of a dues increase to $25.00 annually. Said dues increase to be retroactive to January 1, 1987 for all Regular and Associate Members including those who have prepaid 1987 dues prior to January 1st and, further, be it Resolved, a grace period of 91 days (June 30th) shall be offered to those who have prepaid before declaring a delinquent status. Amendment to dues resolution upon motion of Phillips / Plumridge Move the Board's resolution on 1987 dues be amended to state that 1987 dues for present Members will remain at $20.00 with an invitation, for those who have not already done so, to contribute an additional $5.00. New Members joining TARPA after this Convention date will be processed under the dues structure established by the Board. Motion amending the Board's resolution PASSED (Note: The Board in post-Convention session on March 26th set dues at $25.00 for new Members joining after that date.) Insurance Committee Report - Ed Hall Introduction of Tim Crowley, NALAC representative. Motion by Van Etten / Peek Resolved, that the Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plan as presented to this Convention be made available to all retired airline crew members and that participation in this plan will not be contingent on membership in TARPA. Motion withdrawn with permission of the second. Moved by Van Etten / Guillan Resolved, that participation in NALAC Plan will not be contingent upon membership in TARPA. Motion to table - John Harlin
PASSED.
Seniors Cruise Report - Lum Edwards TOPICS Editor - A. T . Humbles
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No action
No action
MEC Liaison / Retirement Committee - Bob Sherman - No action Lapel pins - A. T . Humbles
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Enough interest shown to re-order.
Alcoholic Counseling - Phil Hollar - No action TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation, Inc. - Harry Mokler - No action Award of Merit Committee - No action. President Derickson called for recess until 1:30 PM , March 26th Meeting recessed at 4:40 PM *
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Business Meeting re-convened by President Russ Derickson at 1:37 PM on March 26, 1987 in the Grand Hotel, Anaheim, Calif. Derickson introduced Don Heep, President of TWA Seniors Club. Review of Trust Annuity Lump Sum Option - Russ Derickson Motion by Schemel / Hanson Be it resolved, that the TARPA Board of Directors shall be authorized to conduct a poll as to whether or not the entire membership is interested in securing an option to take bulk withdrawal of the "B" plan. PASSED unanimously Save the Connie program - Chris Clark - no action Motion by Phillips / Ole Olson Resolved, that Gordon "Parky" Parkinson be nominated and approved as an Honorary Member of TARPA. MOTION PASSED unanimously Nomination of Officers for 1987-1988 - George Hinton Executive Committee President Russ Derickson First Vice-President . . . Ed Hall Second Vice-President . . . Phil Hollar Secretary / Treasurer . . . . Joe McCombs Senior Director........... A. T. Humbles Directors Associate Member.......... Hal Miller Associate Member.......... Bill Proctor Past President/non Voting . Lyle Spencer Move the nominations be closed PASSED
Townsend / Plumridge
Secretary to cast one vote to elect the nomination slate unanimously. PASSED There being no further business before this Convention, Meeting adjourned at 3:15 PM
Approved:
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In Memoriam JOHN L. DOBBERTEEN
LYMAN W. KEELE
17 February 1987 * * * * * * *
19 January 1987 * * * * * * *
PAUL W. 'Doc' Dougherty, JR. 3 March 1987 * * * * * *
J. R.
LUTHER J. "JIM" RENFREW 16 November 1986 * * * * * * *
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' Dick' DOYLE
6 March 1987 * * * * * *
LOUIS J. "L. J ." SMITH 27 February 1987 *
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DAVID HALPERIN 23 March 1987 * * * * * *
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CHARLES C. "WOODY" WOODALL 13 March 1987 * * * * * *
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WILLIAM B. SHOEMAKER
RALPH P. HELPINGSTINE 24 March 1987 * * * * * *
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Lyman W. Keele Born 5 July 1919 * Died 19 January 1987 Furnished by wife, Brigitte
Captain Lyman W. Keele decided he would be an airplanes at local Nevada airport in exchange age sixteen. When at the University of Nevada March 1941 received a commission in the Royal officer, became staff pilot.
airline pilot at age nine. Washed for flying lessons. Soloed at started his flying club. On 15 Canadian Air Force as a pilot-
Resigned his commission in the R.C.A.F. when hired by Transcontinental & Western Air on 21 February 1942. In the sixties heart trouble put him on medical leave first then he became medically retired, In 1964 moved to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. Lyman and wife, Brigitte, started a Coca-Cola distributorship there, sold it in 1982, moved to south Texas in early 1983. Lyman went back to his first love, flying, there putting together an airpark called ULTRALITE MID-VALLEY FLITE PARK. On the beautiful morning of 19 January 1987 in front of his wife, Brigitte, he landed his Air Commander Gyrocopter and all of a sudden when taxiing the machine came apart killing him on the spot on his own runway. According to his wish, Lyman was cremated the same day. His ashes will be spread by a friend from an airplane in April. Captain Keele was preceded in death by his son, Lyman Jr., who was first officer on the Southern Airways Flight 242 which crashed in Georgia on 4 April 1977. His wife, Brigitte, would love to hear from those who flew with him or knew him. P.O. Box 1400, Mercedes, Texas 78570. Telephone 512 565 2015. ******** Note from editor: In accordance with TARPA policy Mrs. Keele becomes an Honorary Member and will receive all mailings. Also a donation of twenty five dollars will be made by TARPA to the TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation in Captain Keele's memory. *
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We are saddened to report that John Richey's wife, Hazel, passed away on April 1st.
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REPORT ON Paul DOUGHERTY PASSING AWAY BY HIS WIFE, ELIZABETH Captain Paul W. Dougherty, Jr., died on March 3, 1987, while we were on vacation in Maui, Hawaii. I was with him and he had two deep breaths and was gone in less than half a minute. He died in my arms with a Doctor friend right beside him. Nothing could be done. The autopsy report said; a coronary occlusionconjecture is a blood clot which does not always show up on an autopsy-it dissolves before it is found. Although he had retired from TWA in July, 1982 , he was for the past two years working with the Hughes Aircraft Company, Fullerton, California. He was a consultant to them on the Ground Systems Group-the group that is designing and developing the FAA's future air traffic control system. Besides me, he leaves three children and five grandchildren. Sincerely, Elizabeth Dougherty, 900-N Ronda Sevilla, Laguna Hills, CA 92653 P.S. He really meant to write and tell you how much he enjoyed the TARPA publication. When it arrived he sat down and read it from cover to cover. Continued success with it, I love it too. JOHN L. DOBBERTEEN Capt. John L. Dobberteen, 70, of Prescott, AZ, died Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Yavapai Regional Medical Center. Born Feb. 26, 1916, in Sturgis, Michigan, he was the son of John and Elizabeth Dobberteen. He moved to Arizona in 1973 from San Pedro, CA, and retired from Trans World Airlines in 1973. During World War II he flew for ICD. He was a member of the Prescott Evening Lions Club, president of the Mountain Artists Guild, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Aficianados and the Silver Eagles of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is survived by his wife, Carol of Prescott; and a niece, Betty Danko of Colorado.
WARREN H. JOHNSON Flight Engineer Warren H. Johnson passed away at age 65 on 25 November 1986. Warren was on the TARPA Board of Directors at one time. He went with TWA in 1943 and was on ICD. Retired in 1982. Survived by his wife, Betty, a daughter, Leone Teddy Strieter and two granddaughters, and Barbara. *
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We have all heard the old saying, I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I found the person who had no feet. I have a letter from Larry Fauci, a Flight Engineer and a TARPA member, who reports that his son, Keith, was going through flight training at Florida Institute of Technology. Just made the Dean's list and had an R.O.T.C. scholarship in his hand when he broke his neck diving into the Ocean Easter Sunday of 1985. He is now a quadraplegic so this doesn't leave us very much free time. Larry says hello to all his friends and hopes we had a good time at Anaheim. He is, still working and I am sure many of us remember him. He is also very active in a volunteer fire department in his area. You may have seen an article on this in the TWA Skyliner some time back. * * * * * * * * * * We are very sorry to report that our RAPA secretary, Don McDougall passed away. Al Clay has lost a valuable helper. 13
TARPA INSURANCE PLANS
FROM:
Ed Hall
DATE:
March 31, 1987
SUBJECT:
Insurance Committee Report
During our March convention in Anaheim, an insurance presentation was given to the Board of Directors and all TARPA attendees. The purpose of this report was to bring the membership up-to-date with the early success of the program and to provide answers to those who had questions regarding the program. The presentation consisted of four parts: 1. What is medicare? 2. What are medicare supplements? 3. How the TARPA medicare supplement works. 4. The status of the two TARPA plans - hospital indemnity/ medicare supplement. During the question and answer period of the presentation, several members asked about pre-existing conditions and how the TARPA plan handled this situation. It was made very clear during the report that any TARPA member currently insured under the RAPA program may transfer into the TARPA plan WITHOUT a new pre-existing condition period. Several members requested that this same consideration be given to those in TARPA who are insured by other insurance programs such as AARP and the Retired Officers Association. Based on this question, our administrator approached the insurance company and explained the situation. Based on our request, we have successfully arranged for the following terms: Any TARPA member age 65 or older who is currently insured by ANY medicare supplement plan may enter the TARPA program without a new pre-existing condition. This offer is for a 60 day period only (May 1, 1987 - June 30, 1987). To qualify you must provide evidence that you have had six months of continuous coverage from another medicare supplement plan. If you have questions regarding this subject, we encourage you to call our administrator. -Continued-
P.O. Box 310 120 Mineola Boulevard Mineola, New York 11501
800-645-2424 Toll Free (516) 294-0220 N.Y. Call Collect 14
The success of our program is clear, based on the large number of members who have transferred their RAPA coverage to the TARPA plan. The transfers, coupled with the newly enrolled members, put our insured list over 150 insureds. This number will continue to grow as insureds reach their transfer date in the RAPA program. The success of our plan is further supported by the fact that two other pilot retiree groups have requested participation in our plan. After discussing these requests with the Board of Directors, a resolution was passed that members of Ozark and Eastern be allowed to participate in the TARPA plan. Their participation will not only benefit their members, but will also benefit TARPA. The larger number of people who enroll in the plan, the stronger the program will become, keeping future premiums at affordable rates. In conclusion, we encourage any member of TARPA to call or write our administrator. We are confident that you will realize why so many of TARPA ' s members have already taken part in the TARPA insurance plans. TARPA Administrator P.O. Box 310 120 Mineola Blvd. Mineola, NY 11501 800-645-2424 * * * * * * * * *
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George Hinton, left, the Nominating Committee Chairman and Ed Hall
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REPORT ON THE B PLAN BY R. C. SHERMAN Highlight of 1986 with comparisons to previous years assets , performance & expenses as reported to the TARPA Board of Directors at Anaheim. The Highlights of 1986 and other information can be viewed in the Tables that follow. word of caution is in order concerning the use of these figures for other purposes, some could be misleading when taken out of context. Besides possible error including mine - space does not permit all of the explanation that define or limit many of the figures.
Table I: MEMBERSHIP COMPARISONS AT YEAR END.
Actives
1982
1983
1984
1 985
1986
Number Retirements Deaths New Members
3509 135 8 2
3326 153 7 0
3084 1 41 6 0
2968 137 4 75
3314 # 1 99 2 566 #
856 20
992 20
1124 15
1249 15
1 331 x 24
20 587 28.315
23 672 30.908
27 674 30.019
30 857 36.656
29 911 39.912
Contributions
1983
1984
1985
1986
Company Pilots
25.2 M 1.8
23.8 M 1.6
29.0 M 1.8
20.1 M 2.7
*TOTAL
27.0
25.4
30.8
22.8
Annuities Lump Sum
15.4 M 6.4
23.9 M 53.8
TOTAL
21.8
77.7
Retiree ' s & Beneficiaries Number Deaths Retiree: % of Members Net ASSETS (Mil$) Unit Value
Table II:
PAID IN / PAID OUT
Retirement Payments
# Includes 470 OZA Pilots x Includes 51 Joint Annuitants * Includes equalization transfers amounting to 2.7 million 1986; 0.8 million 1985; and 0.4 million 1984. 1986 presented a cash flow problem in that it pa: out 55 million more in retirement than contributions brought in.
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Table III:
1986 PLAN INVESTMENT DATA
Net Assets
% of Plan
% Gain in ' 86
80.2 M 76.6 146.7 148.5 189.3 168.8 16.5 15.8 10.1 15.1 41.2
9 8 16 16 21 19 2 2 1 2 3
P 16.9 15.6 19.5 18.8 11.7 P P
Bos. Safe
1.8
1
TOTAL PLAN
910.8 *
Manager Fidelity Mellon Morgan Putnam State St. Mer-Meid Morgan N. Car. NB. St. St Bank Tr. Co. West L.O.R.
Notes:
Comm
64 K 418 317 213
Fee
196 K 553 490 1 040 1 08
Fee/ Ave. Assets
.30 % .31 .28 .41 .07
P P 173
1 00
1 2.7
1,185
246 221
.02
2,854
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P = Funded in late 1986. - = not applicable. The first five named are Equity Managers. They control 70% of Plan assets. Mercer - Meidinger handles Guaranteed Investment Contracts, (loans to selected insurance companies). Morgan also runs an open-end Real Estate fund. North Carolina National Bank designs, builds and manages suburban office building complexes; mostly pre-leased. Trust Company of the West purchases and manages selected real estate opportunities for pension plan clients. 6.3% of the assets are in real estate, with 5 million to be added (+0.6%). Leland, O ' Brien, & Rubenstein were the originators of protecting equity portfolios from market downturn by buying and selling S&P 500 futures in accordance with a formula. The net of profits (down market) and losses (up market) was a 25.8 million loss, bringing the total cost of the protection to 26 1/4 million; 4% of the equities value. Boston Safe is the Master Trustee and Paying Agent. The asset allocation plan of late 1986 calls for about 65% Equities (40% core-large S&P 500 Company ' s, 10% aggressive, 15% International); 20% G.I.C. ' s, 10% Real Estate; 5% Cash, with a flexibility range for each. The Plan now has 10 Investment Managers. Selection of an eleventh to handle International Equities is in progress (currently handled by Putnam). Checks for April - May - June will be .453% greater than March check. * The assets exceeded $1 billion in early March.
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B-PLAN INVESTMENT PHILOSOPHY (Excerpt ' s from a letter by Capt. Al Mundo, Chmn. Investment Committee to TWA) The determinant principal is conservatism. While the ideal objective of any investment philosophy is to maximize each of the twin goals of (1) investment return and (2) safety of principal (and fairness to all participants requires attention to both), the conflicting nature of these goals necessitates an emphasis on one or the other. Approximately thirty percent (30%) of the B-Plan participants are retired and at least partially dependent on income provided by the Plan. Additionally, the average age of the active participants is 49, with 11 years or less to retirement. These two facts indicate that significant investment losses (such as those suffered by the Plan during 1973 and 1974) would be intolerable, and even lesser negative returns would be unacceptable. Therefore, safety of assets is the B Plan's emphasized objective. Maximized return is important but secondary. In order to achieve safety of Plan assets in various investment environments, the Investment Committee has implemented a multi-faceted investment strategy. The salient features are: 1. Diversification of Assets. This includes diversification of equity manager investment styles (eg., growth, value, contrarian, etc.) as well as asset types (common stocks, real estates, international equities, etc.). 2. GIC ' s. These are fixed income contracts with principal and income guaranteed by high quality insurance companies, paid monthly. They enhance stability despite general interest rate volatility. 3. Portfolio Insurance. Programs which target minimum rates of return for equity assets through hedging with S & P 500 futures. 4. Active Asset Allocation Programs. Programs which involve reallocation of assets from equity investments when it is perceived that the equity markets may be overvalued. It is recognized that some of these programs will involve a cost to the Plan in exchange for the expected reduction in volatility. It is hoped that this cost will be offset to some extent through the careful selection and monitoring of investment managers who will be able to add value to the Plan. Additionally, a relatively small percentage of the Plan ' s assets are invested in more aggressive equity investments whose potential premium investment return is expected to outweigh any increased volatility characteristics. It is our intention that this investment strategy will be dynamic rather than static and that the Plan ' s investment programs will continue to evolve as new information and investment technology becomes available or when Plan circumstances change.
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FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! FLASH! Capt. Sherman called just before publication time to advise that he had just returned from the Investment Committee meeting and the March 31st. closing figures show that our B plan checks for July, August and September will show an increase often percent (ATH)
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FROM YE OLDE EDITOR Actually this is from your new editor. President Derickson persuaded me to assume this job so wish me luck. It is my hope I can keep TARPA TOPICS in the tradition it has established. Your help will be needed. Please let me have any suggestions, constructive criticisms, contributions etc. We all owe Al Clay a real vote of thanks for the many years he carried the burden as editor. It has been an instrument that helps keep us together with news of interest and benefit to all cockpit members that belong to TARPA. I know I have always looked forward to receiving my copy. I don't have any good source for up to date news about TWA but now that the Skyliner is back in publication we will have some news in that area. I do note that the pilots are having difficulty with their contract as witness the following quote from a letter by Angelo Marchione, Chairman of the TWA ALPA MEC, "New TWA Flight Operations policies and contractual interpretations are being unilaterally implemented without any consideration of past practices and understandings established over years of negotiating dialogue and grievance settlements. *** It is unfortunate that the company has embarked upon a program of unilateral action that disregards contractual rights. Their insensitivity to the TWA pilots' personal problems after the sacrifices made in recent agreements is a personal insult to representatives who hoped that a change for the better in labor-management relationships had occurred. It is obvious that the positive changes at some levels have not filtered down to the management level that deals directly with pilots. Once again, the MEC and I ask for support and confidence of all TWA pilots so that we may end the exploitation of our agreements by the use of divide and conquer tactics". Noticed in the newsletter of the retired pilots of Delta who call themselves the Delta Golden Wings that they had their last reunion in Savannah, Georgia, and will have their next one in Portland, Oregon. The Airlift Retired Pilots Association newsletter of February had an article quite complimentary of our TARPA TOPICS especially about the article on Amelia Earhart. Also they mentioned Harry Ward flying the Connie to Kansas City. Even had the address where you can send a donation. Not to Harry but to Save-A-Connie, P.O. Box 9144, Riverside, MO 64168. The U.S. Air (Allegheny) retired pilots call their association the Soaring Eagles. Notice they had their last reunion in San Antonio, Texas, and the president of U.S. Air attended. Always at their reunions a vice president comes, U.S. Air hosts a cocktail party for them and presents some kind of gift to all. Bet we could have the same for the asking, eh? As most of you know, AL Clay is now president of RAPA, The Retired Airline Pilots Association. I think this organization can do a lot - for all of us and Al is the man who can g et the show on the road. Already they had made important changes in their set up. Elsewhere in this publication will be their latest newsletter. By permission of Al I wish to quote one paragraph from their ' February newsletter; In December, a rumor circulated to the effect that the corporate name, western Airlines, would completely disappear on April 1st. This is simply not true. The WAL negotiating team were very hard-nosed in trying to maintain as much of a Western identity as possible and did manage to salvage half of the corporate name. After April first we will keep the word "AIRLINES" and Delta will keep the word "DELTA".
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Some developments back on our own airline. The courts have ruled that the Independent Federation of Flight Attendants is the official bargaining entity for all TWA flight attendants. This ruling nullifies work rules that were instituted by TWA after the walk-out and requires all flight attendants to pay $29 monthly dues and gives IFFA the power to enforce a union shop. This directly affects the 2000 replacements that TWA had hired. The IFFA has filed a lawsuit charging TWA with bad faith bargaining and age and sex discrimination. If the suit is successful, the striking flight attendants will not only get their jobs back but some back pay as well. Picketing resumed on March 7, the anniversary of the walk-out of March 1986. I am sure some of you will be interested in following by a retired Northwest Airlines pilot - A neighbor down the block heard of my arthritic condition so she brought over a book for me to read and it is called "There is a Cure for Arthritis" by Dr. Airola. I read his book and adhered to his program for conquering arthritis. Now I am cured and back to normal again. Another thing that his program does is to get one's weight back to normal. An obese neighbor of ours lost sixty pounds in two months. His high blood pressure dropped back to normal too. This book is sold in some health food stores in case you are interested. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE ORIGIN OF PEANUTS? Originating in South America where archeologists have unearthed peanut shaped jars made by the Inca Indians, the peanut journeyed with early Spanish explorers as far as Africa and Asia. Considered a valuable food by the African natives, the peanut eventually was brought to the Virginia colonies aboard slave ships. Peanuts were grown around slave cabins throughout the South but because cotton and tobacco were the leading cash crops the peanut remained insignificant until after the War between the States. Popularized by Union and Confederate troops who relied on the food value and quick energy provided by the "goober pea", the peanut has since made great strides in agriculture and industry. Its many uses has made it a valuable commodity but the peanut is still a favorite, simply for eating enjoyment. For those of you on low cholestrerol diets, raw peanuts contain only polyunsaturaated fats. The following may generate some interest and response from our wives so here goes. On our Mississippi riverboat cruise Bennie Lou Chakerian had the Clipped Wings news booklet. She let me browse through it, I still have it and will send it back to her but I found, it most interesting. TWA does their printing, incidentally, but we have our independence. Bernie (Landon) Barnard flew for TWA from 1958 to 1961 and was domiciled in MDW and BOS. Assume she is domiciled in Fernandina Beach, Florida, now with Captain Jack?tainJck Mary (Sharkey ) Lusk was a charter member of the CHI chapter, she flew for TWA 1947 to 1954. Domiciled MKC, EWR, BOS and SFO . They say she married First Officer Al Lusk and moved to Chicago when he became a Captain.
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Fay (Lunsford) Widholm - Flew for TWA 1946-1949. Domiciled MKC. She took the inaugeral flight to Louisville. She was presented keys to the city and given a bat to present to Babe Ruth who always used bats made by a special company in Louisville. We assume our Captain Bob knows her? Irma (Kolasek ) Canning - President of the Chicago Chapter of Clipped Wings in 1959. I knew her husband, Don Canning. He was junior to me and TWA did him a favor by furloughing him. He went with American and was flying jets while A. T. was still on the Connies! He is retired now and living in Arlington, Texas. Irma went back last year during the strike on TWA. Judy Marquardt - Flew for TWA 1963-1969. Could this girl know our Captain Dick? And at the first Clipped Wings convention in Kansas City they show a picture of Doris {Bob?) Stuffings and Doris (Jim) Vallee! Note Alice (Pankau) Strickler was a charter member of the Peninsula Chapter of Northern California. Wonder if this one knows our Chuck? I have an idea she does as it says her husband, a TWA pilot was transferred to SFO. Another member of the Peninsula Chapter is listed as Margaret Thrush who flew for TWA from 1937 to 1944 and was domiciled in MDW and LGA. Served as check hostess, chief hostess at LGA, set up Midwest Region hostess base and was chief hostess Midwest Region in 1943. San Diego Chapter was set up in 1979 with Dorothy Lachenmaier and Jeanne Whisenhunt in attendance at that meeting. Lachenmaier flew for TWA from 1946 to 1948. Jeannie Whisenhunt flew for TWA from 1954 to 1958. Domiciled in Paris. Her unforgetable flight was from Paris to Dahran in which a Saudi Arabian prince was returning from a diplomatic mission in Paris. With him were four wives, a eunuch , Swiss woman doctor in charge of princesses, American ambassador to Saudi, other government officials and four royal guards outfitted with gold and precious stone daggers. Elaborate care taken that princesses could not be seen by any other man except the prince. TWA's problem of finding replacement hostesses might have been less had not so many of us married them and took them off the line. Maybe the foregoing will generate some interest and responses from the wives of our members, eh? *
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I personally want to thank all those who worked so hard to make our convention the huge success it was. Especially I am grateful to John Happy, the official TARPA reunion photographer. I regret to say I can't use all the pictures in this issue but. will have some more in our next issue. Those of you who didn't attend the function in Anaheim missed out on a very enjoyable time. I apologize for the lack of organization but, if I don't get fired, I hope the next one will be better. It has made me realize what a big job Al Clay performed for us for lo these many years! Next year our convention will be in Tucson and Jack Miller is the chairman. The following year will be in New Orleans and John Lattimore will chair it. *
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HONORARY TARPA MEMBER GORDON PARKINSON At the business meeting of TARPA members in Anaheim former Manager of Operational Planning of Trans World Airline, Mr. Gordon Parkinson was unanimously designated as an Honorary Member of the TWA Active Retired Pilots Association. Parky made a most interesting acceptance speech. Dean Phillips made the nomination and we will excerpt from his talk as follows. Most of us have known this man for many years. He began his airline career in 1929 as a meteorologist for Transcontinental Air Transport, a predecessor of TWA. In 1938 he became a Flight Dispatcher and after World War II, when Operational Planning was formed, he was made Manager of Operational Planning and served in that capacity until his retirement from TWA 31 December 1969. That adds up to forty years of service to our airline. He was a prime organizer and mover in the start up of the TWA Credit Union and was most active in helping to start the Management Club, The Employees Club, the Decadent Decaders, the TWA Seniors Club and has guided and directed the jewel of all the Seniors's affairs, the annual Roundup at Wickenburg, Arizona, since its inception twenty five years ago. He has served as president, director and counselor for all of these organizations as well an many more. You all know the man being talked about is the one affectionately known as Mr. TWA, Gordon (Parky) Parkinson. Parky likes any color as long as it is red, especially TWA red. I'm sure the only TWA red Parky does not like is the red ink on the recent financial reports. Parky was and still is one of the biggest boosters of TWA and its many outstanding employees and retirees. Parky is a compassionate and caring person. How he keeps up with all those people in need of help or a kind word is beyond me but he does. It is time we recognize him not solely for what he has done but, also, because he has always been and remains a good friend of this pilot group. I, Dean Phillips, therefore, offer the following resolution; RESOLVED THAT GORDON (PARKY) PARKINSON BE NOMINATED AND APPROVED AS AN HONORARY MEMBER OF TARPA. TARPA President Derickson received the following letter dated 29 March 87 from Gordon Parkinson; Dear Russ, It was almost 59 years ago that I started with TWA and Thursday, March 26th., was the high point in TWA for me. I feel very honored to be made an Honorary Member of TARPA. The tears came Thursday and again yesterday and today as I told my five daughters about it. Sincerely, Parky Give my best wishes to Uli and let me know if I can help TARPA in any way. Note from editor; The above letter has Russ's name, TWA and Parky in red. I remember his red neck ties ever since I went with TWA in 1945! It was nice to hear Parky came from a railroad family as my two brothers and I were too.
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CONVENTION
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by Phil A. Hollar The 1987 Convention is now history and in passing made a little history itself. My initial tally indicates that it was the biggest yet, not only in attendance but in any parameter that is important. We outdid ourselves and I am proud of each and every one of you. There was no necessity of requesting the services of the Orange County SWAT team, Fire Department or Para Medics. No one peed in the plants, threw up on the carpeting, chased and/or pinched the maids, nor was any furniture, etc., found in the pool, driveway or patio any morning. First - to address a few problems. 1.
Reservations
The hotel reservations staff admits they goofed and they apologize. Not that that will help our situation. I had 175 rooms blocked but reservations did not cut off sending out confirmations when they reached that number, or, a reasonable percentage of overbooking. (Just like the airlines). All reservations requests were confirmed. The real problem arose when they assigned rooms on an " as you arrived basis. " Compounding the situation was a Japanese tour group who liked Disneyland so well that they cancelled Las Vegas and stayed two additional nights. They could not be legally evicted . In spite of this, the Hotel provided 193 rooms before filling up and having to send the overflow across the street to the Hyatt. An interesting note is that 113 had been the previous record for room occupancy. Total paid registration was 417. 2.
Hospitality room
I admit that it was SLIGHTLY crowded most of the time and am aware of the suggestions that we move to one of the larger rooms off the Promenade on the first floor. The idea was good but impractical. California State Law forbids a private bar, with customer furnished alcoholic beverages in ANY room accessible to the general public. THIS AIN ' T VEGAS. To have utilized any of these rooms would have necessitated a cash, hotel bar. WOE WOULD BE ME!! No other hotel in the area has anything any better available for this type function, particularly on a gratis basis, as this was. 3.
Weather
The rain Monday was ordered especially so that the gorgeous weather that followed would be appreciated. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were typical of this time of year. Sorry, the immigration quota for out of staters is filled for years to come. Just suffer. 4.
Tijuana
The trip was enjoyed by all and it was great fun watching the " SHOW AND TELL " in the lobby upon their return. Those who haven ' t, and didn ' t, missed out on a real fun day. 5.
Banquet
Final count was 368 and from my vantage point, I think the girls did a bang up job of getting the meals out in an expeditious manner. When I gave
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the final count for guarantee on Monday, the banquet manager upped the entree from a 10 oz. cut to a 12 oz. cut. If anyone went away hungry, I would hate to have to board them. They even filled several requests for special meals. Coffee service, immediately upon completion of serving the entree, instead of waiting until with, or after dessert, was a special request and seemed to go over very well. 6.
General observations
I won ' t kid anybody and say that setting up and running this convention was a cup of tea. Quite the contrary. A lot of time, effort and thought went into it. The fact that it went so well has elicited many kudos, thanks and congratulations from the troops. Make no mistake, by no means did I do it alone. The registration team on the desk, the disc jockey for the banquet, the gofer, the magnificent bar tenders - God Bless Them. (We didn ' t run the distilleries out of stock, but we did have them working an extra shift). The activities chairmen that ran Golf, Tennis, Trap and Skeet, Bridge and those who helped with the many little errands and jobs that have to be done. I hesitate to name names, so I won ' t. Believe me, whoever you were and whatever you did to help, it was most appreciated. Cost for mileage, phone, postage and/or incidentals were donated by all concerned at no expense to TARPA. The cooperation I received from you all, the hotel staff, the convention center, volunteers - the whole shebang - certainly was most gratifying, stroked my ego, soothed my frazzled nerves and as a result, I mark your bill PAID IN FULL. ' It was my pleasure. Would you believe? The entire hotel staff, without prompting, informed me that we were the nicest, most congenial and easiest group to work with that they had encountered in their career. (Some spanning 25+ years). I had to recheck the agenda to be sure we were both referring to the same group. We were. Thanks troops.
It was fun. Left to right Honorary TARPA member Gordon Parkinson Bartender in uniform is William (Chuck) Hassler Shirley Beighlie- Ex TWA hostess. Ritchie (Curly) Beighlie, husband of ex hostess.
GOLF AT ANAHEIM The golf program at our annual reunion was under the capable supervision of Bert and Stella Schaar. The course was Anaheim Hills Golf Course in Anaheim, naturally. Everyone agreed it was a real interesting layout with lots of hills, trees, water and sand. Bert said we had a total of 51 men and 14 women sign up for the two day tournament of March twenty fifth and twenty sixth. We awarded trophies for low gross, low net and Callaway competition. Callaway is a formula that offers golfers without handicaps a chance to compete. Results; Men's Division - Winner low gross-Bert Schaar. Runner up low gross=Bob Early. Winner low net-Tom Conley. Runner up low net-Bill Greer. Winner of Callaway flight-Walt Waldo. Ladies's Division - Winner low gross-Didi Young. Winner low net-Connie Ives. Winner Callaway-Noreen Cawley. All the above received trophies. Closest to the pin contest: Men's winner-Cliff Davis. Received one dozen golf balls. Ladies' winner-None but all ladies received a gift of golf balls. And Bert says, "You might mention that one of Bill Merrigan's golf balls was stolen by a coyote and that Bob Early three putted from fourteen inches". He also says, " I want you to know I appreciate all the time and effort that you and some of the others put into TARPA on our behalf". I am sure I speak for all of us when I say thanks to Bert and Stella Schaar for shouldering some of the burden of making our annual get togethers so enjoyable.
TRAP AND SKEET SHOOT AT REUNION We held the trap and skeet shooting on the grounds of where the last Olympic shooting contest was held. Wednesday was a windy day which affected the targets so no perfect scores. Thursday was a good day so scores were better. Joe McCombs again won the high over all trophy for the best trap and skeet scores. Dale Milburn joined us for the first time and received the high trap trophy. Honorable mention goes to Russ Derickson and then Larry Haake who were close behind Dale. John Lattimore won the high skeet trophy and this was his first time with us. Don Stitt was one target behind John. _Ed Kimball, Earl Lima and Lee Wildman joined us for the first time. Richie Beighlie, John Happy, Phil Hollar and Earl Heinrich were back again to make a total of thirteen to attend the trap and skeet shooting. We all had an enjoyable two mornings. *
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HEAVY
ARTILEY
Left to right, Standing; Russ Derickson, Ed Kimball, Larry Haake, Ritchie Beighlie, John Lattimore, Earl Lima, Dale Milburn, Joe McCombs and Lee Wildman. Kneeling; Phil Hollar, John T. Happy, Earl Heinrich and Don Stitts.
TENNIS Mickey Wind captures the trophy as the champion. Dick Faulds handled this event and we hope to have more details next issue. Champion, Women's Division; Adrienne Sturtevant.
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March 29, 1987 934 Los Aceitunos Camrillo, CA 93010 T O:
Kati Buchanan Chuck Hasler Ev Green Bob Earley Herb Traylor John Soule Bud Fischer
Al Lusk Terri Rager Thad May Tom Carroll Bart Anderegg Lee Butler Glen Hanson
This letter is to thank all you wonderful people who worked so hard at the Tarpa ' Bar during our convention, Anaheim 87. You saved my life. We could not have done the job without you. I do not have the authority to give this award, but will do it anyway. You are hereby Knighted Prince and Princes of Tarpa Bar Keepers. So be it on this date, March 21, 1987. With this certificate you are welcome in any Tarpa Bar wherever it may be. Hope you all got home safe and sound. John all best wishes for your pending marriage - Chuck, hope your Marine Cruise is a great success - Katie, hope the family wedding party is a blast. God bless you all and thanks for all the help; it was a tough job well done and much appreciated. Best wishes,
Dick Ruble Tarpa Bar ' 87
Master Bar Manager Dick Ruble at the mike. That lady who almost got into the picture is lovely Jean McCombs. By now you should recognize the other fellow as the Convention Chairman, Phil Hollar.
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ATTENDEES: TARPA Convention, The Grand Hotel, Anaheim, CA 25-26 March, 1987 Adams, John O. and Elizabeth Ainsworth, W. L. "Arky" and Betty Aman , William B. "Bill" and Marguerite Anderegg, Bartling P. "Bart" and Mary Fran Anderson, Richard F. "Dick " Anderson, Thomas W. "Tom " Armstrong, John G. and Emily Bassford, Steve and Martha: Beck, Richard H. "Dick " and Lou Bainbridge, William, Jr. "Bill " Bar, Louis "Louie " and Noreen Beighlie, C. Ritchie and Shirley Betts, Edward G. "Ed " and Donna Bissonette, Riley F. and Marcia Smith Blaney, Ford and Jane Bliss, Lewis "Lew" and Maravene Delay Bobzin, Lyle D. Boldon, Roland F. and Grace Bottieri, Henry F. " Enrico " and Georgette Bowen, Russell "Russ " and Gay Brister, Roy L. and Esther Brogdon, James "Jim" and Marge Brown, Joseph A. " Joe " and Eliese Brundage, L. Dean and Mary Buchanan, Katie (Buck) Butler, Lemauris " Lee " and Jeanne Bybee, John S. and Ginny Carlson, John A. and Helen Carter, Dean A. Clark, Chris J. and Carole Clark, Harry F. and Lee Clay, A. J., Jr. "Al " and Jo Colburn, Richard, R. " Dick " and Georgia Conley, Thomas A. " Tom" Converse, Virginia (Larry) Cooper, William S. " Bill " and Mary Craft, Ray W. and Martha Craw, Clifford "Cliff " Creswell, Joseph A. " Joe" and Ellie Cruickshank, Richard A. " Dick Dahl, Jack F. and Marjorie Davis, Charles M. " Black Dog " and Sylvia Davis, Clifton C. " Cliff " Davis, R. W. "Rusty " and Jean Davis, Richard A. "Dick " and Marcia De Celles, J. L. "Larry " and Betty
Deitchman, William "Bill" and Dorothy Derickson, Russell G. "Russ " Dickey, W. E. " Bill " and Janice Dowling, Carl T. and Marguerite Dowling, Noriene (Bill) " " Drosendahl, Russell E. Russ and Lucy Dyer, J. Willard " Chick" Earley, Robert J. "Bob" and Virginia Edwards, E. C. "Lum" and Bette " " Ellington, Harold F. Duke and Maxine Elliott, Edward J. " Bud " and Lucy Emmerton , John A. and Donna Faulds, Richard W. " Dick " and Chris Fischer, Melvin L. "Mel " and Marjorie Fischer, William C. " Bill " and Rhea Fischer, Gilbert W. and Kay Garrett, Ruby D. and Beth Goldthorpe, R. W. " Goldie " and Julia Granger, S. Gordon " Gordie " and Angela Green, Everett R. " Ev" and Jessica Greer, William H. Jr., "Bill " and Arlyne Gruber, Everett E. "Ed " and Cleone " Guillan, Richard M. " Dick and Peggy " Haake, Lawrence T. Larry " and Theresa Hager, James S. "Jim " and Chris Haggard, Wayne L. and Judith Hall, Edward A. " Ed " Hammonds, James W. " Jim " and Madelene Handy, Russell L. "Russ " and Margery Hanson, Glen W. and Jeannette Hanson, Omar L. " Olie " and Teddy Happy, John T. and Bette Hargis, Gordon W. Harlin, John E. and Edna Harpster, John W. and Marie Harrison, William L. "Bill " and Mary Hasler, William C. "Chuck " and Patricia Hassler, Vernon M. "Vic " and Janet Headstrom, A. L. "Al " and Denise Heald, Robert W. "Rod " Heep, Don and Betty (TWA Seniors Pres) Heine, Thomas C. "Tom " Heinrich, Harry E. "Earl" and Francis Hemsted, Robert "Bob" and Jeanne Millie Summerfield (Bob Hemsteads Guest) Hendrickson, John L. and Doris Hendrix, James M. "Jim " and Claire
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" " Hewitt, Barton G. Bart and Ellen Hinton, George A. and Amy Holden, Verl M. and Teddy Hollar, Phil S. and Joyce Hubert, William and Celine Humbles, A. T. and Betty Huntley, Lyle E. and Rosella " " Huttenberg, Alan J. Al and Verne Ives, Lloyd M. and Connie Jacobsen, Harry A. and Flo Jones, Cecil L. " Cece" and Thelma Jones, Eugene W. "Gene" and Agnes Jury, E. F. " Bud " and Madeleine Kalota, Chester " Chet " and Marjorie Kelly, Arthur E. "Art " and Lois Kidd, John and Ann (Arky ' s Guests) Kimball, Ed H. Kirst, Henry J. and Betty Kroschel, Tom and Carol Lachenmaier, Robert W. " Bob" and Dorothy Lattimore, John L. and Betty " " Laurin, Lester H. Les and Evelyn " " Leonard, Arthur H. Art and Celia Lima, Earl and Eleanor Lindsey, Robert and Dorice Long, Alice " " Long, Richard P. Dick and Alice " " Loomis, R. C. Dick and Jan Luckey, Sam and Marge " Lutz, Raymond H. "Ray and Fayne Lynch, Ruby D. (Tom) Lytle, Neal A. and Monique " Martin, Edward J. " Ed and Franci Mattke, Cleo A. and Margaret May, John Thaddeus " Thad " and Janet " McArthur, James B. " Jim McClimans, H. F. " " McCombs, Joseph A. Joe and Jeanne. " McConaghy, Burton Burt " and Bessie " " McDonald, Joseph R. Joe McFerren, Phares and Edith " " McKenzie, Donald D. Don and Barbara McNew, Paul E. and Eloise " " Merrigan, William F. Bill and Cathaleen Milburn, Dale Milford, Robert F. "Bob " " " Miller, John M. Jack " " Miller, William Willie and Dorothee Mitchell, John E. " Mokler, Harold F. " Harry and Fran Montgomery, John M.
Montgomery, Robert T. "Bob " and Gladys Morehead, Clem W. " Walt " and Anne Motil, John R. and June Murphy, Arthur J. " Art " and Doris Owen " " Myer, Russell P. Russ and Irene Neja, Ted J. and Win Nelson, Steward F. " Stu" and Arlene Newberger, Ernest "Whitey " and Catherine Nichols, Horance E. "Nick" Nixon, C. Clyde Norem, James E. "Jim " and Virginia Olson, Eldred " Olie " and Rosalie Olson, Orville R. "Olie " and Carol Pahl, Clarence H. " Slim" and Mickey Parent, Jane (Frank) Parkinson, "Parky " (Honorary Member) Phillips, Dean L. and Bobbe Pickerell, Mary Ellen (Guest) " " Plumridge, Reginald A. Reggie and Ruth " Polizzi, James J. " Jim Powk, John E. and Ina Pyle, John H. and Marion " Rager, Terence "Terry and Betty " " Richardson, Delbert Del and Rena " " Rollison, James R. Jim and Betty Rowe, Ed and Helen " Ruble, Richard, M. " Dick and Kay Ruff, Elmus Linwood and Mildred Salmonson, Roger N. and Joy Schaar, Bert C. and Stella Schemel, Gerhard M. "Gerry " and Peggy " " Selby, David C. Dave and Dolores " " Sherman, Robert C. Bob and Alice Sherwood, Adele (Hal) Solomon, Jasper Stewart " Soli' Sorenson, Norman L. " Norm " and Frances Soule, John H. and Gisela " " Sparrow, Clifford V. Cliff and Mary Spencer, Lyle A. and Dorothy Stitt, Donald K. " " Strickler, Charles D. Charlie and Alice " Sturtevant, Henry T. "Hank and Adrienne Thomas, Louis F. " Lou" and Rose Marie " Thompson, Lewis W. Lew " and Judy
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Thompson, Van H. and Jean Thrush, Margaret (Roy) Towner, William H. "Bill" and Teddie Townsend, William H. "Bill" and Alva Traudt, Warren E. and Florence Traylor, Herbert A. "Herb" Trepas, S. Ronald "Ron" Tunder, Joe R. and Kalita Turner, Ivan L. Valacer, Stanley E. "Stan " Vallee, Doris (Jim) Van Etten, Roy W. and Noreen Cawley Vance, Sally (Arthur S. "Babe " Waggoner, Earl R. Waldo, Walter J. " Walt " and Eleanor Wallace, William F. " Bill " and Doris Weaver, Claude M. Whisenhut, Jeannie Widholm, Robert W. " Bob" and Fay Wildman, E. Lee and Sue Williams, Hubert F. and Celine Willis, Harry H. and Pauline Wind, M. Michael " Mickey " and Betti Wintersteen, William B. " Bill " and Maxine Young, Ben L. and Didi Young, Donald F. " Don " and Nell Young, Frank E. and Marty Youngblood, William M. and Korky
Phil Hollar Convention Committee Chairman
And, on checking the roster signed by those at the business meetings I come up with the following additonal names; Jack L. Baker Tom Carroll George Clegg John T. Peek Ed Carneal Al Lusk
Also I apologize for misspelling of a couple of names such as Louis Barr and Russ Meyers. I made a mistake once but can't remember where. If we have missed anyisue,tha one let me know and we will print it next is if I haven't lost this job before then.
BRIDGE TOURNAMENT AT ANAHEIM Ed Gruber handled this event. Announced at banquet ceremonies that the winner was Rolland Bolden, Runner-up was Hanson. *
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EAGLES RECOGNIZED AT REUNION Left to right: Bill Townsend, John Soule, Phares McFerren, Russ Bowen and John Harlin. Not only are they all Captains but as I understand it is also General Bowen and Admiral Harlin.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS IN SESSION Left to right: First Vice President Ed Hall, President Russ Derickson and Secretary / Treasurer Joe McCombs.
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Left to right; Ed Hall, 1st. Vice President & Insurance Committee Chairman - Tim Crowley, Insurance ExecutiveJoe McCombs and Phil Hollar, Second Vice President.
Left to right: A. T . Humbles, TARPA Senior Director and Lyle Spencer, Director.
Left to right; Lyle Spencer and Bob Sherman, Retirement Committee and MEC Liaison.
ALFIA J. CLAY, JR. President of RAPA, the Retired Airline Pilots Association and former editor of TARPA TOPICS. Al has held too many other jobs in the service of his fellow pilots to list them here.
Harry F. Mokler Dancing at Anaheim with some good looking red head. Harry is the President of the TWA Retired Pilots Foundation. He, too, has seen many years of selfless service for his fellow pilots as Council Chairman from Boston, where they talk funny, and on negotiating and retirement committees. Bet he talked that red head into spending the night with him. Let's hope her name is Fran.
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Moye W. Stephens 6300 Stephens Ranch Road La Verne, CA 91750
Dear Parky, You deserve many thanks for your untiring efforts to keep we old timers abreast of developments. Your bulletins are about the only way we have of knowing how the remainder of the original group is faring. I was saddened to learn of Harry Cambell's death. Although the only times I've seen him since leaving TWA have been the periodical TAT reunions, I was fond of the Bull-of-theWoods cum Mississippi Sea Lion. You mentioned in the bulletin that there are now nine of I was talking it over with the original pilots remaining. Ben Hoy a while back; and, while we agreed that our ability to converse could be possible evidence of our inclusion in the group, we weren't too sure of the identities of the other seven. We would be thankful if you could jog our memories. Apparently you have been able to keep tabs on most of the to members of the original 34 TAT pilots, and it occurred me that a resume of my efforts might be of interest. I have prepared one for submission to publishers as a possible spur to interest in a manuscript I have sweated out covering my experience. I'm enclosing a copy. Keep up the good work! Sincerely,
(Editor) The above letter was written to Gordon Parkinson. Maybe some of our old timers remember this former Maddux pilot and will be interested in the following article by Capt. Moye Stephens.
Moye W. Stephens Notes on Highlights of Career The Dominguez Aviation Meet of 1910, held on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles, was my introduction to flying. I was not quite four when my parents took me to the event, but my mother was to comment later that it had left its "mark" on her son. In 1923, while a Hollywood High School student, I had my first flight in an OX-5 Standard J-1 from Rogers Airport on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. Later the same year I was able to persuade the manager of Rogers Aircraft Inc. to allow me to work for my flight training. The job turned out to be that of a combination grease monkey and beast of burden. The rate of pay was one minute of instruction in return for one hour of work. My flying was interrupted when I entered Stanford University in the fall of 1924 as a Law major but was resumed at Rogers Airport during the summer vacation of 1925. In the summer vacation of 1926, I moved to Clover Field, Santa Monica, and bought my first airplane, a war surplus Thomas Morse Scout S-4C, for $450 from Leo Nomis, a leading motion picture stunt pilot. My first professional job was flying with Nomis and Frank Clarke, another top-flight motion picture stunt pilot, in a DeMille film Corporal Kate. During vacations from Stanford I held various flying jobs including motion picture flying under Nomis and instructing for American Aircraft of Clover Field. In my last year at Stanford, I instructed for Norman Goddard's Palo Alto School of Aviation after school hours and on week ends. In this period I was taken into the San Francisco Hangar of the Quiet Birdmen. In the summer of 1923 I taught Capt. G. Allan Hancock to fly in an 0X-5 Travelair 2000 for which he had loaned me the purchase price. Hancock was the backer of Kingsford-Smith's Southern Cross Pacific flight. I used the same Travelair to give Jack Northrop, Jerry Vultee and Cliff Garret their initial flying instuction while they were employed at Lockheed. They were destined to become founders of noted aircraft companies. In 1929 I was hired as a captain by Maddux Airlines. There were no copilots as such on Maddux. The occupant of the Ford Tri-Motor's right hand cockpit seat was a mechanic with the title of "Mate." Checkout consisted of riding shotgun on a trip to San Diego and one to Alameda during which I handled the c ontrols in the air; a quick circuit of Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale, in the left hand seat with the chief pilot observing the expertise of my take-off and landing (my first in a multiengined aircraft) followed by three quick solo circuits. The next day: presto--airline captain on a regular run with a load of unknowingly trusting souls in the passenger compartment, and a mechanic riding shotgun.
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Moye W. Stephens
In June, 1929, I resigned from Maddux to take part in the birth of Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), the first United States transcontinental passenger airline and the forerunner of TWA. I was one of the four captains assigned to hold down the Los Angeles-Winslow, Arizona, half of the western division. One of the crews: Captain Moye Stephens, Copilot Ben Hoy and Courier Charlie Lee achieved some notoriety as the "Chinese Crew: Moye, Hoy and Lee." In 1929 I was elected to a term as president of the Professional Pilots Association. In the same year I became one of the founding fathers of the Los Angeles Hangar of the Quiet Birdmen. Shortly after the evolvement of TWA from combinations of TAT, Maddux and Western Air Express; I was asked by Richard Halliburton, a top travel writer of the time, to pilot him on a "World Flight" to gather material for a book to be entitled Acceptance required my resignation from The Flying Carpet. the airline. The trip took eighteen months and covered 33,660 miles with 374 hours of flying time. It visited 34 countries with 178 landings on everything from major airports to polo fields to cow pastures to open Sahara Desert. Floats were installed in Singapore for the flight through Borneo to the Philippines. Landings were made in many waters including sheltered harbors, Borneo and Philippine rivers and the open sea. Inasmuch as aviation electronics was very much in its infancy, the Flying Carpet, a Stearman C-3B open biplane, was not equipped with radio. The sole navigation device was the magnetic compass. Among the aviation highlights of the flight: Aerobatic performance for the first air meet in Oran, Algeria. Aerobatic performance for the first airmeet in Fez, Morocco. Other performers: Rene Fonk, top Allied ace of World War I (75 victories) and Michel Derroyat , a leading French aerobatic pilot. Rescue of Elly Beinhorn, German equivalent of Amelia Earhart, following her forced landing 100 miles north of Bushire, Persia. Aerobatic performance for the Maharajah of Nepal at the Dum Dum Airport. Calcutta. First Aerial photograph of Mt. Everest. First Americans to fly to the Philippines. Notables taken on flights in the Flying Carpet: Crown Prince Ghazi of Iraq. Crown Princess Mahin Banu, legitimate but throneless Queen of Persia.
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Moye W. Stephens
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Elly Beinhorn. Ranee Sylvia of Sarawak, first woman to fly in Borneo. Koh, the Punulu Delam (War Chief) of the Rajang River Dyak head-hunters. First Dyak to fly. Shortly after the Carpet's return to the United States in 1932, I was invited to become a member of a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Aero Squadron in the process of organization Following an unhappy three year period of non-aviation employment, I returned to the fold as a partner in Pacific Aircraft Sales, West Coast distributor for Fairchild Aircraft. In this period I did occasional mapping jobs for Fairchild Aerial Survey. In 1937 I became a founder and board member of the Aviation Country Club of California Inc. In 1937, on leave of absence from Pacific Aircraft Sales, I was sent to New Zealand and Australia by Lockheed to promote sales and to check out the pilots of Union Airways and Ansett Airways in their new Lockheed 10's, The trip also served as a honeymoon for my newly acquired bride Inez, Contessa Gadina de Turiani and myself. In the course of our stay, I landed in Darwin just two weeks after Amelia Earhart had made her next to last stop there prior to her disappearance. Before the start of the world flight Amelia had consulted with me on the portions of her route which coincided with those of the Flying Carpet. The Darwin meteorologist briefed me on the weather she had encountered up to the presumed area of her disappearance. It had proven contrary to her favorable forecast. Based upon facts he had accumulated, the meteorologist produced some interesting theories as to factors contributing to the tragedy. In 1939 I was instrumental in the promotion and organization of Northrop Aircraft Inc. in consideration of which I I was awarded a stock interest in the company and was made assistant corporate secretary. Following the early departure of the original secretary, I was elevated to that position and was elected to the board of directors. The N-1M, the first aircraft produced. was a flying mockup intended to explore the controllability and stability of the all-wing aircraft concept. I did the major part of the experimental test flying in the two year test program. Although the ship was vastly overweight, sorely underpowered and was plagued with constant engine problems; it fulfilled its design purpose. The test program produced the general configuration for the subsequent Northrop Flying Wings. I participated in the experimental test programs of three
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Moye W. Stephens
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other Northrop produced ships: the N-3PB seaplane patrol bomber, the A-31 Vengeance dive bomber and the P-61 Black Widow night fighter. I also headed production test flying. In 1942 I was presented an Award of Distinguished Service by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce in recognition of the work I had done for Lockheed in Australia and New Zealand. At the close of World War II, Ted Coleman, Northrop's Sales manager, and I sadly misjudged the peacetime future of an industry geared to the production of the country's war time needs. We left the country to engage in an aerial merchandising project into the interior of Brazil. We obtained a franchise from the government, but the climate proved too detrimental to my young son's health, and the Stephens family was forced to return to the States. Since my return from Brazil, my flying has been in connection with non-aviation business activities and for pleasure only. In 1948 I was awarded a lifetime membership in the Flying Wing Club by John K. Northrop as "one of a small group of distinguished pilots who have participated in the historical development and pioneered in the public acceptance of this revolutionary and highly efficient type of aircraft." I was made a member of The OX-5 Aviation Pioneers in 1982. In 1983 I was elected an Honorary Fellow of The Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Recipients of this award "are carefully selected from eminent individuals in the aerospace field...." Among the better known names in the roster of fiftyfour Honorary Fellows are the following: Ms. Jacqueline Cochran Mr. Charles A. Lindbergh Maj. Alexander p. de Seversky Mr. Grover Loening Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle Mr. T. Claude Ryan . Arthur Col C. Gobel Mr. Igor Sikorsky Mr. Howard Hughes Mr. Roscoe Turner Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, K.B.E., C.B.E., F.R.S. In 1985 I was nominated Mr. OX5: am award of the OX5 Aviation pioneers.
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FIRST FLIGHTS AND MOST MEMORABLE
We appreciate your input in regard to your first flights and most memorable flights. As I have quite a few I will slowly work away at them so if you don't see yours maybe it will show up later. Guy Capin reports his first trip was from MKC to ABQ on a DC-3 with Capt. Claire Collier and First Officer Idus Inglis. "They were surprised that I could make a position report!" Most interesting on a trip from Chicago Midway to New York Idlewild. Brand new 1049 with Pete Petry as Captain. Time off to on was one hour and forty five minutes. Climbed to 31,000 feet and dove back to 29,000 feet to get up speed. Stayed at 29,000 for about 5 minutes and started descent to Idlewild. Eastern blew a window shortly thereafter and FAA put a 25,000 ceiling on the Connies. And from Phares McPherren; First trip on the line was from KC through CG and PG to Newark on 1 May 1935 on aircraft # 306 with Captain Alton Parker. This was shortly before TWA had cabin attendants. My log book shows my first flight with a hostess was 3 January 1936, Flight 4, Kansas City to Newark on Plane 322. Captain Mesker, Hostess Danielson. Return with hostess Marden. Hal Miller: First trip New Castle, Delaware, to Paris in April of 1948 with Capt. Norm Hortman. Never closed my eyes all the way from New Castle to Laguardia (Marine Terminal) to Gander to Shannon to Paris-one flight engineer and I felt if I slept the airplane would crash. Note: Flight Engineer Hal Miller is now on the Board of Directors of TARPA. First trip for Norwood G. (Chris) Carper was from Kansas City to Albuquerque on 28 February 1940 with Earl Fleet as Captain and L. Sisson as hostess on DC3 # 354. "Nice trip-clear weather. My seniority with TWA is based on my going with Marquette Airlines on 13 February 1939". Robert E. Brown says, "My first trip on TWA was from 26 September 1942 to 27 September and was from Laguardia to Kansas City to Laguardia. Capt. was Frank Saylor, Hostess Senkowski. Ran into horrible front going to Philadelphia. Frank Saylor one of the finest men it has been my pleasure to be associated with". Ivan Turner of Fairhope, Alabama; First trip from MKC to MDW on 14 April 1954 with Capt. John E. Clark. On first attempt we had to turn back due to a mechanical but after an airplane change we flew on to MDW then to LGA. Tom Wilkinson; First TWA line trip from LGA to Chicago Midway on 15 December 1953 with Capt. Jim Lydic. It was a DC-4, Plane # 607, Flt. # 791 with 4:40 hours block to block. Thomas W. Anderson (TWA): First trip from LGA to PIT in September of 1944 with Captain Orm Gove. "Super flight, fine gentleman". (Also a note to Al Clay for a super day at the Cape.) Charles W. Anderson; First trip from YIP to CVO on 10 May 1956. Flew with Capt . Al Wall on Martin 202A # 213. And from Frank P. Kulesz; First trip-from MKC to ? on L-049 with Capt. Bob Kadoch: Lost nose oil pressure necessitating feathering of propellor to prevent runaway. Ralph Helphingstime: First trip KC to AB in June of 1947 with Captain Don Barnes, First Officer - Gordon Lankford. (Note: Ralph shows he was Flight Engineer an this flight. He went on to become a Captain and a well-liked instructor in Kansas City. We sadly learned at the reunion in Anaheim that Ralph has passed away.) Robert S. Hayes says his first flight on the line on TWA was from EWR to IND on 25 December 1956 with the "honorable J. J . Quinn. Flt. # 55 on a Martin 404, aircraft # 413. It was an excellent flight. I still marvel at how J. J . handled the whole flight solo without making me feel like excess baggage. I must have
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FIRST FLIGHTS ETC. Herb Riebeling's first flight was from LGA to PIT on 4 September 1952 on trip # 73, DC-3 # N16095 with Captain Mel Phippin. "Capt. Phippen said you probably do not know the co-pilot procedures too well yet so why don't you get in the left seat and fly it over to Pittsburgh? Mel, I'll always remember you for that. Thank you". Robert J. Major: First trip from DCA to KMIA on 30 December 1942. Capt. might have been Swede Golien. It was the ICD operation in an Army C-54. Jim Ottman: First trip from Chicago on 7 September 1964 with Captain Bud Elliot. Bud said, "Why don't you relax? You're making me nervous". I started as Connie First Officer. I remember one humorous event when we were trying to make contact with somebody on HF radio on an International flight. After some time without success the Captain remarked, "You can hear a man breathing in a helmet on the moon and we've got the same radios and headsets Amelia Earhart got lost with". Captain's name was A. T . Humbles. Hi A. T., Jim Ottman. Hi Jim. Inasmuch as we just mentioned Bud Elliott, here's Bud! My first trip on TWA was as a student navigator in 1945 from LaGuardia to Shannon with a lay over in Gander. That was my first and last trip as a navigator. TWA did away with the program at the end of World War II. My first trip as a co-pilot was in July 1946 from LaGuardia to Orly with layovers in Gander and Shannon. I believe the Captain was Gordie Granger. That was the second time I saw Paris. The first time was from the cockpit of a B-24. Both times were memorable experiences but the second time was much more pleasant. Dick Beck; My most interesting, unusual or exciting flight was on a trip from London to Los Angeles in April of 1974, a polar flight. During the final year before my retirement I was fortunate enough to successfully bid and fly the Polar flights on the B-747. After arriving at preliminary cruising altitude on one LON-LAX segment and when there was a stabilization of fuel flow, egt, mach number as well as a firm cockpit crew attitude that we would make it I would usually walk through our "Horizontal Hotel" to see how the cabin crew and the passengers were making out and nod and smile to our customers. On one particular flight, when I stepped from the cockpit to the upper lounge, I encountered the only first class passsenger who was utilizing this facility. He had a drink in his hand. When I approached him the following conversation took place. "Good afternoon, how are you getting along?" "Just fine, Captain". Then there was a reasonably long pause. " Uh, Captain, do you mind if I make an observation?" "Of course not. Be my guest". "Well", and then he gave me a long once over, " I just wanted to say that it makes me feel all nice and warm inside to see an old bastard like you walk out of that cockpit door." I smiled very broadly, then laughed, and finally replied, "Thank you. I'm most appreciative of your confidence. You've made my whole month." - And from Eddie Breen; Original trip from MKC to ABQ on 7 August 42. Captain was George Walker.. George was always nice to fly with and was very nice to a brand new first officer who was still awed at the size of a DC-3. My book shows bad weather but it didn't seem rough to George. I think it was the static and the 278 switch that gave me trouble. Eddie sent an incident which I will probably print later when I get it typed but will quote some from his note to Al Clay which follows. "I'm not going to be able to make the next convention but I surely enjoy reading about the activities and the people who do attend. I keep playing golf and think I should be getting better but -I don't Not much worse either though so I guess it's not too bad. Florida's a great place to keep busy. Keep up the good work. Regards to all, Eddie Breen" Jay Brandt; First trip MKC to ABQ in Nov. 42. Capt. Jack LeClaire. Pleasant trip. Captain-treated-me like a gentleman. I worried on the trip out there about what kind of a hotel we would stay in. Afraid it might be a flea bag.
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FIRST FLIGHTS, ETC. Jay Brandt, continued; Hotel turned out to be the Hilton at $1.90 per night! Later I flew to Albuquerque with a bald-headed captain who, when reaching cruise altitude, turned on the bright overhead lights and said, "Keep it level with the auto-pilot" and then read the Sunday paper all the way to Amarillo. Exciting flight from New York to London in Sept. 56. Flew non-stop in a DC-4. Between layers, no celestial shots, completely dead reckoning all the way. Got a couple of drift shots over the ocean as our altitude was only 5,000 feet. We were slightly right of course coming up on Ireland but knew the terrain so had no trouble correcting course and proceeded on to London arriving on time. (Said he appreciated our good work.) And from Clif Raub; First trip from Washington, DC, to Prestwick, Scotland, via the southern route on 25 February 43 with Captains Fred Richardson and Joe Grant. Flight Engineer Glenn Newman. C-54 landing at Miami, Georgetown, British Guano-Natal, Brazil- Dakar, French West Africa- Marrakech, Morocco. Returned to Washington 17 days later. Captain Raub's exciting flight was on an 049 Constellation from Shannon to Gander on 3 May 46. Just east of Gander control cleared us down into an icing level where we picked up 4 3/8's inches of ice in ten minutes. We had tons of it over windshield, engine intakes and belly. Overflew Gander to warm air just west of Stephensville. As the ice came off it woke up all the passengers. Landed Stephensville for fuel after 11:30 hour flight. Carried a three foot long piece of ice four and three eighths inches thick back to Gander. This ice was taken off the unheated part of the pitot tube. Upon arrival at Washington Lockheed representatives were there to interview the crew because at that time they had not had a big load of ice on a Connie. Crew was; Capt. Raub, F/0 Culp, F/E John Berlin, Hostess Betty Swartz. And from Flight Engineer C. W. (Red ) Mckenney; First trip KLGA to ITEA on 26 May 48. Plane 600, Flight 982. From log book; KLGA-VOGA 5:05, VOGA-CSAZ 8:08, CSAZ-CSPT 4:09, CSPA-EAMD 1:41, EAMD-ITEA 3:47. Gerhard M. Schemel; First trip from Washington to Goose Bay on 9 April 45 with Capt. M.P. O'Leary. Left Washington with spring weather, landed Goose Bay in winter. Snow piled ten to twelve feet high by roads. No winter coat. Lost my way walking around base. With meat rationing in the States I was surprised to see forty or fifty sides of beef handing in the mess hall refrigerator. Gerry's most unusual and exciting flight was on a trip from MDW to PHX on Friday, 22 July 1957. Plane 506. F/0 Karl Kohlsaat, F/E Matt Smitke. We had just passed over AMA at 18,000 feet at 22:15 Central when a red light of an unknown machine abruptly matierialized about a mile away. The UFO's sudden appearance was almost unbelievable. At a fantastic speed the strange craft turned toward us and the beam of the red light shone right into my eyes. I put the Connie into a steep dive and the UFO flashed overhead in a blur of light. I can still hear Matt Smittke with-his head nailed to the overhead fire controls yelling dive, dive. I could hear passengers screaming in the cabin. I pulled out of the dive and asked Karl to-takeover and hurried back into the cabin. The cabin was a - shambles. Passengers with unfastened seat belts had been thrown against the ceiling. When I pulled out of the dive they fell back landing on other passengers or in the aisle. One elderly woman, bleeding from a severe head cut, lay in a litter of hats and parcels. Three other passengers and two hostesses also were injured ' and some of the others were almost in hysterics. I ran to the cockpit and declared an emergency asking for ambulances and doctors and landed at Amarillo. The Air Force tried to explain away the mysterious object as only an ordinary aircraft which we had failed to recognize.
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FIRST FLIGHTS, ETC. Gerry Schemel, continued; The terrific speed and the UFO turning toward us made the Air Force explanation impossible. Civil Aeronautics investigators afterwards proved there had been no conventional aircraft within fifty miles. The Air Force would never admit that possibly a UFO was involved. After the airplane was cleaned up we continued on to Phoenix with most of our original passengers arriving about five hours late. Note: I have one, evidently, from a Flight Engineer who forgot to sign his name that should be interesting. Flew his first flight from KC to LA with Harry Campbell in 1946 and he was with Dave Kuhn when they landed a Boeing 307 on its belly at Burbank. Maybe he will read this and send me his name and more details on his flight with Senor Dave. That is all for now. More in next issue. * * * * * * * * * * Lyle Bobzin says, "Ad below may be the one which I answered in early 1942 or I may have written for management shortly after employment". Wanted: Men with perfect emotional control, available for employment requiring this ability. Must be immune to emotional stress, anger, fear, hurt feelings, (thick skinned) worry, panic etc. Men who maintain feelings of good will toward everyone at all times. Amount of pay secondary interest, primary desire is to serve. Applicant must possess a commercial license and instrument rating. Salary $190.00City, per month. Apply to Transcontinental & Western Air, 10 Richards Road, Kansas Missouri. * * * * * * * * * * * EXECUTIVE EXPENSE ACCOUNT IT HAPPENED FIFTY YEARS AGO Ad for stenographer $2.10 Saw the following in a newspaper I bought Flowers for new stenographer 4.50 while on the trip to Anaheim; Weekly steno salary 50.00 23 March 1937 - TWA advertised the lowest Hosiery for stenographer 1.75 fares available on its "Lindburgh Line" of planes equipped with Sperry Gyro Stabilizers. Candy for wife .80 Lunch with stenographer 5.25 Pittsburgh to New York, one way was $18.95; Weekly salary " 60.00 to Chicago, $21.85; to St Louis, $30.55;; Movies, self & wife 1.20 to Los Angeles, $120.95. * * * * * * Theater tickets, self & steno 9.60 Coca-cola for wife .10 Champagne dinner with steno 32.75 We were all sorry to learn that Hal Blackburn's Dorothy's salary 75.00 wife, Helen, passed away last year. He Champagne dinner with Dotty 41.00 is now living with his son, Bob and wife, Doctor 450.00 Barbara, His new address; Fur coat for wife 975.00 4210 Bends Street Ad for male Stenographer 2.10 Oakland, CA 94605 All I can say is this must Ph: 415 562 0906 have been back about the time I went to work for TWA. Certainly not present day Anaheim! * * * * * * * * * * * With all the people at Disneyland, in Anaheim and sitting in vehicles on the California freeways one wonders just who the heck is working any more? And, why do they call them freeways? ATH
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FIRST FLIGHT ON TWA BY MEMBER FRANK PETEE I have always said that I could write a book about my TWA "first flight". It's too bad that I waited too long because AOAIMD (age,or-Alzheimer ' s-induced-memory-dimming) has faded the names of the .. other crew members--except for the pilots--and other particulars My TARPA tale is probably unique in these pages as, coincidentally, all three of us early left TWA for other flight paths. That first ICD flight was on a Boeing C-75 Stratoliner, starting from Washington National. Wes Stetson was on his first Captain trip. (Sometime later he resigned to fly for wartime Consairway, years afterward re-hired on TWA as a First Officer, then left again for a fixed base operation at his beloved Lake Tahoe.) Ed Van Doren was on his first trip as First Officer. (After checking out some years later, he flew the Executive B-17 around Europe ((Wasn't there a B-23 also?)) He later joined National during their late Forties strike and was involved in the battles between the "Blue and the Grey" crews. He may have retired from there--I don't know.) I was on my first trip as Second Officer. One of the duties of the third pilot on the "Strat" in addition to computing the weight and balance was assigning seats up front. As many will remember, long range cruise of "the Boeing" was 144 miles per hour, achieved only after burning enough fuel out to get and keep the nose down. So, often, on takeoff and climb there were passen g ers in the cockpit, passengers in the fuselage fuel compartment, and many of the remainder of the passengers seated on the bunks forward in the passenger cabin. I had those passengers all neatly allocated and arranged as we taxied out to Runway 33--about halfway out, one of the upper bunks collapsed and there were corporals and captains and even a colonel piled on top of one another. I managed to pull the forward cabin door open against the human tanglement and pushed through the crowd near the fuel tank into the cockpit. I think I blurted something like, "Captain, oh Captain, the forward bunks collapsed. I've got passengers all over the floor:" Although new to command, steely-eyed Stetson cooly looked at me and, like a real Captain, said, "Well, Second Officer Petee, let's see how you take care of this situation." Pumped up, I started back and about the same time I got the cabin door open we took-off: Think it wasn't hard to convince all those soldiers they shouldn't go right back to the other cabin seats? I remember I didn't try with the colonel. Washington; Miami; Borinquin Field, P.R.; Georgetown, British Guiana; Belem and Natal, Brazil--every leg on this first flight was to generate a remembrance but I'll de-Tale only a few. The only thing at Miami, though, was seeing a Pan American Boeing 307 parked at their ramp. We flew then to Puerto Rico, uneventful until the tailwheel tire blew on landing.
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WA was contacted soon after arrival and they said a replacement tire would be on the first flight in from there. We met every "in from there" flight for the next three days. By that fourth evening we had even tired of sipping 10 cent daiquiris while observing beautiful Caribbean sunsets from the porch of the 0 Club. The war was far away-except for the war of words with Washington. On the fourth day, the first C-54 flight came through from Washington, laden with TWA officialdom. The trip was mostly to get the Douglas Skymaster's feet wet on Intercontinental Division routes.
The officialdom was properly concerned about the fact a Stratoliner tailwheel tire hadn't been sent to us and promised, after a call back to Maintenance, that the tire would arrive shortly. After two more days of fruitlessly meeting airplanes, Captain Stetson said, "Second Officer Petee, hop on an ATC shuttle to Miami, go over to Pan Am, borrow a tire, and get it back here right away." Just like that. I sort of wondered why he wouldn't send the flight engineer, an experienced ex-mechanic. But I sort of knew, too, that if the tire from D.C. arrived while I was g one, the lowly Second Officer was the easiest crewmember to get along without. They'd be long gone if and when I arrived with the tire draped around my neck. I hitch-hiked up to Miami on an EAL-operated Air Transport Command C-47 shuttle and went right over to the prestigious Pan American hangars. I walked in there with my thin little black metal stripe on my shoulder and my obviously-new wings and Kitty Hawk badges and I walked out in 30 minutes with a brand new C-75 tire. (I now knew what the inscription on our Air Transport Command badges meant-"Achieved By Dauntless Resolution and Uncon q uerable Faith".) Actually, all it took was my signature on a scrawled requisition form and a casual, "Oh, just send us one when you get back to Washington." (With OUR experience with Washington sending out tailwheel tires, I personally followed through weeks later to make sure PAA got their's returned--they did.) The C-75 was still at Borinquin when I got back with the tire, having hitch-hiked down on a Delta-operated ATC C-46. In short order we were enroute to Georgetown, British Guiana (now Guyana). We RON ' d just off the runways in oppressive heat and humidity. (The Jonestown horror of a few years ago rekindled memories of nights subsequently spent quite near the sites of the murders and mass suicides.)
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If the heat and the humidity got to us during the night, it almost got us on departure the next morning as the Boeing just barely oozed over the trees at the runway's end. There was contention in the cockpit as to whether or not the gear actually brushed through branches. Belem, Brazil, on the Amazon, was next, another hot and humid short layover. The layover was just long enough for another Second Officer, R. B. (Dick) Hall, who was on a Northbound Stratoliner, to borrow muito dinero from me. When we left the states we were each provided $500 (I think that's the number; at least, it was a princely sum in those days) for expenses.) Dick had lost all his in his first evening poker session in Natal. A couple years later, when I again asked him for the repayment of that loan, he said, "Frank, last month your name was right on the top of my list of people to repay. I worked right up to your name and ran out of money." How could you collect from a guy with a story like that? I couldn't, didn't. And then on to Natal for a few days layover in the Pan Am staff house. I soon learned to say "mice cerveza" with everybody else and to tell the natives everything was "no bone" when they tried to sell it. "It" was everything from watches and boots through Tabu and Chanel and to and including their "seesters". And then there was the Wonder Bar. (Before Captain Granger's wonder-ous dive.) Turned our backs on the mosquito nets of the staff house and back into a Boeing's cockpit for the takeoff back to Belem. Loud bangs from the No. 1 engine right after takeoff and it was back onto the runway and back to the blocks and back to the mosquito nets while the en g ine was changed. The next takeoff was uneventful and the passage through Belem and Georgetown to Borinquin field was almost as uneventful. At least, not enough to dwell on. (However, speaking of dwelling, it was real traumatic to have the refrigerator in our assigned little P.R. crew house go out. Warm cerveza is warm cerveja spelled in either Spanish or Portugese.) But then it was out of Puerto Rico again and we aimed for nonstop Washington. But about the time we were coming abeam Miami, we experienced muito electrical problems, couldn't keep the three generators on their busses. Forget exactly what the technical problem was but know it was no bone. Landed at Miami for the ni g ht and for repairs. It was still dark when we headed out for departure next morning, dark outside and dark inside the airplane. We'd had the dismal information that they couldn't fix the generator problem there; it would have to be taken to home base Washington. But not to worry, they said--another C-75 was enroute there and weather was quite good so all we had to do was fly formation on the other ship and we'd get to D.C. without having to waste all that electricity on nav and comm.
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The navigator was the first one to climb aboard the ship and walk uphill towards the cockpit, carrying sextant and suitcases. In the darkness he didn't see the open hatch down to the "hell hole" and down he went, yelling hell and other things. He fortunately wasn't hurt and he collected his cases and charts and climbed back up to cabin Still swearing, he continued up to the flight deck. Befloor level. fore he could get any lights turned on, the Captain boarded and charged upward and onward until the still open hatch stopped him--dropped him. When Wes climbed out of the hole, it was painful-he had broken his leg. If you think the navigator was cussin' mad, you should have heard three striper Stetson. He quickly quieted though. He had called home last night and found that his wife had just gone to the hospital to have their first child. No way would he tell anybody about that broken leg who might keep him from going home on this So Van Doren got into the left seat and Petee got into the flight. right seat and we took off just after the other Boeing. The "quite good" weather that had been forecast, that would allow us to visually follow them to Washington, lasted for at least an hour. And then we were in and out of the clouds--equally. The navigator had his head up in the astrodome and every time we got in the open, "Better pull "Anybody see him?" "Maybe we passed him, look back! " up a couple hundred feet, just in case." "There he is, way over there:" Anyway, we landed safely and Wes had his leg set and his wife had her baby and they shared the same hospital room in wartime Washington. My next flight was on a C-87, Captain Dick Hanson. My first flight as First Officer was on a C-54--Captain Wes Stetson.
Joining TWA in September, 1942, Frank Petee flew Boeing 247D (instrument instruction), Boeing C-75's, C-87's, and C-54's on ICD, as Captain as of November, 1944. Flew DC-4's and L-49's on International, as instructor at New Castle from April, 1947. Transferred to Domestic on DC-3's, was to fly DC-4's on Delta/TWA interchange out of Detroit when left company in April, 1948. Flew remainder of '48 with Icelandair . Was copilot on first USAir (All American Airways) passenger flight Was Director - Flying Training many years. Still employed, at 65 , March '7, 1949. as Director - Special Projects - Flight.
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1. Al Huttenberg, Maxine and H. F. (Duke) Ellington & A. T . Humbles 2. Jo Clay and the honorable Al 3. Mary Sparrow, Joe McCombs, Jean McCombs & Dorothy Spencer. 4. Ray Craft and Bart Anderegg. 5. Bette and John T. Happy (J. T .)
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Left to right; Don Heep, President of the TWA Seniors Club, Russ Drosendahl, the outgoing president of the Southern California Chapter Seniors Club and Charles Dill, new president of Southern California TWA Seniors Club. We consider ourselves very fortunate in that Don Heep and his gracious wife, Betty, attended our get together in Anaheim.
Left to right; Long John Carroll, Shirley Beighlie, Lee Wildman and Russ Meyer. Looks like our illustrious bar tender, Lee, is the only one with a drink.
Earl Heinrich, Dean Carter, Stella and Bert Schaar.
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FOUR FORMER AIR HOSTESSES CRUISE THE MISSISSIPPI Above from left to right are ex-TWA hostesses Doris Vallee, Betty Humbles and Bennie Lou Chakerian. Also former United stewardess Donna Albertson. Our group of seventeen on the TWA Seniors tour embarked at New Orleans on January thirtieth for a seven day cruise up the Mississippi River on the paddle wheeler, Mississippi Queen. It was a most enjoyable outing and we saw plenty of antebellum homes, plantations, Baton Rouge, Natchez and the Civil War battlefield at Vicksburg. We had a tour by bus into Cajun country near Baton Rouge where the local Cajuns put on a fine show for us. I would highly recommend such a cruise for anyone who hasn't been. Food and entertainment on board was magnificent. The boat can handle about four hundred passengers and they do a smooth job of it. Incidentally, Natchez Under the Hill was a rowdy place in the 1830"s with its red light houses, gambling dens etc. and that is where some of our group ran into Bart Hewitt. TARPANS on this cruise were E. C. (Lum ) Edwards, Bennie Lou Chakerian, Robert and Susan McKnight, A. T. & Betty Humbles, Doris Vallee, Bob & Donna Albertson, Charlie & Martha Dill and Rode & Loo Rodeberg. Also Don Heep, President of the TWA Seniors Club & his wife, Betty, Fred & Virginia Celus, Pete & Eleanor Baker.
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Everett C. (Lum) Edwards, Tour Director for Seniors Tours. Inasmuch as most of you probably belong to the TWA Seniors Club we will not publish the tours in detail but Lum advises he has more Alaska cruises and there is a Mississippi riverboat tour at a bargain. He says that if enough TARPANS sign up for it it will be a TARPA cruise. Lum's address is 651 Trueno Avenue, Camarillo, CA 93010. Phone: 805 482 5321. We highly recommend the river cruise.
HUGUETTE & BILL BURGNER Bill advises that anyone who is travelling to the south of France and on over into Italy his wife has secured a 20% discount at a fine hotel year round except for the period from 24 July to 24 August. It is the Mediterranee Hotel, Corso Cavallotti, 76 - 18038, Sanremo, Italy. Highly recommend it! Huguette is an International Poodle Judge. They travel a lot showing their own dogs and she at judging. Maybe next issue we will have Bill's tale of where he was when the lights went out in New York. They plan a visit to Hong Kong to meet Bill and Betty Mehew from SFO and then to "our little place" in Abaco, Bahamas, for a few weeks.
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1988 CONVENTION NEWS Jack Miller is our chairman for this event. He has already made arrangements for rooms at $45.00 at the Sheraton Tucson Conquistador Hotel. The dates will be 25 to 28 May. Sounds like a fine place for our activities. Jack advises it is one hour and forty minutes drive from Phoenix plus airlines go into Tucson. His address; John M. Miller 12030 Dry Gulch Place Tucson, AZ 85749 Telephone: 602 749 5309. *
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From an article by columnist, Lewis Grizzard, entitled ; "Who Should Be Millionaires Instead of Baseball Players"; School Teachers: If it weren't for my teachers, I couldn't have figured out the bi-weekly check for a millionaire ballplayer. My mother taught first grade for 30 years. The first six months of every year, she worked mostly on housebreaking half her class. She went back to teaching in 1953 after she and my father divorced. She was paid $120 a month. Batboys make more than that. AIRLINE PILOTS: They already make a lot of money, but they also should have a bonus clause that says each time they land one of those tubs safely, they get a few more bucks. I want my airline pilots to have a great deal of incentive to get me back on the ground safely. *
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Had a note from Lee and Meredith Moffett that they were sorry to have missed the affair in Anaheim but had just returned from a long cruise on the Liner Sagafjord across the Pacific. Bill Dixon says, sorry we had to pass up this year's convention but will plan on seeing you at Tucson. Bill sent an article entitled, "RETIREES HAVE BEEN PASSED BY ON PASS IMPROVEMENTS" which we will plan on inserting in the next issue of TARPA TOPICS. *
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Bart & Ellen Hewitt of Evergreen, Colorado.
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MEDICAL ADVANCES IN HEART PROBLEMS AREA Our Second Vice President, Phil Hollar, sent me the following article which appeared in Facets, the publication of Saddleback Community Hospital of Laguna Hills, CA. The picture below is of TWA Captain Thomas Hildebrand who the article is about. Phil asked permission to publish this.
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Heart Center Patient Still Flying High Open-heart surgery and cardiac rehabilitation at Saddleback Hospital helped this pilot return to an active life
or most commercial pilots, heart disease can spell a quick end to a lifetime career in the sky. But it not for Captain Thomas "Bud" Hildebrand, a 21-year veteran with TWA. Thanks to the continuity of having a complete heart program at Saddleback Community Hospital, which offered him one nearby center for all aspects of his care and recovery, Hildebrand recently resumed his full duties as a Kansas City-based flight instructor and pilot. Until June 1986, the 51-year-old Mission Viejo resident felt confident he would never develop heart disease, even though his father and older brother have a history of the ailment. "I take after my mother's side of the family, in both looks and build, so I thought I'd beat it, but I didn't, " he explained. The first symptom came early one Friday morning. "I felt pressure at the top of my throat—like I had been running and was out of condition. Then the following Sunday morning I wasn't even out of bed and I felt weak all over, ' he said. For Hildebrand, in good physical shape from working out and racquetball, he knew it was strange to feel that unwell. "I realized I had to have it checked out:' he said. A treadmill stress test at his physician's office showed a marginal amount of angina (pain and pressure due to the heart not receiving enough oxygen). It was enough, however, for his physician to refer him to a cardiologist for more extensive testing. A thallium test, in which dye is injected into the coronary arteries to
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give results similar to an X-ray, showed his arteries were blocked. Because the extent of the blockage could not be determined, his cardiologist, Dr. Robert Masters. recommended an angiogram, also known as cardiac catheterization. This procedure consists of inserting a tiny tube into the vascular system at the groin and continuing it up to the heart, with radiographic dye injected into suspected problem areas to diagnose the extent of the heart disease and help plan treat- , ment or surgery. As the heart pumps, a video screen gives doctors a clear view of the proceedings with a moving X-ray recorded on film: Results from the angiogram showed a 70 percent blockage of the heart's left arteries. The next recommended step was an angioplasty—a technique where a balloonlike device is inserted into the artery and slowly inflated. This compresses the plaque, or fatty buildup, and clears the artery. Unfortunately, the location of the blockage proved too great a risk for the angioplasty procedure, so coronary artery bypass surgery at Saddleback Hospital was decided upon. After speaking with his openheart surgeon, Dr. David Perkowski of the Orange Coast Cardiovascular Medical Group, Hildebrand was eager to schedule surgery. "I didn't waste any time—a week from the time I first noticed the symptoms I was in surgery;" he recalled, adding, "No one seemed to be in a hurry but me. Even the doctors said I could go back to work for a while. But I felt that given my family history, I didn't want to fool around with it:' FACETS/SPRING 1987
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Bud Hildebrand and his wife, Ande, with daughter Aubrey, age 1. He was impressed by the care he received at Saddleback Hospital and admits his wife, Ande, was more worried than he was about the i mpending surgery. "The staff was great—we must have had about 18 people, mostly nurses, come into my room. They explained what would happen before and after surgery, how many similar procedures had been performed at Saddleback and even how many had been performed across the United States. I really appreciate the time they took to keep us informed:'
Following surgery, Hildebrand noticed little distress, which at the time he didn't realize was unusual. "I had soreness, but no real pain—I had more pain from a past hernia operation:' he said with a laugh. "I guess I heal pretty well compared to ." most people For many patients, the next after surgery and healing is Saddleback Hospital's Cardiac Rehabilitation program. According to Wendy Mason, project director of the Heart Center at Saddleback and director of its Cardiac Rehab Program, "Our
FACETS/SPRING 1987
exercise program gives patients the skills to recognize and reduce heart disease risk factors. The monitored exercises are designed to create a stronger, more efficient cardio"vascular system: Mason also noted the-importance of early detection of heart disease. "The Heart Center offers the Personal Fitness Profile which is an in-depth analysis of a person's physical condition. The two-hour test can determine possible health risk factors in lifestyles, cardiovascular endurance and body composition. 3
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A Look at Open-Heart Surgery i nce seeing the first patient in February 1986, the openheart surgery suite at Saddleback Hospital has treated more than 130 patients, far exceeding original projections. The open-heart surgery program was planned as the completing link for the Heart Center at Saddleback, which includes Cardiac Fitness Testing to analyze personal cardiovascular risk; a complete array of cardiac diagnostic testing services, including a Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory for diagnosis of heart and artery diseases; the Open-Heart Surgery; existing critical care units; and a complete Cardiac Rehabilitation program. "South Orange County had an obvious need for nearby cardiac surgery facilities:' according to Bert Ashton, R.N., an associate administrator at the hospital. "Saddleback Hospital now has the only open-heart surgery facility in the Saddleback Valley/ South Orange Coast area for residents, who in the past have traveled many miles for heart operations:' The state-of-the-art equipment includes a heart-lung machine, which pumps blood and provides oxygen during surgery; a Cell Saver Autologous Blood Recovery System, capable of recovering the patient's own blood, cleaning it We encourage cardiac fitness testing to help diagnose these potential risk factors even before a person suspects a problem:' she said. Following his surgery, Hildebrand debated over joining the Cardiac Rehab program. "I felt good and thought I really didn't need the program—I had been working out and felt I could do it on my own as before:' After talking with the Cardiac Rehab staff, he realized he could
and returning it to the body within three minutes; a heatercooler device to adjust blood temperature before and after surgery; a defibrillator to restart the patient's heart after being on the heart-lung machine; the latest in anesthesia equipment; and a variety of monitors offering instant and continuous readout on a video screen mounted above the operating table. "We planned the open-heart surgery with the direct input of the surgeons who will be using it:' said Sarah Barr, Cardiac Surgery coordinator. The physicians, members of the Orange Coast Cardiovascular Thoracic Medical Group, include Dr. David Perkowski, Dr. John Somerndike, Dr. William Ostermiller, Dr. John Drews, Dr. John Hengesh and Dr. Michael Mullin. Such procedures, primarily bypass surgery and heart valve replacements, last an average of three to five hours, Barr notes, and surgeons are directly assisted by two scrub nurses; five circulating nurses and two licensed profusionists specially trained to operate the heart-lung machine. Saddleback Hospital is proud of its ability to offer complete, closeto-home cardiac care for residents, and looks forward to the growing future of its Heart Center. ❑
benefit from their expertise and guidance. "I didn't think I could hurt myself, but I wasn't sure if I could pull something loose—I wanted to get started right:' And 12 weeks in Cardiac Rehab gave him that start. An avid racquetball player, Hildebrand had given up the game on his doctor's advice that the quick stopping and starting action could adversely affect his blood pressure. Now Hildebrand credits Cardiac Rehab
with "getting me into other things that I really enjoy doing now, such as walking:' He walks approximately 3.6 miles per day and is proud of his time of 51 minutes. "They jumped my endurance lev' els right up—I m younger than most cardiac rehab patients, plus I had a good stress test and no actual heart muscle damage:' he explained. And because he has no muscle damage, Hildebrand has gone back to work for TWA, spending some 15 days a month in Kansas City as a flight instructor, a return to a job that years ago would not have been possible. The Federal Aviation Agency has changed its attitude toward heart disease and heart surgery, recognizing that pilots-without heart damage can return just as healthy and competent. "In the past, if you had a case of indigestion and a doctor said it might have been a heart problem, your career was over:' said Hildebrand, adding, "But now the FAA is allowing pilots without heart muscle damage to return, even ones like myself who have had surgery:' However, Hildebrand noted, pilots who do have heart muscle damage are not able to continue flying. Hildebrand is happy to be back at work, although he admits he enjoyed the six months off. "I never thought I would, but it's given me more time with my family:' he said. He and Ande, who also works for TWA as a flight service manager, are the proud parents of a 1-year-old daughter, Aubrey. Hildebrand also has three children from a previous marriage, Denise, age 27; Tom, age 26; and Dawn, age 21. "My wife teases me about being off for six months:' Hildebrand said, smiling. "She says it's my way of getting back at her for taking seven months off during her pregnancy:' And thanks to the Heart Center at Saddleback, the only complete heart care center in the Saddleback Valley, Captain Hildebrand is one pilot who most likely can look forward to never being "teased" by heart disease again. ❑ FACETS/SPRING 1987
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THE DC-2 and TWA by Ed Betts As a bit of a preface to the article which follows with regards to the history of the DC-2 and TWA, I had a lot of expert help. I made the usual research in advance using old Department of Commerce (later the CAA) reports, newspaper and magazine clippings, company annual reports to the stockholders, Skylines etc. I then typed a 14 page rough draft and sent copies to about 50 men who were with TWA in the days when the DC-2 was the "Queen of the Skies", asking for their comments, corrections and additions. The response and cooperation was terrific and, with their help, I hope the article is accurate and interesting. A few thought there was too much gore (accidents etc.), which is true, but in many cases a lot had been learned from certain incidents which made aviation safer and the popular way to travel. These were the years when there were no 'black boxes' to aid with an investigation and if the pilot (s) weren't alive to tell their story as it really happened, the usual verdict was 'pilot error'. The DC-2 wasn't the first of the 'modern airliners' as the airline industry progressed from the era of the Fords and Fokkers, but it was the best, and it was the airplane which saved TWA from a 'takeover' by the local sheriffs. The DC-2 paved the way for the DC-3 (DST, C-47 etc,) series which is one of the most venerable airplanes ever built, but it was the pilots who did the paving. There is some variation as to when the DC-2 was introduced by TWA, old company records show April 2, 1934. This may have been with the prototype DC-1 as other records, such as Douglas deliveries, show two aircraft delivered in May followed by three in June, seven in July and eight in August of 1934. TWA then transferred other deliveries to Eastern and Western (a part of the North American Aviation holdings) until early 1935. The first published schedules were in the June 1934 Airline Guide which showed TWA with two daily trips between Newark and Chicago with a Pittsburgh stop. United, at the time, had eleven daily round trips via Cleveland using the Boeing 247s. TWA had already known what the aircraft performance and capabilities would be by months of survey and test flights with the DC-1, as well as checking out the flight and ground crews on the new aircraft. For the pilots, it was just another 'tail dragger' and checking out was usually a few takeoffs and landings with a supervisor pilot. Copilots usually got a tour of the plane on the ground and a lesson in how to operate the cabin heater, a takeoff or landing was a real rarity from the left seat as few of the pilots were willing to operate the hand pump to raise and lower the gear or speed brakes (wing flaps). The DC-2 was the ultimate in passenger comfort with soundproofing and luxurious seats, the cockpit wasn't much of an improvement over the Fokkers and Fords. It wasn't insulated which could make it a very cold area in the winter, often large buildups of frost would accumulate where there was poor air circulation. The seats were not adjustable, just the rudder pedals, so a short pilot usually had a pillow to help position himself. Long legged pilots had to be careful with the rudder position or they might not get full travel. Braking was with a handle located on the left side of the lower instrument panel. Pulling on the handle metered the braking, the direction was by pushing on the rudder in the direction desired and hope...a faulty selector valve could cause some erratic turns or even ground loops while taxiing. When not making turns on the ground the tailwheel was locked in a straight away position; an unlocked tailwheel on landing invited a ground loop, especially with a crosswind.
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HOW WILL I EVER MANAGE ALL THOSE INSTRUMENTS?
THE DC-2 COCKPIT
PHOTO FURNISHED BY ED BETTS
DC-2
1934
Radios for navigation and communications were pretty much the same as had been used on the Fords etc. The Fords had a 25' trailing antenna which had to be unreeled from the rear cabin (and , hopefully, reeled in before landing as it had a three pound weight attached to the end). The DC-2 had a 10' trailing antenna with a small weight which was not on a reel, it just dragged on the ground and was a mandatory inspection item before every takeoff. A spare antenna was also located in the tail cone which could be released by a spring type action. A fixed antenna could ice up, vibrate and break. During July-August 1934 TWA had an extensive advertising and publicity campaign as the DC-2s were introduced about the system. Fares on transcontinental trips or the NYC-CHI leg were pretty much an industry standard, $160 for the coastto-coast trip and $47.95 for the NYC-CHI, with a 10% discount for a round trip. ' (these had been standard since 1932). Some examples of TWA s publicity flights and programs as taken from the "Windsock" (later called the Skyliner) . In July the "City of Chicago" was dedicated with local dignitaries rounded up by field manager Warren Erickson. John Collings, with Ted Moffitt the copilot, flew 52 local flights with 728 passengers getting a preview of the modern airliner. Carl Flournoy had a huge crowd on hand to witness the christening of the "City of Philadelphia", followed by a dozen local flights. So great was the reception, Mayor Stewart requested a return. On August 22nd a crowd of over 2,000 was on hand when the "City of Camden" was dedicated and heard Edward Rickenbacker speak. The largest crowd gathered at St. Louis where Charles Lindbergh was among the speakers. At Kansas City, after the dedication, the Junior League of Ladies had three tables of bridge set up during a local flight. The "City of Ama rillo was christened by the mayor's daughter, Nell Dean Rogers, smashing a ' bottle of helium gas (furnished by the local government) on one of the plane s propellers. Pilots Earl Fleet and Harry Lewis made eight local flights before a Panhandle dust storm closed the airport that evening. On August 19th Fred McLeod (and Division Supt. A. D. Smith ) had a crowd of 2,500 braving a hot sun to watch Mrs. Katherine Stinson Otero (the first woman pilot in the USA) break a bottle of cobwebby "Bosca" on the nose of the "City of Albuquerque". On August 26th a crowd of over 10,000 was on hand to watch Mayor Crawford break a special blend of Arkansas River water on the nose of the "City of Wichita". A couple of shy pilots, Fred Richardson and Don Wellbridge, were drafted to the speaker's platform for a few remarks. A complimentary breakfast was served by the Allis Hotel to the 160 local dignitaries given a ride that day. By the 1st of August TWA had two daily transcon trips each direction, one of the express type and the other which made most of the stops. Harrisburg and Terre Haute were too small for the DC-2 and were served by the remaining Ford flight or the single-engine mail planes. Flight 102 was the first eastbound scheduled under 16 hours coast-to-coast (15 hr 55 min) with stops at ABQ, MKC, CHI and PIT. Westbound flight 101 was an 18 hour trip and featured the first nonstop from EWR to CHI, a 5 hour trip which often had to make a fuel stop. The Fords were retired on August 31st, although several were used in 1936 for an all-freight experiment schedule. According to Warren Erickson, when TWA first started operating the CHI-EWR flights there was a problem of frequent engine changes due to excessive vibration. As it was later determined, this was caused b faulty counterweights mounted on the nose of the variable pitch (high and low) propellers. Walter Hamilton, the system superintendent of maintenance, raised a big fuss on the telelphone with the Hamilton Standard Company and the problem was soon solved.
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Johnny Guy, the line foreman at KC, reported how there were frequent problems with the initial Wright "Cyclone" engines "blowing its nose". This could be a failure in the nose section where it was bolted to the engine power section or a failure of the propeller reduction gears. Before the problem was solved there were several instances where nose case failures in flight resulted in the loss of the entire case and the propeller would take off into the wild blue yonder. Until the modification, the nose case flanges were checked before every departure, but there were still some failures. On December 4, 1934, Harvey Bolton made an emergency landing due to an engine fire ($1,846.86 damage to the engine). Two weeks later Ted Hereford (and copilot Dana Boller) experienced an engine failure, loss of the propeller and a fire ($1,612.15 damage). At the time they were cruising at 7,000' westbound near Wichita in heavy snow conditions (at night). Among the passengers was pilot LaMar Nelson and his ten year old son. A noticeable thud was felt throughout the plane. Ted happened to have his hand on the throttle at the time and jerked the power off of the affected engine to prevent further damage to the engine. According to Ted, Dana's head was doing double-takes like a movie cartoon as his head jerked from left to right etc. He had looked out his side window and snapped back with his report to Ted: "We have lost the propeller". A few seconds later Ted noticed a glow reflecting from the right windshield and requested a report. Dana saw the glow and without further comment reached down and pulled the metal cover off of the fire extinguisher and threw it backwards so hard it was embedded in the cabin door. In a short time the fire, caused by oil spewing on the exhaust, went out as Ted headed for ICT. ICT was reporting moderate snow and a 45-50 mph wind from the east as Ted made the approach to land south. After landing the passengers departed in taxi cabs, most were unaware of the problem. Nelson's son had tried to wake him up when he observed the missing propeller and fire, but LaMar refused to believe this and had gone back to sleep. The next day, at the insistence of the 'feds', TWA rented a small plane for Ted and Dana to look for the missing propeller, which was obviously covered by snow and not to be found until the spring thaw (although there was no reason for Ted to have been off course, the 'feds' were suspicious). The prop was later found by a farmer (right on the course of the airway) who didn't know what it was, but later collected the reward offered. Ted was also complimented by the 'feds' for his quick reaction and handling of the plane. On December, 28 1934 TWA came close to losing a DC-2 with a total disaster. It was the classic case of where the pilots had been on duty over 12 hours (8 of them flying), it was the wee hours of the morning with lousy weather conditions and then there is an unexpected holding delay. H. J "Jack" Zimmerman and Bob Larson were on the final leg of the EWR-PIT-CHI-MKC run, flying in rain conditions with 'scud' reported at MKC, but it was still operational. They were given orders to hold while another plane made an approach. Either the other pilots were uncertain of their position or were having trouble orienting as they Wouldn't answer the tower's request for their position. During the delay MKC went below limits and the other plane was ordered to Marshall, an emergency field about 75 miles east which was illuminated for such emergencies. Later, Zimmerman was also cleared to Marshall but by the time he arrived it too was below limits and they were now so low on fuel the only available alternate was Columbia (Mo)) which, at the time, was reporting a 150' ceiling. There was no other choice. It was 3:30am (local) when they made the approach and broke out with the barest visibility. They were lined up with the shortest runway and there was no time to maneuver or circle for a longer one.
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DC-2 1934-1935 One inherent problem with the DC-2 was the location of the two landing lights, in the nose right in front of the pilots. The lights were reflected back to the pilots by any precipitation such as rain, fog, snow etc., which could have a very blinding effect. Tired and partially blinded by the glare, Zimmerman missed the runway by about two feet and hit a small embankment which wiped out the main gears as the plane skidded to a stop. There were no injuries and $10,570.12 damage was done to the plane's gear, center fuselage and propellers. As Bob later reflected: "the runway surface was wet grass so the plane slid along like a bobsled, but he was happy to be on the ground". During the year 1934 the DC-2 (and DC-l) had set numerous cross country or intercity records. On March 6th, Tommy Tomlinson and Edward Rickenbacker made the CHI-EWR trip in 3 hr 10 min (746 miles). On June 11th Larry Fritz and Eddie Bellande flew the transcon trip in 13 hr 51 min (12 hr 40 min flying). On November 8th, Si Morehouse teamed with Rickenbacker and Eastern ' s chief pilot Charles France to fly the Burbank-Newark trip in 12 hr 3 min. On December 6th Jack Zimmerman and J. H. Lewis made the trip from MKC to EWR (1133 miles) in 4 hr and 45 min (248 mph average). Also that month Otis Bryan and Les Munger flew from CHI to EWR in 3 hr 10 min, averaging 230 mph. Jack Frye had replaced Richard Robbins as the company president on December 27th, as Robins had to resign in order to comply with certain Post Office edicts. This was brought about by the infamous air mail scandal earlier in the year although there was never any proof of Robins having been guilty of any charges etc. The year 1934 was not a good one financially for TWA or any other airline mainly due to the mail contract cancellations, TWA lost $407,702 although the seat miles occupied by passengers had increased 54.4% over 1933 and passenger revenues had increased from $1,162,465 to $1,787,316 in 1934. When TWA resumed carrying the mail, in May, there were certain Post Office restrictions which prohibited mail being carried on the DC-2s. Actually, on paper, there were two TWA's for the balance of 1934, one headed by Robbins for the DO-2 passenger runs and the other headed by Ernest Breech for the mail only flights. The two companies merged on December 31st with Frye the new president. The year 1935 started out with mail carried on the passenger flights and by midFebruary the remaining single-engine planes were retired. With the PO permission the stops at Harrisburg and Terre Haute were ceased pending airport improvements. Mail had to be trucked from the PO designated field at Burbank to the Glendale Airport served by the DC-2s :. Also starting in February, five more DC-2s were delivered, one in March and two in April bringing the fleet total to 28. This was also the beginning of an extensive pilot hiring program with nearly a 50% increase by the end of July. With the full quota of DC-2s the company scheduled four daily transcon flights each direction, two of the express type and two of the locals. Flight 8 (the First Sky Chief) was the fastest (14 hr 55 min) schedule with stops at ABQ, MKC and PIT while flight 7 (same title) was the fastest westbound (17 hr 10 min) with stops at CMH, MKC and ABQ. Although TWA did not have a contract and did not carry mail between NYC (and PIT) and CHI, or between CHI and MKC, the Post Office had the power to limit the number of daily passenger flights between the cities involved; four a day between NYC and CHI and two a day between CHI and MKC. TWA was to keep operating the full quota allowed (by the Air Mail Act of 1934 and as amended in 1935) for years to come as either a part of a transcontinental schedule or a separate shuttle. This was, in the Post Office's way, the beginning of regulation although any airline without a mail contract could fly anywhere as often as they pleased as they were not restricted by the goverment .
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DC-2
1935
On May 6, 1935 , TWA suffered its first fatal DC-2 accident. It was another case of the pilot arriving at the destination with sufficient fuel for a VFR operation but the weather goes below limits and he has to proceed to an alternate and runs out of gas. Killed were pilots Harvey Bolton and Ken Greeson plus three passengers including Senator Bronson Cutting (NM). The death of the latter made an outraged Congress demand more than the usual accident investigation. The basic reason was obvious, Bolton had lived just long enough after the crash to tell rescuers he had run out of gas, but the 'feds' wanted more answers...and since the Department of Air Commerce made the rules, enforced them and made the investigations there was no way they would find fault with their personnel or facilities. Bolton was piloting a second section of an eastbound transcon trip from Glendale to Kansas City with an Albuquerque stop. This was scheduled for over 8 hours, but TWA had a special waiver for the 8 hour on duty rule provided the copilot was also qualified as first pilot on the aircraft and route. Kansas City was forecasted to be good , but while the two flights were enroute it became marginal (the minimums were 500' and 1 1/2 mile visibility). John Graves and Phares McFerran had to 'push it' to get in although the approach and landing were routine. There was never any answer from Bolton's flight as to whether or not he had received the current weather and area forecasts as he apparently had a defective radio. He made one unsuccessful approach and after pulling up headed for the nearest alternate, Kirksville, which was reporting landing minimums. Unknown to Bolton, and not used as evidence at the investigation, was that the broadcast of the Kirksville weather was over an hour old and it too was fogged in, the regular radio operator had gone to dinner and left his station attended by his son. Bolton tried to get below the overcast and hoped to land at any suitable clearing as he was now dangerously low on gas. They crashed into a large embankment near a farm. Among the survivors was June Mesker, wife of "Doc' Mesker, who helped with the injured. For years later, June had the same seat she had been strapped to at the time of the accident as a souvenir in her den. The 'feds' found numerous violations by TWA although none were considered the cause of the accident. Probably the most important recommendation (and order) was for the airlines in general to change their dispatching procedures. Jack Frye immediately summoned Ted Weaver from his EWR Flight Superintendent job to MKC and set up a new dispatch system. Dispatchers were no longer of an advisory nature only, but a part of the flight planning and operation so far as minimum fuel, alternates etc. Where an incident was involved which did not concern the 'feds', TWA had its own investigating board. This could include the domicile chief pilot, system chief pilot or division heads etc., as well as the heads of maintenance, meteorology, communications etc. If the pilot was found guilty there could be a fine, time off with no pay, termination or a letter in his file. Ground crews, if guilty, could expect a demerit or termination. On June 11, 1935 there was a minor incident reported on ship #316 and the facts were very brief in the company summary: the location was the south end of the CHI airport (a flat swamp ground), damage was a dent in the nose section with the Pitot Tube broken off and both propellers slightly damaged. The cause was a forced landing account pilot error and weather causing a nose up. The verdict: pilot Bob Leroy and copilot J. H. Lewis released from the payroll.
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DC-2
1935 TWA's 1935 summer schedules consisted of the four transcons plus the maximum quota of NYC-CHI and CHI-MKC flights. There was a new feature in the company advertising, a tour of the Grand Canyon and Boulder Dam. The canyon tours had always been a popular side tour on the LA-Winslow-ABQ route even though many of the passengers were airsick afterward. Flight 2 had an extra half an hour added to the scheduled times for the excursion as well as Flight 3 westbound out of Winslow. For passengers desiring a real tour of the canyon and could stay overnight in Winslow, Grand Canyon Airlines was available with their small fleet of tri-motor Fords. Two of the airline's pilots, Irv Kravitz (1936) and George Johnsen (1938) later joined TWA. On the night of August 2nd TWA lost its second DC-2 and, fortunately, there were no passenger injuries and only minor abrasions to the crew. Several flights had been holding on the ground at ABQ pending weather improvement as a series of heavy thunderstorms drenched the area and moved east. When the weather was reported favorable overhead and to the east, Jim Roe was the first to take off, followed by Cliff Abbott (with Wally Jones as copilot). The usual procedure was to use 87-octane fuel stored in the reserve tank for takeoff and climb, then switch to the main tanks for cruise which contained 80 octane fuel (it was cheaper). Both aircraft had been fueled with 80 octane gas in the main tanks, and no 87 octane fuel added. When Roe switched over to the main tanks both engines quit. Walt Hamilton happened to be sitting in the first seat of the cabin and dashed to the cockpit and when informed of what happened he ordered the copilot to immediately switch tanks to the reserve and work the hand wobble pump for fuel pressure. In the meantime Walt pumped the throttles back and forth so hard he almost tore them loose from the quadrant, and finally both engines were started. About this time Abbott radioed a similar emergency and they were told the solution. However, Cliff was not able to get either engine to start and he was now headed down in the darkness hoping to stretch his glide to the main highway over the mountain-pass to the east of ABQ. He couldn't make it and when he realized a crash landing was unavoidable released both of the parachute flares. Roe, by then circling overhead, also released his two flares to help light up the landing area. Abbott headed for what looked to be a clearing, belly landed and the right wing hit a large tree and was torn off. The plane spun around 180째 and skidded to a stop. Subsequent investigation showed both plane's main tanks to be almost completely filled with water. Further investigation showed the underground storage tanks at ABQ (the only underground system at a TWA station), operated by the Texas Oil Company, were highly contaminated with water. These tanks were located in the ramp area so that aircraft could be refueled direct, rather than from a fuel truck, and had a 1" vent which ran up to the two pits that housed the pumps, hoses etc. The runoff from the heavy rains had been dumping into the pits and then through the vents to the tanks, and there had been no water check made on either flight prior to the servicing of the aircraft. Johnny Guy was immediately assigned to inspect every fuel storage tank on the system as well as the servicing facilities. Water checks, with forms to be signed, became a routine procedure for all storage tanks, the trucks doing the servicing as well as the plane's tanks after service. The Texas Oil Company accepted the blame for the accident and reimbursed TWA for the aircraft loss.
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DC-2 1935-1936 The year 1935 saw a number of new speed records set by the DC-2 as well as the world and American records set by the DC-1 flown by Tommy Tomlinson and Joe Bartles. In January Bob Leroy and Clarence Robey set a new record between CHI and EWR with a time of 3 hr 15 min. Several days later Jim Moser and Hairy Taylor made the same trip in 2 hr 54 min, an average speed of 252 mph. In March Wayne Williams and Dick Heideman made it from LA to EWR in 12 hr 4 min and also that month Otis Bryan flew from KC to CHI in 1 hr 43 min (235 mph). In September the team of Tomlinson, Harlan Hull and Howard K. Morgan flew from KC to EWR in 5 hr 4 min, a 223 mph average speed. The express type transcons were dropped during the winter of 1935-36, the trips then took two or three hours longer. In December the first class of hostesses graduated from TWA's training and another class had started, making a total of 49 young nurses who would tend the passengers and allow the copilots to spend more time in the cockpit. The 'feds' had just passed a new law: cabin attendants would be required when operating with passengers above 14,000' and, in order to fly above 14,000', the pilot had to get permission or consent of the passengers. 1935, the first year of an all-DC-2 operation, showed a net profit of $19,404.40, the first profit in the company's five year history. Passenger revenues had doubled from 1934, from $1,787,316 to $3,676,167, the number of passengers from 36,225 to 66,882 and the seat miles occupied from 29,628,936 to 61,566,758. There were similar increases in mail and freight revenues, but what was most important, passengers were now paying their own way and TWA was not entirely dependent on mail pay. The year 1936 started out with a new look (besides the the cockpit crew were sporting new uniforms which were stripes; two for the pilot and 1 1/2 for the copilot. nouncement to the press: "in keeping with the style of (the cockpit crew) would be known as Captain and First
charming young hostesses), complete with gold braid Paul Richter made an anthe Navy, henceforth they Officer".
Between March 18 and 22, 1936, the entire city of Pittsburgh was cut off from all means of surface transportation due to a disastrous flood. TWA and the DC-2 came to the rescue with emergency service and made 60 round trips from EWR in four days carrying passengers and a wide assortment of medical supplies and food. On the evening of April 6, 1936, Otto Ferguson was on a layover in EWR and spent ' the evening as the guest of the Bob Larsons. The next morning the two pilots reported to the field about the same time; 'Fergie' was on Flight 1 which made all of the stops (Camden and HAR) enroute to PIT and Bob was on Flight 21 that went nonstop. The two flights connected at PIT for passengers traveling to CHI or the main route to MKC. Fergie reported over the south leg of the Bellfonte low frequency radio range within one minute of Bob's reported time and at the same altitude (4,000'). At Bob's suggestion they both set their altimeters to the same local barometric setting, and he would climb to 4,500' for separation as they both were on instruments at the time. This was the last radio contact Bob had with the other flight although he called several times in order to plan his own approach and landing. In the meantime Ferguson had notified hostess Nellie Granger they would be landing in ten minutes and she should check the passenger seat belts etc. Next came the crash, killing Ferguson and copilot Harry Lewis. Nellie was knocked unconcious and when she came to was able to drag two passengers from the wreckage before it caught fire. One died later, making a total of ten passengers killed. Nellie managed to hobble down the mountainside to the town of Uniontown (Pa) to get help from the local residents.
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DC-2 1936 As far as the 'feds' investigating the accident it was a clear cut case of the usual 'pilot error'...PIT was giving a 1,700' ceiling at the time of the approach and Ferguson was forty miles south of course and making a letdown into unfamiliar terrain. It was also a typical case where the 'feds' couldn't, or wouldn't, find fault with their own equipment or facilities. The PIT east range leg was notorious for being unreliable and sending out spurious signals, it was even noted in the flight log that day. Numerous pilots, including Jack Frye, testified as to the range leg's unreliability and it wasn't uncommon to be way off course. Bob Larson spent three days in PIT waiting to testify as to the unreliable conditions that day but the final verdict remained unchanged. Less than a month later TWA lost its fourth DC-2. On May 31st flight 9 departed EWR on the nonstop to CHI with 12 passengers. The crew was Wesley L. Smith, George Houle and Grace Davidson. Ray Wells was scheduled to be the copilot that day but had been 'bumped' by Houle who was renewing his dispatcher qualifications. In the vicinity of Goshen dispatcher Taylor (at CMH) was notified they were cruising at 4,500' and proceeding to CHI with the left engine shut down due to a low oil pressure warning. The DC-2, at - the time, had no full-feathering feature which would stop a dead engine from windmilling. Taylor suggested they land at South Bend as there were thunderstorms in the CHI area, and a crew would ferry another plane to pick up the passengers. Smith answered that the storms appeared to all be to the south and he would land at CHI. The flight arrived in the airport vicinity at 8:55pm at about 3,000' and was given a priority clearance to land by the tower. Smith restarted the engine (fuel, ignition etc.) but left it in the idle position during the approach. Everything appeared to be normal according to observers on the ground until a point about one mile northeast of the airport and at about 250' the plane slowly veered to the left and proceeded in a southerly direction a short distance and disappeared. As it was later determined, the right wing tip struck a tree which sheered off the wing tip and aileron and changed the plane's direction about 120째. The plane struck the top of a house and then slid, tail first, into a vacant lot. All of the passengers were injured with bruises and abrasions, but none was considered serious. Smith received a laceration over the left eye and a fractured elbow and hostess Davidson a concussion of the brain and bruises. Houle was the most seriously injured with crushing injuries to the nose and a fracture of the left forearm, and for years after underwent surgery for skin transplant etc. Smith was criticised for not landing at the nearest suitable airport, and as to why he didn't use the faulty engine during the approach. As it was later determined, it was a faulty oil pressure warning. Smith left the company, Houle continued as a dispatcher. On June 25, 1936 the DC-2 was no longer the "Queen of the Skies" as American introduced the DC-3 on the NYC-CHI route. The DC-2, which was about three tons lighter, could keep up with the DC-3 so far as speed, but was limited in range and payload (21 passengers versus 14). The new DC-3, which also did not have the full feathering propellers, was considered marginal so far as single-engine performance on TWA's routes out west with the high terrain, and no orders were placed until later in the year. Instead, TWA appropriated $350,000 for an extensive modification program on the fleet's "Cyclone" motors, converting them to the R1820-F52 series. This included replacing the cylinders, rings etc., with new ones which would result in longer wearing cylinder walls and a marked decrease in fuel consumption. WILL BE CONTINUED NEXT ISSUE.
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Member General AIR Express
TRANSCONTINENTAL & WESTERN AIR INC. PASSENGERS — MAIL — EXPRESS
TW A DOUGLAS LUXURY SK Y LINERS ON ALL FLIGHTS TRANSCONTINENTAL August 1. 1935
WESTBOUND
TRANSCONTINENTAL I
August 1. 1935
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EASTBOUND
A PLEA FROM YE OLDE HISTORIAN I am currently researching and working on a future article for the TOPICS with regards to the 049 Constellation and the C-69s with ICD and would welcome any help with the input by our TARPA members. This would include first hand accounts, yarns or stories and any other info to help tell the story of what it was like to fly the planes or work on them from the ICD period in 1915 until they were finally grounded (the radar edict) at the end of 1961. If you were a crew member on various inaugural, notable, record setting, etc. type of flight try to include such logbook information as date, flight number, plane number, flying time, other crew members etc. Send to Ed Betts, 960 has Lomas Avenue, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 *
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A nickel goes a long way these days. You can carry it around for days without finding a thing to buy with it! Etc. is an abbreviation used to make people thing you know more than you do. A politician is a man who approaches every subject with an open mouth.
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Retired Airline Pilots Association The Federation of Retired Airline Pilots Associations
NEWSLETTER
PRESIDENT'S
VOL.
3
MARCH
1987
MESSAGE
The Executive Committee met on February 21st by telephone conference. This was a first and a success. The next one should be better because we can use what we learned. It was decided to meet again in four months and at a date very close to the mailing date of our newsletter. This will insure that the meeting information in the newsletter is timely. It has been customary for any RAPA member who wished to attend an Executive Committee meeting to do so, always at the member's expense. Anyone that wishes to sit in on the June meeting may do so by letting me know that you would like to be included. When we get the bill for the conference call, RAPA will bill you for your pro rata share. Any member wanting a tape of the meeting in addition to the minutes published in the newsletter, may have one simply by requesting it from the Secretary and paying for the tape and postage. The date for the June meeting will be published in the April newsletter. John Stefanki accepted the job of Legislative Committee Chairman. I am sure that John will do a good job. You may expect to see news of John's activities in the RAPA newsletter. Bill Root is the Chairman of the Study Committee on Associate memberships. This is an important subject for RAPA and will require a lot of objective research and thinking. The Convention will be in San Diego in early December. This is the second year in a row for the West but it was the area that received the most votes in the convention survey. Dick Stuelke (FTL) is the Chairman of the Convention Committee. Dick is presently planning the Flying Tiger Convention which also will be held in San Diego, so we are calling on a gentleman who has current knowledge of the convention scene in San Diego. Dick will have some of the preliminary news about the hotel, dates, and other information for the April newsletter. Let's make this convention the biggest and best ever. STAY IN TOUCH FROM THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE We all agreed with Al that our first telephone conference call was a success. It saved a lot of time but even more important is that we accomplished some work. The minutes of the meeting are included in this newsletter. An issue that we will have to deal with this year is that of associate memberships in RAPA. This has been controversial to say the least and President Al Clay has appointed Bill Root to Chair the Study Committee. Bill was our choice as well. But he won't be able to do this job all by himself and requests your comments. We also encourage every member to speak his piece on this subject as by so doing, it gives Bill and his committee a chance to work up a fair and equitable recommendation to solve the problem. Write to Bill at 3956 Cedar Bayou Drive, Dallas, TX, 75244.
Arlift Braniff Continen tal Flying Tiger Front ier Hawaiian National Northwest Western Pan American. Republic Seaboard Trans World United U. S. Air 68
MARCH
1987
page 2
FROM THE TREASURER Dan Otten would prefer to use the Dues and membership form adopted at the 1985 Convention instead of the form inserted in the January newsletter. This form combines the name of the organization, airline, number of retired pilots, and then provides space to list the current officers. If you're in doubt as to having the proper form, ask Dan or the Secretary for one.
FROM THE SECRETARY Member newsletters have been received from Airlift, the Buccaneers, TARPA, Northwest, and United. My thanks to you all. Reading your newsletters only emphasizes just how satisfying it is to keep tabs on one another after retirement through letters and social get-togethers. Isn't it nice to go someplace on occasion where you're called by first names instead of 'grandpa' and 'grandma'? Of course that's nice too, but you know what I mean. Keep the newsletters coming. CONFUCIUS SAY:
"We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing."
ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION Dan Otten reports that the first hurdle in incorporating has been completed in that we now qualify as a non-profit organization. Still underway is a determination of our tax-exempt status and what the IRS thinks about it. The one most significant change is that, in order to receive our non-profit status, we are restricted from campaigning on behalf of any candidate running for public office, and we can't distribute propaganda that would influence legislation. But we shouldn't have any problems in this area. FROM THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE As mentioned in the January RAPA newsletter, Representative Edward Roybal (D) had introduced Bill HR 5070 in 1986. This was called the U.S. Health Act of 1986, and would provide catastrophic illness and basic health protection for all Americans. This bill was left hanging when the 99th Congress adjourned but has been re-introduced before the 200th Congress as HR 200. At the present time it's before the Sub-Committee on Health of the Ways and Means Committee. ON THE PERSONAL SIDE
RAPA President Emeritus Jack Pitts will celebrate his 72nd birthday next Tuesday, March 24th. From RAPA members- and the gang in the newsroom- a Happy Birthday, Jack, with our best wishes for many, many more.
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MARCH
1987
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STILL MORE LEGISLATIVE NEWS Oscar Cleal (REP) draws our attention to an item in the February AARP News Bulletin. The 'Notch Baby' issue is still with us but appears to be losing some steam if we are to believe a quote from former HEW Secretary Wilbur Cohen. He states, "Those born between 1917 and 1921 receive quite equitable benefit amounts, especially if you consider what they paid into the system and the increases they've received from annual cost-of-living adjustments." He goes on to say, "The fact is, no one is being dealt with unfairly." Mr. Cohen's logic is flawed when he forgets to mention that those born before 1917 have paid even less into Social Security. The article continues with the observation that the benefit difference between 1916 and 1917 birth years could be as little as $3.20 a month. Further on we read where even a partial 'fix' could cost at least $40 billion over the next five years. This money would have to come out of the Social Security reserves or from increased taxes. Neither solution appealed to the 99th Congress and chances are the 100th Congress will treat it the same. The following Los Angeles Times article looks at both sides of the subject and is worth re-printing in its entirety. You can draw your own conclusions on what's next.
EDITOR'S NOTE Newspaper articles such as the above which provide sources for some of the RAPA newsletter items, are normally kept on file for 37 years. I mention this because the complete article (if available) copy is yours for the asking.
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MARCH
1987
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FROM THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE An open letter to all RAPA members enrolled in the Hartford Insurance Program from Bill Root, Chairman, RAPA Insurance Committee. As you are well aware the mail is full of health insurance solicitations for senior citizens these days. Before you elect one of the proposals offered or drop your RAPA insurance to subscribe to another policy be sure to check out the provisions offered and make certain the new coverage is equal to or better then your present health insurance. If there is a usual, customary or reasonable clause in the literature make sure it is adequate for the charges of the physicians in your area. There is a big variance in the Medicare allowable charges depending on where you live, California and Washington, D.C. being two of the highest. Be sure that your coverage does not limit total payment to the Medicare eligible (allowable) amount or a percentage of that amount (i.e. 140%) rather than the actual charges for medical service by your physician or lab. If you have received a policy read the fine print in that policy carefully. The actual policy may present a somewhat different picture than the insurance brochure. Remember that retired pilots from many airlines make suggestions and have an input with regards to the RAPA Hartford insurance program. In January, 1987, the California Department of Insurance conducted hearings on directmail insurance advertising as a start toward trying to get the companies involved to clean up their act. It wasn't too many years ago that we were warned about health care "buffalo Policies". Ones that paid off only if you happened to be run over by a herd of buffalo while crossing main street at high noon. Direct mail advertising has become a little more sophisticated since that time. Now, official looking documents are mailed with a "no obligation" card to return for additional information. These mailings are actually the work of direct mail marketing companies that then sell lists of names to licensed insurance agents. Over 25% of the estimated $13 billion spent on health care policies in 1986 was wasted by buying overlapping or duplicate insurance coverage. The elderly are easy prey for a high pressure insurance salesman. Now we have TV personalities doing the same thing. Most don't have any connection with the company and are hired for their ability to deliver lines and not on what they know about insurance. Art Linkletter may be one exception as he was on the Board and also held stock in the insurance company he promoted. Incidentally, this is a no-no in most states. RAPA members are in the age bracket that presents a huge market to insurance companies packaging Medicare Supplement policies. And this has developed into an area in which a great deal of misrepresentation, half-truths, and outright fraud can occur. Keep in mind that RAPA is not licensed to sell insurance, but we do have an obligation to pass on to members, as much information on the subject as we possibly can.
Age is not important. Unless you are a cheese.
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MARCH
1987
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(continued) Some questions to ask if you're in the market. What is the company's Loss-Ratio? The percentage of premiums collected that are returned to the policy holders as benefits. A range of 70-75% is good. Many companies that use direct mail advertising methods have a loss-ratio as little as 15%. Most of the premiums collected are spent in sales promotion and top-heavy administrative salaries. What is the company's record on payment of Claims? How can the policy be terminated? What is the salesman's commission? He's obligated to tell you. A new health care policy can pay up to a 60% commission whereas a renewal may pay only 15%. So go slow if your insurance man comes up with a new policy that only has some minor changes and he wants you to drop your present policy. Find out what the number of your state insurance commission is and give them a call when you have some questions. In California it's 800-233-9045. INDUSTRY
NEWS
Continental Airlines has DOT approval to began non-stop service Atlanta-Mexico City using Eastern's international certificate. Due to a labor dispute between Eastern and Mexican ground people, the route has been dormant for a year. Mexican labor officials are not being cooperative. Continental also plans Newark- London / Brussels service using , People's Express int'l certficate and Miami-London service using Eastern's certificate. Most airlines have tightened up on their frequent flyer programs. One way by increasing the mileage requirements and another by restricting the transfer of bonus awards to family members only. This cuts off selling the awards to brokers who had a really big re-sale business going in 1986. TWA now voids or picks up the bonus awards at the gate if the names or numbers on the certificate don't match.
Some of the following taxes and fees are now in effect and some are proposed, but this is what airline passengers may be looking at in 1987: 8% $5.00 $5.00 $3.00 $1.00 $5.00 1%
Domestic ticket tax - to fund airport and air traffic control improvements Customs Tax Immigration Tax (total of $13.00 for foreign travel) International departure tax to fund U.S. tourist promotion overseas Users fee for Agriculture Department inspections Tax to pay for lawsuits lost on airport noise complaints
Great Britain will sell seven government owned airports to the public in 1987. In the planning stage is a $112 million expansion at Heathrow's Terminal 3 (most of us have been there a time or two) and a $280 million new north terminal at Gatwick scheduled to open in Feb, 1988. Cunard's QE2 is undergoing extensive remodeling in Bremerhaven, West Germany . When completed, in addition to more passenger shops and such, the QE2 will have nine diesel electric engines which will save on fuel and also increase speed to 32.5 knots. The first trans-Atlantic crossing in 1987 is scheduled to leave Southampton on April 29. Look for a new speed record announcement about May 5. Northwest will begin Los Angeles-Tokyo-Bangkok service four times weekly using 747s.
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MARCH
1987
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The 1986 winners in the 'unpopularity contest ' (passenger complaints) have just been announced by the department of Transportation. Even though no longer carrying passengers, World came in first with People's Express second. Aloha had the fewest complaints with Delta only slightly higher. Delta disputes this by pointing out that Aloha's flight segments are so short the passengers hardly have enough time to complain. if DOT goes along with this logic, then Delta would mark their 13th year in a row with the fewest passenger complaints. Delta uses 'red-coats', passenger service agents who patrol the baggage and ticket counter areas in order to de-fuse passengers with problems. TWA went up a point and United dropped a point. United starts new non-stop service Tokyo-Singapore and Hong Kong-Bangkok April 5. Non-stop service San Francisco-Tokyo will be increased to two each day. American Airlines had another first last Dec 29. An all female Flight Crew as well as all female Flight Attendants on Flight 417, a Boeing 727 Washington, D.C. to Dallas. The crew was Capt. Beverly Bass, F/0 Terry Clairidge, and S/0 Tracy Prior. No passenger complaints but lots of good comments.
K ite Flyer Sends Cops, Planes scurrying "At that altitude, the kite would have been more than three-fourths of a mile up. The tower was concerned about the potential hazard," Diehl said. "There's a possibility that the kite will be too high in the sky to be
An ambitious kite flyer had Des Plaines police and O'Hare Airport control towers in a tizzy Monday afternoon. Approximately 15 airplanes on their approach to O'Hare were diverted over the skies of Des Plaines away from a kite that was hovering at about 4,000 feet. That's three-quarters of a mile up in the air' "It did cause just a little problem," said Ken Jackson of the FAA yesterday (Tuesday) morning. "Our planes are usually on a level of about 4,000 feet at that point. We stopped them on their descent at about 4,500 in-stead. " The diversion of the 15 planes occurred during a 40 minute time span. "We have four squad cars looking for the guy reported flying the kite," said Des Plaines Police Sgt. Ron Diehl Monday afternoon. The area where the search was being made for the elusive "aviator" was in the neighborhood of Thacker Street and Wolf Road at about 3:30 p.m.. That's near West Park. Diehl said because of the seriousness of the report, four of the department's beat cars were dispatched to the area to find the kite flyer. '
able to see but we're looking for anyone flying a kite." "That's pretty darn high," echoed Jackson Monday during the search. "There's no real problem in getting around it. The pilots are aware of it," adding that "it could cause some problems if ingested Into a plane engine." In the end, however, no kite nor kite flyer was found. Jackson said he was unsure that if the culprit was found whether it could be determined if any violations of the law were broken. "That's pretty highly technical," said Jackson. "I'd really have to hit the law books to make sure what the person did wrong."
The above article reminded John Stefanki (UAL) of a similar, incident that occurred during his Caravelle days. On final approach to the Hopkins Airport at Cleveland, their airplane hit a good-sized box kite head on. Good-bye kite. Ground inspection disclosed no damage and after the crew regained their composure, the flight continued. John said he thought it was one nearby home-owner's way of protesting airport noise
ANOTHER EDITOR'S GOOF (don't they ever stop?) Capt. Marshall Smith (REP) says there are no coconuts in Meridian, Idaho, and to please change his address from So. Coconut Grove to 398 So. Locust Grove, ID, 33642. Sorry about that, Marshall, but read on. (Marshall's call letters are W 7 P D T NEWS FROM RAPA GROUPS Bob Bathurst (AIRLIFT) says his amateur radio call is A A 4 N N , upgraded to 'extra class' about a year ago. Bob checks in with the International Association of Airline Hams on 14280 MHZ Sunday mornings at 1100 EST.
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MARCH 1987
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Ret. Capt. Weldon E. "Dusty" Rhodes (UAL) has authored a book entitled "Flying Mac Arthur to Victory" The book is being published by the Texas A&M University and May be available now, as it was scheduled to go on sale in March. The RUPA Newsletter of Feb, 1987, came out with 44 pages of newsy member letters and reports. Would you believe that 169 members sent in letters? Most letters had checks for dues and contributions for postage. (Memo to Dan Otten- Do you suppose George Howson will divulge his secret?) On Feb 14, a BNO (Boys Night Out) stag was held at the San Francisco airport Sheraton. The program didn't require printing as there only three items- Booze, Bagels, and Bull - and in that order. It just had to be a super good time. The big RUPA convention this year will be at Los Angeles Sept. 24-26th. The Continental Golden Eagles report new officers for 1987. J. R. Thompson - President, J. W. Daniels - Vice - President , R. R. Rawls - Secretary , R. E. Thompson - Treasurer , and George Corbett remains as RAPA Delegate. Buccaneer's President Jack Pitts attended a PAA Labor Council meeting in Miami on February 19th, and gave an excellent in-depth report of what went on in the March issue of the Buccaneer's Newsletter. The highlights of his report focused on the short-sightedness of the present Pan Am management which has resulted in the company being in a very precarious financial position. Mr. Ed Acker's strategy in selling Pan Am's assets is in direct opposition to that of Mr. Martin Shugrue, Pan Am Vice-Chairman, who also happens to have the support of the five labor unions representing Pan Am employees. In an effort to help the company, on Jan 29th, the unions offered Pan Am wage and work rule concessions with a value of $600 million. The offer was turned down by the Pan Am Board. On the other side of the coin, and no matter what happens to Pan Am, Mr. Acker has 'golden parachutes' in place, a pension plan, and stock options like you wouldn't believe, to help him through his remaining years. In all fairness, it could very well be that Mr. Acker just doesn't have any confidence in the Social Security system, and we shoudn't fault him for trying to work things out on his own for his retirement. A complete copy of Jack's report is available from the RAPA secretary. The NAL Buccaneer's will hold their 1987 Spring Festival at the Embassy Suites Hotel on April 24-27, in Tampa, Florida.
Ray Thiele (Hawaiian) reports that the company has been giving widows 75% on domestic for the past year. All the fuss raised by Bob Maguire and the RHAP group finally did some good. Bob Duncan tried a new skiing technique at the Interline affair in Aspen just recently. Used his right shoulder part of the way down the slopes. Editor's note; Bob, would it surprise you to know that you aren't the first to try this un-graceful maneuver? The sudden stop gets you every time.... Hawaiian Airlines started service to the new Kapalua - West Maui Airport Feb 28th using Dash 7s. The airport is about 2 miles north of the Kaanapali Beach resort. Western has started the countdown in merging with Delta. Of the 5000 LAX based employees, about 2000 will transfer to Atlanta or other Delta cities after April 1. The department most affected is maintenance, as only line maintenance will remain at LAX after the 1st. Pilots are not affected nor the flight attendants. (for now)
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MARCH 1987
TWA Flight Attendants had planned to resume airport picketing on March 7 - the first anniversary of their walk-out. We don't know to what extent they followed through. We do know, however, that a large group of Flight attendants gathered in front of the main gate of the Carl Icahn estate on March 7 to let him know they were still around. Carl did not serve refreshments. Meanwhile, Mr. Icahn's master plan grinds on. One rumor being circulated by maintenance people is that Carl wants to establish a 3-tier pay scale for mechanics. It is assumed this new one will not be high dollars. Now, we don't like to get involved with rumors, but this one seems to be fairly consistent and it falls into Mr. Icahn's management philosophy. He has been reported as saying that an airline's first responsibility is to its stockholders. Trivia question. -- Who is TWA's largest stockholder? Still more Icahn-- TWA has backed away from their $1.6 billion offer to buy out U S Air and Piedmont. The timing of the offer surprised many as well as the Securities Exchange Commission. On March 17, Carl Icahn says he is the subject of an SEC inquiry as to why he went ahead and bought 12% of U S Air stock without telling them. By doing so, he violated the SEC 5% disclosure rule. GOLFING TALK A total of 156 avid golfers participated in the Dan Benson Invitational at the Dunes in Las Vegas on Mar 16-19. Another truly super affair put on by WAGATA President Tommy Stark. But we had WIND. As a result, golf balls soared every which way and the scores likewise. Doug Banks still carded a 73 for the par 72 Dunes course. As mentioned in the Jan newsletter, a problem has come into focus in that Delta is firm on not allowing WAGATA to use the name Western Airlines in all future promotions. To comply with Delta's directive and still honor previous 1987 commitment's and tournament contracts, Tommy and his staff will use the name International Federation of Airline Golf and Tennis Associations. Quite a mouthful but they hope this will Only be a temporary arrangement. Meanwhile, Delta employees, RAPA members, as well as active employees of other airlines are invited to participate in all previously scheduled events in ,1987. The next tournament scheduled is actually an Interline Week set for April 19-26 at IXTAPA/ZIHUATENEJO, Mexico. One of the many sponsors is the Mexican Tourist Board and this place is truly a beautiful resort complex. We don't have space for all the details, but call Tommy at 801-298-7881 for a complete schedule of events and reservation form, or get one from the RAPA secretary. He'll send it by return mail. The entry deadline is April 10, 1987. Keep in mind, the peso is still cheap. IXTAPA is served by Delta, Mexicana, and Aero Mexico. TRAVEL TALK As we go to press, there are still some spots left on the South Africa Tour leaving London Wednesday, Sept. 23rd. Jack Pitts is still working on the airfare. A postcard to the RAPA secretary will get you a complete' itinerary. As Jack points out, perhaps the highlight of this trip will be the ride on the famous BLUE TRAIN, virtually a luxury hotel on rails, setting a standard of passenger comfort unsurpassed anywhere in the world. The correct number to reach Jack is 305-665-4919. He'll be heading for South America on March 27, but expects to be back in Miami on April 3rd.
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Airport security at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv is at a new high. Not only is a body search mandatory, but if a passenger leaves his luggage unattended, it's taken to a remote area and blown up. One of George Corbett's classics concerns the elderly lady living in Kansas City that called her daughter-in-law in Westchester to announce that she was flying out for a visit. The daughter said, "Fine. We'd love to have you. As soon as you get to the airport, call us and I'll pick you up in about three hours." Then the lady said," Why will it take so long? I thought you lived right next to the airport." The dau g hter replied, " Well, we do. But I'll have to clean the house first." MEMBER'S
FORUM Retired Capt. Ken Turner (WAL) writes, "My first contact with Western Air Express was in 1927, when for S90.00, I flew to Salt Lake City with Jimmy James with my feet on the mail sacks." Editor's note; Ken also soloed in 1927, flew the mail for the Army in 1934 , and worked for Varney Air Lines, U. S. Airways, National Parks, and Inland Airlines when they were bought out by Western. Ken flew his last flight on the Boeing 720-B on Jan 9, 1963. He just recently celebrated his 84th birthday and lives with wife, Ruth, in Laguna Hills, California.
A retired Inland Airlines pilot writes, " You must use paper with a high wood content in your newsletter. It burns better then the others." FROM THE EDITOR A suggestion has been made that we provide space in the newsletter for a " Member's Forum" section. So one has been started. This can be a regular feature whereby a member can air his comments, complaints (heaven forbid) and anything else he wants to get off his chest. What better way to let your thoughts on any subject be known to other members than to get it in the newsletter. Your name won't be tacked on if you want it that way. Not only will this increase our communications, (which we all known is not a one-way street) but it might help to resolve some problems sooner that otherwise would wait until convention time before getting to work on it. Gentlemen; the ball is now in your court. THE EDITOR Don McDougall 627 Pinehurst Ave. Placentia, CA 92670
Please have your classifieds for the April newsletter in by April 15th.
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Meeting called to order by President Al Clay @ 1200 EST. members in attendance; President Al Clay, (TWA) Largo, FL, Senior Vice-President George Corbett, (CAL) Ft. Worth, TX, Vice-President Jahn Stefanki, (UAL) Los Altos, CA, Secretary Eon McDougall, (WAL) Placentia, CA, Treasurer Dan Otten, (REP) Minneapolis, MN. In his opening remarks, President Clay announced that he had appointed John Stefanki as Chairman of the Legislative Committee. Treasurer Dan Otten read list of member groups that have not paid their 1987 dues . After briefly discussing matter along with convents by Al Clay, no action was taken for the present. Dan discussed the advantages of using the Dues & Application Form as adopted at the 1985 Convention instead of the form inserted in the January newsletter. The Secretary said that a correction and memo would be included in the March newsletter. Dan discussed the status and save advantages of the Articles of Incorporation and stated that the documents, which include RAPA By-Laws as revised at the 1986 Convention, are being processed by the Office of the Secretary of State of Minnesota. New RAPA stationery discussed. Al Clay proposes keeping the same design eliminating the Coral Gables address and using larger print for the umber groups names at the bottom of the page. A suitable union logo will be added and the new stationery should be printed within a matter of weeks. Secretary Don McDougall read the results of the convention survey. The complete survey follows; 761616-
Atlanta Dallas Fort Meyers Kona Hilton Head Houston
3- Largo 11- Las Vegas 4- Los Angeles 1- Memphis 9- Miami 1- Montreal
7- New Orleans 8- Orlando O- Placentia 1- Reno 5- San Francisco 18- San Diego
3- Savannah 15- Scottsdale I- Seattle 2- Tampa 6- Washington, D.C.
John Stefanki observed that UAL has! policy of alternating each year between the east and the west coast with the Mississippi being the dividing line. Another suggestion was made changing to an earlier date with a 'time frame ' of the middle of October through the middle of November. This would avoid the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday periods and also take advantage of 'Indian summer ' in many parts of the country. But due to a travel conflict plus election of officers and fiscal year considerations, it was decided to table the date change issue and bring it before the Board of Directors as an agenda item for the 1987 convention. President Al Clay then polled the members on their choice of convention sites. All agreed with the convention survey. San Diego, with 18 votes, was chosen by acclamation. Further discussion followed. John Stefanki volunteered to mail copies of the UAL Convention manual to ExComm members . This This manual, along with the members individual input, would enable Al Clay to work up a like manual for RAPA. A suggestion was made to expand the door prizes for the banquet and to start getting them lined up earlier . Al Clay suggested inviting all airline pilots and their wives in the area to attend the banquet. A larger attendance would make it easier for the convention committee to obtain name speakers. This could be accomplished in part by expanding our newsletter coverage to include the M.E.C. Chairmen for each airline. The Secretary said he would pursue this. Airlift Braniff Continental Flying Tiger Frontier Hawaiian National Northwest Pan American Republic Seaboard Transworld United U. S. Air Western 78
President Al Clay requested input on the following free the Executive Committee. - A list of names for Convention Committee work. Every name submitted will be carefully considered. - A critique of this particular telephone conference meeting in order to inplement changes necessary to improve the next meeting. - A list of candidates for committee work that would reflect a wider participation frail each group. This will avoid the appearance of members from any one group running the organization. Dan McDougall needs some more comments free the ExComn for the newsletter. He observed that, inasmuch as the local ALPA office has been very cooperative in printing and mailing out our By-Laws , not to mention that they provide the paper and the use of their copy machine for RAPA use , that we show our appreciation by taking the office manager and her husband out to dinner. It was agreed unanimously to send the office manager a Dinner Gift Certificate in the amount of $50. The subject of Associate Memberships was introduced by President Al Clay. Howard Wincelle , of Alexander and Alexander, had told Al that there will be no problem in offering insurance coverage to Associate neuters. Hartford will also help in collecting dues but would require that the new members use separate checks- one for dues and one for insurance. Al told Howard that this subject was in the study stage. Al went on to say that this issue will require a great deal of objective thinking and goes far beyond what we'd like to do. It will be very inportant to formulate the questions before even attempting to provide the answers. Due to it being so complicated, a good man is needed to Chair the committee. George Corbett suggested Bill Root as being highly capable and knowledgeable in this area. Al said he would contact Bill about taking on the job. John Stefanki needs an up to date total of members to use for the Legislative Committee. Dan Otten said we had 6,159 members in 1985. and that he would send John the new totals as soon as tabulated. President Al Clay suggested we have telephone conference meetings at 4 month intervals. All agreed. Don McDougall suggested a quarterly evaluation of RAPA progress from each ExComm member. This should be by letter to Al Clay and should include opinions on how to improve existing programs, how to correct and thus profit from previous mistakes, and any new ideas on programs that would be of benefit to RAPA members . It was decided that the minutes of this meeting will be mailed to the Executive Committee as seen as available, they will be included in the subsequent newsletter in lieu of nailing to Delegates in order to save on postage. This will still be within the tine limits as stated in the By-Laws. This being a presidential birthday month, George Corbett offered this story about young lawyer, Abraham Lincoln. It seems that Lawyer Lincoln had a debate and the other fellow didn't show up. So Lincoln took both sides and still lost. It was MSC to adjourn the meeting at 1245 EST. Submitted by;
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Don Secretary
McDougal
AGE SIXTY LAW SUIT SETTLEMENT by A. T . HUMBLES Evidently there are a lot of TARPA members and probably others who are interested in the outcome of our law suit in regard to the efforts of some of us to continue working past age 60 in the third seat. I have a large brief case stuffed full of all the documents pertaining to this case including the court decisions. What I am relating here is as factual as I can relate along with the addition of my observations. Why was I a party to this law suit? There are several reasons why I would even want to continue working after the FAA forced me out of a position I was fully capable of still performing. Up until a few months before reaching age 60 I had not entertained any idea of working on past age 60. Several factors caused me to change my thinking. One reason was that it appeared I would be a long time selling my place in New Jersey so I could move back to North Carolina from which I sprung. I also learned that working on a coup 'e of years could add approximately a thousand dollars per month to my retirement pay. Those of us similarly situated as far as our forced job deprivation would be receiving around five hundred dollars to a thousand dollars per month in retirement pay less than pilots w ith other carriers with comparable length of service. You might ask, why this disparity? In the 1977 round of contract negotiations between TWA and its pilots as represented by ALPA they were still in the era referred to as "accelerated negotiations". This meant that TWA was willing to meet or match the rest of the industry in major areas but the negotiations would be limited to only a few issues. Und e r this situation retirement pay could have been brought up to industry levels, however, the ALPA TWA MEC would not allow the negotiating committee to take all that would have been available and further sealed our fate by signing a binding agreement not to even open on retirement issues in the 1979 working agreement. Hence, you might say we were set back for four years due to this action. You may know our retirement set up is much different from most other air carriers in that their retirement pay is by a so-called self-insured Company plan. Most other air carrier pilot groups were retired on fifty per cent of their highest W-2 of the five years prior to their retirement with Delta, naturally, leading the field at sixty per cent. Our retirement is based on what you make and what you put in. Another factor which influenced me in deciding to work on past age 60 was that, two years prior to my retirement date I had four sons in college and at the time of my losing my job I had two in college. Another interesting aspect of this case is that since 1950 the Airline Pilots Association had had a policy opposing the age 60 rule. At the 1979 convention of the ALPA Board of Directors they adopted a policy favoring applying the same age rule to all occupants of the cockpit. Remember the age 60 rule did not apply to the third seat. In April of 1968 Congress amended the Anti-Discrimination in Employment Act with a proviso that barred arbitrary forced retirement before age 70 except for bona-fide employee qualifications. The BEQ was interpreted to mean air line pilots, police etc.
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After this amendment to the ADEA was enacted the TWA ALPA MEC chairman wrote a letter to all TWA pilots informing them that they could now work past age 60 in the third seat and that our representatives would be meeting with the Company to work out the procedures. The MEC elected a three man committee to handle this. However, they then turned around and tied this committee's hands by directing them not to meet with the Company. The Master Executive Council of TWA ALPA further acted to elect another chairman. Dave Crombie, Vice President of Personnel for TWA, in attempting to abide by the new law wrote a letter to the MEC requesting meeting with ALPA to handle the details whereby pilots could proceed to the third seat upon reaching age 60. Crombie was ignored so TWA had to arbitrarily set up a procedure. The rule Mr. Crombie installed was that a pilot had to obtain a bid and o nce you got this bid it would be held in abeyance until you reached age 6 and then you would be trained for the position of flight engineer. Along about this time a member of the MEC was quoted by another member of the MEC as having said, "Let's put all the obstacles in the way of anyone working past age 60. We have five more contracts to go before I reach age 60 in case we want it back". The MEC action then was to cause TWA to agree that anyone who was awarded a flight engineer bid had to fill it on the published effective date rather than have it held in abeyance until that pilot reached the retirement age of 60. In actual practise this meant that a pilot who was flying 747 captain who had gotten a bid maybe even a year earlier would have to immediately go to the third seat. A rather stiff penalty and obstacle. I put in a standing bid several months prior to my sixtieth birthday. It was hard to believe that from spring to fall TWA could add time, cut time, move time from Domestic to International yet not publish bids or displacements. I was amazed to learn when studying our working agreement how much our successors in ALPA had given away in the area of bidding, displacements and seniority rights - stuff we had worked so hard to obtain over the years. Negotiating committees have a natural tendency to publicize and glorify gains they achieve while soft pedalling or remaining silent on the things they gave away. This is aided and abetted by the Company by taking months to get the new working agreement published and into the hands of the pilots. For example, I didn't know it but in 1977 ALPA negotiated that all cockpit crew members were to be mandatorially dismissed at age 60. During the months I had in a standing bid for flight engineer only one bid was advertised and ;that was filled by a career flight engineer commonly referred to as an A or Al who had priority ever me due. to the settlement of the jet as the Fiensinger Report. crew complement iss ue known There were displacements advertised with an effective date two weeks beyond my scheduled retirement date but closing prior to my last fight. I bid on these but the bid was denied. On consulting a member of the ALPA negotiating committee his advice to me was to mark off sick prior to my last flight so as to be on sick leave past my retirement date. I had never abused sick leave and pride myself on my honesty so I did not elect to follow his advice.
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Consequently, I filed a grievance as provided in the working agreement. The hearing officer was a check captain so it was the usual joke of a rubber stamp denial. To further proceed I contacted the ALPA attorney in New York, Jim Burger, who informed me ALPA would oppose me but papers would be processed. I was told later the grievance would be held in abeyance pending the law suit already filed. I was told by a party to the law suit that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was hesitant to enter the case because it might mean less jobs for younger pilots. I wrote the EEOC with copies to my Congressional representatives and the EEOC entered as a party to the law suit. Now began the interminable delay due mainly to the tactics of the attorneys for ALPA and TWA. The case was finally heard before Judge Duffy of the Southern District of New York. There was no jury although we understood it was to be a jury trial. He dismissed the suit stating that we had not been discriminated against by TWA and ALPA. Duffy's ruling was in 1982. Depositions were taken from us as plaintiffs. This meant the Company lawyer and ALPA lawyer interrogated me nearly all day long. Our EEOC lawyer was present. My session probably lasted longer due to my years as an ALPA representative and the fact that two letters I had thought were written in confidence to another plaintiff had been entered by Attorney Ray Faye as evidence. These letters were discussions of the issues and in one I had said J. J. O'Donnel should be sued. I still feel this way. Having served my fellow pilots unselfishly for many years I came to realize it meant nothing to the new ruling younger majority in control of the TWA MEC. On appeal the case was heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit of New York on 14 April 1983 and this body issued their ruling on 1 August 1983. They decided ALPA was the greater culprit and that ALPA was to pay back pay and we were entitled to double damages from TWA & ALPA. ALPA filed what is known as a cross petition and was successful in getting off the hook. I was told that if our side had filed a timely objection to this ALPA might not have gotten off the penalty. It was interesting that ALPA's contention throughout all these procedures was that the FAA age 60 rule did apply to all cockpit crew members! TWA's law firm appealed and the case went before the United States Supreme Court being heard on 9 October 1984. I was there and had taken a little time to learn how this panel operates. These justices do not have a staff of highly specialized attorneys but use law clerks as help and, evidently, mainly review the attendant documents themselves. Not any lawyer can argue a case before this panel, but must be approved. The lawyers in our case were each allowed fifteen minutes. I thought all their presentations were poor with no one giving a thumb nail sketch of the issue. ALPA's pitch was their newly adopted argument that the age 60 rule was meant for. all in the cockpit. However, they had already gone free by action of the Appeals Court. The attorney making the pitch for EEOC was one I had never seen before and I was not impressed with him. You would have thought at least some of us as plaintiffs would have been able to meet with him beforehand. Before our case came up I sat through a song copyright case. I was amused that apparently one court attendant's job was to see that no one went to sleep. He didn't have a long rod or a squirrel tail like the Pilgrims employed. 82
This court attendant constantly patrolled the aisles staring at all and when he woke a young man sitting next to me for the second time he made him leave. The Supreme Court issued its ruling on 8 January 1985 which decision was to let stand the Appeals Court ruling that we were to be offered reinstatement and full back pay. Regretfully, somewhere along the way we lost double damages. I was informed of this ruling by the EEOC attorney along with the suggestion I hire a lawyer to handle the negotiations on it which I was not about to do at this late date. As any pilot knows, back pay is rather simple to figure using the pilot who is immediately junior with the possible exceptions of extenuating circumstances such as sick leave, failure to exercise his full seniority etc. TWA could have saved a lot of money if they had proceeded with compliance. Instead, the law firm they had hired continued to handle matters. They must have unloaded millions of dollars on this outfit. It took a long time as they engaged each of us in negotiations regarding our pay. It also was handled through the EEOC attorney and their first offer was no where near full back pay. Eventually their final offer, which I accepted, was two and a quarter times their original prof err. But, this only came months later when I was in so-called training. I was notified of a date to return to work provided I have the flight engineer written FAA examination passed, an FAA flight physical and pass a Company physical. I wanted the EEOC attorney to protest having to take a Company physical but he was reluctant to do so saying that furloughed pilots had to take it. My point was that had I proceeded to the third seat at age 60 there would have been no physical and that TWA had deleted pilot physicals years earlier. Certainly an FAA physical should have sufficed and I considered the Company physical as harassment and one more possible snag. Taking the Company physical in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, was somewhat of a hassle for me. Without checking with me Bill Hoar's office sent me a pass from New York to Kansas City. When I told them I planned to fly out of Washington, DC, they then sent me a pass from Washington to MCI along with an impossible schedule to depart Washington in the early morning on a certain flight, rent a car at MCI, drive thirty eight miles to Shawnee Mission, take the physical, drive back to MCI and then fly to Washington all that same day. Also there was no mention of who would bear the expenses until the EEOC lawyer contacted them. Then they said TWA would pay .the expenses but hotel was limited to fifty dollars per day and rental car to fifty dollars but they paid no mileage from my home to Washington and back. In my view all this was unnecessarily expense for TWA and needless bother for us in that if they had come forth with . appropriate back pay most of-us would have been glad to take that and forego return to work. It was as if they were obsessed with making us prove we were still qualified to reenter the employee rolls. I then reported for 747 ground school on 8 May 1985.-We were given a choice of 747 or 1011 training. I believe only some of those who took 1011 made it through thecours.
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Probably the main reason only those choosing the 1011 training in Kansas City made it through the course was that TWA seems to have a much better rapport with the FAA there as compared to New York. In New York they still have to contend with Bumpus and Jolet of the FAA. On starting ground school no one welcomed us nor was there any seperate or extra ground school set up but, instead, we were thrown in the same highly accelerated and condensed ground school as given crews transitioning from the 1011 to the 747. This training would not be recognized by those of you who went through years ago. Even crews regularly flying have difficulty with the course. Bear in mind that most all of us had been out of the cockpit for several years plus many things have changed. No longer do you have any personal contact with the schedulers as they have gone to computers for bidding and scheduling. To have been decent and fair TWA should have set up separate and much more comprehensive training for us. Anyway, we got through the ground school okay. Then FAA orals were set up as they thought we were ready. In my case they decided to delay the oral until some simulator was given. In the few simulator periods I had I had two instructors. Although they were nice enough they employed two different scan patterns. Oh yes, scan patterns are all the rage. No matter how the check list reads, you have to use a scan pattern. In fact, I was not allowed to use the check list, for example, to accomplish the taxi out check list but required to do it from memory using their scan pattern. On the second simulator session I was thrown in with a pilot crew doing their final warm up before their rating ride, hardly an atmosphere for relaxed learning but then who said we should have any relaxed learning? One simulator period was particularly nauseous for me in that the instructor pilot and the flight engineer instructor had the foulest breaths I have ever had to endure for so many hours. I was then scheduled for a four day off weekend and planned to go home for I had not been home for a month. It had gotten to be a real grind with living either in a small hotel room or the simulator and having to eat out all the time in the greasy spoons around JFK. At this time I received a call from the EEOC attorney about TWA's final offer which I was willing to accept. Then I learned my four days had been cut to two so I decided to hang it up. The head flight engineer made it clear they were planning to terminate further training although my instructor had told me I was progressing satisfactorily. I then decided the strain wasn't worth it and could endanger my health. I'm sure the stress caused some of us to mark off sick and it certainly was a weight loss course for most of us. All in all this experience was a real nightmare for me who had never had any difficulty in training and most always enjoyed it. It was inhumane to throw us who had been out of the cockpit for several years into a course designed and condensed to the bare minima for currently flying crews. A most unnecessary waste' of time and money.
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Another irony is the deliberate delay of justice caused by the attorneys for TWA and ALPA. A death row inmate or a civil rights complainant can have their case go through all the courts right up to the U.S. Supreme Court in a matter of days yet my case took from 1979 to late 1985 to get resolved. During this time suppose a plaintiff had died, would the lawyers been able to persuade the widow to accept less than full back pay? Or, had the widow retained another lawyer as the EEOC attorney suggested to me he would have pocketed probably a third of the money. Bear in mind that my final settlement was two and a quarter times more than what they originally offered. Also , I had to sign a statement that I would not divulge the amount of my settlement to the other plaintiffs involved in the case. I was very reluctant to sign such a document but the EEOC lawyer advised me to sign it or risk not getting the payment. One final thought - Uncle Sam must love these kind of settlements. I think it is a real pity that TWA ended up holding the entire bag when ALPA was the real culprit. I served over ten years as an ALPA council Chairman plus several other positions only to end up finding that ALPA was the real enemy. How can one not help feeling bitter? I am confident that those who fought so hard in ALPA to keep us from working past age 60 will sooner or later be in there fighting just as hard for themselves to be able to work on. Those who suffered set backs such as recessions, cut backs, furloughs etc. will, as they approach age sixty, want to add to their estates and their retirement pay by working on past age 60. It is a real pity but a fact of life there is little brotherhood among the membership of ALPA as evidenced by past actions and letters to the editor one reads in the Airline Pilot magazine. Strong and honest leadership by J. . J O'Donnell and his successor could have gone a long way toward making a strong organization of ALPA and a more viable fraternity. I have a large brief case full of documents pertaining to the age 60 law suit I was a party to including the court decisions. I have been as factual as is possible in this article as well as throwing in some of my personal observations and am truly thankful the ordeal is now past history. Humbles *
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MAY 1987 Your GRAPEVINE Editor looks forward to working with our new TOPICS Editor, A. T. HUMBLES. Succeeding AL CLAY, will not be an easy task. AL did a marvelous job of bringing the TOPICS up to one of the best publications of its kind. I am sure we owe him a big debt of gratitude for his work and wish him well in his new undertaking, the Presidency of RA PA . A. T.s taking over of the position as Editor should speed up the receipt of the publication by all of us as it will allow the editing, typing, final printing and mailing to be done from one central location, whereas in the past it was handled by several persons in various locations which on occasion led to delays in publication. Also, A. T . has a few innovative ideas for the future and would appreciate comments and input from .the membership. *********** As you know, copies of the other Retired Pilots organizations publications are exchanged with our Secretary. Joe enclosed an excerpt from the Airlift Retired Pilots Assn. Newsletter in which the writer calls attention to our Janedition of the TARPA TOPICS and calls it (and I quote) -" in our opinion one of the finest examples of the genre." He goes on to refer to the article on Amelia Earhart, written by BOB SHERMAN and HARRY WARDS letter about ferrying the Connie to MKC. He encouraged his members to become Subscribers to TARPA and listed the officers and addresses. Mi g hty kind words, what? ************ The response by way of notes and checks has been great since dues time came around. Letters come in all sizes and forms, i.e . some typewritten with fancy letterheads, some on tablet paper and even one on a 2¢ postcard (sufficient stamps added). But whatever way they are written, they are most appreciated. Since many sent in their dues about Christmas time, there were many "greetings" sent to our Secratary / Treasurer .
2 The following letter from subscriber HAZEL CHURCH, will be of inter: est to all those who knew Captain C. O. Church "Also wanted to give you a tidbit of news for the Grapevine-our son, Chuck, has been with OZARK for almost 15 years. At the time he was ready, TWA wasn't hiring-and now thru this ironic twist of fate, TWA acquiring Ozark, the name ; Captain Charles Church is once again on the pilots seniority list! Just wanted to explain in case the fellows thought they were hearing things if they happened to catch one of his flights. In addition, helping the feminist movement, our youngest daughter, Karen, is also a pilot-First Officer-flying 737's for United Airlines, based in Denver. Had no idea when I started flying with TWA (and Charles) in the days of the DC-3's- that it would lea' to this! Needless to say I'm very proud and know Charles feels the same! Really enjoy the Tarpa Topics and hope sometime to join one of the tours *********** One secret to longevity is optimism. When a person retires he should plant two acorns 10' apart and then buy a hammock! ********* A large percentage have answered our S/Ts call for a voluntary contribution of $5 along with their 1987 payment. HARRY JACOBSEN went one better and paid his dues thru 1990. He told JOE " My wife has money so if you need another five-let me know. I think I can get it from her." Thanks HARRY. (And FLO.) ********** From JOHN PYLE "Here is my check for $25.00. I am glad to help on the expenses. All is well with me and am getting along OK." ********** BUD POWELL said he got his regular dues in too early so he sent in additional monies. (BUD just retired as President of the Heart of America Seniors where he did a bangup job.) ********** ROBERT B. (BOB ) SMITH says: "Just a note to let you folks know we will be here in Tucson as Snowbirds, not permanent residents anymore. I got fed up with the hassel of Ariz. State Tax people so will make any contributions at the state level in Penna. from now on.! But after the past week's weather we might as well look for a winter home on the Panama Canal I guess in order to keep warm! My citrus trees are payfor last winters warmth, all got frozen the last few days. (written 1-20-87) Big winter chain starts Mon. 26th , I'll be working the "On Deck Board." Hi to everyone. BOB " *********** Of the many Honorary members who returned cards sent out by our S/T, most stated how much they enjoyed the TOPICS and wished to continue receiving it and thanked the officers for their work in TARPA. Among those returning cards were: JANE GUSS (BOB), AUDREY FLANNIGAN (LEE), 87
CHALOTTE WALKER (JIM) and NELLIE HESS (HAL). In addition to the card response many wrote letters, one of which is from VIRGINIA ABBOTT, widow of CLIFF, the first President of the Seniors. She states that CLIFF had hoped that someday there would be an organization of pilots as well as Seniors. She says she keeps busy as a member of the Foundation Board of the Baptist Medical Center in KC, on the Board of the Rehabilitation Institute Auxiliary, Chairman of a group of the American Association of University Women and teaches some at the Shepherd' Center and now and then she plays a little bridge. Now that's a busy woman. She sends her best to all in TARPA. I received a nice letter from FORD BLANEY who retired last April. He had served 5 years as an F/E after moving from the left seat back in 1981. He and Jane spent the first summer of retirement traveling to Rome, Pisa, Florence and the Island of Sardinia for a month, then to Kansas City and Boston to visit with children and then to the TWA retirement party in PHX. The enclosed picture of FORD and JANE was taken at the retirement party which Jane had. planned on April 27th at which 110 people attend ed including many TWAers from PIT. BILL WINTERSTEEN and JIM AGHER and their respective ME wives flew in from California for the occasion and Jane even arranged for an airplane from the local Indiana, PA. airport to fly around trailing a banner saying "Happy Retirement, Ford". Good luck. * HARRY MOKLER , President of the Pilots Retirement Foundation advised me that the Phoenix area pilots have been getting together for a beer and lunch on the third Thursday of the winter months. Just social and hanger flying but good fun. All pilot visitors to the "Valley of the sun" are welcome. Tell them to buzz HARRY at 991-9588 if in town, for whereabouts. * HERBERT E. WHEELER, who joined TARPA last October has changed his status to an (R) since retiring early on January 1,1987. Enclosed a 1987 dues check and says he received more than the 20 worth of pleasure just reading the AugTOPICS and looking through the directory.
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4 RETIREMENT SCHEDULE Time
Activity
7:00 A.M. Wake up and laugh at silent alarm clock which had been turned off night before. 7:00 to 7:01 Brisk calisthenics, lying in bed. 7:01 to 8 or 9 Go back to sleep 9:30 9:00 to Debate whether to shave or not-(not) 9:30 to 10:00 Breakfast-Bourbon, toast, bacon, eggs, jelly and coffee. 10:00 to 11:00 Give wife orders for the day and point out errors of day before. 11:00 to 11:15 Coffee and bourbon break, resting on sofa. 11:15 to 12:15 Front porch rocking chair session, making plans as to how to spend tomorrow in constructive way
12:15 to 12:30 High ball with next door neighbors widow 12:30 to 1:30 Lunch-Beer-Beef Sandwich-Apple pie with cheese. l:30 to 1:35 Read good book to improve mind. 1:35 to 3:00 Nap on Sofa. 3:00 to 3:15 Coffee and bourbon break( sans coffee) 3:15 to 4:45 Review morning plans for tomorrow; decide that it is a had day to start new projects
9:30 to 11:59 Explain to wife why world is going to pot. Prepare her work schedule for tomorrow. 11:59 to 12:00 Write postcard to boss saying how much you miss the old office gang and how you are chomping at the bit to get back to work. 12:00 to 12:01 Go to bed with second good book to improve the mind and promptly fall asleep laughing. *** Courtesy of USAF
4:45 to 5:00 Inspect entire house; tell she the wife that is about as disorganized as the place you used to work. 5:00 to 8:00 Cocktail hour. 8:00 to 9:30 Dinner - wine - steak salad - potatoes - ice cream. ************
Item: Transportation Department Calls for Drug Testing of Pilots 89
5 We received two notes from "JACK" O. H. Hansen, one sending in a voluntary dues check and another which I will quote: "I was saddened by the announcement of Leonard Hyltons passing. Re-capping his avi ation history in the TARPA TOPICS was a fine tribute to a real gentleman and a great pilot; little more could be credited to Leonards career except to note it didn't cease with his retirement from TWA. In early 1973 he again flew an, ex-TWA water wagon in the cervices of Air Siam; along with Cliff Raub and Larry Converse pilots and flight engineers Richadella, Kirkpatrick, Snyder and myself. I am enclosing photos taken of Leonard and the Air Siam (TWA) water wagon; also with a member of the Royal family."
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5 At the last convention in St. Louis , last May, CAPTAIN PAUL RICHTER was the recipient of the TARPA Award of Merit. The posthumous award was accepted by his wife Daisy. daughter Ruth Holden and his son Paul Richter, Jr who is a Captain for United Airlines. OLE OLSON received a nice letter from Paul, Jr back in November thanking TARPA for the award on behalf of his Mother and Sister and expressing appreciation for the hospitality shown by the TARPA members. ******* to Joe last Pearl Harbor day expressing thanks to the ********* MAY wrote and Committee members. Says TARPA Officers he ' s happy to pay the voluntary dues. Also he asked for confirmation that he and Janet are th e only TARPA members living in Alabama. How about it?
short notes coming in was one from DICK ANDERSON who thinks Among the " TARPA is doing a " bang up job. ROGER SALMONSEN agrees and reports that at age 65 he is taking up an aerobatic course. No problems with hemorroids. BILL BURGNER hopes to come over from Switzerland to attend the convention. Was that an offer to buy a drink for everyone Bill?
PARKY PARKINSON sent in a bit of TWA history which is timely. he says that it was at 10am March 31,1931 that Bob Fry and Jesse Mathias were dispatched in the Fokker from MKC to ICT on board was Knute Rockne and five other passengers--as short while later the left wing fell (or broke) off over Bazaar, KS--all killed. Side light- after that the number to take that flight., or missed taking it of people who were because they had to go back home to turn off the gas on the stove said they had slept equaled the number of people who in George Washingtons bed.
A. T. HUMBLES likes to meet with old pilot friends, whether they be TARPA or his old bomb group, the 384th which holds a reunion every two years. (He wishes it was annually). This past. November it was held in Kansas City at the Westin Crown Center and five of his crew were there, He noted the changes in downtown Kansas City with numerous tali buildings and more going up. Also their group took a tour of the Truman Library and had a banquet on board an old paddle wheel boat while cruising the Missouri River.
that HAL BLACKBURN has moved from his Sun City address to PARKY writes be with his son Bob in Oakland, CA. His new address is 4210 Bemis St. Oakland, CA. 94605. I ' m sure HAL would appreciate any letters from his TWA friends.
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I would like to emphasize that as of mid-February over 24% of the Eagles have made voluntary dues payments although our By-laws do not require them to do so. This is most appreciated. From the letters received the majority of them feel they are receiving benefits and enjoyment from the TOPICS and they feel like paying their way. FRED PASTORIUS writes that he is SO in .January and feels that he chose the right line of work to make a living all these years. BOB MIDDLEKAUF, former FRO, recalls several experiences on ICD such as " "wonderufl.- joining the four engine glider club " but says it was not take a million dollars for all these but no t one penny to do it again. -
feels dues are R. C. (BOB ) DOWNING in order regardless of age and that TARPA is taking some long neglected action. RUDY TRUESDALE says he found an old can in the back yard under some dirt so sent in some dues money. He also wrote that back in October " I flew my Mooney to Yerington. NV and took JOE SALZ (Capt. Ret) on as Navigator and flew to Kerrville. TX to the 17th annual Mooney homecoming at the factory. Three days there and Joe flew us back to Yerington and I flew on to Eureka. Awarded a limited edition book for being the oldest pilot to fly to reunion. A fun trip and party. " Says he is either too smart or dumb or chicken to fly into the LAX TCA for the Anaheim Convention.
FRED RICHARDSON writes that " Reading TARPA brings back many memories of long ago. Wish I could write a few tales myself but find it hard to do. " This is a good start, Fred . And we look forward to hearing more from you. CHUCK KNOBLER, who left TWA lo-o-ng ago and went with the FAA says that " Three days after returning from a five week trip to New Zealand where I attended I SASI (International Society of Aviation Safety an a visit and touring Australia and attending an I nvestigators) seminar, FAA retirement affair in Santa Rosa, as well as visiting with GLEN and LUCILLE NEWMAN in Maui for about a week--I fell and broke my hip. However. after 1 month, I am getting around famously. The good Lord looks after all people. I surely am enjoying TARPA which is about my only chance to keep up with TWA and the old boys of ICD. Thanks to BOB GWIN for bringing TARPA to my attention. "
JOHN
HARLIN says- " JOE
TARPA should not operate in the red. This will
help a little bit. JOHN "
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I could get all TARPANS to write letters like FRED LINGENFELSER, I If would be very happy and very busy. He really writes a good interesting letter. reported in the November issue that Fred and Estelle were building a We they are planning for their retirement home near Daytona Beach and complete with house, airstrip and airplane. Well they did it and moved in on Nov. l which is the day Fred retired. But let me quote Fred as he gives an account of another happening on that date.:
On a very sad note, we did actually move into this home on Nov . 1, 1986, only same day JOE SCHULTE was killed a few miles away, Joe that the and was to be one of our neighbors and lived two short blocks away just not to be. There was a beautiful memorial that was friends but " hservice is formation fly by and for Joe along with a "missing man ashes were scattered to sea from a J-3 Cub flown by Wally Rood, a good friend of Joes for some time. " formation was flown differently than I had over seen, The " missing man and it brought a lump to everyones throat. Five T-6s approached from the east in formation, the wingman on the right started smoking (skywriting white) as they approached and he cut dropped down and off to the right, disappearing behind the his power, trees still streaming the heavy white smoke. 1 get a little chill just writing this. The weather was b beautifully clear (typical Florida) and just a spectacular tribute to Joe. There " were several hundred friends in attendance.
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to our S/ T regarding dues„ etc. And Fred also made some comments tconcluded his saying that he hoped to make the TARPA get together by " year, maybe in his own if he can figure out how to fly again bird " without INS. Thank you, Fred for that wonderful report. Please write to Jeer: or to m, " your friends will " fly in to year Spruce Creek again. Hope many of Fly-in Community.
SALLY VANCE wrote to Joe thanking him for the TARPA contribution to the in BABES name and for making her no TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation honorary member of TARPA. ******* who was made an Honorary member of TARPA at last GULLET DR. CHARLES wrote to Joe thanking him for his letter and stating convention, years he has retired from Harvey Watts Aviation Insurance Agency and has that moved to Sedona, AZ where he hopes to see more frequently some of the other TWA ' ers in that area. Honorary member, MARGARET GRAYBILL writes that she considers it a great pleasure to be an Honorary Member of so great an organization as TARPA. is living in San Antonio Del Mar, Baja California, Mexico which she She and FLETCHER had enjoyed for many years and is deeply involved in the Cruz Roja of Rosarita.
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FRED AUSTIN sends his best regards to all plus thanks to the TARPA Directors for all the work they have been doing. ******* ADOLPH URBAS also sends regards and says
"
we ' re still plugging along "
Honorary member, BETH MILLER, who is also President of the Northeas t. Chapter of the Seniors wrote that she and daughter Judy had taken a Lindblad cruise to the Falklands and Antarctica back in Late November and and highly recommend It. December She and husband Jack enjoy receiving the TARPA TOPICS and forward them to retired Dispatcher Paul Husak. ******
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Among the new Honorary members who wrote to our S/T were VON DURHAM all expressed (JACK), RUTH MALONE (JACK), and BARBARA PORTER (JIM) who K for the contribution made to the Retirement Fund in their t heir thanks husbands names and said they looked forward to receiving the TARPA publications.
in this picture of his "toys", a beautiful Christen HANK SEYMOUR sent in matching paint jobs. (Too bad we don ' t have Eagle II and pickup color)
" Just to let you know I feel like a 20 yr old kid NICK NICHOLS writes Had a wonderful summer in Montana. The after the by-pass surgery. cooperative. Caught a 25 " brown in Sept. on a Four trout were most Wt. rod, 4 lb tippet and #16 barbless hook, St. hair Caddis pattern that I " He Made my summer. Will see you at the 1987 Convention. had tied. made it and looked great).
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9 EDDIE FRITTS is still into restoring old cars. His present project is a 1957 T Bird. Says he is updating the engineering 25 years and wishes he 'could do the same for himself. ******* TOM BECK says when he retired and started a new career at age 60 he had to forget about BMEP, ECT, EPR, V-1, etc and and learn Southern building heat pumps and R factors. He retired from a very codes, EER ratings, successful building business about a year ago and. turned. it over to his son, Jerry . ****** W . J. (131 LL) GORDON recently joined TARRA and sent a note recalling a trip he had in his early career with our Secretary. Seems Joe ; spilled coffee in his lap and rather than fly in moist discomfort, hung his britches on the radio rack to dry- He can still see the expression on the hostess ' face when she came to the cockpit and saw Joe flying in his red shorts. Red shorts. Joe? ******* Many short notes come in with the dues payments;. Most all extend words appreciation. Among those writing are: HADLEY RAY, DICK FAUDS CON of , EREON, BOB BUCK, .ART SESSI, CHUCK REYHER , BILL DIXON, CLIFF DAVIS and BUD BUD CUSHING.
Someone sent me this newspaper clipping. I t mu st have come from a paper paer in or around Spartanburg , SC and sometime last summer. Nice going Lowell!
Good Sports Lowell Wierks
Lowell airpots Wierks started hanging around in his native Illinois as a 10-year-old. By 15, he had his license and was flying. " There was never any question of what I wanted to do," he says, "and I had no doubt about being able to do it." After 38 years of flying for TWA (with a stint flying the hump in a USAF transport wing), Capt. Wierks was ready to retire. A friend from New York had located a business here and on a purely social visit, "We fell in love with it here, bought some land at Smith's Tavern, built a house and settled down." Wierks has played golf about as long as he has flown, but with generally less satisfying results. The 13-handicapper had played one round at Three Pines Country Club in the sweltering sun of Sunday, July 20. " It was awfully hot, " he recalls. So was he. Setting out on a second round with partner Joe DeMarco, he made the turn uneventfully. Teeing at the blue box of the 139-yard 11th hole, he selected a six iron for the uphill shot. It looked good. It was. They found the ball in the cup, the first ace in 48 years of golf. Wierks double-bogied 12, triple-bogied 13. "I don't even remember the last few holes," he says. Finally posting an 88 in a round that included a once-in-a-lifetime hole-in-one, Wierks sighed, " The first game was better.
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At the Convention banquet on March 26th, the EAGLES in attendance were asked to step forward for recognition. There were four present, JOHN HARLAN, PHARES MC FERREN, BILL HARRISON AND BILL TOWNSEND (The Florida one). It brought some laughs when a small argument ensued over who was the oldest. It was finally agreed that JOHN HARLAN won the honor with BILL TOWNSEND the new "kid " to join the EAGLES. Speaking of EAGLES as has been done earlier, notes were also received from the following, showing their appreciation by sending in contributions to TARPA: ROGER DON RAE, BILL PIPER, BILL FLANAGAN, HOWARD HALL BILL TOWNSEND and SETH STRACHAN. Thanks again men!
DAVE SPAIN says he sure enjoys the mail (from TARPA) which brings back so many happy recollections. DAVE has moved from Bozman to Easton, MD.
ROBERT G. DALIN writes that inspite of the fact that he has been unable to make a re-union since joining TARPA, he thoroughly enjoys reading about all his past friends, and the history lessons presented. He wonders why more of the flight test group, of which he was a member, have not written more about their retirement and their experiences during their work-time. How about it you guys? Write and tell us about some of your experiences. ED ARBON has accepted a new position as the Director of Flight Operations-Safety for the Flight Safety Foundation, Inc. in Washington, DC but still maintains his Texas address as "home". Congratulations, ED. Late dues payments still cause our S/T additional work and TARPA added expense when reminders have to be sent out. All who responded sent letters of apology (and money), and appreciation of the reminder. I won't name them for fear of embarrassment. (We all are inclined to forget, even Ron Reagan). In conclusion, let me give women the final word. Are there any women pilots in our group who would like to get together for ') their own hanger flying session, maybe at the next convention? If so please contact DORICE LINDSEY, wife of BOB. She'd like to hear from you. ********
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MULES What animal do we know that every last one of them can be annihilated and yet we could produce more? Answer; the mule, an offspring of a jackass and a mare horse. While the animal kingdom seems to have its strict rules of segregation of species such as lions only breed with lions, and so on man combined the horse and the jackass to bring forth a most valuable work animal, the mule. I was looking forward to moving back to my native state of North Carolina and being able to see more mules or even owning one for a pet but, alas, I have come to realize that the mule is almost extinct mainly due to his place being taken over by the tractor. Early tractors were large and cumbersome and not very well adapted to tending row crops. They were used for breaking and discing land but mules and/or horses were indispensable for plowing the row crops such as cotton, corn and tobacco. Especially tobacco leaves were easy to break off and wouldn't stand much presure such as being hit by a tractor wheel. I grew up on a cotton and tobacco farm and have a soft spot in my heart for mules. They were more practical for us than horses for many reasons. They do have personalities of their own to the point the word mulish was used commonly. Whoever coined the phrase horse sense" must not have had much close personal contact with such equine animals. Horses are dumb and have a one track mind. This makes them easy to control and train. When a bore panics and runs away he loses his senses and is very liable to hurt himself by running into a barbed wire fence or from the implement he might be hitched to. Not so in the case , of a mule. Growing up on a farm I recall we lost two horses. One got out and ate so much green corn it killed him. The expression used by most farmers was that the horse had foundered himself. The other death happened when our horse got into the barn with the dry corn and ate so much he died. Never did I hear of a mule doing anything so foolish. In fact, if you wanted to take a long weekend off to go to the beach you could just leave the normal amount of feed for the mule that he usually ate during that period and he would eat a little along as he liked with no danger of his over eating to the point of getting sick. In the same situation the horse would probably eat it all at one time and make himself sick. I have had to replace several stall doors broken by horses for a horse is so stupid he thinks that if his head will go through the rest will follow thereby knocking a door off its hinges. A mule has sense enough not to over strain himself no matter what the urging whereas I have witnessed two horses ruining themselves by pulling so hard they ruptured themselves. Not a pretty sight seeing a lot of gut protruding out of a horse's anus. Ever wonder why they use mules for transportation on the precipitous trail down into the Grand Canyon in Arizona? Those narrow paths require sure-footedness and calm. If a horse were , to see a rattlesnake he must likely would shy and doing that where there is no room for maneuvering might just take a horse and rider over the edge and a fall to death. Another area where mules were more practical to us was the food required. A mule does not eat like a horse but can do the same work on less food. He must inherit this from the jackass for there are increasing herds of burros in the arid deserts.
I learned that the mule has a much more individual personality than a horse. They can be stubborn, mean, loving, attentive, intelligent, sneaky, placid and moody. William Faulkner once wrote that a mule will work faithfully for you for six years just to get the chance to kick you when you least expect it. Mules were shipped into the South from farms and ranches out west. I once had a friend in Kansas City, a Dr. Jason Dixon, who grew up on a farm in Arkansas where they raised mules. He told me that the mules that were smaller and a more lithe type were referred to as Carolina mules where there was more of a demand for them. I would hazard a guess that the type of work required of them was the reason for this. Our soils were easier to pull a plow through and we didn't have the hills to climb or rocks in the ground to require a heavier type work animal. Back there before World War II mules were usually bought in pairs and remained paired for life, practically, although there was some work they did solo such as individual row plowing. There was a lot of work, though, requiring two mules as a team such as pulling a wagon, disc harrows, tobacco transplanters etc. Hence the farmer referred to them as a team of mules. They were expensive to buy especially if you consider the times. A pair would easily sell for six hundred dollars. They were usually about three years old and would live to twenty years or more. Some farmers loved them so that when they were too old to work they would keep them and just put them out to pasture. They would have been too tough to eat even for the French. Mules have longer ears than horses and they must have been proud of they usually did not like you to touch them. Made it hard sometimes a bridle on over them. And they could talk with their ears. If their pointed forward they were just curious, if they laid them back they ready for some mischief or were mad.
them for to put ears were were getting
There was one team of mules we had for years that my father bought when I was very small. They were named Julie and Mary. They were as different as night and day in their personalities. Mary was a sweet, nice and gentle mule that liked to please. Julie was cantankerous, stubborn, lazy and mean. Julie hated Negroes. My papa thought this was because the colored boy who worked her when he first bought her must have abused her when he was not around. Julie would not let a Negro touch her and any new hired hands were warned to stay clear of her. I saw why Julie wasn't to be trusted once when a new hired man who had not been warned almost met his maker. The horse lot gate was a sturdy one made even though out of heavy boards. For some reason it was always called this there might not be any horses on the farm . It was a corral about fifty by fifty feet in size . This Negro opened the gate to enter and Julie was on the opposite Then side of the lot. She laid back her ears and ran full speed toward him. . Luckily, she leaped in-the air with both front feet together out in front he was agile enough to back out and slam the gate shut just as she hit it She broke a big board right out of it. Could easily have been his skull. At the back of our farm was the Greenville golf course. Occasionally the mules would get out and loved to get on the golf course where they delighted to run the Negro caddies up the trees. I remember the manager coming to see my daddy and complaining about this.
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We used to haul tobacco to town to the auction market on a wagon pulled by two mules. While unloading the tobacco the mules were left hitched to the wagon and tied to a post. There were always a lot of colored boys milling around picking up jobs helping unload the tobacco and some walking around selling hot roasted peanuts. More than once I have heard the piercing scream of pain as one had walked too close to Julie and gotten bit. Believe me, a mule bite can hurt. Once as a little tyke I walked under Julie's head and she reached down and bit my woven straw hat right off my head and ate it while I fought frantically to get it back. There was one colored family that lived on our farm for years and Uncle Dave Bridges was head of the family. Eventually, Julie got used to Uncle Dave to where she would tolerate his putting a bridle and harness on her. I guess she was like an expression I have heard many times. It was said the Southerner loves the Negro as an individual and hates him as a race and the Northerner loves the Negro as a race but hates him as an individual. Guess this explains why you read of the Northerner throwing rocks at the house of colored people who have moved into their neighborhood while still agreeing whole heartedly with integrating the South. Julie, the mule, was stubborn and could not be trained to not eat the crops while working in them. Consequently, she had to have a wire muzzle over her mouth in the field. She would even eat green tobacco which no other mule would touch. Green tobacco is about the bitterest taste you have ever encountered, even worse than gourd leaves. On the contrary, her teammate, Mary, minded well and could be worked even in green corn without a muzzle and they love green corn. All you had to do was scold her once and she would leave the corn alone and only depend on getting a mouthful of green reeds at the end of the rows from the ditch bank. Mary was intelligent and was a thinker. For example, when you were plowing a row crop you would guide the mule to walk next to the plants while siding as we called it. After a couple of rows you would have the hilled up land in between the plants and the mule would have to walk in the middle of the row on this hill which was called splitting the middle. Well, Mary learned fast and knew whether on the next up and down she was to walk on the middle or next to the plants. Another interesting thing about mules was their caution about bridges. All farms had a lot of bridges in our area across the drain ditches. These were mostly wooden and through the years deteriorated to where they could be unsafe. If a mule didn't know a bridge it would test it with one foot putting a little weight on it first to make sure it was safe and would not break under their weight. I was told to never force a mule to cross a bridge it didn't want to cross . I was told mules made better work animals in the log Woods than horses for snaking out logs. If a mule mired down in the mud they wouldn't panic but wait for help if needed whereas horse might panic and break a leg or rupture. A doctor in Georgia wrote a book wherein he describes a mule going to the bathroom. It was so realistic it brought tears to my eyes as he described so accurately the ritual: It seems most mules we owned were female. When a mule had to urinate she would stop, spread her back legs wide apart, hunker up her back in a big bow and go. You never tried to violate her right to go in this manner. 99
After she had finished and proceeded on her vagina would wink at you for another five minutes. But, when defecating they never broke pace. Mules have also found their way into legislative statutes as witness a few examples I found in an article by an outfit studying obsolete laws. In North Carolina in 1907 they passed a law that it was illegal to allow a stone mule or a stone horse to run at large except in certain parts of Dare County. It was illegal to allow the exhibition of a stallion or jackass within a half mile of a rural church (1800). In Brooklyn, New York, it's illegal for donkeys to sleep in bathtubs! Speaking of a mule going to the bathroom reminds me that my father told me why that back in the horse and buggy days courting men such as he preferred horses. Not only were they prettier than a mule but could be trained to not go to the bathroom when a girl was in the buggy whereas a mule would go when they had to go. Shore would be embarrassing with your fiance in the buggy to have a draft animal with diarrhea explode. After all that was a small and low dashboard between you and the critter. My mother used to tease my father about loving his mules better than her. She said at the first sign a little something might be wrong with a mule he was on the phone to the vet but she could run a temperature and be sick for days before he would take her to the doctor. Yes, it is sad to me to have to realize that the loveable mule is almost a vanished breed.
A. T. Humbles
100
SWAP AND SHOP SECTION So far there has not been a lot of response to this section but maybe it will catch on. I will also use it as a classified ad section and directory. Those of you in business might want to offer disccounts to TARPA members, Those of you with houses to sell or rent etc. can use this too. I specialize in buying, selling and trading Belgian Browning guns and also certain Colts. Interested in buying a T&WA Colt 38 Automatic that was issued to airmail pilots back in the airmail days. Dick DeBruyn 4340 Rock Lane Suisun, CA 94585 Lapel pins of most all TWA aircraft. $3.00. Tie pins. Larry Fauci 52 Westgate Drive Sparta, NJ 07871 Ph: 201 729 2620 Contributions to a most worthy cause may be sent to; TWA RETIREMENT FOUNDATION ALPA Federal Credit Union 825 Midway Drive Willow Brook, IL 60521 Make checks payable to the TWA PILOTS RETIREMENT FUND, Acct. * 90-17470 If you do not belong to the American Association Retired Persons you might consider joining as their pharmacies will save you considerably on prescription medicines & drug supplies. Dues are $5.00 per year. American Assn. of Retired Person, P.O. Box 2400 Long Beach, CA 90801-9988 Send insurance claim forms to; CONNECTICUT GENERAL P.O. Box 1866 Kansas City, MO 64141 Ph: 800 821 5618 (outside MO) 800 892 7615
The U.S. Air Force welcomes your support. Membership brings you an interesting quarterly newsletter, 20% discount in the gift shop and a 10% discount in their book store. Yearly dues are $15.00. Send check to; Air Force Museum Foundation P.O. Box 1903 Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 We welcome members who belonged to the 384th. Bomb Group, U.S. Air Force during World War II. We have a reunion every two years. Dues are $12.00 per year. Send to; 384th. Bomb Group, Inc. P.O. Box 1021-A Rahway, NJ 07065 TWA no longer maintains a toll free number for personnel benefits. The address is still Nancy Collins, P.O. Box 20007, Kansas City, MO 64195 Phone: 816 464 6426. Also place to request your business cards. Several inquiries on where to obtain TARPA nameplates. The price is $2.25 each postpaid. Send payment to; Earl Sawyer 201 N.W. 59th. Place Gladstone, MO 64118 TWA retiree passes & reduced rates; Philiss Moore P.O. Box 20007 Kansas City, MO 64195 Ph: 816 464 6433 TARPA INSURANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Edward A. Hall 14931 David Drive (new address) Ft. Myers, FL 33908 Phone; 813 466 5321
ADDRESS CHANGES and/or CORRECTIONS .......... ( Read across) 14-04-1987Page
( R)
1
BYBEE, JOHN S.
CAPT.
( GINNY)
(R)
2616 SAKLAN #1 DRIVE. (JUL-NOV)
WALNUT CREEK, CA 94595
(R)
CAPT.
(MARTHA)
7303 N.W. KATIE CIRCLE KANSAS CITY,
415-938-3492
(R)
CARR. WILLIAM G. MO
64152
816-741-5633
CARROLL, JOSEPH W.
F/E
(SYLVIA)
(A)
CARTER, WALLACE K.
1 GOLDBORO COURT
P.O. BOX 637
BETHESDA.
DEER ISLE.
20817
MD
CHRISMAN. EDMUND W. "NED" CAPT.
(MARGARET)
(A)
CAPT.
ME
(AUDREY)
04627
COLLING. EDWIN L.
CAPT.
9817 EAST CHESTNUT DRIVE
ROCCA Y BATILE 10. ATICO 2
SUN LAKES.
08023 BARCELONA
Ai
85248
602-895-0512
SPAIN 343-212-6389
(H)
CONVERSE, VIRGINIA
MRS.
(LARRY)
(R) CORAY , FRANK M.
23 GRANADA DRIVE RANCHO MIRAGE.
CA
92270
IRVINE,
619-321-4558
(R)
(MARIANNE)
CA
92720
714-552-9791
CORBETT, JAMES E.
CAPT.
(KAYE)
(R)
46 NORTH 660 WEST ST. GEORGE.
CAPT.
8 CHAPLAIN
(SHIRLEY)
#9 UNO CIRCLE 84770-4534
UT
CRASE. LEONARD W. "LEN" CAPT.
P.O. BOX 33 CHEROKEE VILLAGE.
AR
72525
(MAY-OCT)
501-257-3129 (R)
CRASE, LEONARD N.
"
LEN"
CAPT.
(SHIRLEY)
(R)
1890 W. SARGENT RD.
FT. MYERS.
LODI.
FL
33907
(NOV-APR)
501-257-3129
(R)
FISCHER. MELVIN L. "MEL" CAPT.
13540-201 STRATFORD PLACE CIRCLE
CA
95242
209-334-1962
FRAWLEY. JOSEPH P.
FIE
(ALMA)
(R)
HALL. EDWARD A.
CAPT.
20900 ELDERBERRY WAY
14931 DAVID DRIVE
P.O. BOX 247
FT. MYERS. FL 33908
GROVELAND,
(MARJORIE)
CA
95321
(BARBARA)
813-466-5321
209-962-5578 (R)
CAPT.
JONES. Sr., FRANK L.
( R)
(IRIS)
HUBER YACHT HARBOR
"LES MARES"-LE CHESNE 27160 PAR BRETEUIL-SUP.-ITON
5950-34th STREET SOUTH ST. PETERSBURG,
KAPPLER, BERNARD J. "BUD" FIE
FL
33711
(APR-0C)) FRANCE
****
(011-33)-32297491 (H)
KIEFER, FRANCIS L.
MRS.
( H)
(ORRIN)
P.O. BOX 90644 SAN DIEGO.
CA
92109-0861
MOSER, J. B. "JACK" CAPT.
SAN DIEGO,
(LOUIS)
CA
92122
714-496-4039
(JEANNE)
(R)
1000 VALLEY FORGE CIRCLE. UNIT 713
MOSS, JACK C.
CAPT.
(ROBERTA)
2400 QUAIL RIDGE N LANE, #139
KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406 215-783-7147
MRS.
7265 CHARMANT DRIVE
619-483-2286
(R)
LOVELETTE. ANITA
ROSEVILLE, 102
CA
95678
(NICOLE)
ADDRESS CHANGES and/or CORRECTIONS ..........( Read across) 04-04-1987
Page -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
( R)
MOTIL, JOHN R.
CAPT.
( VETA)
(R)
BOX 406 ANAHOLA,
HI
96703
ROSEVILLE,
NOLAND, RAY A.
CAPT.
(DESSIE)
(R)
NUNN, JOHN E.
CAPT.
(CLIONE)
GREEN SHORES, HC 1. BOX 4115
MEDFORD,
SHELL KNOB,
OR
97504
MO
65747
417-858-6615
PHAIL, GORDON A.
CAPT.
(GERTRUDE)
(R)
PRINCE, JACK J.
CAPT.
1967 PALMETTO TERRACE, N.W.
645 WOODLAND DRIVE
STUART,
ARROYO GRANDE,
FL
33494
CA
(BETTY) 93420
805-481-1332
PUDDICK, WERNER K.
F/E
( R)
BOX 1183
RAY. HADLEY N.
CAPT.
(PEGGY)
2759 FAIRVIEW DRIVE
HOBE SOUND,
FL
33455-1183
FLAGSTAFF.
305-546-1253
(R)
95661
1200 MIRA MAR AVENUE, t1224
305-692-0841
( R)
CA
916-191-2903
503-770-1657
(R)
(ERMA)
9027 SADDLESPUR WAY
808-828-1642
(E)
MYERS, ORA E. "CORKY" CAPT.
AZ
(JUN-AUG)
86004
602-526-2861
RHODES, JOHN F.
CAPT.
(CHARLOTTE)
(A)
SAVICZ. JOSEPH G.
CAPT.
12372 GLACIER CIRCLE
13734 SUMMERSTAR DRIVE
LOS ALAMITOS,
SUN CITY WEST. AZ 85375
CA
90720
(HOLLY)
602-584-0821
( R)
SCHAEFFER, ROBERT G. F/E
(JUANITA)
(A)
SIDWAY. PETER
CAPT.
1373 SANTA ANITA DR., UNIT A
OLD NECK LANDING
LAS VEGAS.
P.O. BOX 627
NV
89119
702-736-7975
EXMORE,
VA
(LOIS)
23350
804-442-5217 (R)
SMITH, ROBERT B. "BOB"
CAPT.
(DELORES)
(R)
80X 185 ULSTER,
STAMBOOK. RICHARD E. "DICK" CAPT.
( NETTIE)
3746 CALLE CORTEJO PA
18850
(JUN-DEC)
P.O. BOX 36-32
717-358-3210
RANCHO SANTA FE CA 92067 619-756-1609
(R)
STAMP, HARRY L.
CAPT.
(MARILYN)
(R)
P.O. BOX 175 LAKE GENEVA,
THORPE, W. ROGER
WI
53147
305-395-3876
CAPT.
WESTLAKE VILLAGE,
(JUNE)
(R)
CA
TIMMINS, PATRICK J. "TIM" CAPT.
91361
BELLINGHAM,
WA
98227
203-734-4263
MRS.
(STUART)
(R)
WIERKS, LOWELL D.
CAPT.
9229 ARLINGTON BLVD., t527
160 INDEPENDENCE DRIVE
FAIRFAX,
ROEBUCK,
VA
(ALVINA)
P.O. BOX 5915
818-788-1928
UPDIKE, LELA C.
(CHING YING)
BOCA RATON, FL 33432
4367 DEER PARK COURT
( H)
CAPT.
1139 PEPPERIDGE TERRACE
414-248-9639
(A)
SUTTON, DONALD A.
22031
703-591-3923 103
SC
803-576-5271
29376-9734
( CHRISTIE)
NEW MEMBERS SINCE JANUARY TOPICS .
.
.(Read across)
04-1987 PAGE 1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(R)
BECKER, HERBERT A. "HERB" MR.
(RUTH)
(A)
PRESCOTT,
TUCSON,
AZ
86301
DRAKE, MELVIN J.
FIE
( ALICE)
(R)
SANTA MARIA,
EASTON,
CA
93455
CAPT.
(ROSEMARY)
( R)
SCITUATE,
NORTONVILLE,
MA
02066
GREGG. H. SCOTT
MR.
( R)
( PAT)
MD
21921
CAPT.
(SHARON) 64034
MO
816-537-6796
FIE
(R(
(YVETTE)
HOAGLAND, WILLIAM M. 'BILL" IRO P.O. BOX 145
TACOMA,
COLTS NECK.
WA
98407
NJ
JEZEK. EARL D.
CAPT.
(JANET)
(R)
JURY. E. F .
"BUD"
1872 FARNDON AVENUE
BOX 142
LOS ALTOS,
ROSARITO BEACH
CA
94022
MEXICO
"BUD"
CAPT.
(MADELAINE)
(R)
07722
OR
97739
CAPT.
(MADELAINE)
BAJA
(WINTER )
******
KALOTA. CHESTER
CAPT.
(MARJORIE)
2244 AVE. SALVADOR ALL MAIL * * * *
SAN CLEMENTE.
503-536-1983
CA
92672
714-492-2418
KINATE, WALTER J.
FIE
(VELDA)
(A)
KING. KEITH A.
CAPT.
(JOAN)
1400 GUFFEY DRIVE
6114 N. BALES MO
64119
CARSON CITY,
816-452-6619
NV
89701
702-849-1442
KLAPPERT, EDWARD F.
F/E
(LOIS)
(RI
LATIMER, LARRY F.
CAPT.
1810 MERIKOKE AVENUE
TAMARIND BAY CLUB, *303-C
WANTAGH,
KEY LARFO, FL 33037
NY
11793
516-221-3244
305-451-2539
LOCKE, G. BRUCE
CAPT.
(CLAIRE)
(R)
951 - 36TH AVENUE SANTA CRUZ, 408-476-4259
(LILLIE)
201-462-1859
53713 RIVERVIEW DRIVE
(R)
GWIN. ROY F.
6422 FIVE VIEWS ROAD
KANSAS CITY,
66060
LAKE WINNEBAGO,
415-967-5394
(R)
KS
( KATHRYN)
215 WINNEBAGO DRIVE
HELLAR, RICHARD C.
LA PINE,
CAPT.
913-886-3681
206-759-0364
(R)
GIGSTAD. ALBERT L. RR *I. BOX 50
JURY. E. F .
(
06612
CT
4 PINEVIEW DRIVE. BOX *234
301-287-2185
(R)
CAPT.
203-268-7199
FORD, RICHARD A.
ELKTON,
(A)
EDDLEMAN, SHIRLEY)GILBERT H. 60 BEERS ROAD
34 LEEWARD COURT
(R)
85704
1021 BROOKSIDE AVENUE
617-545-5664
(R)
AZ
(KAREN)
602-297-5810
805-437-7156
(A)
CAPT.
7760 N. PASEO DEL NORTE
602-776-0508
(A)
DOUGHERTY, WILLIAM V.
3200 WILLOW CREEK ROAD
CA
LOVGREN, JOHN C.
CAPT.
(SANDRA)
93 DOGWOOD LANE 95062
FT. MYERS BEACH, FL 33931 104
813-466-3209
NEW MEMBERS SINCE JANUARY TOPICS .......... (Read across) 04-04-1987 Page 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -= - - -
( A)
MARCHIONE, ANGELO
CAPT.
(ELLIE)
(R)
2772 E. QUAIL AVENUE
MOORESTOWN,
LAS VEGAS,
NJ
08057
609-234-2468 / 212-687-9322
(R)
MOFFITT, WILLIAM O.
CAPT.
( PEGGY)
(R)
BELEN,
OCEANSIDE.
NM
87002
NEUBAUER, RICHARD J. "DICK" MR.
(LINDA)
(A)
ME
04860
OTTMANN, JAMES K. LAS VEGAS,
CAPT.
RICHARDS, L. ROGER
NV
89120
CAPT.
(R)
SLATEN, KENNETH R.
CAPT.
211 YACHT CLUB WAY, #346 APT.
9320 GALAXIA WAY, N.E.
REDONDO BEACH,
ALBUQUERQUE,
CA
90277
JOY
F/E
KIMBERLING CITY,
( R)
MO
65686
F/E
(JOAN)
WI
06443
203-421-3582
( GERRY)
( R)
618 DRAKE LANE FL
THORALSEN, ALDEN J. "AL
"
CAPT.
P.O. BOX 516 33528
ATHENS,
813-733-6650
OH
45701
203-635-1108
TROVINGER, KARL F.
IRO
( ANNE)
(R)
2 EL CONCHO LANE ROLLING HILLS,
WALLACE, ROBERT W.
CAPT.
(OLGA)
30 TOPPIN DRIVE CA
90274
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC 29928
213-377-5006
803-757-4265
WILLIAMS, CLARENCE T. 34 PARK ROAD 201-729-7354
TEASDALE, KENNETH R. MADISON,
THOMAS, LAWRENCE W. "LARRY" CAPT.
NJ
87111
111 SQUIRES ROAD
417-739-4293
SPARTA,
NM
(ROSEMARY ELLEN)
505-821-4001
SPERRY, GLENN H.
DUNEDIN,
(CHARLOTTE)
702-458-6914
137 LAKESHORE DRIVE
(A)
11572
3629 LA JUNTA DRIVE
213-640-8421
(R)
NY
(KATHY)
516-764-8380
TENANTS HARBOR,
(R)
89120
CAPT.
506 KENT COURT
207-372-6709
(R)
MORSE, FRED A.
603 WILLOWBROOK LANE
P.O. BOX 147
( A)
NV
(CHERI)
702-798-4656
505-864-2716
( R)
MASKER, JOHN W. "JACK" CAPT.
4 SHELTER ROCK PLACE
CAPT.
(DOROTHY)
Ed. Note: Our TARPA President, Russ Derickson advises that effective
07871
15 October 1987 his address will be; 5344 N. Via Sempreverde Tucson, AZ 85712
105