1990.11.TARPA_TOPICS

MARTINS BY ED BETTS GRAPEVINE BY DICK GUILLAN TARPA TOURS BY THE HASLERS

THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA NOVEMBER 1990

LOCKHEED 1011

TARPA TOPICS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION OF TWA EDITOR A. T. Humbles Rt. 2 Box 2900 Belhaven, NC 27810 919 964 4655

GRAPEVINE EDITOR John T. Happy Nine East Lake Drive Haines City, FL 33844-9320 813 439 2223 CCNTRIBUTING EDITOR & HISTORIAN Edward G. Betts 960 Las Lomas Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 213 454 1068

TARPA is incorporated as a non-profit Corporation under the non-profit corporation laws 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.

DEDICATED TO THE PIONEERS OF TODAY'S TRANS WORLD AIRLINES WHOSE VISION, EFFORT AND PERSEVERENCE MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE, WE EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE.

The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA

OFFICERS and DIRECTORS

1990/1991

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President 5344 N. Via Sempreverde, Tucson, AZ 85715 First Vice President 1852 Barnstable Road, Clemmons, NC 27012 Second Vice President 233 S.E. Roque River Hwy. * 18, Grants Pass, Secretary/Treasurer 6977 S. Everest Lane, Evergreen, CO 80439 Senior Director Rt. 2 Box 2900, Belhaven, NC 27810

Russell G. Derickson 602 299 6325 Richard M. Guillan 919 945 9979 David M. Davies OR 97527 813 461 4721 Joseph S. McCombs 303 674 6719 A.T. Humbles 919 964 4655

DIRECTORS Associate Member 36 Jane Road, Marblehead, MA 01945 Associate Member P.O. Box 3596, Stateline, NV 89449 Ex-President (non-voting) HCR 77, Box 352:,. Sunrise Beach, MO 65079

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Albert J. Mundo 617 631 7620 William A. Kirschner 702 588 4223 Jcseph A. Brown, Jr. 314 374 7028

The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE October 4, 1990

The mid-term Board of Director's meeting will be held in St. Louis on evening of November 7th & morning of November 8th. By the time you receive this issue of TOPICS, the meeting will be history. The main agenda items will be a review of the Trust Annuity Plan; the 1992 Convention site; TARPA Insurance and other issues of Retiree concern.

Our most important concern is the "B" Plan. See a copy of my letter, dated September 10, 1990 to Bill Hoar with a copy to Kent Scott, TWAMEC Master Chairman on the next page.

Ev Green advises that he will have a recommendation for the 1992 Convention at this meeting and hopefully the Board can reach a decision on the 1992 site at that time. In the meantime, Cliff & Mary Sparrow with the assistance of George Long are concentrating on the 1991 Fall Classic in Colorado Springs. Joe & Jean McCombs followed the planned route of the 1991 post-Convention tour this September and report the "Aspen Gold" was spectacular.

Approximately 5 years ago, the TWA SENIORS CLUB and TARPA agreed to have their respective Presidents attend each others meetings. Bill Dixon, the SENIORS current President will attend the TARPA Board meeting in St. Louis on November 7-8th.

Chuck MacNab resigned as Secretary/Treasurer. In accordance with Article VI, Section 5 of TARPA By Laws, the Board of Directors by mail ballot elected J.S.(Joe) McCombs to fill the position of Sec/Treas. and R.M. (Dick) Guillan to fill Joe's vacancy as 1st Vice-President. John Happy has graciously agreed to serve as GRAPEVINE Editor.

A.T. Humbles, TARPA Editor, has an updated list of Officers, Directors and Committee Chairmen in this issue.

I hope to have more information for you in the February issue.

In the meantime, have a Happy Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Yearthe Best for 1991.

Russ Derickson

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The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA

J.W. Hoar Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Trans World Airlines, Inc. 100 South Bedford Road Mt. Kisco, New York 10548

September 10, 1990

Dear Mr. Hoar: This is in reference to the 51 page document submitted to TWA Management by the TWA ALPA MEC which, if implemented, would constitute major changes in the TWA pilots "B" plan.

Many retirees have expressed displeasure and deep concern to any changes in the plan that may effect their pension benefits.

In view of the above I want to make it clear, beyond any doubt, that TARPA is committed to maintaining the integrity and stability of the "B" plan and will use whatever means available to us to accomblish that goal.

I would like to hear from you on this issue.

cc: TARPA Board of Directors Kent Scott, Chairman TWA ALPA MEC

President TARPA

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SECRETARY /TREASURER REPORT As set forth in the President's Message, I have agreed to assume the job of Secretary/Treasurer for the time being in order to meet the deadlines for the November TOPICS. Resignation for personal reasons is a broad-brush explanation of problems that have existed in the S/T's Office.

There has been a concerted effort to correct membership files, however, data used for the mailing of the November TOPICS has been re-assembled using four sources explaining possible errors. If I goofed, use the UPDATE form to advise the S/T. Also when X-checking with the Employee Benefits Inactive Employee List and the Survivor List, it would appear that a number have not advised the Company of a change of address, that is, if TARPA has your correct address.

Also, considering the number of early retirements, please examine your mailing label for accuracy as to status (R)RETIRED/REGULAR or (A)ASSOCIATE/ACTIVE. Check cockpit position as well as current year dues paid (EAGLE & HONORARY show '99) and, of course, the address & ZIP. Once again, advise me of any discrepancy.

This issue of TOPICS also includes the dues return envelope for 1991.

Dues for REGULAR and/or ASSOCIATE stand at $25.00; EAGLES and HONORARY are not required to pay dues but contributions are appreciated; fee for Subscribers set at $15.00.

If a MEMBER, your dues fee is $25.00, not $15.00 as a Subscriber.

Please fill in all blanks even if you have done it before.

TARPA will welcome 37 Members to EAGLE status as of January 1, 1991 at which time the esteemed number reaches a total of 238. Fantastic!

Keep in mind, EAGLE status is not granted until the first of the year following your 75th birthday.

A list of those moving to EAGLE status is included in this issue.

Mail your check today and save the need for a reminder later.

Allow me to be one of the first to wish you HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

McCombs, cretary Se / Treasurer 69 7 S. Everest Lane Evergreen, CO 80439-2353 (303) 674-6719 10/06/90 4

TARPA INSURANCE NEWS NEED FOR MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE

Today's headlines and tomorrow's political platforms are centered around the budget and deficit reductions. Medicare is right in the heart of the issue and is prime for slaughter. It is inevitable that you will feel the effects of the new budget, especially if you are 65 or older and on Medicare . In 1989, we saw the development of the Catastrophic Health Bill designed to improve your position. Then, we saw its repeal and, now, further reductions. The result: further cost shifting from the public sector to the private sector, which includes you...the retiree.

One sure way to protect yourself and provide stability in your out-of-pocket medical care costs is to purchase a Medicare Supplement Insurance policy.

Although these policies very in both benefit design and cost, there are several benefits which are substantial and that you, as a TARPA member, should look for in a policy. o Coverage for the Part A Deductible which is currently $592 and slated for increase. o Post-hospital skilled nursing benefits beyond 100 days when Medicare provides nothing. o Coverage outside of the United States where Medicare provides nothing. o 100% Part B Coverage -- most policies pay the 20% not covered by Medicare's reasonable and customary payment. Some policies also pay in addition to the Medicare reasonable and customary charge and pay 100% of the doctor's charges. This feature can be extremely important especially if you are using doctors and specialists who do not accept Medicare assignments.

You should know that TARPA sponsors a Medicare Supplement plan for its members and their spouses. This plan, which is voluntary, is considered to be an extremely competitive program in terms of benefits and costs. It includes all the important benefits just mentioned above including 100% Part B coverage. TARPA insurance representatives are available to assist you on a toll free line and are happy to compare a current policy or one you may be considering to see if the TARPA plan is advantageous.

Before making a decision to purchase a Medicare Supplement Plan, you are encouraged to contact TARPA Insurance Plans at 1-800-331-2794 to request a brochure or have questions answered.

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TARPA (NALAC SUPPLEMENTAL MEDICAL INSURANCE - 10/10/90 Cost: $ 58.00 per month

The "Living Trust" by Neuman Ramsey

August 1990

Through the action of the Tarpa Board of Directors, I am the chairman of our Insurance Committee. The following comments may seem like a digression from this subject, but it could be the most significant insurance to which you will ever subscribe- the forwarding address of your assets when you are gone.

A failure to plan ahead may result in your spouse or other heirs being like the man on his deathbed, who was asked if he wanted to be buried or cremated, and he said, "Surprise me"! That is apt to happen if you think a will leaving everything to your wife is all you ever need.

The three worst enemies of the estate administrator are: 1. Procrastination 2. "My estate is not big enough to be concerned".

3. Leaving a will with no other plans.

In a great many instances, procrastination is the only one of the above that's true. Your house, your farm, or any other assets you may have, may have been purchased many years ago. Have you looked at the inflation of the last 30, 20, or even 10 years? The fact that you paid X dollars for these will remain your basis as long as you own them, but the next time they change ownership, heirs or otherwise, their value will be their value on that day. And as far as a will is concerned, you should ask yourself some important questions: When did you make your last will? Was it in the state in which you now reside?

A will in any state is valid as far as the U.S . government is concerned, but don't overlook the fact that states all differ on their tax rates and requirements. The state can tie this up just as surely as the IRS. Your spouse could die of malnutrition while all the wheels are grinding.

Perhaps this is a good time to discuss recent events. Not since the beginning of income, inheritance, and estate taxes has there been any law as significant as E.R.T.A., (The Economic Recovery Tax Act of Sept. 11,1981).

Marital Deductions Old law: Marital deduction was limited to one half the estate or $250,000, whichever was greater. To anyone other than a spouse, it was limited to $60,000.

New law: Unlimited marital deduction.

It sounds like a simple " I have a will leaving everything to my wife" covers everything! But let's take a closer look. Inheritance taxes, after deductions, begin at 30% and go up by brackets to 70%. So, in many instances, this may be an injustice to the heirs because of the "bracket creep". When the surviving spouse dies, this time without a marital deduction, the taxes on the gross estate, now of both spouses, may be greater than the taxes if each of them had paid on their half in the order of their demise. It is not necessary to do either.

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The Unified Credit - This is per spouse and can be to any recipient.

In all but very small estates, this provision of the new law is of greater importance than even the marital deduction. Whereas deductions are applied to the gross estate and then the taxes are computed, under this provision the taxes are computed and then the credit is applied. Example : A taxable value of $600,000 is computed to result in taxes of $192,800, minus $192,800 in Unified Credit-, resulting in zero taxes. Please note that a wise use of both the marita 1 deduction plus the unified credit results in making an estate entirely free of all federal taxes up to $1,200,000. All value above $1,200,000 will be covered by the marital deduction.

Trusts A common misconception is "I have lost all control of these assets".

This used to be fairly accurate, but under the "new law" it isn't even close. Hence the "Living Trust". They come in all sizes and colors.

You are in the "left seat" during your lifetime, then your wife is there during her lifetime. So, always name an alternate trustee in your will, trusts, or any other arrangement. The statistics show that very few couples both die at the same time, The odds are much greater on the surviving spouse dying without any subsequent action. Now nobody is in charge until the court says so. While the residue of your estate may go where you intended, it may be after a lot of people have picked your bones.

Within the family of trusts, my favorite is the "Qualified Terminal Interest Property", affectionately known as the "Q-Tip Trust". This is how it works. In both your will and your wife's, you split you r assets in half. Each names the other as the trustee of these two trusts. Each names the one or more heirs to inherit their half, and the heirs actually own it when that spouse dies. As long as the first one lives, they each have sole custody of their trusts. They may change, revoke the other receives all income, ( and or modify. When the first dies, as necessary or desired, portions of the principal) from the others' trust. Thus, neither has taken anything from the other, except one: You have determined the ultimate destination of these assets, still free of federal taxes. The surviving spouse gets the income but cannot modify or terminate these provisions. Under the "old law", the only way to totally escape taxability was that it then became the sole property of the survivor, to do anything they wished. Once, in a speech, I proposed this trust method, and one man, presumably a bachelor, said it sounded to him like I was trying to interfere with the standard of living of my wife's next husband. A very good observation! But my answer to that was, "Not so. I'm just making sure he gets his, one month at a time, just like I did." Under the "o law", any changes in your will, trusts, ownership, etc., within three years of death, was regarded as a "deathwish", so all taxability reverted to the status as of three years before. Under the "new law" changes can be made all the way through your last day, if you know when that's going to be.

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There is one item that is an estate matter. Many of us have a residual "paid-up" life insurance policy. It was paid for by TWA and is fully taxable. You may also have the optional insurance available at group rates, for which you pay the premiums. This goes directly to the beneficiary and is tax free. (Refer to your Equitable statement.)

Many of us have flown the snows in favor of the a once-in-a-lifetime profit on the sale of your tax-free up to $125,000. It must have been your the last five years, and the owner must be over be over 55, if jointly owned).

sun belt. Since 1978, principal residence is residence for three of 55( or one spouse must

1. You have a house for which you paid $50,000 many years ago. You sell it for $175,000. The profit is tax free if you take the exemption.

2. You sell the same house for $60,000. You may elect to pay the maximum tax of $2800 or $3300, depending on your tax bracket and save your once-in-a-lifetime deduction. Once any part of the deduction is used, it's gone forever.

All of the above is a glance at the "big canvas". Now, let's consider some of the little items. These items may have little or no economic impact, but they can drive the administrator of your estate "up the wall". These may include: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Check ing, savings, and money market funds Safety deposit boxes Titles to automobiles Club memberships, etc.

Anything else of value

Always keep your important papers in one place, usually a safe deposit box to which both spouses have access. It is helpful to keep copies of these documents at home.

In this area, there is no such thing as a final check list, so here are some concluding thoughts: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Review your affairs with competent counsel.

Do this in YOUR OWN STATE. Do it NOW. Review these things every few years, or sooner if there are changes in the law. Think of it as an "ounce of prevention"

This dissertation is not meant to advise you on legal matters, but simply to alert you to the necessity of checking with those who are qualified. Remember, there is no "one size fits all". The great philosopher, Yogi Berra, said it best. Being compared to some f,-...:pus batter of a bygone day, he said, "Our similarities are different".

Fraternally, Neuman E. Ramsey

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In Memoriam VIRGINIA ABBOTT (Cliff) * * * ELMER L. BERRY * * * JOHN R. EVANS * * * MARGARET KLOTZ (Alex) * * * ORVILLE B. SMITH * * * RALPH F. YOKEL * * *

1 August 1 October 2 October 26 June 10 September

JOHN O. Adams * * * ELIZABETH BRICK (Al) * * * BERNARD L. GLOVER, Jr. * * * JOHN E. POWK * * * J.C. WALKER * * *

21 April 18 Sept.

3 June 3 Sept.

13 July

17 June

JERRY WOOD The many of us who knew Eastern retired pilot, Jerry Wood, will be saddened to learn that he is deceased. He was truly of the old time aviation pioneers.

The Retired Eastern Pilots Association carried a several page tribute to Jerry with many fine pictures in their fine news magazine called the REPARTEE. We will offer a few excerpts.

Jerry got interested in flying at age 17 and drove a taxi in Michigan to earn money for flying lessons soloing in May of 1927. He traveled all over the country as a very successful barnstormer. When he went with Eastern Airlines in 1939 as one of its 180 pilots he was the most successful of the barnstorming pilots owning nearly all of the tri-motored planes. He was active in ALPA and a prime mover in going from flat salaries for us to the concept of being paid for speed, gross weight and mileage. Your editor met in him in 1958 at the ALPA convention in Miami. He worked hard for airline safety and was on a safety board created

by President Truman. He helped create the Berlin Airlift.

Jerry appeared before many Congressional committees representing us in safety and airline accidents. He pushed for better airport lighting and better weather observations. He sought improvements in fire fighting capability at airports which brought us from airports with no fire protection equipment to the present day foaming equipment.

He received many awards such as the 0X5 Hall of Fame, reserved for such greats as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Also the Wright Brothers Award for his service to aviation.

He served as Chief Pilot for Eastern at Miami and later as Director of Flight Agreements. He was one of the founders of their Retired Eastern Pilots Association and served as President two terms. He was a director of their Eastern Pilots Retirement Foundation.

Captain Wood is survived by his wife, Marge - son, Jerry Jr. and daughter, Marianne.

Those of us Who were active in ALPA fully realize how mutch this fine gentleman contributed to aviation for the benefit of us all.

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BY CHUCK HASLER THE PANAMA CANAL CRUISE- MIAMI TO LOS ANGELES STILL HAS SPACE LEFT, SO HURRY FEB. 4th is the DEADLINE TO GET YOUR DEPOSIT IN ! This is a 16 night cruise and departs May 5th from Miami. This is one of the few cruises that combines the CARIBBEAN, the PANAMA CANAL and the MEXICAN RIVIERA. Also we visit both the East coast and West coast of Costa Rica.The best part is the fare, $1599 P/P for the best outside rooms available at the time of booking. This price does not include $30 P/P registration fee and $83 (estimated) P/P port charges. Send $330 P/P deposit with your reservation form. THIS CRUISE IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN THE LAST ISSUE (August) OF THE TARPA TOPICS. THE ALASKA CRUISE - VANCOVER TO ALASKA (ROUNDTRIP) ALSO HAS SPACE LEFT AND JUNE 19th is the DEADLINE TO GET YOUR DEPOSIT IN ! This is a 7 night cruise and departs Sept. 17th from Vancover and arrives back at Vancover. This cruise takes you through the inside passage where we will view some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Pat and myself have been on 5 Alaskan cruises and still look forward to going again. The price again is outstanding, $895 P/P for an outside room and $695 P/P for an inside room. This is for the best rooms available at the time of booking. This price does not include $30 P/P registration fee and $43 (estimated) P/P port charges. Send $330 P/P deposit with your reservation form. THIS CRUISE IS ALSO DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN THE LAST ISSUE (August) OF THE TARPA TOPICS. 1 1

NOTE TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN ON A CRUISE I was one of those for 50 years and said, "I will feel too cooped up, nothing to do and I Will be bored; there will be too many organized activities; too much rough sea & I will get seasick; I won't have anything in common with my fellow passengers; they won't serve the kind of food I like; I will have to dress too formal. Well, I was wrong on all counts! " You are in port at least every other day; & try as you may you can never find the time to participate in all the shipboard activities (organized or non-organized); you can be as disorganized as you like,no one forces you to participate in any of the shipboard activities or go on any shore excursions as you can play cards with friends,see a movie or just plain relax on deck & read; nowdays you are not sailing across the ocean just to .get somewhere so you are never out of sight of land and the waters are always fairly smooth (besides they now have non prescription motion pills that you take one every 24 hrs. and I have found them to be 100% effective); everyone we have met on cruises (except that 1% you meet everywhere) were there for the same reason as ourselves, fun and relaxation and leave your troubles at home; you have the largest choice of different foods that I have seen anywhere and you can literally eat somewhere on the ship every waking hour; you do not have to wear a Tux or a formal dress (unless you choose too), as on the one or two formal nights (depending on the length of the cruise) a dark suit or jacket & cocktail dresses are worn by many.

The cruises that I am referring to above are those we took on our own & enjoyed so much. The real enjoyment came when we started on the TARPA CRUISES & TOURS & met & renewed old friendships with long ago crewmember friends & spouses. The hanger flying really gets to FLYING some nights. NOT ONCE DID I HEAR anyone who had never been on a cruise before complain about not having to get up early every morning & pack a suitcase to catch a bus or plane & check into a new hotel every night or that there was too much food & too much to see & do. Also not one wife has complained because she did not have to cook, wash dishes, make beds & do housework. What makes us feel good about the cruises & tours is the number of people that have come back two & three times. REMEMBER WE ARE ALL GETTING THERE SO PLEASE DON'T WAIT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE !

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LAST MINUTE CHANGE ( Panama Canal Cruise ) Due to a last minute change in their 1991 schedule the Costa cruise lines MIS Daphne will be departing from San Juan PR instead of from Miami & on a different date. We have therefore canceled the cruise after, luckily, obtainlng space on the Holland American Lines-MS NIEUW AMSTERDAM sailing April 27th from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles & lasting 14 NIGHTS. These interliner prices are their 1990 fares but they said the prices would hold or be very close. $ 1050 P/P for a standard Inside rm. $ 1400 P/P for a standard outside rm. $1750 P/P for a deluxe outside rm. These prices do not reflect a $30 P/P non-refundable registration fee & $74 P/P port taxes. Ports of call Georgetown, Grand Cayman-Cartagena, Columbia-Puerto Caldera, Costa RicaAcapulco, Mexico-Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Eight days are spent at sea and sailing through thr Panama Canal, being wined, dined, entertained, gambling or just relaxing & reading or sleeping in the sun.

I am writing this at least a month before you will receive your Nov. Topics and the prices for the Canal should be firm by then so give me a call if you have any questions. Hurry with your deposits as this one is filling fast and their may be a wait list.

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1991 CONVENTION UPDATE #4 - COLORADO SPRINGS - CO-Chairman/Chairwoman Cliff & Mary Sparrow Please refer to TARPA TOPICS ISSUES for - Update #1, Feb. issue, page #84 Update #2, May issue, pages 58 & 59 - - Update #3, August issue, pages 35 to 39 Plans for the 1991 Convention are coming along. As we complete the various arrangements we'll try to keep you apprised. The final schedule, along with the return application forms, will be in the May 1991 issue and again in the August 1991 issue.

As we stated before, in the last issue, there is so much to see and do in Colorado, especially in the Colorado Springs area, so the Convention hotel, The Sheraton Hotel South, has agreed to allow anyone who wishes; to arrive early in order to sightsee on their own or to stay after the Convention is over. Hotel rooms are $65 per single rm. or $68 per double rm. Motor Home hookups are $35 per hookup, but since there are only 3, it's first come, first served. This is a large complex, so there will be plenty of room for parking all vehicles. 200 rooms will have refrigerators and hair dryers, so again, first come, first served.

The COLORADO COLOR TOUR SPECTACULAR which starts Sept. 14, the day after the Convention ends, was completely outlined in the August issue. Please reread it. It is a fantastic tour.

It is summarized on the next page and THERE ARE A FEW MORE OPENINGS AVAILABLE, so contact Robi Mueller immediately if you are interested. Her address and phone number are on the summart.

The trip up Pikes Peak on the Cog Railway, followed by lunch at the United States Air Force Academy and a tour of the grounds and buildings is scheduled on Sept. 11th, the day before the business meetings start. NOW, about the Olympic Training Center.

Currently, the 36 acre Olympic Training Center and Complex houses the National Headquarters for the U.S. Olympic Committee, one of two Olympic Training Centers (a third one is being built in San Diego, CA.) and the National Headquarters or liaison offices for fifteen national sports governing bodies.

U.S. Swimming's International Center for Aquatic Research is located there, plus several facilities including one of the world's largest indoor shooting ranges.

A $19 million renovation is planned for this Training Center starting in the Spring of 1991. Over 12,000 athletes per year attend developmental camps or live on the Complex as permanent residents. Permanent teams include gymnastics, cycling, judo, taekwondo, table tennis, field hockey, team handball, shooting and archery. A trip to the World Skating arena at the Broadmoor Hotel Complex is a must to watch the skaters prepare for the next Olympics. Tours are available.

Christmas reigns every day at the North Pole at the foot of Pike's Peak. Santa's Workshop's magical village is alive with costumed "elves " and storybook characters busy thoughout the village in the gift shops, Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, the Ice Cream Parlor and Miss Muffet's House which offers snacks and treats of all kinds. The North Pole has it's own Post Office where all outgoing mail is offically stamped North Pole.

NEXT ISSUE:

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the only mountain Zoo in the U. S. Also, The famous Van Briggle Art Pottery Factory

REVISED FINAL NOTICE

REVISED FINAL NOTICE

T.A.R.P.A. - COLORADO ROCKIES COLOR TOUR SPECTACULAR IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE 1991 CONVENTION DATES:

COST:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1991 - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1991 7 DAYS, 7 NIGHTS VIA 47 PASSENGER MOTORCOACH & BASED ON A MINIMUM OF 35 PASSENGERS PER BUS $ 1260 PP SINGLE $ 1021 PP DOUBLE $ 955 PP TRIPLE

INCLUSIONS:

1990** $200.00 deposit by October ALL TAXES & PORTERAGE ARE INCLUDED

TRANSPORTATION VIA 47 PASSENGER "BIG WINDOW" MOTORCOACH VEHICLE IS AIR CONDITIONED, HEATED, IN VERY GOOD CONDITION WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE, EXPERIENCED DRIVERS. RESTROOM ON BOARD. A WELL TRAINED, KNOWLEDGEABLE, ENTHUSIASTIC TOUR GUIDE/ESCORT TO PROVIDE NARRATION OF TOUR AND TO COORDINATE ALL ARRANGEMENTS FOR LODGING, RESTAURANTS AND ATTRACTIONS.

LODGING:

MEALS:

For more information, call or write to: Mrs. Rob' Mueller 6960 E. Girard Ave. #303 Denver, CO., 80224 Tele: 1-303-757-1208 FULL AMERICAN BREAKFAST EACH MORNING IN THE HOTEL DINNER UPON ARRIVAL IN DURANGO OR MESA VERDE CHUCKWAGON LUNCH SERVED ON THE MESA AT MESA VERDE DINNER AT THE HISTORIC STRATER HOTEL - DURANGO DINNER AT LEISURE AT THE INN AT REDSTONE LODGE DINNER AT PEPI GRAMSHAMERS - VAIL DINNER AT THE HISTORIC STANLEY HOTEL - ESTES PARK CATERED DINNER AT COORS. DELICIOUS & BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED SOUTHWESTERN AND AMERICAN ENTREES AND ACCOMPANIMENTS. COORS ALSO MAKES THEIR PRODUCT AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, GRATIS. FAREWELL DINNER AT " THE FORT " RESTAURANT, NEAR EVERGREEN, CO. ALL TAXES AND GRATUITIES ARE INCLUDED FOR MEALS - LIQUOR IS NOT, EXCEPT AT COORS. 2 1 1 1 2

ATTRACTIONS: & some ADMISSIONS:

NIGHTS - MESA VERDE OR DUGANGO NIGHT - REDSTONE LODGE NIGHT - VAIL NIGHT - ESTES PARK NIGHTS - DENVER

ROYAL GORGE BRIDGE, WORLD"S HIGHEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE, PLUS ONE OTHER RIDE OR ADMISSION TO AERIAL TRAM, INCLINE OR MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION ADMISSION TO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK SPECIAL GUIDE AT MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK ADMISSION TICKETS TO DIAMOND CIRCLE THEATER AT STRATER HOTEL - DURANGO DURANGO AND SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD, FARE PAID IN FULL ADMISSION TO BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON MAROON BELL MOUNTAINS ASPEN & VAIL SUMMER & SKI RESORTS ADMISSION TO ROCKYMOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK TELLER HOUSE & OPERA HOUSE TOUR - CENTRAL CITY COORS BREWERY WITH DINNER & FREE LIBATION ADMISSION TO THE DENVER MINT - THE LAST WORKING FEDERAL MINT RED ROCK AMPITHEATER IN DENVER FOOTHILLS & BUFFALO BILL MUSEUM & GRAVE FANTASTIC SCENERY & MUCH MORE 16

EDITOR'S DESK Well, here we go off on another edition of TARPA TOPICS. Hope you all had a nice summer and fall. We did although our summer was the hottest and driest since we moved here in 1980. Crabs were plentiful again this year, we catch all we want right in front of our place and we certainly ate our share. And we enjoyed all the water sports such as sailing, skiing, running our son's Wave Runner, swimming and lazing around. Had our annual family reunion the third Saturday in August with about 75 relatives, friends and neighbors there for the pig picking.

Luckily, all four of our sons could be here.

Took a nice trip down the Inland Waterway for about 300 miles to our son's place in Conway, SC, in our 19 foot boat with a 170 horsepower inboard/outboard.

In September flew our Rockwell 112TC over to the Carolina mountains to spend a weekend with Lew and Judy Thompson who have a beautiful home on the side of a mountain from where they can see Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain. They put on a nice dinner party with Dick and Georgia Colburn, Frank & Kathy Smith in attendance.

Then in October out to Wichita for our 384th Bomb Group reunion. The Air Force has reactivated the 384th Bomb Group flying B-1's at McConnell Air Force Base at Wichita. Five of my B-17 crew members were there.

Now to a little business. Please check your name and address label on this and if not correct let Joe McCombs know. The U.S. Postal Service seems to delight in finding some small error in an address so they can send it back. This gets expensive. Please note my address has changed in that the box number is now 2900. They said by going to this the computer could sort the mail. Computers take a lot of blame now days.

It is dues time now so why not take care of it immediately? Put it off and you might forget it causing our Secretary/Treasurer extra work in reminding you. Just take the card out of the envelope and sign it and keep it and put your dues in. Some send the card back.

Subscribers are accepted at the discretion of the S/T but anyone eligible for membership cannot be a subscriber. Please fill out the form on the flap.

Those not subject to dues may wonder why they get a membership card and return envelope so I will tell you. It is the less expensive way to get out a mailing for we just have the printer staple the envelope in when they staple the book shut. Before Betty and I stuffed it all into big envelopes, not only is this time consuming it would add about $150. to the cost of mailing. As it is, printing and mailing is TARPA's biggest expense and we try to keep it down.

Would like to remind you that John Happy is now the Grapevine Editor so please let him know what is going on with you. J.T.'s address is on the back of this front cover.

In order to establish a standard operating procedure, we are setting a date of the 10th of the month prior to publication date for receiving material for the TARPA TOPICS. By TARPA policy, issues are due out quarterly on the first of November, 1st of February, 1st of May and the 1st of August. Print ready stuff will be greatly appreciated inasmuch as ole A.T. is our typist. Don't waste space with big headings, date etc. Single spaced typing on copier paper prints up real well. Computer print out using the matrix dot system does not, repeat, does not come out well at the print shop. Letter quality computer printers are good. Your contributions in the past are appreciated and will be most welcome in the future.

It is your magazine so help make it interesting. There are a lot of intersting tales out there just waiting for to be told. Short items to John Happy, long articles to me. Some of you old timers could write a book about your experiences.

Be generous and share them with the world. One other thing, if you want to send me something in a hurry send it Federal Express, they know where I live. The U.S. Postal Service does not have one day service to me. First class mail is pretty reliable but don't send it certified for we have to be home to sign for it.

17

EDITOR'S DESK From Gordon Hargis down in Fort Worth; Dear Senator A.T. Claghorn - Do I recall that Bob Wittke hung that on you?

And what was the real name of the actor who played that character? Was it the Jack Benny or Fred Allen show?

[Gordon, yes, Bob Wittke hung that on me. Used to introduce me to crew and passengers with that moniker. Once, prior to departure from LaGuardia on the Strato-Liner he told the hostess he didn't sleep on that layover and upon being asked why said there was a north wind blowing and Senator Claghorn wouldn't let a window be opened. It was entertaining flying with Bob and he could have been another Bob Hope but chose flying instead. The actor was Phil Harris and it was the Fred Allen show.]

[Back to Gordon's letter.] I'm only dropping this note to update you on "Good ole Jack S." Clark. He survived his quintuple bypass and is fuming to get out of the hospital. Good News!

Also sending a clip to let you know my literary efforts are noticed elsewhere and (hopefully) appreciated.

Best, Gordon (Senile G) Hargis [Editor: Glad to hear Jack is mending. A fine man and bound to have been a good flight instructor as he nursed me through 727 airplane transition. Clipping about our Connie very interesting and appears in here as I am sure its supporters will welcome news about it.

From Harold B. Clarke of Hellertown, PA; Hi A.T. - I meant to write some to tell you how much I enjoyed having dinner with you and Betty, Rich Flournoy and Denton Brome in Hershey. It was great to see everyone especially the old Newark gang.

I was originally assigned to International but after a short furlough was assigned to Newark. My familiarization trip was on a DC-3 to Cincinnatti with Tom Anderson as Captain and A.T. Humbles as First Officer.

My two daughters are married and the one is in Kinston, N.C., the other in Ohio. I am still in Pennsylvania and live alone having lost my wife after open heart surgery.

Best regards, Hal Hope to get to Colorado next year.

Walt Gunn says; As many know, since my retirement I have been on staff at the Kansas University Medical Center Department of Psychiatry as an Assistant Professor. Teaching is not a central duty other than presentations at department Grand Rounds lectures. My duties have largely been relegated to research in alcohol studies with medical students (3 publications and my doctoral dissertion, AEROMEDICAL ASPECTS OF ALCOHOLISM).

Otherwise, activities have centered on conducting programs/seminars in Stress management/wellness and consults in aviation matters, namely AEROPHOBIA, the irrational fear of flying! Of course, my book (JOY OF FLYING: OVERCOMING THE FEAR!) is used by all "white-knucklers" in the programs. By choice, clinical activities are limited to consultation and the programs, not much pyschotherapy --besides, at KU we only wait until the medication works, not much "couch" duty!

[Editor - We appreciate the article Dr. Capt. Gunn wrote for us which appeared in a previous TARPA TOPICS. I felt it was sound help for us all.]

18

EDITOR'S DESK From H.G. Farrell; I was going thru one pile of history and found the enclosed. I saw in the TOPICS a piece from Springer and I thought it would be interesting to some of the members.

I sure enjoy the TOPICS seeing many names that I sold airplanes to in my tour of service as Maintenance Supervisor at EWR, LGA and JFK (IDL).

To: Mr. H.G. Farrell, Maintenance Foreman, LaGuardia Field, N.Y. From: Industrial Relations, Hgr. 4 May 11, 1955 Our Skyliner Editor called Customer Service for data on height requirements for the two periods - now and in 1936 - and when explained what the information was for (cut-lines for this photo) they objected. They explained they had never hired girls that tiny.

This was some 20 years ago and I'm sure neither you nor we supposed any reflection on the Hostesses would be implied by running the picture - but it looks that way!

Thanks for the idea and the picture and sorry the Skyliner couldn't use it.

F.R. Ruocco [Your editor now wonders who will be thefirst to identify these people in the photograph. It looks like there are two stripes on his sleeve so he would have been a Captain.I would say he is 6'6" and she may be 5'2", eh?]

Dennis the Menace

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EDITOR'S DESK From John Bybee now of 2616 Saklan Indian Drive, # 1, Walnut Creek, Ca 94595; Dear A.T. - My TOPICS just came and it is its usual great reading. Several places seem to refer to a previous TOPICS that came out after the Hershey meeting.

If there was one, I didn't get it. Is there any way you can send me one or let me buy one?

After Hershey, Ginny and I flew to MIA and picked up the car we had left in Florida after selling our home in Cape Coral. Drove about 3,000 miles to New Jersey and left the car at our PAA daughter's house for a few weeks while we went home (see above) to recuperate, then we went back the end of May and drove the car here to CA across the northern states and British Columbia and down the west coast. That took several weeks and about 5,000 miles.

Once again a rest for the old butt and then this month there was a 45 year high school reunion in Idaho, where I grew up, so we hit the road again.

No use coming back across the desert,so we went across central Idaho and into Washington, Grand Coulee Dam and the beautiful Cascade Mountains and back through central WA, Oregon and home. About 3,000 miles this time. Now we are really resting. We both like to travel by car (as well as air, of course) and so we have enjoyed seeing the beautiful parts of the country that we had never driven to before.

Perhaps I am wrong about that TOPICS, but if there was one, I'd sure like to have it. Anyway, it got me to write you a letter, which is probably more fun for me than for you.

See you in Colorado!!!!

Editor: John, have sent you a copy of the May TOPICS. You and Ginny took the trip I wish to take some day which is touring the northwest which is the only part of United States I haven't spent much time in on the ground. But to leave Florida for California? Hear all the time they have mud slides, raging forest fires, earthquakes, LAX street gangs but everything is gay in San Francisco.

From Bill Malone Retired Eastern pilot, secretary and director of REPA, editor of their news mag.

Dear A.T.- Once again we all compliment you on an excellent issue of TARPA TOPICS. What a great cover picture! The TWA Strato-Liner was surely a giant leap forward for commercial aviation. The recollections and research done by Ed Betts will help to preserve a part of our history that would be lost forever without his efforts and those of us in REPA (The Retired Eastern Pilots Association) are most grateful to him.

We especially enjoyed the memories of Gordon Hargis regarding the Santa Fe Railroad and his description of the Fordson tractor with its big metal rear wheels. The picture of Betty Rodenbaugh Humbles, 1946-1949, recalled for us those glamorous days.

We are grateful to be on your mailing list and extend our very best to all of our many friends on TWA. Yours sincerely, Bill Malone [Bill, thanks for your kind words. Your magazine is my envy as you have such clear pictures even of the way back days and your members write in to tell about themselves. Yes, the Strato-Liners helped make aviation history. After a few months on the DC-3 when I came to TWA, I was assigned to co-pilot on the Strats. It was like going back home as I had flown the B-17 for thirty missions bombing Germany and the Strato-Liner by that time was identical to the B-17 except for the bulbous fuselage. Another plus for me was getting to fly with some of the real old-time pioneers. Editor.]

20

EDITOR'S DESK From William W. B. Crickman of Indianapolis, IN; Dear A.T. - Sorry to hear you have been under the weather but cheer up, skipper, as my 92 year old aunt says, "At 92 the parts are beginning to wear out". You have a long way to go.

A.T., if you have any copies of our TARPA DIRECTORY still available could I have a copy?

[Sorry, Bill, no have any copies of last year's directory and it was decided not to print one in 89. Thanks for the card. Does my memory serve me right in that you bought a new Dodge pickup and found it had been severely sabotaged resulting in an engine fire on the way home from delivery from the dealer?] * * * * * * From Gordon Hargis of the Lone Star State; Many thanks for the 2 TARPA TOPICS, have passed on to sons who promise to keep them.

Also your SIT-REP appreciated. Lew Thompson and I shared JFK commuter apartment along with others the 8 years I was in it. Nice guys like Jim Lydic, Lowell Wierks, Cliff Davis - 5/6 total at a time. When Lew and Judy got married and he moved out, he left a note on the bulletin - board saying, "I'll come back and see you guys". Below that Judy wrote, "No, he won't".

I was invited to their wedding at Lakehurst NAS and it was very nice. Both his sons came, 1 in Navy uniform. The no drink limit reception and the band "did it up" in great shape. Course I had to stay sober to drive Garden State Parkway back to apartment that night.

Hope if you got into the Commander wheel well problem they took care of most of the cost for you after the lawsuit. [Yes, Gordon, I am scheduled this fall for them to take it to Oklahoma for wing spar problem and seat belt replacement] I'm sending $10 to take care of the 2 TOPICS printing and postage as I said I would. Any over put in TARPA treasury for the good of the organization and no back talk, heah!

Best regards, Gordon [Forwarding the ten dollars on to Secretary/Treasurer McCombs] * * * * * * From Dick Guillan of Clemmons, NC; 17 Aug. - Hi A.T. & Betty - Not many people receive an invitation to a "pig picking" via a national magazine. I'm honored but am afraid we cannot make it.

It sounds like fun. Ours was a big success as was the entire reunion.

Am leaving today to go to Indiana for the Grubers' 50th wedding anniversary.

Will have stories and pictures for TOPICS. Last edition was excellent.

Dick [Editor - For our members' edification this will be the last Grapevine Dick Guillan will do. He is moving to First Vice President and John Happy will be the Grapevine Editor. We are most appreciative of Dick's contribution to TARPA TOPICS and I assure him he can leave with the knowledge of a job well done for us all.]

Two friends were talking about the local boy who made good as a country singer.

"They tell me," said the first man,l"that his singing helped sell thousands of radios."

"I wouldn't doubt it," said the second man, "It made me sell mine!"

The IRS has made liars out of more people than golfing and fishing combined.

21

EDITOR'S DESK From Howard E. (Sonny Boy) Hall; Howdy! Howdy! Howdy! As you will soon see, I am a converted "Okie" to a well trained Texan - over 43 years of intensive training by a former TWA hostess, a Texan. Therefore I speak with authority.

Being one of the younger generation, I wish to congratulate you and all the other editors, especially Captain Ed Betts on his fine history of the Boeing Stratoliners.

No, I am not thru with the TARPA TOPICS of August 1990. I shall carry it along. There will not be a dull moment.

I wish to call to your attention that at one time there were three Hall brothers wearing the TWA uniform; Howard E., Floyd D. and Wesley H. Don't know if this is a record or not. We surely enjoyed the privilege.

We had, and still have, so many fine friends. ...Capt. Howard E. Hall (1929) [Your editor wishes he had as good a handwriting as this member of the "older generation". I'm going to tell about a trip I had on the Strat with Captain Hall.

He was based in Burbank and I in Kansas City but I was assigned to a trip with him from KC to LA. He flew the leg to Albuquerque and put me in the left seat out of ABQ although it was the first time he had ever seen me. He read the paper in the right seat then went back and laid down. He got back in the right seat as I put the gear down on approach to Burbank. Wonder if he will deny this? Just shows you how relaxed some of the old timers could be in the air] *

*

*

*

*

*

Don and Evelyn Roquemore have moved to 18660 Los Hernanos Ranch Road, Valley Center, CA 92082. Phone 619 749 1798. Don says I have never planted anything in my life, now I'm going to be a farmer!.... Good luck... Don

GEORGE DUVALL & BOB BUCK AT TUCSON

22

EDITOR'S DESK From B. Keith Stuessi of Fort Collins, Co; Dear A.T. - I see in TARPA TOPICS that you may have some last year's TARPA directories. I gave mine to a "would be interested" retiree to gain another member.

It didn't come back. I am enclosing enough, I hope, to send me one.

See that you have had a virus, something the doctors call when they can't figure out what is wrong. Hope you are all okay now.

This retirement is not the "Golden Years". I've had both knees, 1 hip and 3 knee caps replaced. Getting along pretty well with a cane.

Keith Stuessi.

[Keith, we no longer have copies of last year's directory. Sorry. A.T. flew his familiarization trip with Keith on the DC-3 from KC to DC and back. What a fine pilot and gentleman, I do say. Really went out of his way to make me feel welcome and to show me the ropes.] * * * * * * From Rudy Truesdale of Eureka, CA; As to my nickname, Rudy. I had been an employee of a San Luis Obispo Engineering firm working on a survey crew and decided to leave home and see what the Big Time was all about so I mounted my motorcycle and Hi Ho to San Francisco. Almost landed a job with a land company surveying irrigation ditches in the San Joaquin Valley. I figured I could do it because water ran down hill. All okay until they asked my age, 20, said I was too young so I wandered down to the PG&E offices, my age became 22 (no Social Security in those days) and I landed a job with the Land Dept. and off to the Sierras minus my Harley. We used 4 cylinder Dodge commercials, arrived in the foothills and too much snow at the 5000 foot level, our camp site, this was 1 May 1926.

We stayed in the Pine "Grove Hotel and boarded at Ma Dietrichs.

20 new hires and on Sunday morning during breakfast everyone was given a nickname.

I wound up as Rudy maybe because I combed my hair straight back and pretty well oiled as it was thick and unruly. Too long a story. Our camp gear was transported to camp site by a horse team, truck with hard tires could not get up the slick hill.

Re the Stratoliner, a pilots meeting was held in KC and Tommy Tomlinson told about the carburetor icing problem and the fix. Said there was enough heat to melt the carburetor but it was no skin off his rear, Jack Frye ordered it.

Tommy was one hell of an aerobatic pilot, engineering pilot and instrument pilot but not known for greasing them on. He signed on a flight of mine as copilot KC-AB to keep his route qualification. He was enroute to the west coast.

Ruby McCully was dead-heading west. As a very junior captain and out of courtesy I asked Tommy if he would like to sit on the left side, he did. At Amarillo we bounced about 10 feet above the sod, all quiet, Tommy shouted, "Sweet showers of ----", down went the nose and we stayed down. As we deplaned, Ruby was at the bottom of the steps and told Tommy, "It's alright, I explained to the passengers that you were checking Rudy and he made the landing.

Once, as co-pilot with Tommy, we landed on the ramp in front of a line of hangars so as to land into the wind. The bosses did things in those days that would not have been tolerated if done by line pilots. A plane load of pilots were making the required 2 bounces on LaGuardia prior to its official opening and Jack Zimmerman would reach over and trip the pilot's seat just as he was about to touch down, there you were with seat at bottom and Jack having a good laugh.

Nuff of this nonsense. Surely appreciate the GOOD WORK that some of you do for the GOOD of all of us lazy bums. Still flying my Mooney, second class physical but still no offers of a job.

Sincerely, H.W. (Rudy) Truesdale

23

EDITOR'S DESK From Bud Elliott; Mr. Grapevine - Enclosed is my obituary. Please do not publish it until I've gone west.

I hope you didn't hurt your pretty face permanently in your accident last December. You must have had a not-so-merry Christmas.

I work as a volunteer at the San Jose Airport 3 times a month. Don't know if you ever go into Santa Cruz but there is a bus from the airport to Santa Cruz.

Also there is a limosine service that will take you to an address near Santa Cruz.

Cost is $20 for the limo.

Regards to Peggy ... Bud * * * * * * From Dick Guillan of Clemmons, NC; Enclosed is the November GRAPEVINE. Also sending an Obit from Bud Elliott.

Thought you could keep it in your master file. I'll get around to doing mine one of these days.

I am glad that John Happy is going to do the GRAPEVINE. I think he is a good man and will do a good job. I'll give him all the help he wants in the transition although there is no great secret to doing it. If we can just encourage more guys to write!

I look forward to serving on the Board of Directors with you more qualified guys. Also appreciate your confidence in me to do it.

See you in St. Louis .... Dick * * * * * * From Arlie J. Nixon of Jennings, OK; Dear A.T. & Betty - I wanted to write you a quick line. Thanks for the address list [A.T. made an address list for everyone on the RAPA tour to Vancouver] especially Bill Davis. I did quite a bit of ALPA work with him during the skyjacking thing in 1970-1971. He was the Master Chairman of United and I was glad to see him again.

He runs a lovely dude ranch down on the Mexican border south of Tucson and he has promised me the honeymoon suite...should I ever need it again. I am sure that you could have the same accomadations for whichever millionth honeymoon that you might have with Betty down there.

I wanted to thank her for bartending on the way back from Canada. I had some mixed emotions about taking that trip but in 1938 I flew in a Navy aerobatic team and have been a little potty about aerobatic flying always. My 2 teammates were both TWA pilots but lost in the war. I had heard that Lyle Bobzin was to have been on our trip—don't know what happened. I wish I could have introduced you to Frank Houston—another pilot (Northwest) that I did a lot of both ALPA and IFALPA work with. He flew B-17's in the 18th Air Force.

I should make it clear that my aerobatic team was not in a class with the Blue Angels!! I flew position #3 but our airplanes were not as good either. We flew N3N's with modified carburetors so they could fly inverted and we took off and did loops with our wings tied together—tested your courage from time to time!

A.T., I feel cheated that I never did get to fly with you! I think that our breakfast together in Canada was the longest single conversation that I have ever had with you. I suppose you know how very much all the guys appreciate your magazine.. it has been a powerful force in helping many of them to make it over the hump of retirement.......... Arlie ....

[Arlie, hope you won't mind my publishing this. Betty and I appreciate the pat on the head and breakast too!]

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THE TARPA

GRAPEVINE NOVEMBER 1990 Its the first day of Autumn and what better time to give my usual weather report from the Southeast U.S. After a bitter December we had a mild January and then came April with its much needed rain. June and the first part of July were the driest on record with 45 consecutive days without rain. And then, would you know it, the weekend that we planned for our family reunion, it rained and rained. But everyone took it in stride and we had a good time inspite of the fact we had to cancel our canoe trip on the New River because it rose two feet in twelve hours and was really treacherous.And then came latter July and August with unprecedented heat. Boy was it hot! How hot, you ask?

Well it was so hot that the Holly Farm chicken farmers had to feed their chickens cracked ice to keep them from laying hard boiled eggs. And out in Nebraska the sun was so intense one day that a cornfield exploded into fluffy white clouds of popcorn and a farmers cattle thought it was snowing and froze solid on the spot.

Well--enough of this corn. ******** Along with his application for membership in TARPA came this note from George Simmons: P.S. to my old flying mates. I went from Gulfport Army Airfield Gulfport, Miss. to TWA Co-pilot school right after Aug. of 1945. My first Domicile was in Burbank, CA. I am interested in Domicile roster of pilots and hostesses and look forward to see how they are doing and hope they have not flown West. The last guy I flew with in SFO was Bob Larson. And I would like to see him again. (Hope you got a copy of the Directory.)ED. ******** R. M . Guillan 1852 Barnstable Rd. Clemmons, N. C. 27012 919-945-9979

From BEN YOUNG: First off a very big THANK YOU for all the work you and others have done on the TARPA TOPICS. The enclosed photo and negatives are what one of our pilots is doing in his spare time. DICK ESCOLA does this every year and the Fly-IN is more fun every year. Merced is the largest of AIR SHOWS and FLY-IN west of Oshkosh for antique aircraft lasting three days.

Last year Dick was co-director and this past year he was Director and MC for the banquet. His lovely (cont'd) 25

(BEN YOUNG-(Cont'd) wife and daughter assist him also. It is a great FLY-IN and we go every year.

Sure hope you some time ago.

can use these pictures as I meant to send them

Best regards, BEN (Here's one - of them, the latest taken June 1990)

A note on the back "Dick was a Jack of all trades."

From DICK GUILLAN and HARRY CLARK: EDDIE WELLS passed away on June 24, 1990 after a short battle with cancer. He will be missed by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing him and flying with him. EDDIE was hired on November 28,1942 as a Captain on ICD and retired in 1968. His popularity was evident as we sat with he and Claire at the banquet in New Orleans and a steady stream of old friends came by to shake his hand and reminisce. They had planned on attendHershey but his illness prevented it.

SNORKY had planned on writing EDDIES obituary for the TOPICS but the pressures of his job as VP of the Santa Maria Museum of Flight and his work on the P-51 Mustang reunion prevented his doing so. However he sent a letter with a photo, excerpts of which follow.

"With regards to comments about Eddie--I have thought a great deal about it and feel that it is unfortunate that we won't be able to come up with a fitting article about Eddies lifetime in aviation. There is a great story there and his contribution to TWA was substantial. (cont'd) 26

(EDDIE WELLS-cont'd) "I flew with him in the DC-3, DC-4 and Connies. Mostly in the DC-3 since we tried to bid to fly together. He would pick me up as he drove thru MT. Lakes on his way to EWR. We had alot of fun flying together and it was always a challenge to try to match Eddie's performance."

Eddie Signing the release for his last flight.

"Eddie was a generous person--in so many ways. He was full of life, always enjoying a good laugh and could laugh about things that did not turn out as he had planned. As a pilot--Eddie was a true professional--one of the best. He had the touch of a master when it came to extracting top performance from an airplane. He was a very natural pilot and had alot of good common sense--he didn't have to look in the book to see what he should do under certain circumstances. There are so many things that could be said about Eddie and his many contributions, including many good stories and lots of laughs. His log book would tell a fascinating story, based on my many (Cont'd) 27

(EDDIE WELLS- cont'd) " hanger retired.

flying"

sessions

with

him during visits after he

"He leaves behind a lovely wife, Claire, and a beautiful family--all whom loved him dearly. He also leaves behind many friends all over the world and those of us who learned so much from him during our careers on TWA. We will all miss him and I will especially miss him because he was a true friend."

Your GPAPEVINE Editor can also recall many memorable trips with Eddie. I too lived in Mt. Lakes and received many a free ride to the EWR airport. On one such trip where we made numerous stops on the way to PIT, we made a scheduled landing in LRP and on returning to the aircraft found we had a flat tire. Our next stop, HAR and with a full load waiting didn't have a spare so Eddie talked the Allegheny Airlines Station Mgr. into loaning us a tire and wheel which he and I proceeded to change. We were on our way before EWR maintainence could dispatch a truck and mechanic. The mechanics filed a grievance over it but it was dropped. How many other Captains would have done that to keep the airplanes flying?

Eddie ran across L.J.SMITH (remember L.J.?) and they started reminiscing about the times they flew together back in the '30s. L. J. commented that they made many a takeoff together but never a landing. Seems L.J. flew the airplane and Eddie would jump out in a parachute to thrill the weekend crowds at the old Armonk Airport in Armonk,N.Y. I am sure many have fond memories of Eddie and hope they will be sent in for future publication. ******** Some time back ROBT.(COOP) COOPER appeared in a local newspaper:

sent the following which

DEAR ABBY: I think the custom of requiring a golfer who gets a hole in one to buy drinks for everyone is absurd. Two years ago, one of our members made a hole in one during a tournament, and it cost him more the $500. I had one last year and it was no big deal.

On the way home, I asked my partner if he wanted a drink, and he said yes, so I pulled up in front of a market and bought him a Coke from the machine out in front.

-Harold F. Mokler, Scottsdale, Ariz.

(Can this be "Our Harry"?) ********

28

From DAVE KUHN: Richard: CHANCE.

This is my latest attempt to save our society-NOT MUCH

Sorry to learn that Carl Ichan is destroying our good airline-obviously he wants the pilots to pay for his mistakes.

Keep the good work going and don't look back. cont'd

Back in July BILL TURNER, Sun City, AZ was severely injured when literally run over by a truck near his home. He had been in intensive care for about 7 weeks and the latest word I received he is now out of the hospital and at home.

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ED and CLEONE GRUBER celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Delphi, Indiana on August 19th with a reception planned by their three offspring and spouses. The whole family including all their grandchildren attended and was held at the Delphi Country Club. Several hundred people dropped in to pay their respects including TARPANS DICK and MARY COOPER from Florida, TERRY and BETTY RAGER from California and DICK GUILLAN from No. Carolina. ED and CLEONE live on a 230 acre farm which they have owned and operated for years and originally belonged to EDs uncle. Their son Larry recently acquired the adjoining farm which is where ED was raised.. Your GRAPEVINE Editor has had the privilege of knowing the Grubers since pre-TWA days when we worked as Primary Flight Instructors in Albany, GA. Pictured L to R Dick Guillan Terry Rager Dick Cooper ED GRUBER CLEONE GRUBER Mary Cooper Betty Rager

******** We have learned from Carlyle Smith that Margaret Bushy, wife of quite suddenly on August 21st. Our S. C. BUSHY, passed away sympathies to BUSHY (as he was known) and family over their loss. ******** On July 21st DICK COLBURN underwent surgery for a malignancy. He is recovering well in this good No. Carolina air and is out playing golf and after some treatment in October in Iowa will be returning to Arizona for the winter. ********

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From JOHN GRAVER: A picture of four of our glamorous hostesses from yesteryear taken on our TARPA cruise in the Baltic.

From L to R:Charlotte Walker, wife of deceased Capt. Jim Walker Edith Henderson, friend of Charlotte & former Hostess; Phyllis Robertson, wife of Capt. Jack Robertson and June Roddy, wife of Capt. "Casey" Roddy. ******** Carlyle E. Smith, retired Service Mgr. and Purser, and a subscriber to the TOPICS, wrote a rather long letter about his feelings since retiring after 42 years with TWA. Smitty retired on Sept. 1,1984 and now lives in Corinth, TX. He regrets the fact that after 42 years sitting behind the cockpit door and counting many old time Captains among his friends, he is unable to join TARPA and enjoy some of the benefits such as our Medical Insurance Plan. He states also that he enjoys reading the TOPICS and the articles about the B-24 and B-307, both of which he flew in on ICD. But, he says, it is hard to pick up a copy of the magazine without finding the name and date of another who has "gone west".

Smitty added that he too had gone through the prostate cancer as had BOB GWIN (TOPICS Aug. '90 ). He had his ream job in Feb and removal in April and has had no recurring signs since. He wonders how long TWA will remain as a company and wishes us luck in getting the passes for retirees upgraded.

He closed by sending best regards to all. ******** 31

As I wind up this edition of the GRAPEVINE, I bid a fond farewell as your GRAPEVINE Editor .After several years doing this bit for TARPA I felt that new blood was needed so had asked RUSS to seek a replacement for me. I had agreed to stay on until a volunteer was found. We all are fortunate that JOHN HAPPY will be assuming the job. Allow me to quote excerpts from his letter of acceptance to A. T.: "I was languishing in my reverie at around 22:30 in the evening last week and contemplating some time off from my active family and anticipating some time to do some of the things I have wanted to do since I retired last April, 1984 , when the phone rings with an Arizona sound to it. I should not have picked it up, after all it was after my bedtime, maybe not in Arizona but in Florida. Before the sleep-fog had lifted I had volunteered for the Grapevine. That Derickson may not be Donald Trump, but he has a way of volunteering people.

Anyway, here I am, for better or worse, and screaming for help.

Already.

I plan to pick Dick and Olie Olson's brain for awhile 'til I get the idea of what I'm supposed to be doing.

Thanks for the confidence, and I'm sure all the little details will come together.

I'm Happy if your Happy, Regards, J.T." I think that can see from this letter that "J.T." has the ability to write in an interesting and humorous manner.

It has been said before and I say it again, that TARPA is about the only link that now exists between cockpit retirees and that it is important to keep one another informed of our activities or other items that may affect us. The GRAPEVINE is about you and for you so please give "J.T." your fullest cooperation. His address is; John T. Happy, Nine East Lake Drive, Haines City, Florida 33844-9320. Phone 813-439-2223. Please send all future material to him.

I will be assuming other responsibilities in TARPA, an explanation of which should appear elsewhere in the TOPICS. I thank you for your help and cooperation in the past.

My wife Peggy and I extend to all of you our Best Wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving and a Very Merry Christmas.

32

RAPA TOUR TO ABBOTSFORD AIR SHOW

By A.T. Humbles Betty and I left the 8th of August out of Greenville, NC, for Seattle on U.S. Air where we spent the night. The next morning we were picked up by bus and driven to Vancouver where we spent the night and went to the Abbotsford Air Show the next day.

I have misplaced my notes but we had a bus full. Our tour guide was Brooks Johnston, President of the Retired Airline Pilots Association, and he did one fine job of shepherding the old timers.

The only TWAers were Arlie Nixon, Betty and myself.

Bill Davis of United was along who Russ Derickson and many of us know from Bill's years of work in ALPA. Picture at left is of me and Arlie with me holding in my gut. Arlie treated Betty and me to breakfast in Vancouver.

Picture on the right is of Dale Snider of U.S. Air. Carol and Dale must have a record among airline pilots in that they have 6 sons all flying for airlines.

Dale, 44, is a U.S. Air Captain DC-9 check pilot and Lt. Col. Squadron Commander F-4 Guard Unit at Terre Haute, IN. Terrance, 41, is a U.S. Air Capt.

737 plus retired F-4 pilot.

Mark, 39, is a Delta First Off. 767 plus retired F-4 pilot.

Kim, 34, is a U.S. Air Capt.

Fokker 100 and ALPA representative.

Robin, 33, is an American Capt.

DC-9.

Darryl, 30, is a Northwest First Officer, DC-9, plus ALPA 1st Off. Rep. Dale Snider was active in ALPA on Lake Central and knew Lee Taylor. Lee flew with me at Newark before being furloughed and going with Lake Central.

Both of us chewed tobacco. Understand Carol Snider is a fine poet.

[Picture here taken at Mt. St. Helens]

33

RAPA TOUR TO ABBOTSFORD We think this was the finest air show we have attended. Bud Granley, a United 747 pilot, put on a great aerobatic performance in an AT-6. Joann Osterlud, United Air Lines Flight Engineer, flew her Canadian-built Ultimate biplane through some real aerobatic manouvers. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels put on their usual great performance. I think the greatest performance was the Canadian Air Demonstration 431 Squadron flying their 9 Lutor jets.

There were a few Air Canada pilots peformina.

Abbotsford Airport is near Vancouver so between schedules they flew an A300 Airbus over and drug the field.

There were a lot of static displayes by Canada and the U.S. Those of you who remember World War II might be interested in that it was the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. On display were a Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane and Avro Lancaster. (Photo of the Lancaster on the right) The Hurricane and the Lancaster flew several fly bys. Over 17,000 of the bombers were built. Your editor has seen them flying overhead in late evening many times on their way to bomb Germany.

We left late that afternoon for Seattle with a wellstocked bar in the back of the bus and Miss Betty acting as bar tender. We stopped enroute for a fine meal in Washington State.

Brooks Johnston sure does know how to put on a real fine RAPA tour.

We misplaced our notes but I conducted a survey of the retired pilots on this tour and they had an aggregate of over 500,000 pilot hours with the highest being Brooks Johnston with 33,000! Made me feel junior again.

34

LONG ISLAND EARLY FLIERS CLUB NEWSLETTER; 60

JULY / AUGUST 19

VINTAGE AIRCRAFT LAND AT KENNEDY AIRPORT, NEW YORK FOR A MEMORABLE DAY On 12 May, 1990, an assortment of beautiful old airplanes descended on Runway 31L at Kennedy Airport to help the Port Authority celebrate an "Employees' Open House".

As part of the celebration, the airport was closed to allow members of the Antique Airplane Club of Greater New York to land and add to the festivities with a display of their aircraft.

The Antiquers were thrilled to have the prestige of landing at New York's largest and busiest airline terminal. There was also quite a surprise in store for them.

When one of their members - Capt. Herb Ottewill (TWA - Ret.) - climbed out of his Cub, he was elated, for sitting on the runway was TWA 747 No. 17108, the very airplane that he had flown 20 years before.

Upon learning that, some of the Antiquers pushed Herb's beloved Cub next to the 747.

On that 1990 May day, many pictures were taken of the three of them - Herb, One of those his Cub, and his 747. photos appears above.

The picture at left of Capt. Ottewill was taken prior to his last flight before retirement in 1970. It attests that Capt. Ottewill indeed flew TWA 747 No. 17108, for sharp-eyed readers can see that number behind the Captain.

It was a great day for Herb who not only is an Antiquer, but also a member and past Herb will be president of the LIEFC. serving another term as a Club trustee.

35

JENNY RESTORATION CREW (Left to right): John Juda, Al Buonaguro, Hank Anholzer; Harry Larsen, June Bartlett, Bob Miller, and Sigi Kruk.

Roy Hackett, another member of the crew, is missing from this picture.

This group has devoted three years to the work required for the restoration, which has been done at the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

Original restoration work on the Jenny was performed at George Dade's home.

Lindbergh visited there and confirmed the fact the airplane was the one that he owned in 1924.

Shown at left are LIEFC members June Barlett and John Juda working on the wing. June was on the team of volunteers who worked at Mr. Dade's home restoring the Jenny during the early 1970's.

(Photos courtesy of Hank Anholzer)

FAREWELL JAMES G. LUSBY, of East Meadow, NY (LIEFC Member #1102) passed away suddenly of a heart attack.

He was president of the Foremost Lumber Corporation and a member of several lumber associations.

During World War II he served with the Army Air Force as a staff sergeant.

In addition to an interest in aviation, Jim enjoyed golfing and fishing.

We extend our sympathy to his family and friends.

36

384th BOMB GROUP REUNION Betty and A.T. Humbles attended the 12th reunion of the 384th Heavy Bombardment Group (B-17), 8th Air Force, at Wichita, KS, October 10-14th.

5 of us of our crew of the Royal Flush were present along with our wives.

They were; Keith Blackburn, (co-pilot) and wife, Sylvia, from Durango, CO Dale Milne (navigator) and wife, Billie, of Denver, CO - Ray Wardell (radio operator) and Ruth of Trenton, MI and Gene McBride (tail gunner) and Thelma from St. Louis.

Over 400 attended which is impressive when one considers hardly more than half a dozen of us enjoy air line passes. Ye olde editor flew out on U.S. Air. We toured McConnell Air Force Base where the recently reactivated 384th Bomb Group flies the B1-B bomber and the KC-135 (707) tanker. The 200 million dollar B1-B is so fully automated as to be unbelievable. One of the plane commanders told us for a quick scramble mission they can push a button in the forward wheel well and the boarding ladder comes down while the APU's are started, INS programmed and engines started and when they get in the seats they can release the brakes and go! They have 16 B-1's - 16 times 200 million equals 3.2 billion dollars.

We had a very interesting briefing on it and got to touch it.

The crew of 4 consists of aircraft commander, pilot, OWO (offensive weapons officer) and DWO (defensive weapons officer). Wings are movable and they said that in the full back position a ground radar blip is no more than a small fighter.

It is powered by 4 General Electric engines and capable of 1.2 Mach. Auto-pilot, combined with radar, is capable of handling it at full speed at tree-top level.

The aircraft commander I talked to has 1400 pilot hours and said it was very easy to fly. Interestingly, it does not have reverse thrust but he said braking was entirely capable of fast stops. After burners can be used for takeoff.

Hard for us old timers to believe the Wing Commanding Officer was so youthful in appearance and a full Colonel. He made us feel very welcome and attended our banquet and dance.

The B-1 is a valuable and needed addition to our weapons for defense and we came away feeling our security is in good hands.

CRIME IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL From the Washington Post, 15 October 8 homicide victims died in a one day period this week. This brought the total of slayings to 371, 19 more than at this same time last year which ended as the most violent year in the city's history.

This city of 700,000 is demanding to be declared a State which, I understand, Ted Kennedy is pushing. There are too many in Congress now out of touch with reality!

DON'T ABUSE OUR PASS PRIVILEGES! When you call and list for a flight and they ask for your pass number and classification be sure to give the 7R. Fudging in this area could cost us all our passes. While some airlines give their retirees passes similar to active employees, TWA does not. It is a pity and deplorable but a fact. We recently read airlines are doing everything to reduce aircraft weight even contemplating cutting out nonrev travel, having cabin attendants lose weight, removing paint, lighter weight carpets etc. American Airlines was quoted as saying 1 cent per gallon more in cost for fuel amounts to 2 million more in operating costs per month. We cannot urge too strongly that TWA has pass regulations and it is incumbent on us to abide by them or cause us all to suffer the consequences!

37

THE DOERYS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC

FRED AND NAN DOERY aboard their ship, the YACHT WINSOME SOME WHERE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. [Sure looks like a beautifuly one on the water, eh?]

Picture at right is of Retired TWA Captain Fred Doery with a sixty inch Wahoo caught in the Coral Sea. Must have helped stretch the food stamps for a few days.

Following two pages is an account by Fred of their adventures cruising the South Pacific. Sounds like a really enjoyable adventure. The logistical planning must be a problem although they seem to find places along the way for provisions and we guess you don't run into much necessity for repairs as you would if you were on a power boat instead of sailboat but you do have an engine for use when the wind is calm. Wonder if they miss the necessity of life. television?

GOLF CLICHES Backside: The second 9 holes on an 18 hole golf course. Also, the first thing you notice in a tight pair of jeans.

38

DOERYS SAILING THE SOUTH PACIFIC From Fred & Nan Doery on the Yacht Winsome at Darwin Australia; Hello from Darwin. Just thought I'd check in again and let you know how things were going here and what we have been doing these past few months.

We left Brisbane on May 3rd and then headed directly up to New Guinea. We had sailed the Queensland coast last September and October and after spending 4 months here in Australia we were ready for new scenery. After a 1 week sail we arrived at Misima Island near the southeast corner of Papua New Guinea and checked with the authorities. Misima is still very primitive with native sailboats still ferrying people to and from the outlaying islands.

We spent a few days in Misima stocking up with whatever provisions we could find and then sailed westward to the DeBoyne Island group. As we approached Nivanli Island we caught a nice 39" wahoo and nearly went aground while bringing the fish aboard. The island was very pretty and after we settled in we visited a small native settlement just across on Panapompom Island. The natives were very friendly here and we arranged to trade half our fish for some lobster. We also took a look at a wrecked World War II Japanese bomber on the beach nearby.

Later in the day the natives sailed over to us and we made our trade. They also showed me where a Jap Zero lay in shallow water near the tip of the island.

The next day Nan and I snorkled over the wreck in just seven feet of water and had a pretty good look. It was in good shape but it was missing its canopy and guns.

Next day we sailed over to another group of islands called the Conflict Group.

This was just a coral reef about 10 miles by 5 miles with several passages in to a large lagoon and about 16 small islands dotting the surrounding reef. The charts of this area are old and not very good so we really had to keep a pretty good watch all the time. No night sailing! We spent a very pleasant 4 days just visiting the deserted island and snorkeling on the nearby coral heads. We had the place to ourselves except for loads of pretty fish and sharks (less than 5 feet) and are not aggressive and it's okay to swim with them. Last season I left the water rather hurriedly when a 15 footer cruised by. One minute of heart palputation for e y foot- of shark.

Our next stop was Normanby Island. Our track took us through an area marked on the chart as having been surveyed in 1881 by the British ship "Beagle". Darwin was aboard at the time. They were off on their survey by 5 miles.

Normanby is a fairly large island just off the coast of the main island of Papua, New Guinea, (P.N.G.). It is completely different than our last stop and is very mountainous with steep sides coming right down to the sea. This leaves very little flat area for people to build their huts. There is plenty of rain here and the island is covered with lush green vegetation.

We anchored in Sewa Bay and were welcomed by a young man and his family who were all anxious to trade. All the locals are Melanesians and all have their own gardens up on the hillside where they grow their own fruits and vegetables. Most we recognized but several we had not seen before. This day we even traded for a watermelon. It wasn't ripe enough to eat, but what the heck, you can't have everything!

The bay here is really beautiful. Steep hills with higher mountains in the background. Emerald green grass on some hills close by. Birds of all colors flitting about. Many different colored parrots, white cockatoos and naturally many birds I don't know. Just before dusk they all seem to want to sing to each other and the still water carries these remarkable sounds across to us. I can remember some old movies of the South Pacific when I was very young and they had bird songs like this. I always thought they made that up for the movies. We watched the birds with binoculars as they roosted in the trees or flew about the hillside. It really seemed like a little piece of paradise.

39

SAILING WITH THE DOERYS The locals here are very friendly and VERY curious. About 30 or so visited us by canoe from all around the area. They don't have many visitors here, so we were quite a curiosity. All of them speak English and so we are able to communicate and trade. Last night we traded a can of corned beef for a nice fish. Sometimes when we see that a native really needs something that we have like clothing and they haven't much to trade with we trade for what they do have. I wish we had brought more!

We left there heading north again for the Trobriand Islands. Here we had heard there were good wood carvers. Again many shoals and reefs along the way, but not too much trouble. When we arrived ashore at the village we were mobbed by the wood carvers. Most carvings were poorly done, but we did buy one very nice walking stick and then beat a hasty retreat to our boat and departed immediately for Rabaul.

It took 3 days to reach New Britain and finally sail into beautiful Rabaul.

The harbor is surrounded by volcanoes. One is still active and giving off steam.

Rabaul is a city by South Pacific standards and has 3 banks, 3 supermarkets and lots of government agencies. We took a tour of the city and local area. We visited many old Japanese plane wrecks and landing barges. Quite interesting! We also did a little snorkeling around some old Japanese wrecks.

We planned to sail to Madang and Lae on the main island of P.N.G., but since there is so much calm weather here, we decided to fly over instead. We visited the local Air New Guinea office in Rabaul and met Andrew Ogil, the area manager.

He not only obtained 75% reduced rate tickets for us, but arranged our whole trip including telexing each station manager along the way to let them know we were coming, and to assist us if we needed any help. He plans to visit the U.S. in a few years and I hope he is treated well on his visit.

When we returned to Rabaul we got our outbound clearance papers and then did our provisioning for our trip to Darwin. We arrived at the local open market fairly early and had a pretty wide choice of good vegetables including the usual things you would find in any U.S. Market but with a few extras such as betel nut, pomelo (similar to but much better than grapefruit), bamboo shoots and several other tropical plants we can't name. Man bought a bunch of cherry tomatoes and we got them wrapped in banana leaves. All had been picked early that morning.

For our trip down to Australia, we chose a route that had a minimum of reefs.

We had seen all the reefs we cared to see. Just after we crossed into the Coral Sea we caught a wahoo measuring 60 inches. It was quite a job bringing that baby aboard and we did it when Nan jammed the gaff right down the fish's throat.

We were both able to pull it aboard then. We ate fish for 4 days running but most of it went overboard to the sharks.

From here we plan two to three months in Indonesia and then on to Singapore where we hope to leave our boat and fly back to the good ole U.S.A. for a couple of months.

I hope you are all well.

Best regards, Fred

Lincoln's Gettysburg address contains 266 words. The Ten Commandments contain 297 words. The Bill of Rights contains 557 words. But a federal agency needed 26,911 words for an order reducing the price of cabbage.

For every one law passed by Congress, unelected regulators make about 6000 rules and regulations.

Dick Ludwig sent in this little bit of info.

40

BUTCH'S BOW WAVE

By Goldy Goldthorpe [Dear A.T. - Am enclosing a shorty article starring the late George C. "Cy" Gates who was the second most senior Captain at the LGA base when he left flying for medical reasons in 1961. (Auto accident) The incident is based on fact. The crew sked boys remember how "Cy" used to bring his dog along when he visited the hangar to bid or check flight times and he used to discuss the problem on hand with the dog, much to their delight.

As for Butch reacting in a positive (thump) or negative (Arf) manner, Beth Gates Miller says, "To my knowledge, the only thing that hound dog ever sniffed out was meat." Beth says it's OK to put the skit in TARPA TOPICS if you see fit.

I'm sure there are a lot of Flt Ops people, particularly cockpit crew members, out there that still remember Cy. From what I gather (I was on International and Cy on Domestic so I never knew him), he was a real gentleman and well liked by all those that knew him.

Sincerely....Goldy Back in the 1950's LaGuardia Airport posed some problems to pilots. Among other things, for example, there was the possibility of winding up beside the Academy of Aeronautics after bounding over Belt Parkway when taking off to the south or splashing into Flushing Bay when landing to the east.

But the real problem at LGA, as well as other domiciles, was making sure your flight time was correctly calculated and accredited each month. Some pilots brought their wives along to help them check the figures and one of the Captains even enlisted his dog's assistance.

They say that the late veteran Captain, Cy Gates, and his dog, Butch, (who was described as an overstuffed beagle) would visit Hangar 6 on flight time posting day to check things out. Al, the guard stationed in the hall, would greet them both cordially as they climbed the stairs. Cy would reply in kind but Butch was more wary favoring the guard with a slight wag of his tail, if any.

Arriving on the second floor crew schedule office, Cy would address the 2 schedulers on duty by name and Butch would respond with a short-bark in reluctant recognition of their Above greetings. This formality out of the way, Capt. Gates would JACK & BETH MILLER inspect his flight times with great care, checking each flight against his log book. Then he would ask Butch for his opinion.

If the figures were correct Butch would thump his tail in approval. But if there was an error he would settle back on his haunches and let out 2 sarcastic barks.

"Oh ho!", Capt. Gates would say, "you don't like that one? Well, let's see.

You're right! They shorted us on that PIT-PHL leg, didn't they? Hey, Dick, come here a second, will you?'

The sked boys could never prove it but they suspicioned that Cy had trained the dog to thump or bark on some signal from him. But, assuming that Butch could sniff out a flight time error, he was way ahead of his time. He was creating the first "bow" wave.

41

HANK GASTRICH'S MOST INTERESTING FLIGHT Just a few lines to tell you about my most interesting flight, which really just occurred over 3--5 August. One of the "perks" working for John & Martha King is getting to fly the airplane we give away each July. This year it was a fully equipped PA-28 Piper Archer, including an auto-pilot that could make a coupled approach down to 100 feet. Next year it will be a Spatiale TB-10 Tobago, which we already have and get to fly for fuel costs. but, we had it at Oshkosh and I was lucky enough to get to go there and bring it to San Diego.

I took a friend co-pilot with me...Donna Celeste, who had just passed her Commercial the day before we left for Wisconsin...and sharing the legs made it a "not too hard flight".

About a month before we left, I had pre-planned the trip and estimated 15:18 hours flying time, $500 fuel/hotel etc. costs and an ETA back in San Diego at 1335 Sunday, 18-5. Remember these numbers.

Donna and I arrived in Milwaukee [first time I had ever been there although it was on my release as an alternate for ten years or more] Friday afternoon at 1430. A bus would have arrived in Oshkosh too late [1935] to get away that evening which I sorely wanted to do, having seen a bit a good bit of the weather enroute on TWA from STL. So, we took an $80. cab ride and arrived in Oshkosh at 1720.

Storms in all quadrants, but I wanted to go SOMEWHERE so sorta scud-hopped between 1800 MSL and 2200 MSL in a SW direction. Donna, who had never been in the Tobago, sort of got a cockpit checkout and rendered a really good service in map reading... and we made it 110 miles southhwest to Janesville, when the sky looked as if ran out of holes.

Next morning at 0730 Donna took off IFR [she just got that NEW rating a month previous so might as well let her use it] for Des Moines, but rather than make and ILS approach into Des Moines, we were between layers and canceled and continued VFR-BETWEEN until we found a hole...which underneath was Ottumwa, Iowa. We fueled there and we called Wayne Severson who agreed to meet us in Olathe, Kansas, at 1215. We landed at Olathe at 1215...NATCH! It was good to see Wayne and Betty and a couple of hours later we enjoyed the sandwiches and soda they provided...except the soda cause "personal" problems that added more than a modicum of excitement to the bumpy let-down into Liberal. Donna flew again...if it looks as if I gave Donna all the hard legs...you're right! She had to go to 10.5 and while we took off with AMA in mind, all the "saddles" were off to the right. We went through the saddles and other than that our after meal problem, didn't really care where we were going because our ground speed was 152 knots. We got into Liberal, however, and then I flew a most demanding CAW 95 n.m. leg down to Dalhart, Texas, where we packed it in.

Next morning, back in the sky again at 0730 and at 10.5 we still had our tail wind so overflew ABQ and made it to Winslow [just like the old DC-2's, huh?].

We really wanted to make it to Sedona but they only have 1 runway and I didn't want to arrive there with 20 minutes fuel and a plane wheels up on the runway.

I flew the last leg...direct to where I thought San Diego might be...at 12.5 and we picked up Julian VOR at 129.1 DME making 142 knots GS. Since TAS at 10 and above in a Tobago is around 115K's you can see we were pretty well blessed. We landed at Montgomery Field at 130Q on the nose and remember those numbers I told you to keep in mind. We fueled and then taxi-ed to our tie own and put the first line on the Tobago at 1335! Huzzah!@ We logged 15:20...Martha King said I had to work on my navigation. And I had receipts for $502.40. John King said I should try harder to "stay within budget".

But I really enjoyed that flight, A. T. We used VOR some of the time and some time flew from point to point...or, just 250 degrees which used to be a pretty good heading in the 727. Between us...we were 99 years old...which, if in itself isn't a record, the time we flew between pit stops has to be.

42

The annual BOB BECK BARELY OPEN golf tournament was held September 29th at the Cuivira Lake course.

70 golfers turned out for the day-long event and the evening's fun and festivity. Jack Herbert, Dick Nickerson, Rick Molinario and Doug Harding proved themselves best with a score of 9-under. Longest drive was won by Bill Pope. Closest-to-the-pin on a par-3 hole was John Keil. From fees collected a contribution of $300.00 was made to the ALS fund.

Others who played, including active and retired TWA pilots, sons and friends: Ed Rafferty Bob Rafferty Wendell Rone Kurt Rone Jack Brookshire Clint Parker Bob Borberg Ron Patton John Clark Steve Pyle Mark Germann Dennis Maloney T om Nordstrom Mark Inman Wayne Disch Al Pugsley Joe Montanero Gary Hruby Lytle Norton Paul Norton Dick Rogers Gary Guilford

Harold Aikin Ken Aikin John Hoag John Harding Wendy Elliott, Rob Bentson Ole Olson J. T . Harding Bob Johnson Gerry George Bill Woods Brock Peterson Dave Grant nave Plattner Coney Metcalf Jim Richardson Larry Balulet Bob Paillato Fred Wicke Brian Wicke Bill Beck Bear Beck

Ken Palmer Bill Wallace Rudy Fick Warren Cantrell Jon Gjovic Bob Maclntosh Dick Kleiner Vic Wolf John Brooks Don Gerling Paul Gerling Harry Hunzeker Bill Dodge Bill Carr George Borgmier Sam Trave (BNF) Max Calliham Clarence Lowery Wayne Hidalgo T erry Liggett

GOLF CLICHES Foursome: Four friends playing together, each of whom thinks the other three could stand improvement.

Gimmie: A putt so short and inconsequential that it will most likely never be conceded by an opponent.

Golf Elbow: Twinges in the hinges.

Good Friend: Anyone who doesn't play as well as you do - and also does it consistently.

Hindsight: Intuitiveness of a well-built woman golfer who knows that if she wears tight shorts, her opponents may not give the game their undivided attention.

Learn from the mistakes of others.

You may not live long enough to make them all yourself.

43

CONNIE UPDATE

By Gordon Hargis [Editor's note: The following letter to the editor appeared in the October issue of AIR CLASSICS magazine.]

Just in case no one is keeping you informed (Editor's note: No one is!), here's an update on the recent outings of "Save A Connie" L1049H, N6937C .

Late in March 37C was flown to Blythe, California, to be used in making a movie currently titled LAST CALL FOR PASSENGER FABER starring Sam Shepard.

During a ten day period, it was flown locally about 8 hours for shots of takeoffs, landings and aerial sequences taken from a B-25. It was then very carefully lowered into a large hole dug to fit using 3 tow trucks and a wooden floor was built up to one side. This floor was then covered with dirt and vegetation to make it look exactly as if the plane had belly-landed in the desert (except for the uncurled props) for the post-crash scenes. The director has stated the Connie will be on screen for 20 to 24 minutes.

The Connie stopped in Phoenix for 2 days on the way home to Kansas City and was on public display at Sawyer Aviation. About 500 people toured the ship on Friday and, thanks to newspaper and TV coverage, about 2000 came out on Saturday.

On Sunday, 8 April, I was privileged to be copilot for Capt. Al Gettings (TWA Retired) for the flight from Phoenix to Kansas City.

On Sunday, 27 May, I was copilot for Capt. Harry Ward (TWA Ret) from KC to Columbia, Missouri, for an all day static display. About 500 people viewed the Connie and a dozen or so other aircraft including b-Birds, T-6's and P-51D Gunfighter II. Monday, 28 May, was my day for the left seat to do the Columbia Memorial Day parade fly-over. We made 3 passes over the parade with the Mustang and a T-28 while the other aircraft orbited the parade below.

On 9 & 10 June, the Connie was in Wichita for the McConnell AFB show. On 16 & 17 June, the aircraft appeared at the Oklahoma City Airfest. She received as much attention as the Russian display before the tragic crash of Tom Jones in the Sukhoi Su-26.

The Wedell-Williams article in the July issue (AIR CL ASSICS) brought back a long-forgotten memory. Mr. E.E. "Fritz" Maser was the aero engineering department head at Louisana State University and taught several of my classes during my attendance there as a mech/aero student from 1938 to 1942. Fritz told us he had been an advisor during the design of the racer. LSU might still have some data on this plane in their engineering department archives.

Gordon W. Hargis (TWA Ret)

MAY ALL OF US ON THE STAFF OF TARPA TOPICS WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

44

The following article appeared Sept. 26 in the North Myrtle Beach, SC, Times in letters to the editor.

Dolphins Help Humans In Need Survive Ordeal On June 10, 1990, while fishing 35 miles off the coast of Georgetown, my friends and I had the unfortunate experience of having our boat sink.

We endured three lightning and thunder storms with 35 mph winds and hail.

Waves 20 feet high battered us and we had no food and water for 30 hours.

We drifted out into the gulf stream and were constantly surrounded by hammerheads, blackfin, mako and tiger sharks. Miraculously, a pad of dolphins appeared and chased the sharks away. Our bodies were bruised and scraped from the bumping and nudging of the sharks.

Our friends stayed near us during the night. We could hear the air escaping from their blowholes. The following afternoon the dolphins fended off an attack by a nine-foot great white shark. I can honestly tell you that I have looked a great white in the eye and I'm still alive. The dolphins remained with us 24 hours, until the rescue.

If there was a way to communicate with these beautiful creatures, this is what I would say. My Friends,, My Guardians, "The People of the Sea". It is now my turn to offer my friendship and assistance. You help me to understand how fragile life is, yours and mine.

I am now painfully aware of your plight and the suffering your kind endures.

No longer should there be cruel captures, confining cages, starvation or chlorinated tanks.

How intelligent, kind and brave you are. I am in awe, feeling very small in comparison. Evolution has not been kind to us humans. Our chemically induced world has weakened our capacity for compassion.

Would I have risked my life to save yours? Probably not, and shamefully, that makes you more human than I. David L. Miller, Surfside Beach.

[Editor - And to think these magnificent creatures of God's creation are murdered by the thousands every year by being drowned in the nets of the tuna fishermen!]

OLD NEWS ITEMS Washington NC Daily News, Sept. 13, 1915; At the trial which was held at Bath, NC, Saturday, Postmaster N. Henry Moore and Allan Moore were each fined two dollars and costs for indecent exposure. The other members of the party, who visited Bath a week ago Sunday, were released with fines.

The trial was the result of a trip through Bath on which the visitors were attired in bathing suits and rain coats. This seemed to greatly shock the sense of propriety of the "natives". * * * * * * Same paper, next day in 1915; Greenville, NC - Frank Battle, a habitual user of morphine, was arrested at Farmville yesterday, charged with having stolen morphine from Farmville Drug Store. He was tried before the local court this morning and sentenced to six months on the road, unless he left the county at once. Later, the clerk of court was ordered to buy Battle a ticket for Norfolk.

45

THE HANDICAPS OF PLAYING GOLF

By Mike Barnacle (Sent in by Harry Mokler) Other than politics, golf attracts the greatest number of cheats and liars in American. People regularly fail to tell the truth about their score, their handicap and their ability as if fibbing were as much a part of the game as swinging.

And they spend a ton of money doing it, too, because golf has never been as popular. Millions of fools spend hard-earned money on the latest clubs, the best balls and the finest shoes. Public courses are packed. Private clubs have waiting lists longer than the line of voters eager to give Dukakis a good slap.

It's hard to understand because golf is stupid. It isn't fun. It isn't even exercise for more golfers drive around in carts like drunken sailors on shore leave.

Also, next to eating greasy quarter-pounders and fudge bars, golf is the biggest cause of stress and heart attack among males aged 35 to 55 in the United States. Take a peek at any fairway and you will inevitably see someone throwing a club in frustration, screaming and generally being miserable.

I don't feel sorry for golfers, because they choose to delude themselves.

Think about it; if someone suggested you could hit a Roger Clemens fastball merely by wearing a certain shoe or holding a bat with a lighter grip, would you believe it? Of course not. But millions of simple-minded optimists take to the outdoors every day thinking they can break 100 because of a specific set of sticks or a stiff elbow.

Most of them should save their dough or enroll in a torture chamber because golf is not for everyone. Yet it's hard to convince any golfer that being anything less than horrible is hopeless, because lying is such a part of the game's mystique.

And the lying begins at the top. For example, magazines aimed at attracting golfers lead you to believe that the purchase of this kryptonite club or that triple-dimples ball will take 10 strokes off your score. Then, teaching pros gobble up good rates kidding nitwits who are barely coordinated enough to button their shirts into thinking that a lesson will make them play like Greg Norman.

When was the last time a club pro told some terminally inept sucker: "Look, I've seen your swing and I want you to save your money and go home to your loved ones. You will only hurt yourself or others on the golf course, and you are in serious danger of having your entire fat, out-of-shape frame covered with ticks and other creepy crawlers because you will be in the woods more than Indiana Jones.

Take up nappling."

Besides lying, golf is saddled with a lousy image: An elitist walk around manicured acres cut into the countryside solely for the pleasure of well-to-do white men in plaid pants and shirts with tiny gators on them who, upon admission to a private club, act like complete jerks.

It's a fact of golf life that, on many courses, the biggest handicap is the club's membership list. Leading the pack is Oyster Harbor in Osterville on the Cape.

A few weeks ago, a lawyer told me about a fellow who loves to golf and wanted to join Oyster Harbor. The guy has a lot of dough and has done an awful lot of things for other people with his money. In other words, he is a fine member of the human race, but he was informed that there was no way he could ever - and I do mean ever - get into Oyster Harbor. "How come?" I asked. "Because he's Jewish."

So it would be nice if the state took the whole course by eminent domain and built a nuclear reactor there. However, Oyster Harbor isn't alone in its thickwith-prejudice attitude.

This past winter, when I must have been under the influence of LSD, I foolishly applied to a country club I had no business applying to and once the laughter died down I was told there was no way my Irish arse would ever be admitted. The funny thing was, I just wanted to attempt the game on a good course. Shame on me, though, and I must admit I am embarrassed that I ever submitted the papers,

46

THE HANDICAPS OF PLAYING GOLF (continued) so from now on I will deny it.

However, like a lot of clubs, the fools on the admission committee mistakenly figured that a lowlife like me wanted to get to know them, to be friends with them, to jump into the sack with their wives, to eat dinner three nights a week with their families. Off a golf course, you wouldn't even wave at these self-important clowns who regard themselves as golf police.

One fact of golf, though, is beyond lying and elitism: 78 percent of all who try it will be frustrated failures.

How do I know? Well, I am among the 22 percent who play exceptionally well.

At least, I will be when my new clubs arrive and I take one - two at the most - lessons from a pro who will bring out my incredible, natural atheletic ability.

[Your editor ran across an interesting fact a few weeks back when we visited Lew and Judy Thompson. Just a few years back, maybe 84 or 85, Lew decided to take up golf there at the course at the Town of Seven Devils. He engaged the club pro and on the second day out with the pro Lew got a hole in one on the second hole!

I assure you I read the news item about it.]

We have been advised by Gorgous Hargis that he is in touch with a ex-Pan AM group who are restoring a Pan Am Boeing Strato-Liner.

He sent them a copy of the article by Ed Betts which was in our last issue.

The aircraft belongs to NASA, he thinks and the group will "remanufacture" a Pan Am cabin.

The B-307B will then go to Dulles to the museum.

Getting anything done around here is like mating elephants. It's a huge undertaking. It's accomplished with a lot of roaring and screaming and it takes two years to get any results.

A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind.

NATIONAL ENQUIRER

~-

-

47

THE FOLLOWING FROM BOB ZIMMERMAN PICTURED ON LEFT Dear A.T. - I've been unable to attend the last 2 conventions due to conflict with my tax business. I'm now in my 15th year of tax practice and 18th year since leaving TWA. I look forward to TARPA TOPICS and I appreciate the time and effort taken to produce it.

Some time ago I remarked I'd been gone so long my co-pilots are retired and I find I flew for most of the Eagles!

As a Yankee boy raised in the Applachian coal mine region of PA I always knew the difference between capital and labor. My first experience with okra, blackeyed peas and a strange variety of English was at Chapel Hill, NC, while being reamed through officers' training as a cadet in Naval Aviation.

I flew the B-24 during World War II. The early models were cranky, tail heavy, fuel management hazardous. It took a lot of sweat & guts for those 18,19,20 year old boys to master them. For its time, it carried a larger bomb load, higher, faster and farther than any other bomber. The "Flying Prostitute, Baltimore Whore was the B-26, it used the same engine with modifications that we used on the Martins.

I went through transition at Hutchinson, KS, in a late model that was built at Willow Run by Ford. I don't believe we lost a single plane and we had some wild men as instructors. At this point, I'll drop a name - Joseph Kennedy went through the same school some months prior to me. He was killed in a B-24 drone over the English Channel when the plane was blown up by a mistaken radio signal.

The Navy developed a single tail version, 6 turret,long range aircraft that was exceptional. 18 hour patrols were common. There are still a few of them used to fight forest fires. It was called the PB4Y-2 Privateer. Bernie Dunn was a Privateer pilot.

You have to try to remember how young we were. When I went to the Western Pacific with a crew of 12, I was the second oldest man on the crew, I was 21. 4 of my turret gunners were 17. We were qualified to proceed, on our own, anywhere in the world with a sextant, a chronometer, an almanac and an H.O. library.

Another subject; One of my legal heroes, along with Holmes et al is Hugo Black. He was a Southern boy out of Alabama who had trouble being confirmed because at one time he had been a member of the Ku Klux Klan. Shortly before his death he granted an in-depth profile and interview. The one statement that he made that has stayed with me was, "The constitution means exactly what it says".

George Bush and I went through Naval flight training at the same time. I did not know him, we traveled in different circles. They made quite a fuss over George. he was 18 when he graduated and was the youngest pilot ever commissioned.

Being 19 when I graduated was not quite as noteworthy. Can't fault his bravado, he bid and was trained in torpedo bombers - kamakazee stuff. We all did everything short of pimping to avoid torpedo bombers.

Bush was shot down and his crew killed and was entitled to rotation home.

Not George, he insisted on going back to his squadron, insisted on staying out in combat zone. What's the point?

[Will stop on Bob's interesting and long letter and maybe use the rest next time]

48

MEDICAL FORUM Dear Harry (Mokler), I am writing in regard to your article in the Aug. 89 issue of TARPA TOPICS. I retired from TWA April 86 at age 58 after 30 years service as F/E, F/O IRO. In March 89 I had a mild heart attack. Pain in the back between the shoulder blades (unusual), discomfort in the left shoulder and elbow, nausea.

I remembered reading some medical literature about heart problems earlier.

The advice given was with 3 indications to go directly to a hospital emergency room which I did. They kept me overnight. The next morning, after some preliminary tests, the cardiologist concluded I had a mild angina attack. The next day I was transferred to Tampa Florida General Hospital where an arterial catheterization was performed. This showed 1 artery supplying the heart was 85% blocked and 2 others 50% blocked. By-pass surgery was recommended.

I met the surgeon later the same day along with the cardiologist and my wife.

I agreed to the operation which was performed the next day. It turned out there were 4 arteries blocked, all were successfully by-passed and the operation was completed without complications.

I was walking the day after the operation and playing golf 5 weeks later.

I consider the surgery saved my life and looking back I would say it was a worthwhile and rewarding experience.

There are many things that I have omitted for the sake of brevity. You may use my name if you think my experience may help others.

Thank you for your interest in this subject. Knowledge and understanding will help us all.

Sincerely, James Travers

NEW EDITOR OF OUR GRAPEVINE JOHN T. HAPPY Ole Olson sent us this picture above of J.T. It was labeled "John Happy, 1st Officer, Paris to Los Angeles, over Canada in late evening, October of 1976."

R. Day

Me thinks Ole took it out of his wallet as he says he wants it back!

49

WICKENBURG 88 Sent in by Ole Olson Ole says; Pictures reappeared out of Pile # 7 on my desk. I don't think any of them will mind seeing a picture of themselves taken in '88 - they were probably better looking then - or at least younger. ...Ole Thanks for all your good work - we all look forward to the TOPICS.

CHARLES McKENNY, FRAN MORAN J. "KENNY" KENNYHERTZ

GORDON GRANGER, LLOYD HUBBARD -WILLIE MILLER, BILL McMINN

BILL TOWNSEND, "NICK" NICHOLSON ROGER SAILORS

NEUMAN RAMSEY, LLOYD HUBBARD RALPH PUSEY

50

The Active Retired Pilots Association of TWA

THE 1991 EAGLES

These TARPA Members have celebrated or will celebrate their 75th Birthday during 1990 and join the ranks of EAGLE as of January 1, 1991.

All of us congratulate you and wish you many more years on the mailing list.

Harold Aiken John B. Archer John W. Barnard John W. Benner Charles L. Beucher John C. Carroll Charles Connick Lofton Crow Harrison S. Dietrich S. Gordon Granger Robert W. Heald Lloyd E. Hubbard A. Leroy Johnston Ernest G. Jonasson William A. Kerr Doug E. Kuhlman Stephen Lazewski Charles W. McKenney William D. McMinn

John D. Milner Joseph F. Older Reginald A. Plumridge John H. Pyle Neuman E. Ramsey John K. Rouge Arthur R. Schmidt George L Sleeth David S. Spain Adrian U. Stahl George J. Tittinger Ed W. Utgard David F. Wadsworth James W. Wheeler Robert A. Wittke William L. Wren Harold L Wright Steve A. Ziman

51

PARKY'S CORNER Parky writes the original TATers from time to time. Since his last list of them he put out in 1986 Joe Bartles, Otis Bryan and George Price have passed away.

6 TAT pilots are Howard Hall, Ben Hoy, Nick Laurenzana, Les Munger, Fred Richardson and Moye Stephens. Other TATers are John Clemson and Gordon Paikinson. Widows are Evelyn (Harry) Campbell and LaVerne (Battle) Joyner.

We have a couple of pilots approaching the Century mark; Lew Goss will be 96 the day after Christmas and Tommy Tomlinson.

An interesting sidelight on Moye Stephens and Ben Hoy. A purser named Lee used to fly with them. We used to call them the Chinese crew; Moye, Hoy and Lee. I get many asking what I think is going to happen with TWA. I tell them I don't know, but I sure went through two big cutbacks and having my salary cut in half in the early days, but I got to stay and have now been retired for twenty years.

Sometimes I say in answer to the question, "God only knows, but he's in conference."

I hope the airline stays in business and we grow and I have a feeling we will.

Several years ago Steven Carlson, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, was commenting on golf, "Ninety percent of your putts that are short don't go into the cup."

Former great baseball manager, Leo Durocher was asked whether he'd prefer Willie Mays or Mookie Wilson in center field. He replied, "It's close, but I'd have to say Mookie Wilson. Willie just doesn't have the range he had thirty years ago."

Two years ago, Baseball Great Stan Musial, attending a banquet in St. Petersburg, FL, was asked what he would hit if he were playing today. "Maybe .305 or .310," replied Stan, the Man. "Why so low?" he was asked. "Well," replied Musial, "I'm sixty five years old." (Note, Stan was on the Board of Directors of Ozark Airlines before TWA took it over. I took Ray Dunn to the Board meetings and often got to talk baseball with Stan as my son-in-law was with the New York Mets organization.

Enclosed is a story in the Kansas City Star re Capt. Bob Reid. His role in the KC golf scene doesn't leave him any time to play golf except during the winter months.

"73" ....Parky....

[We have often wondered why Parky signs his letters "73". He says it is from his old newspaper reporter days - it was a variation of Morse code for Best Regards] REID ENJOYS HIS ROLE IN MIDDLE OF KC GOLF SCENE Capt. Bob Reid, 70, of Leawood, Kansas wears 4 golf hats; He is the executive director of the Kansas City Golf Association, a board member on the Missouri Golf Association, a committee member on the United States Golf Association and a board member on the Midwest PGA Advisory Board.

Reid, who belongs to the Brookridge Country Club in Overland Park, said his first love is enforcing rules for the USGA. Reid, who also runs all the USGA qualifying events in Kansas City, has been enforcing rules for the USGA for the past 9 years. "This is what I really enjoy most," Reid said, "I really was a flunky when I started out in this, but now it's'like a speciality. People always hunt me out at tournaments and I get tons of calls at home from people with questions."

Reid said the best part is being invited to the U.S. Open, The U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Amateur. The U.S. Senior Open was a real thrill for me this year as I even got to make a ruling on Jack Nicklaus, he said.

TV news reporter made the following announcement; Our latest poll shows that 68% of the voters think that 91% of the polls are inaccurate 71 % of the time - plus or minus three percentage points.

52

TARPA TOURS

AFTER THE CHAMPAGNE BALLOON FLIGHT IN KENYA Left to right BERT LASCH JUNE MINSKE PAUL ROACH EVELYN VIVOLKA (under the hat)

THREE OLD BIRDS ON THE KENYA SAFARI CHUCK HASLER ASKS IF ANYONE RECOGNIZES THESE OLD RETIRED CREW MEMBERS? AT LEAST, THE PRICE OF FUEL SHOULDN'T BOTHER THESE FLYERS.

53

TARPA TOURS

READY TO SAIL FROM ACAPULCO

CHUCK & PAT HASLER

OUR EVER PRESENT PHOTOAT GRAPHER ON DUTY ACAPULCO BILL DIXON BARBARA LASCH BOB LASCH JUNE DIXON

Bob Collins in The Indianapolis Star Getting there is half the fun - only if you don't change at Atlanta. The airport is simple as a maize. A wise transfer passenger should pack a lunch just in case he makes a wrong turn.

There have been cases of college students returning from spring break who missed a semsester in Atlanta. It probably is the only airport in the world where Dr. Scholl runs a first aid station.

And it hardly is reassuring to hear your dashing captain say, "We are now in the Atlanta traffic pattern. And with any luck at all, we'll get this baby on the ground today!"

54

4)

THE MARTIN 404s

by Ed Betts The previous articles (May '89 and Feb '90 'Topics') described the aircraft and engines proposed by the manufacturers to the airlines immediately following the end of WWII. TWA's (Howard Hughes) choice for a 2-engine plane to replace the DC-3 was a modified and improved version of the Martin 202, currently in use by Northwest AL. Improvements included a larger seating capacity and a pressurized cabin; modifications included a new splice or joint that connected the outer to the center wing panels. TWA's original order was for 30 of the Model 404, Eastern 60, the US Coast Guard 2 and Howard Hughes one. A separate agreement was made on 2/22/50, whereby Martin, pending the CAA Certification and delivery of the M404, would build and lease to TWA ]2 of the Model 202A planes (including an option to buy). The 36-passenger M202A was unpressurized and incorporated a newly designed wing splice. On 8/24/50, TWA increased its order to forty M404s which brought the total to 103 that would be produced. TWA's order, including spare parts, was slightly in excess of $20,000,000, or about $500,000 per airplane average. However, before the M404s were delivered, Martin had a serious financial problem and TWA contributed an additional $25,000 per airplane.

Due to the adverse publicity the Martins received because of the fatal crashes of four NWA aircraft, TWA used little of the usual fanfare when they introduced the M202As on 9/]/50, on flights east of MKC. The Martin image received another severe blow on 1/16/51, when a NWA plane suffered a fatal crash.' NWA grounded its remaining fleet of 20 M202s although their pilots had already served notice they would not fly them again. TWA experienced some problems, such as the nose gear warning and locking mechanisms, malfunction of the propeller auto feather system and occasional aileron control difficulty in certain icing conditions.

A number of pilots urged the MEC to join the NWA group in boycotting the plane.

This was averted following the assurance by Ralph Damon that a thorough and impartial investigation would be made and all outstanding faults were to be corrected. One outstanding pilot "squawk" which still remained a mystery was the control of the plane in certain icing conditions.

A Note by Ed Betts : Once again I received a lot of help with the input from the TARPA members and TWA Engineering staff. Some of the stories to follow may not be in a chronological order (a lot of pilot log books are no longer available), but I will try. I also hope that what the pilots relayed to me is quoted correctly (often I can't read my own notes). A lot of it is good old "hangar flying", some of it is an important part of TWA's history. The more senior pilots, who went right from the DC-3s, Stratoliners or DC-4s to the Connies, and the the Flight Engineers could probably care less...this was a "junior operation".

TWA (and Eastern) introduced the M404s on 1/15/52. At that time TWA had 12 each of the 202A and 404 models which were used interchangeably on schedules east of MKC. Deliveries of the remaining 28 planes resumed on 5/19/52, with the last one delivered 9/25/52. For several years, until the 202As went through overhaul and received an updated TWA paint job, it was easy to tell the two models apart from the outside: the 404s had the new "white top" paint scheme which was to be standard for the fleet. The 404 didn't have the small "eyebrow" windows above the pilot's heads in the cockpit and it had one more set of passenger windows.

Another outside identification was the title: all of the Martin fleet had the title of a city (domestic division) served by TWA. There were two exceptions to the M202A fleet (Lancaster and Hannibal) as their titles were for cities to the west of Wichita (Skyliner Amarillo, Santa Fe, Albuquerque etc.)...this was odd, as the M202As were never scheduled to the west of Wichita.

56

THE MARTIN 404s The captains who were checked out on the M202A also had to get a new CAA rating on the M404, which required a day in ground school and a couple of hours transition. Those new to the airplane had a week in ground school and eight to ten hours transition, with a least one period in each model. This was followed by about 25 hours line time and then the CAA rating ride. For the copilots it was the usual three bounces (3 takeoffs and landings)...often it was a large group going up for one lengthy period with an instructor. As of 10/11/51 , copilots had bidding privileges and, after two years with TWA, increment pay (48% of the applicable flight pay for a captain plus the same base salary).

The pilots soon learned which of the two models was their favorite (the heavier M404 paid an extra $4 a month for a captain), depending upon the conditions at the time.

Both planes had the same maximum fuel capacity (],370 gal), but if a heavy payload was involved and the weather questionable, the lighter 202A could accommodate more fuel. On a hot day there was no question: besides the ability to fly higher with a pressurized cabin, the 404 had air conditioning (refrigeration). However, if this system had a malfunction (such as the water separator freezing), the cabin could be more than just "stuffy" or hot as there was less air circulation than on the older 202A. When the moisture conditions were just right, and the air conditioning turned on, it could be cause for alarm in the cabin as what appeared to be smoke would stream out of the air outlets. To prevent a panic the standard practice was for one of the pilots or hostess to make an announcement that this was to be expected and no cause for alarm. A similar fog could "white out" the cockpit or windshields when landing (it took lots of practice to hit a happy medium). Another advantage with the M404 being pressurized was when flying in wet weather. Both airplanes leaked like a sieve around the windshields, but with the M404 you could stuff a wad of wet paper towel in the leaking area...the combination of the inside pressure on the towel and with freezing outside temperatures this makeshift cork would freeze solid. The 202A had a stiff landing gear, which made smooth landings difficult (the 404 had the "walking gear", similar to the Connies). The M202A cockpit was very noisy.

A note by Ed Betts: I am not certain when or in what order the pilots in other eastern region domiciles were checked out in the Martins other than MKC, CHI or LGA. Although there was no M202A flying time out of DET at the time, Don Quinlivan was qualified in August 1950 ; this was to protect flights returning from CVG when the LGA crews were not legal for same. From the letters I received it appears some of the DET crews checked out in March of 1952, with Ray Rowe (the DET Chief Pilot) supervising. Tudor Leland (BOS Chief Pilot) wrote that he completed his qualifications in August of 1950, but it wasn't until April of 195], when he qualified other BOS pilots such as Myron Smith and Adair Miller (they did their flying out of LGA, a lucky pay assignment for the LGA pilots who got to stay home.) He qualified on the M404 in January '5], and gave quite a number of line checks to BOS pilots (also flying LGA to MKC). The first scheduled trip out of BOS was Flight 59] (to MDW) on 7/2/52, with Tudor, Myron, Hostess Pitt and CAA Insp.Skousan. Russ North mentioned that he qualified as a EWR-based Copilot in July 1952.

The TWA timetable effective 3/3/52 to 4/26/52, shows BOS with 4 daily DC-3 departures, EWR with 7 DC-3s and DET with one Martin, 5 DC-3s and one DC-4 interchange with Delta. All of the other eastern domiciles (MKC, MDW and LGA) had the Connies, DC-4s (cargo or coach), DC-3s and Martins.

57

THE MARTIN 404s The one Martin flight out of DET to STL and return had a

Dep Arr Dep Arr Dep Dep Arr

FLIGHT 607 DET ]2:25pm*(EST) CMH ]:30pm (EST) CMH 1:55pm CVG 2:45pm (EST) CVG 3:00pm SDF 2:55pm (CST) STL 4:25pm (CST)

Dep Dep Arr Dep Arr Dep Arr

STL SDF CVG CVG DAY DAY DET

long day's schedule.

FLIGHT 242 6:35pm*(CST) 8:15pm (CST) 9:55pm (EST) ]0:]Opm ]0:40pm (EST) ]0:55pm ]]:55pm (EST)

(* Meal service) No arrival times were given for Louisville. The round trip flying time totaled 7 hrs 40 min, the on duty time (one hour before departure etc.) was 12 hours and 45 min. If a weather front lay between DET and STL you got to know it like your own backyard and the flying or duty times were extended with the possible holding patterns and instrument approaches (or a mechanical delay). The longest scheduled Martin flight, at that time, was 2 hrs 15 min between PIT and MDW. In later years there were some 'nonstops' between CHI and the east coast or DET to MKC. The Martin flight schedule previously illustrated shows a meal service between DET and CMH, a one hour and five minute flight. For just one hostess this could be an experience trying to serve 40 passengers...on a 30 minute flight it could be an ordeal! One of the most popular flights was on a Friday evening between Dayton and DET (Yipsilanti), it was always full. It was common practice for the copilot to go back to the cabin and assist the hostess in serving the cold box dinners (chicken). Harry Jacobsen, then a CHI-based copilot, told how Ed Frankum was often to the rescue once they were in cruise...he worked the galley setting up the trays, usually faster than the girls could serve. When Ed was just out of high school he worked as a short order cook in an all-night diner.

Harry also told of an incident after landing at MDW, when they had to park on runway 27 to await a gate. They rang three bells (the hostess call button was circuit breaker #69 on the panel) to appraise her of the situation. She mistook this for two bells, the normal signal for her to lower the rear steps, and all of the passengers deplaned. It was a shock to the two pilots to see the group, complete with garment bags, briefcases etc., casually milling about the plane.

Carleton Todd told about a flight after landing at LGA when the copilot forgot to switch the cabin compressor from high to low, which resulted in two things: the cabin filling with the usual oil fog and, while they were still taxiing to the ramp, the hostess panicked and lowered the rear steps and made a hasty exit from the "burning airplane". She was "retired early" by TWA. The original Martins had the emergency brake handle located on the floor to the left of the pilot. It was about a foot and a half long with notches to keep it locked in position. Ed Flynn told "about an experience going in to PHL; he was flying with a new copilot. The tower cleared them to land, but the copilot did not answer so Ed hurriedly grabbed his mike and made the acknowledgement. They landed and the deceleration after touchdown seemed excessive for reverse thrust (only), so Ed tapped the brakes and a tire blew out. Before they stopped three more tires were also blown...with the flat tires the props were spinning about an inch above the pavement. The problem was soon discovered. Ed's mike cord was

58

THE MARTIN 404s wrapped around the emergency brake lever and had pulled it up to about the 3rd or 4th notch in the on position. Gene Lore told of a flight on ]]/]3/53, when his copilot made the landing (from the left seat, SCD, in those days) at Dayton which appeared to be normal except for excessive braking. They blew out 3 tires and, as a result, the flight was cancelled. They spent the night at the Yendes Motel. The next day "Doc" Mesker flew in to see what had occurred since there was 3,000 ' of runway remaining when the tires blew. It was determined that the headset cord from the captain's side had tangled with the emergency brake lever and, with head movement, had inadvertently applied emergency brakes. A modification was made to have the lever spring-loaded to the off position.

One Martin flight received a little publicity in early ]952; it happened to be a 202A as the emergency over-the-wing-exits (windows) opened outward. George Shank was cruising at 6,000' over PIT when a passenger (a Corporal Cunningham) decided to see if everything was operating properly...he pulled the string for the emergency release! It was, and the window popped out. George landed at PIT and a DC-3 was readied for service. There were 22 passengers aboard the Martin when they landed, the DC-3 held 21...guess who was left behind?

Dean Phillips checked out on the M202A in early 1951 , with instructors Bronson White, Andy Lundin and Bert Cooper. In November of that year he checked out on the M404 (3 hours of transition) and Bronson was again the instructor. He asked Dean what the differences were between the two planes? Dean answered: "the 404 is 39 inches longer and is pressurized". Bronson said: "That's good enough, now let's go buzz John Collings' house". Dean wasn't too keen on that idea and made the offer to let Bronson do the flying.

Frank Jones Sr. was bumped off of International and was flying as a junior captain on the Connies out of MKC. The Martin flights looked better so he checked out on them. Frank told about his final check ride with Howard Hall. There was a P&W Engineer in the jump seat. During the takeoff from MKC there was a fire warning which was quickly extinguished by opening the cowl flaps. This occurred before the gear was up...and Frank neglected to have it raised as they wended their down over the Kaw River and stockyards. Frank thought he had busted this check, but the rest of the ride was successful and he passed. There were added problems on the leg from PIT to PHL. PHL was below limits with fog so they were released to LGA, subject PHL. Eventually there was a temporary break in the fog and they landed, but after landing, they couldn't see to taxi. TWA sent a jeep to guide them in but it never arrived or wasn't seen so they just parked out on the runway (nobody was flying at the time anyway) until the visibility improved and they could taxi in.

The Training Department had a busy year in 1952 which accelerated in May as the remaining 28 M404s started to be delivered. The original agreement with Martin was that the M202As would be returned at this time, but TWA made the decision to purchase the ten planes outright. This was about the time when the first of ]0 "Super Connies" (]049A) were delivered. Service on the long haul (NYC to CHI or MKC to LAX or SFO) began on 9/10/52. Jack LeClaire made the acceptance tests for the Hughes airplane on 9/4/52, and the last TWA plane on 9/25.

Most of the original "bugs" the crews on the M202As had experienced were either corrected or in the process of same when the M404s were introduced. There were, however, still problems with the Hamilton propellers. Reggie Plumridge told of

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THE MARTIN 404s one incident with a M404 after taking off from runway 22 at LGA. The feathering light on the right engine was flickering on and off and the airplane was trying to flip from left to right as the propeller was going in and out of the reverse position. They tried, without success, to feather the prop. After staggering over Jackson Heights, and a tight turn, he declared an emergency and landed on runway 3].

Since there were lots of propeller problems at the time, a factory rep from Hamilton happened to be there. He said what had occurred was impossible.

However, when the system was torn down and investigated it was found that the electric plug that controlled forward feathering and reverse had come loose and was brushing back and forth against the contacts causing the prop to try to go into reverse and then out again.

New copilots generally were given their initial qualifications on the DC-3. If needed on other aircraft, they would be so qualified. Joe Peterson was hired in 6/52 and was "qualified" on the Martins a few months later. Joe told about his first trip on the line, which was with Bill Cooper out of MKC on 10/2/52 . They had a heavy load and it was a hot day. Shortly after liftoff from runway ]8 the left engine autofeathered. According to Joe, Bill's hands were all over the cockpit while he sat there amazed and totally green. They gained about 300' in altitude, made a steep right turn, and landed back on runway ]8 within a few minutes after takeoff.

The passengers shouted "hooray" and gave them a round of applause.

A few days later a beautiful letter of commendation came from the gChief ave Pilot, "Doc" Mesker, along with comments from the passengers. Joe all the credit to Bill Cooper for superb airmanship and confided he was too new to the operation to be of any help.

On ]]/]0/52, Joe Grant was receiving a line check from Tudor Leland on a flight from BOS to PIT (AVP at the time). It was night, and after landing Joe made the mistake of raising the gear lever instead of the flaps (Joe wasn't the first or the last pilot to make this mistake, it was easy to do). The two main gears retracted (but not the nose wheel) leaving the plane in a nose-high attitude, and resting on the tail. A small fire with smoke developed in the aft section. It was impossible to use the main rear door and the forward cabin door was now too high for the passengers to exit. They evacuated by way of the over-wing exits.

As a result of this incident a detent latch was placed over the gear handle and a rope installed for evacuating from the front door.

On 11/13/52 , Frank McKee and Joe Peterson were the pilots on the inaugural trip into Baltimore (via MDW-DAY-CMH-HLG and DCA) with plane #407. Upon arrival they were greeted by the press, TWA personnel and Mayor D'Allisandra. The plane was officially christened the "Skyliner Baltimore", followed by a 45 minute local flight (including a view of the Martin factory) with various VIPs aboard.

Toward the end of 1952, TWA was making plans for using the M404 (only) west of ICT to LAX and SFO. Starting in November, Bronson White and Dick Colburn made a series of flights to the various stations to be served where ground personnel were checked out on the airplane. Local scenic hops were made for employees and invited guests. Then came the usual CAA proving runs on 12/13/52 .

Doug Kuhlman and Art Broughton flew the legs from SFO to LAX via OAK, FNO and BUR. Don Quinlivan and Clancy Green flew on to ABQ via LAS and INW, where John Powk and Dick Hemple continued to MKC via SAF (Santa Fe), AMA and ICT. PHX was not included at this time and service to the Grand Canyon was temporarily suspended. Service with the M404 out west began in January 1953. Chuck Stubbs was pilot on the inaugural between SFO and LAX and told how there was a lot of thunderstorms along the way. TV personality Clete Roberts was aboard and his usual steady voice as a commentator was rather ' squeaky' when he aired his report of the trip.

6o

(Left) A full Martin cabin, all First Class.

(Above) Models of a Martin 404 are presented to June Hill, Frank McKee, George Shaw (Martin VP who made the presentation), Mayor D'Alesandro, Joe Peterson and John Brock after the christening ceremony.

(Top left) Baltimore November 13, 1952: Martin employee Eleanor Page, "Mrs. Baltimore of 1952", christens the "Skyliner Baltimore" with a fire extinguisher as TWA John Brock (TWA District Mgr. DCA) and Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro look on.

THE MARTIN 404s The CAA, after two extensions, permitted the major airlines until the end of the year ]952 to replace their DC-3s on scheduled passenger service. TWA's last DC-3 flight came in to MKC on 12/3/52 , although six planes were still used for another six years for charter flights, pilot checks and as engine carriers. The TWA fleet for scheduled use at the end of 1952 consisted of 78 Connies (including the ]0 Super Connies), 52 Martin 'Skyliners' and 13 DC-4s. For the reserve pilots, who were currently qualified on all of the equipment and on "stand by" for a flight assignment, a Connie flight resulted in more pay for the month...a DC-3 flight was a pay cut! Another important improvement, completed in December 1952, was the $3,000,000 double-span hangar at MDW. This was the period when the Captain checkout program accelerated again. It was going full bore in late 1946, when the pilots went on strike, and then suddenly it was aborted (Bill Ashcraft, hired 5/3/45, was the junior man to wear the two stripes as a TWA Captain). It resumed in 1948 , and again was terminated (this was followed by a large and lengthy furlough lasting into ]95]). A large number of copilots were assigned to International. In late 1952 the program was again in full bore with the training now done on the Martins. For a number of us, who were hired in August '45, this was the third time we had to complete the ground school course on an airplane (the first 2 on the DC-3) and how to be a TWA Captain. This was followed by local transition flights (about 18 and 15 hrs on the DC-3, ]0 on the Martin), line checks, progress checks and the final ride with a supervisor pilot. Then came a 'warmup' ride (a preview of what was to follow) and then the CAA Rating ride. The LAX or SF0-based pilots received transition and line time on the M404 only.

After passing the Rating Ride, the new Captain was allowed a one hour flight on his own (with a copilot) in the MKC area. The attrition rate was exceptionally high with the 1945/1946 and 1948 checkouts. My own progress on the seniority list would be a good example of statistics since there were no retirements at the time and nobody senior to me was furloughed (except for the Int'l Div.). I was among the junior pilots going through the checkout program in '46 and '48, and then among the first in the ]953 program. I was hired 8/6/45, and the first seniority number I had was on the ]/]/46 list...at that time I was #852. Four years later I had moved up to #62], a jump of 23] numbers. There had been some deaths and resignations, but the majority were terminated by way of the upgrading program. During this same period Leon Vestal, hired (31/3/4]) had moved up from #3]3 to #274, and Bill Halliday (transferred from ICD Navigator to Copilot on ]2/]7/45) moved from #1266 to #793...473 numbers. The big difference in the 1953 checkout for a number of us was...we were put on the "Letter of Authority" and could now wear the fourth stripe on the coat sleeve (the new double-breasted grey uniform) and bid (by telegram only) a captain vacancy if desired. If no eligible captain bid a vacancy, the junior man (on the Letter of Authority) on the system was assigned.

There were a lot of junior captains living out of suitcases (or mobile homes) as they moved about the system per TWA request or exercising their bid prerogatives.

Wally Murray, in charge of system crew schedule, wasn't always consistent with the assignments whether they were temporary or permanent. For example in mid-1953, "Pete" McMillon was among l3 MKC reserve captains who were assigned to LGA (LGA had more Martin flying time than it had qualified pilots). However, Pete wound up flying a nightly DC-3 cargo flight to PIT. About the same time, LGA-based Riley Bissonette was assigned to CHI to fly the Martins. Out in SFO, Bill Mehew had one trip as Captain and was immediately assigned to DET.

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Kansas City December 31, 1952: F/0 Brad Berg, Capt. Art Shutts and Hostess Betty Olson pause to observe the DC-3 that came in on the last scheduled flight with TWA about to be towed to the storage area for used aircraft sales. The workhorse for the nations's airlines first saw service with TWA on August 15, 1937.

THE MARTIN 404s There were a number of TWA Flight Operations regulations that were conveniently dropped such as: all pilots were expected to reside within a 25 mile radius of their domicile airport...commuting had now become a way of life for many of the flight crews. You had to have a minimum of 500 hours time as Captain in Command (TWA only) to check out on the DC-4 and 1,500 hours for the Constellation. TWA ran out of pilots with this amount of experience and lowered the minimum to 50 hours for either airplane.

The copilot pay received another boost with the contract signed on 6/2/53 (retroactive to 2/15/53). The new contract paid the Copilot 50% flight pay after 5 years and 51% after 8 (same base pay as Captains). The Martin and DC-4 pay for a Captain totalled about $1,260 a month (85 hours, 1/2 day, 1/2 nite) with a $975 guarantee for the 60 hour minimum. The latter guarantee was just $77 more than the top pay for a copilot on the new LI049A and about $I25 less than an International Relief Pilot.

The pilots flying over the high terrain out west soon found it was advantageous to cruise at a high altitude, such as 19,000 ' , in case of a problem. Bob Eads told how he was in flight one night and asked Jack Wallace on the radio why he was cruising at 21,000' on the leg between LAS and ABQ...Jack's answer was: "he thought he could make PHX if he lost an engine". Bob also told of a flight when they were climbing out of LAX in frontal conditions with the de-icers on. Bill Stevenson was flying and Bob kept telling him to keep the airplane straight. He replied "I'm trying to!" They turned on the wing lights and found one side was icing up and the other was clear. Jack Benner told of a flight on the short leg between BUR and LAX with Wes Ament They had a fire warning, but the engine was still putting out power, so they waited until clearing the hump over Coldwater Canyon before shutting it down. The problem turned out to be a blown sparkplug.

Bob Mabrey told how he missed an approach into OAK one night when the wind was gusting up to 50 mph with the ceiling down to minimums of 300'. He was new on the M404 and, due to the roughness on the approach, was carrying some extra air speed. After breaking out of the overcast he slowed down, but the plane popped right back into the overcast...he was going too fast for the flap setting. Bob was prepared on the next approach and pushed the nose down hard. Bob told about an incident when he lost oil pressure in an engine while cruising at 10,000' in the Bakersfield area. This was in July, and the San Joaquin Valley usually has temperatures above 100 with a high humidity. The engine was feathered and they proceeded to Fresno, which was a TWA station and 100 miles away. The plane rapidly slowed down although METO power was applied. It was soon obvious that they had a "controlled descent" until reaching 2,000' with the minimum airspeed. The "gauges" were in the red with the good engine and opening the cowl flaps only slowed the plane down. He made it to Fresno, but it was a scary ride.

Ben Young (with J. D. Moore) was cruising at 18,000' over Tucumcari (NM) when he lost the left engine. They went through the checklist and then added METO power and all they did was go slower and lase altitude. They dove down 3,000' and regained the speed and proceeded to land at AMA. Shortly after this incident the checklist procedure was revised...get the power on the good engine up and then go through the rest of the items on the checklist.

Another immediate item to tend to in case of an engine shutdown, or the loss of a generator, was to decrease the electrical load before the remaining generator was overloaded and also quit. The small ship's battery had a short life with a large electrical load. "Mac" McClimans told of a night departure from LGA with

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THE MARTIN 404s a M404 where there was a complete electrical failure just after liftoff, which left them (Ray Fowler was c/p) without the "important" things such as lights to be seen by and no radio. They found out, the hard way, why pilots were always required to carry flashlights. They wanted to return and land so Mac flew over the field, hoping they would get traffic out of the way. On the downwind leg Mac saw the emergency equipment on the field with their emergency lights flashing so he assumed that everything was under control and landed. The time off to on was 16 min. With a change of planes, they were on their way an hour later.

Ford Blaney checked out in 2/53 and told about his final ride with Joe Imeson, flying MKC to DCA. There was a strong crosswind landing at Wheeling; he hit the pavement hard! Joe's casual remark was typical following a number of the Martin landings: "Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing." Bill Ashcraft had Board Chairman Warren Lee Pierson on board when he made a lousy landing at OAK. When he landed at Fresno one engine quit. Pierson good-naturedly remarked: "I survived a crash landing at OAK and an engine failure at FNO, what surprises can I look forward to on the next leg?" Bill "Sailor" Davis (the ground school instructor on safety) was riding in the cockpit on his first trip aboard a Martin. It was a hot and humid day as they departed to the southeast at MDW with a full load. "Duke" Ellington was flying the plane and described how the "end of the runway was rising to meet them and the machine still showed no interest in flying"...Bill muttered in his plaintive voice "Dear Lord, when is it going to be". Duke added that "needless to say he flipped off the 'no smoking' sign when Bill reached for one of his Camel cigarettes". Dave Spain told about how he survived an auto-feather on takeoff (south) at MKC one evening with a full load. All went well as they circled and landed, got another plane and proceeded to STL. After deplaning a passenger introduced himself and handed Dave one of his business cards with the remark "If he had experiences like that very often on TWA he might need his services"...he sold cemetery lots.

The Martin "slide rule experts" said it couldn't happen...while parked on the ground, with or without the engines running, a plane settling on its tail if a large group of passengers were in the area. Jack Barnard made the usual signal for the hostess to lower the steps after arriving at Wilkes-Barre. The ramp had a slight upward slope. Before she made a move a large number of passengers made a beeline for the door and the plane very slowly rotated back on its tail. The passengers returned to their seats and the plane slowly and gently rotated back to the normal position. Stan Chichester told of an incident departing LGA just after a front had passed and the winds were very strong and gusty. The copilot was flying and as he started to turn the engine over, the nose of the plane left the ground and the tail slowly settled on the ramp. There they sat, wondering What happened was, a United DC-4 had pulled in behind them what was going on? and was revving up his engines to turn into the wind, the combination prop wash and gusty winds caused the unscheduled maneuver. The passengers exited by the front cabin door, a change of planes was made and they were on their way again.

Stan added how one passenger sued TWA for a back injury.

"Slim" Pahl checked out in June of 1952, and told about his first trip with a M404. He was going from MKC to CLE with a stop at STL. Classmate Jack Miller was getting some line time as copilot. The ramp at STL had an upward slope, and Slim was being extra careful to taxi very slow approaching the gate area. This required a series of applying the brakes and then adding power; with the "walking gear" the passengers were getting a wild ride as the plane lurched back and forth.

Once "safely" parked, Jack wryly asked "if it's OK to let them up now?" (the seatbelt sign).

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THE MARTIN 404s Norm Parmet, Power Plant Engineer on the Martins, told how P&W approached TWA to change the carburetor setting to what they called the "transport setting".

This was a much enriched setting brought about by the problems they were having with the CV340. Although both aircraft used the same engine, the CV340 installation was different because of the augmenter tubes for the engine exhaust. P&W threatened to take away TWA's warranty if they didn't agree. An agreement was made for P&W to pay for the cost of the change plus a flight test. Much to the embarrassment of P&W, during the test at 12,000', both engines lost some power and began trailing a heavy black smoke out of the exhaust pipes. Months later they returned with a new setting, which TWA accepted, although it did use more fuel. TWA adopted a method to regain this fuel loss in cruise by developing a procedure for flight crews to lean out the mixture by what we called the BMEP drop method.

The P&W R2800-CB]6 engine, along with the Wright BD engine used on the 749/749A Connies, had some initial problems but turned out to be the best piston engines ever operated by TWA. The CB-I6 had a new forged head which produced lower cylinder head temperature and a 3" wider impeller which gave better altitude performance. The Martin-designed cooling was far superior to the Convair's. This feature gave a number of TWA pilots a break in the usual monotony when flying in VFR conditions and everything was routine: if they were on a parallel flight with a Convair, it was a race! The Convair was about 7 mph faster than the Martin in normal cruise power...but with a little (?, sometimes METO) extra power the Martin could outrun the Convair and beat them to their destination airport.

This was because the Convair couldn't take the extra power without overheating the engines. In case of a tie, the Martin could land shorter and be on the way to the ramp while the Convair completed its landing roll.

I don't have notes on when United first introduced the CV340, it was about late 1952 . Delta and Chicago & Southern merged on 5/1/53, which may have been about the time TWA crews, based at DET, flew the CV340 on the interchange. Delta flew from Atlanta to Cincinnati and TWA on to DET. According to Jack Robertson the CV340 (and later CV440) laid over in DET from midnight to 4:00am which was the weird time available for the TWA crews to get checked out or other pilot qualifications.

Ben Boyd added how, until he "retired" in August 1954 (he continued in the MKC Training Department until ]2/82), he flew the interchange for about l 5 months and only missed being at home at night on 4 occasions...2 were due to weather, one a mechanical delay with a Convair and the other when he was called to ferry an airplane. I questioned a number of the pilots who flew both types of equipment which they preferred or thought the best. The answers were mixed between the M404 (definitely not the M202A) and the CV340. One big advantage the Martin had, in cold weather you could use the cabin heaters on the ground, the Convair had to have an engine running.

Sam Gracy wrote about a trip Where he was giving George Long a line check with a M202A and when they lowered the gear to land on runway 4 at Fort Wayne, they only had two gear lights. They cycled the gear with the same indication and on the next attempt to cycle there was a loud noise and a thump from the nose gear along with a spray of hydraulic fluid from under the rudder pedal area. There was now a green light for the left and nose gear and no hydraulic pressure or quanity.

Sam knelt down and opened the hatch in the cockpit step to lower the right gear manually and was greeted by a blast of hot air and hydraulic fluid, which covered his face and shirt. He pulled the handle but the gear wouldn't go down. They hadn't given up, but Sam went back to the cabin to assure the passengers the problem would be eventually fixed. He sat next to one passenger and

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Cincinnati July 1953: Proving run with TWA crews flying the Delta Convair 340 prior to using it on the interchange. TWA flew DET to CVG where Delta crews continued to Miami. In the cockpit are Ray Rowe (Asst. Mgr. Flying-DET) and Ev Green, hostesses are Joan Van pelt and Mary Stegner (Asst. Regional Supt. Nostesses ). Standing by the prop are "Doc" Mesker (Reg'l.

Mgr. Flying), Ted Neja and John Rhodes. Service with the CV340 began on August 1.

Las Vegas, Nev. January 1953; Inauguration of Martin 404 Service. Far left are Station Manager W. E. "Bake" Baker and Capt. Doug Kuhlman 67

THE MARTIN 404s had a cigarette. About the time he finished the cigarette, George put the plane in a bank and they hit some turbulence...the gear went down. The passenger said "Good job, Captain".

Sam returned to the cockpit and there were 3 green lights and George calmly smoking his pipe. The landing was routine and they were towed to the gate. A mechanic opened the nose gear doors and got bathed in hydraulic fluid, their only casualty. Inspection revealed a nose gear trunnion had broken at its attach point and in the process had broken a hydraulic line.

Jack Robertson had an incident which was not covered in the Operating Manual on "Emergency Procedures". The copilot made a normal landing at CLE and as soon as the nosewheel touched down the right engine went into METO (Maximum Except Take Off) power with the throttle fully retarded. The aircraft headed off the runway and the only way to keep it aligned was applying METO power on the left engine.

They were, of course, airborne again and while circling the airport they tried to cut the mixture control. This didn't work either. The only way to stop the engine was with the fuel valve, which worked, and the engine was feathered. The What happened was that two of the three single-engine landing was uneventful. main bolts supporting the engine were broken allowing the engine to droop. This sag affected the throttle and mixture control.

Stan Chichester had a flight control problem (that wasn't in the Ops Manual) on a trip between South Bend and MDW. The plane had just come out of overhaul. As he proceeded towards MDW the plane kept wanting to climb despite the use of the elevator trim tab. He finally wound up with the control column well forward and an ungodly amount of trim. The plane flew OK and he was glad it was a short leg although on the approach, after the flaps were extended, the nose came up with the column all the way forward. By using partial flaps they finally made it on the ground without further incident. This was written up in the plane's log and the next time Stan went through MDW he called maintenance for an answer to the problem.

The only answer he received was that "it had been fixed".

In July 1953, TWA's Ground Service Department initiated a program for 5-minute stops at certain stations with the Martins. This was providing the plane could be "fueled through" and minimum service was necessary. The left engine was cut and the crew and all through passengers remained on board. This created a problem for the right engine's generator; which could be overloaded with the usual electrical items such as instruments, radios, vent fans, lights etc. The Martin pilots were experiencing a rash of generator failures. This resulted in a number of changes in the generator wiring, provided an automatic reduction in the electrical load in case a generator failed, provided a red warning light on the copilot's panel if a generator failed, cancelled leaving an engine running at the five-minute stops and no longer permitted cooling on the ground by means of the plane's refrigerator system.

The SFO supervisor pilots qualified on the Martin were Lloyd "Ole" Olson, Bob Larson and Art Nelson. Bob told how he had a call from Lee Flanagin to come to LAX that night to re-qualify Howard Hughes in the Martin, since he was the only check pilot available.

Bob deadheaded to LAX and checked with dispatch...not a word from Hughes and no way of contacting him. At noon the next day Bob gave up and, after telling Lee where Mr. Hughes could go, deadheaded home, arriving 24 hours after he had left there, tired, dirty and mad. Not so mad with a Hughes encounter was Joe Peterson who was copilot with Vern Rife on a westbound flight through Las Vegas in August 3953. On the ground he noticed Vern and Howard engaged in conversation and about 20' away (along the fence) was an extremely attractive young lady dressed in a halter and shorts. Hughes said he was tired of

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THE MARTIN 404s h er and shipping her back to mama in Long Beach, and requested they take good care of her. TWA put on a second hostess for the 1 hr & 20 min flight. Joe got to fly the leg and when at cruise altitude Vern went back to the cabin. It was about this time Joe sensed someone standing on the step between the pilot seats and heard a soft voice exclaim "oh how beautiful it is". In spite of the cool environment (good cabin refrigeration) she was still clad in the brief shorts and Joe's attention was momentarily (?) diverted...he had put the airplane in a gentle bank and made a 380 degree turn back toward Las Vegas.

One of the most common complaints by the pilots with regard to the Martins was the flight control reactions, particularly the ailerons, in certain icing conditions (not Joe Peterson's experience). The M202A had manual cable controlled ailerons which rotated well beyond 90 degrees each direction with full travel; the M404 had hydraulic boosted ailerons and the wheel rotated about 70 degrees for full travel with about * of the force. With full aileron deflection one's elbow was in his stomach which might require a contortionist to push or pull on the stabilizer.

A few of the icing experiences: Dave Richwine departed PIT with moderate snow (temperature 2 or 3 degrees above freezing) and the large and wet flakes melted as fast as they hit the skin. A check at the ramp showed nothing sticking to the wing so Dave opted not to have it glycolled. Shortly after breaking ground, and still at max power, the left wing started to load up and it took full trim and aileron to keep the wings level. They were on top at 4,000 ' , and with power reduction, the loading eased up considerably. No ice on the wings was visible from the cockpit. A check by Dick Nielsen from the cabin showed a patch of rime ice about 5 or 6 feet long, a foot wide and 1/2 inch thick which had formed just forward of the left aileron slot. This was, in effect, forming a small spoilertype ridge.

Cliff Davis departed MKC to ICT and immediately experienced severe buffeting. It took full aileron and rudder to keep the wings level. He returned to MKC where ice was discovered in the wing fillet area (one side).

Stan Corey told about a trip with Dale Fulton from CVG to CMH. They had taxied through some slush.

After liftoff and raising the flaps, the plane wanted to pitch down and to the right. Lowering the flaps corrected the problem. Harry Jacobsen was on a flight with George Shank from FTW to MDW. They were on the ground about half an hour with wet snow falling and the temperature 35 degrees.

No deicing was available, so George opted to go and they would watch the wings on takeoff. All went well until they raised flaps and the plane rolled aggressively to the right. The flaps were lowered and they proceeded to MDW at a reduced speed. On the ground they found a small patch of ice in the right wing root area.

Roland Burton was on a DAY layover when a call came for him to ferry a M404 to MDW. The weather was light freezing rain, so the plane was fueled and stored in the hangar. The wings were clear on the final check before takeoff, but in the air it took 1/3 aileron travel to keep the wings level. They flew in this configuration for 1/2 an hour before the ice melted. Jack Barnard was approaching Fort Wayne and, with initial flap extension, the M404 began a smooth cyclical pitching motion. This he realized was a problem with the flap/stabilizer phasing system and would require a no-flap landing (no previous practice with this maneuver).

This was successful, although a UAL pilot waiting at the end of the runway radioed how "he watched in terror". Maintenance immediately stuffed a hot air duct into the tail area which evaporated the "probable cause". Just in case, Jack made a short test hop around the field before continuing the flight.

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THE MARTIN 404s On 2/24/54, Larry Ives and John Boyce came close to "buying the farm" after departing Detroit's Willow Run Airport in snow conditions. They had already flown from YIP to CVG and return, and were scheduled for another round trip one hour later. Gus, the Lead Mechanic, towed the plane to the hangar where it was hosed down to rid it of ice or snow, and returned to the gate. The pilots inspected the plane's exterior before boarding and, although it was still snowing, all of the surfaces were clear. The weather was bare minimums (for takeoff 200 & , with moderate snow) when they took off and both pilots checked their respective wings for any sign of accumulation of snow or ice. All during the run the plane seemed tail heavy to Larry; this was not unusual with a full load of passengers (along with the carry-on baggage stowed in the rear cabin bin). He was trimming nose down and hit the stop about the time they broke ground and immediately the plane went into a steep climb. Larry used all of his strength to push the nose down as they went into the overcast and climbed to about 400', where the plane partially stalled with this high angle of attack. In desperation he pulled the power off and, when they were level, jammed in the power and quickly adjusted it to about 30" of manifold pressure. This happened to be exactly the amount of power needed to maintain the minimum airspeed and the nose level.

The control tower asked if they were in trouble?...John told them "we have full forward trim, heavy forward pressure on the control column, takeoff flaps, very low airspeed and that we, indeed, are in trouble". They dropped below the overcast and Larry was looking for a field to put the plane down. The left wing was slightly down, but Larry didn't dare to disturb it, and this bank brought them back near the airport. Larry increased the bank angle and tried for the runway.

At that time the "bottom dropped out"...they lost altitude and had to level the wings, and missed the approach! Ray Rowe had been summoned to the tower and described how they crossed the airport below the top of the Willow Run Hangar. A second approach was made on the ILS making very shallow turns and dropping the gear at the last minute. The total elapsed flying time was ]3 minutes.

That evening and the next day a contingent of TWA (including Bob Rummel, VP of Engineering) and Martin test pilots gathered to discuss all possibilities that may have contributed to the problem, without success. Three weeks later, Larry received a call from Martin asking if he had taxied with the flight controls in the locked position.

With a 'yes' answer, they had the solution: the plane had been towed to a warm hangar, hosed down with water, and returned to the gate in sub-freezing weather.

When the controls were locked on a M404, the trim tab for the elevator is in the down position, causing the elevator to be in an intermediate up position. The trim tab froze in this position. Martin had already made tests which proved it took 92 pounds of pressure on the yoke to keep the plane's nose level. There was one bit of fortune in that the trim tab remained frozen...if it had broken loose while in the air, and trimmed in the full down position, they could never have recovered in time. Ironically, an Eastern M404 had a similar problem about the same time as this incident, so it was a joint investigation effort by all concerned.

On 4/30/54, Clarence Robey, Mgr Flying-Domestic, issued an operations bulletin to all pilot personnel with the following recommendations for Martin Aircraft: The application of glycol over the horizontal tail prior to takeoff if there is any accumulation of snow or ice. A visual inspection of the tab areas and any snow or ice accumulation removed. When in snow conditions, the airplane was to be taxied with elevator gust lock released.

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THE MARTIN 404s Starting in late 1953, a group of 60 International Relief Pilots were assigned to Domestic for line familiarization in preparation for upgrading to Captain on the Martins. All were hired circa August-September 1945, and had been on International since 1948. This was also the last time TWA had the Captain upgrading program.

Barney Rawlings was among the group and was assigned to MKC. Barney told of a trip with Russ Means, on 3/13/54, where they had bare takeoff minimums when they departed LGA and lost an engine. Russ flew them to EWR where the weather was 300 ' and one mile and, according to Barney, Russ did a superb job.

The group was divided into four classes, the first one starting ground school (3 weeks) in late February 1954. This was followed by two weeks of transition, 45 hours flying with a line check captain, a progress check, another 45 hours line time, a progress check, a semi final ride, a final ride and then the Rating ride...a total of about 140 hours of supervised flying. Thad May explained how this group was well prepared for the instructor and check pilots...they had a "book", which listed every known trick or maneuver the individual pilot might expose them to during the checkout program. For example: one instructor would raise the flaps instead of the gear on takeoff. Thad told how he was well prepared...and quickly returned the flaps and raised the gear with one continuous motion with his right hand while he continued to look straight ahead.

Bill Greer told of his final line check with Cecil Schildberg on 7/27/54, from MKC to BAL. They departed MKC around midnight and on the CMH-DCA leg in the wee hours of the morning there was a sudden and severe engine vibration. Bill immediately feathered the engine as Cecil awakened and asked: "what now?". Bill opted to proceed on to DCA since they were at 7,000' and nearing the beginning of descent. Bill was confident he must have passed his check after a successful approach and landing. There was one big hitch (per a Paul Frederickson rule) in Bill's progress: he had to demonstrate one approach to near minimums under actual conditions. It wasn't until October 1974, with a fog at MDW, that this was available.

With this approach and landing completed, he was finally put on the "Letter of Authority" In mid-1955, LGA-based Riley Bissonette and Billy Williams (both hired 7/12/45) were appointed 890's (Line Check Captains) on the Martins. One of Riley's first students was "Lum" Edwards. On their first ride together they lost an engine on takeoff (with an auto feather) from LGA. According to "Lum", this on-the-line training was for real...they were back on the ground in record time.

Art Murphy was among the first of the LAX Captains to check out on the M404 and told about an experience after taking off from LAX on 8/7/54. This was a local test hop following an engine change with Fred Werner the Copilot and a mechanic in the jump seat. It was a dry (no ADI) takeoff with manifold pressure reduced to 50", and shortly after airborne a line to the oil cooler blew and dumped oil at a rapid rate. The engine was manually feathered at 300' but with the reduced power the plane would not climb, and the sand dunes were looming ahead. He increased the pressure to 60" and the plane climbed to a modest 400' and once beyond the shoreline he sacrificed 200' of altitude for additional airspeed. The plane performed OK, but the cylinder and oil temperatures were redlined and Art opted to turn right around and make the landing with a slight tail wind rather than go all away around the airport. All went well with the gear and flaps extended except he couldn't bleed off the excess speed with the throttle closed.

A "go-around" was out of the question so Art resorted to a steep forward slip, which was effective, and the landing was successful. This incident illustrated the difference in aircraft performance with an engine feathered (minimum drag) and a windmilling prop which was the usual training practice to simulate an engine failure (with the throttle retarded).

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Left to Right: Wally McGreevy, Chuck McMills, Jim Sanders, Jack Quinn, Ed Reed, Louis Cook, Wes Turner, Don Aagesen, Ken Bickett, Roger Salmonson, Stan Budris, John Morin, Don Treu and Bill Greer.

(Left) First of 60 International Relief Pilots in ground school for upgrading to Captain (on the Martins).

Kansas City May 1954, last group of International Relief Pilots upgrading to Captain (on the Martin): Left to right: Robert Cole, Earle Hendricks, Barney Rawlings, Bob Gough, George England, O.T.Smith, Francis Conley, Milt Wind, Dick Lee, John Richey, Charles (far right) Gale Storck and Bert Cooper.

Shewey, Ray Fowler. George Gay, Bill Sellers, Lee Jekel, John Nunn and Larry DeCelles.

THE MARTIN 404s Bob Voss told of a flight when they were cruising at 6,000' near Phillipsburg and all the red warning lights came on for the right engine. It was feathered and the decision made to land at Harrisburg. As was the custom, he kept as much airspeed and altitude possible until in the vicinity of the airport. There was a delay in receiving a clearance to land because of a small plane ahead of them with no radio contact (and probably color blind to the red signal to leave the pattern).

Bob was holding 150 mph in case of a go-around, but at the last minute was cleared to land. This was too much speed to bleed off with the engine feathered but the landing was made. All went well until he tried to taxi; the plane wouldn't move as all four tires had blown. A bus was dispatched to bring in the passengers. However, with the blown tires there was not enough clearance for the passengers to use the rear steps and they had to use a ladder via the front door. Bob added how this was the first time that anyone had given any consideration to this situation of a nose-high attitude for deplaning.

Don Quinlivan and Jim Rapattoni came very close to a double engine failure soon after leaving ABQ for LAS. The incoming crew had parked the plane on the ramp at the usual spot, which happened to be downwind to the dust storm in the area that had gusts up to 60 mph from the west. It wasn't very long after they were established at cruise altitude when it was discovered both engines were losing oil at a rapid rate and the power started to decrease. The only possibility was to return to ABQ. This would require an ILS approach to the north with a circle to land west. The approach on the ILS paralleled the Rio Grande River and Don was looking for a good spot to make an emergency landing if the engines failed.

They were at minimum altitude, headed north, the intersection of the east-west runway was in sight and Don made a steep left turn and landed. The combination of the strong wind and ample runway remaining to the west made this possible.

There was less than four gallons of oil remaining in each tank (normal quantity was 20 gallons) when they arrived at the ramp. Both engines had to be changed as the dust and sand honed down the piston rings to the point where there was almost no compression.

I don't have the details, but the late Earl Lindsly told me about losing an engine on takeoff out of Santa Fe (elevation 6,344'). He was too low and slow to make any turns, so he headed for ABQ flying at near treetop level and to the north of the Sandia Mountains. He made a straight in approach and landing to the south. One thing in Earl's favor for the approximate 50 mile trip was that it was down hill...ABQ is 5,352'.

While engine failures were not a rarity, many of the pilots flew thousands of hours without ever having to shut one down. "C.D." Woods probably has one record which would be hard to beat...on a 2i day flight he had to shut down an engin on three occasions! Joe Shiavo, the Copilot, threatened to abandon him if there was one more failure. I don't have the details, but Larry Ives mentioned how he once had a double engine failure.

On 3/25/54, Cliff Sparrow was enroute to MDW and from his position over Calumet there was some lightning in the direction of the airport. A normal landing was made on runway 32, but shortly after touchdown they ran into heavy rain and the aircraft started to porpoise. Cliff had passed control of the yoke to the copilot so he could handle the prop reversing and nose steering, but for whatever reason the nose wasn't held down. The "T" handle had to be in the up position in order to reverse. The scissor switch on the gears to operate the "T" handle was often touchy and if it didn't pop up the pilot had to reach over the pedestal and manually pull it up. Cliff pulled the handle up but by the time he was

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Inaugural TWA Martin flight into Terre Haute, Ind. DET Capt . Jack Robertson, the Mayor of Terre Haute and a young fan admire the plane.

THE MARTIN 404s back to the throttles to reverse the props, it retracted. The nose wheel came loose after the third bounce and, with steering now impossible, the plane skidded off the runway. The nose wheel hit a manhole cover that was not flush with the ground and collapsed. All of this took place in a matter of 5 to ]0 seconds after touch down. They started to evacuate, but the galley equipment had come loose and was in the aisle preventing the passengers from exiting by way of the forward door. It was necessary to climb over the galley equipment and exit by the rear ramp. Two or three passengers were sent to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

In September of 1954, Mary Horstman was promoted to Manager Flying-Staff, based at MKC. Lyle Hincks took his place as Mgr. Flying Central Region (CHI).

There was a reprieve for the DC-3 on a scheduled passenger flight, on 7/21/54 , when one was substituted for a M404 on a trip from SFO to LAX and return. Bill Ashcraft was currently qualified on the DC-3 (3 landings in 90 days), but Dick Carter was not, so Art Nelson took him up for 3 quick takeoffs and landings and the flight departed on schedule.

On 9/8/54, Tony Stahl was on the approach to PHL (with a M202A) using 3/4 flaps (the usual way the instructors taught for making a smoother landing). There was no notch to hold the flap handle in this position. Just as they were coming up on a fence near the end of the runway (landing north) the copilot's arm accidentally hit the flap handle; the flaps retracted, the plane drooped and the nose wheel hit the fence and broke. After the plane stopped there was the usual evacuation (no injuries). This was one of three gear or nose gear incidents in September 1954. Others included a nose gear shaft failure during landing at PIT on 9/4, and a gear retraction after landing at Fort Wayne on 9/13 .

John Lattimore told of a trip into the old Allegheny Airport with Ralph Helphingstine.

Ralph made a smooth landing and after lowering the nose wheel on the runway there was a sudden and violent vibration. So much so they couldn't read the instrument panel. They held the nose up as long as possible and when they had slowed down it was lowered again with the same vibration. Maintenance found an axle bolt loose. Needless to add, John was a bit apprehensive when the speed built up on the following takeoff run. Cleo Mattke told of a flight going into ABQ: after landing the nose wheel turned to its stops with a violent shimmy, so much so that he was unable to keep his feet on the brakes and hardly the rudder pedals (there was a trail of zig-zag tire marks on the runway). Cleo had black and blue marks on his knees from banging against the yoke and the food carriers were moving in and out against the retaining straps. The flight cancelled while maintenance replaced a broken collar dampner. On the following day Cleo had the same plane but, before departing for MKC, he made some high speed taxi tests.

The next day he noticed the plane in the hangar and Roy Hughes (Foreman) showed him how the horizontal stabilizer could be moved back and forth as though there was a pivot in the center. The rivet holes were stretched.

TWA's equipment at the end of 1954 consisted of 6 DC-3s, 11 DC-4s, 12 M202s, 40 M404s, 32 049 Connies, 12 749s, 27 749As and 30 1049As...a total of 150 planes.

ANOTHER NOTE BY Ed BETTS : Many thanks to the TARPA members who wrote, called or taped their reflections on flying the Martins. With a rare exception, they all agreed it was a great airplane. These were a few of the incidents which were a part of flying in those days with no radar for avoiding severe weather and the airway control system was pretty primitive.......... MORE TO FOLLOW...........

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Opposite: Sept. 7, 1952, Inauguration of Martin service into Marion, Ohio. Also second anniversary of TWA service. Assisting hostess Pat Daly cut a cake is Station Mgr. W. H. Meinzer, F/0 Lorren North and Capt. Eddie Wells.

Top right: April 1954, arrival of the first flight into the new Wichita Airport.

Pilots Carroll D. Woods and Vilas Horstmeyer.

Hostess Alna Schenkosky's 'father, Alan, was on hand to greet them.

T op: Bill Dixon in Martin 404 cockpit

The annual TWA Flight Operations retirement parties were held at LAX on October 5, STL on October 6 and JFK on October 19. Capt. Jay Colpitts, Vice President Flying, was the host. A total of 171 Flight Operations employees were honored. The following is a list of those who were honored.

TARPA'S CONGRATULATIONS and BEST WISHES FOR a HAPPY RETIREMENT!

TWA FLIGHT OPERATIONS PERSONNEL RETIRED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 16, 1989 and SEPTEMBER 15, 1990 (Date of hire included)

Abbott, Julian R. Abell, Clarence F.,Jr. Allen, James F. Arbogast, Jerry T. Arnold, Michael E. Bagnall, Harold E. Baker, Norman O. Balboa, William C. Barron, Robert D. Becker, Marshall K. Bernal, Daniel A. Bertles, Raymond G. Beuerlein, Edward W. Bias, James H., Jr. Billman, Jack D. Bisig, Richard W. Blochowitz, Roland A. Brickner, Robert M. Brickson, Philip E. Brookshire, Jack T. Burke, Joseph M. Callahan, Philip R. Calvert, Richard E. Cannon, Robert E. Carlson, Kenneth S. Carpenter, John W. Carr, Edward C.,Jr. Carstens, Leroy A. Chancellor, Lee Charpentier, Donald J. Chebuske, John A. Clear, John B. Clemens, William H. Cochran, Wright E. Compton, Stuart L. Connell, James B. Connelly, Edward W. Coomes, Joseph D. Cooper, Charles H. Couture, Peter D. Croskell, Robert W.

Cap 12/ 2/63 Cap 10/ 7/66 Cap 7/13/64 Cap 4/29/66 F/E 6/21/68 Cap 2/10/64 Cap 1/2764 Cap 4/ 4/60 F/E 6/21/5] Cap 1/65 F/E 12/ 7/64 Cap 12/ 5/55 Cap 12/ 5/55 Cap 1/31/66 Cap 10/ 7/63 Cap 2/ 4/57 Cap 3/28/66 Cap 3/ 9/59 F/0 2/24/67 Cap 6/18/56 Cap 6/ 7/65 Cap 4/13/64 F/0 6/23/67 Cap 10/26/64 Cap 12/ 3/56 Cap 1/ 1/55 F/E 11/ 5/56 Cap 10/25/65 Cap 2/21/66 Cap 6/29/64 F/E 4/26/56 Cap 4/ 4/55 Cap 7/ 6/64 Cap 4/29/66 F/E 9/ 4/56 Cap 7/16/56 Cap 12/27/65 Cap 6/14/65 Cap 1/ 7/57 Cap 5/17/65 F/E 10/ 3/55

Culliss, Kenneth R. Cunningham, Ronald B Curtis, Carlyle K. Cushing, Charles W. Cusic, Homer S. Cutler, Keith A. Dana, Bruce Disch, Wayne H. Douglass, Francis R. Duchon, Joseph E. Dutton, Brock W. Eddleman, William L. Endress, James V. Fair, Edward A. Ferren, Raymond W. Ferris, Robert C. Fiser, Jesse A. Forcum, Lloyd E. Gabel, Beau E. Galka, Stuart A. Gatty, Anthony V. Geldersma, Folkert F. Gibbs, Raeford F. Greene, Abbott Otto Hair, William H. Harkins, William F. Hastings, John O. Healy, Jerry F., Jr. Herner, Donald E. Hestermann, Clifford A. Hodgson, Alan Holman, Ernest M. Humphrey, Walter Inglesby, Carl J. Inglis, Idus A. Jackson, Charles Jackson, William H. Jetzorreck, Dieter Jezek, Earl D. Kadonsky, Francis J. Kautzmann, Robert

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Cap 11/15/65 Cap 1/11/65 F/0 10/ 3/55 Cap 7/28/52 F/E 7/22/66 Cap 8/24/64 F/0 8/ 9/65 Cap 3/ 8/65 Cap 5/ 2/55 F/0 2/10/64 Cap 3/ 8/65 Cap 2/21/66 Cap 7/20/64 Cap 12/27/65 Cap 2/ 4/57 Cap 10/ 4/54 Cap 10/31/55 F/E 4/12/65 F/0 12/15/67 Cap 4/11/66 F/E 12/ 1/39 Cap 4/ 5/60 Cap 10/31/55 Cap 6/29/64 F/E 11/11/66 F/0 3/14/66 Cap 8/ 9/65 Cap 12/ 9/66 Cap 11/15/65 Cap 2/24/64 Cap 6/24/66 Cap 2/23/59 F/0 3/ 9/68 Cap 5/28/56 F/E 9/ 8/44 Cap 11/29/65 Cap 5/26/67 Cap 12/ 6/65 Cap 4/ 4/55 Cap 2/ 2/56 Cap 8/17/64

TWA FLIGHT OPERATIONS PERSONNEL RETIRED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 16, 1989 and SEPTEMBER 15, 1990 Kavanaugh, Charles W. Kenna, James M. Kieffer, John J. King, Douglas M. Klumb, Eugene J. Knopf, Robert H. Kobosky, Carl R. Kraft, Donald L. Lane, Daniel N. Lang, Ivan C. Laursen, Ray T. Linzay, Robert E.,Jr. Livingston, Justin W. Loury, Keith A. Majer, Thomas A. Mann, Kenneth O. Mantelos, Sam Marshall, Richard C. Mateychak, John McConnell, Douglas T. McGauly, David J. McGinnis, C. W. "Mack" McGlasson, Bruce McGrath, Thomas L. McLean, Richard A. McWilliams, John A. Meusel, William L. Meyer, William J. Miller, Nelson O. Mock, James A. Moir, Douglas S. Moore, James D. Morrison, Dexter C. Nevins, Peter G. Newell, Theodore"Dick" Nickerson, Robert M. Parsons, Gary L. Plumb, Kenneth M. Pratt, Horace B."Buck"

F/0 2/17/67 Cap 3/28/66 Cap 7/27/64 Cap 4/11/66 F/E 3/ 4/57 Cap 3/1567 Cap 10/11/65 Cap 9/21/64 Cap 4/26/65 Cap 7/27/64 Cap 7/ 6/64 Cap 10/ 8/56 Cap 4/30/56 Cap 7/16/56 F/0 6/24/74 Cap 1 / 5/59 Cap 10/ 3/55 Cap 12/27/65 Cap 2/ 6/56 F/E 7/20/64 Cap ]/ 4/65 Cap 10/ 3/55 F/E ]0/]3/67 Cap 2/ 6/56 Cap 1 / 4/65 Cap 1/ 4/65 F/0 7/ 7/66 Cap 4/ 2/56 F/E ]1/ 5/56 Cap 10/ 5/53 F/E 3/10/67 Cap 11/26/5] Cap 4/ 4/66 Cap 8/ 1/65 Cap 3/11/59 F/E 4/ 5/60 Cap 2/ 8/65 F/E 3/ 7/66 Cap 10/ 3/55

Prest, Albert H. Prock, Wayne L. Proctor, William H. Pue, Charles L. "Les" Pullman, Donald E. Reen, John J. Ripple, Wayne K. Rogers, Richard R. Ruhe, Herman J. Russell, Raymond Saunders, Dayton A. Saunders, Peter J. Savicz, Joseph G. Sawyer, Ronald G. Schroeder, Wilbur F. Schulz, Daniel H. Seaman, John L. Selby, John W. .

Shipstead, Weston H. Sidway, Peter Soehren, Delos O. Spasiano, Louis Stevens, Larry M. Stiteler, David George Stone, Richard J. Stroschein, Edward J. Sturges, Frank E. Thomas, Richard E. Trainer, Leo F. Traylor, John A. Trojan, Robert W. Vasilaros, Nicholas Watkins,Richard C. Weickert, Eberhard Weik, Donald R. Wells, Clinton D. Williams, Alvin L.,Jr. Wisely, Jack D. Zachem, Jon N.

7/1265 Cap Cap 5/]0/65 Cap 4/30/56 Cap 1/ 4/65 Cap 12/ 3/56 Cap 9/]0/56 Cap 7/]3/64 Cap 12/27/65 Cap 5/ 2/55 F/E ]0/22/51 Cap 1/17/66 Cap 11/29/65 Cap 8/13/56 F/E 9/23/66 Cap 6/25/56 Cap 7/16/56 F/E 2/19/52 Cap ]/ 7/57 Cap 3/ 5/56 Cap 5/28/56 Cap ]0/ 4/65 Cap 4/ 4/55 Cap / 6/67 Cap 4/ 4/55 Cap 7/16/56 Cap ]0/ 8/56 Cap 5/28/56 Cap 12/ 5/55 Cap 10/ 8/56 Cap 7/29/66 Cap 12/ 6/54 F/E 9/28/43 F/0 6/16/67 5/106 Cap Cap 1/27/64 Cap ]2/]4/64 Cap 12/13/65 Cap 1 / 1/66 Cap 12/]3/65

OTHER FLIGHT OPERATIONS PERSONNEL Andresen, Martin J. Photo Specialist, Training Beadleston, Ivan Supv, Scheduling, Training Caldwell, Larry J. Flight Dispatch Officer Campbell, Richard E. Category Planner Catanzaro, Carl J. Flight Simulator Tech.

Dunn, Robert W. Mgr-Flight Crew Admin.

Giangregorio, Vincent A. Flight Simulator Tech.

Heinson, George B. Flight Simulator tech.

Janssen, William J. Supv. Flt, Ops, Admin.

Wallace, Lydia A. Operations Planner Warne, David F. Dir,-Flt, Perf.Engineering

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1/25/71 ]2/ 1/48 4/165 3/]9/48 ]1/24/52 7/24/55 11/ 6/5] / 6/53 7/17/50 11/ 2/7] 4/25/66

RECOMMENDATIONS, SUGGESTIONS & INFORMATION Edward Peck, 196 Springview Court, Louisville, KY 49243, is a subscriber to TARPA TOPICS having been employed by TWA at Louisville, Houston, San Francisco, Dhahran and Tripoli, where he was Sales Director for Libya.

Ed is interested in obtaining back copies of TARPA TOPICS. Maybe someone can help him. Possibly someone deceased had copies their relatives might be obliging enough to send them to Ed. He would be most appreciative.

TARPA shirts are available from Betti Wind, P.O. Box 309. Meshoppen, PA, 18630. Prices included handling and postage. Betti is doing this as a favor to our TARPA members.

Sweat Shirts - red or white, any size $15.

Staff Shirts - (tennis, golf) red or white $15.

Tee Shirts - red or white, any size $6.50 * * * * * * And Larry Fauci sells TWA tie tacs, tie bars and lapel pins. Address; 52 Westgate Drive, Sparta, NJ 07871. Phone; 201 729 2620.

For those of you living in Florida, you might be interested in joining the Florida Aviation Historical Society. Dues are $5.00. They send out a monthly newsletter which we find very entertaining. Their address is;FAHS P.O. Box 127, Indian Rocks, FL 34635.

Y BILL HO EST

BUMPER SNICKERS B

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