2014-06_TARPA_TOPICS

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2014 ANNUAL CONVENTION SEPTEMBER 8 - 12, 2014 R E N O ,

N E V A D A

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2014 Annual Convention SEPTEMBER 8 - 12, 2014 RENO, NEVADA

Virginia City, Lake Tahoe, and the National Championship Air Races

Host Hotel: Silver Legacy Hotel & Casino

W W W.TARPA .COM I<>@JK<IÛKF;8P Get ready for an amazing schedule of events, headquartered at the luxurious Silver Legacy Hotel & Casino in downtown Reno.

Events include: National Automobile Museum, Historic Virginia City, a Lake Tahoe Sternwheeler Cruise, reserved seating at the Air Races, and of course our fabulous final banquet dinner dance.

Golfers have an opportunity to play the prestigious Incline Village Championship Course.

Reserve your place soon – only 20 tee times available!

FOR DETAILS, PRICING AND REGISTRATION FORMS SEE PAGES 4-11 (Also available at www.TARPA.com and www.McGowenMarketing.com) or contact Vicki McGowen: vicki@mcgowenmarketing.com or 775-722-2811.

STAY AT THE CENTER OF THE ACTION! J @ CM < I Û C < > 8 : P Û ? F K < C Û ¬ Û : 8 J @ E F Û Ý Û ; F N E K F N E Û I < E F

Special TARPA rates at host hotel starting as low as $81/night*! *Includes resort and facility fees; excludes tax C O M P L E T E T H E H O T E L R E S E R V AT I O N S F O R M F O U N D O N PA G E 1 1

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TABLE OF CONTENTS President’s Message .................................................. 2

Behind the Scenes: TWA Flight Center at JFK ... 22-25

Treasurer’s Report .................................................... 3

TWA’s DC-2 .................................................... 26-29

Update on Passes ..................................................... 3

Classic Photo: The Lindbergh Line ....................... 30

2014 Annual Convention Schedule of Events.......... 4

TWA Flight 800 – Excerpt by Mark L. Berry ... 31-34

2014 Convention Optional Tour Packages ........... 5-6

Flown West ...................................................... 35-40

2014 Annual Convention Registration Forms ... 7-10

Flown West Reporting ........................................... 41

2014 Annual Convention - Hotel Registration... 11-12

Belgian Congo Excitement in 1962 .................. 42-45

The Grapevine ................................................. 13-15

Two Stories on the Concorde ........................... 46-48

Chips Off the Ol’ Block ................................... 16-18

Interesting “Lynx” ................................................ 49

Reflections on Your First Solo Flight ................ 19-21 To read the minutes of the April 21, 2014 TARPA Board Of Directors conference call, please go to www.Tarpa.com and click on “BOD Meeting Minutes”

OFFICERS Bill Kirschner, President & TOPICS Editor ....................................... wma1012@me.com

775-721-4386

Dusty West, 1st Vice President ............................................ dustygator@tampabay.rr.com

941-538-0729

Mike McFarland, Secretary..................................................... miketwa747@hotmail.com

970-223-1278

Ed Madigan, Treasurer ................................................................. edmadigan@charter.net

775-831-1265

Guy Fortier, Past President ........................................................................ guy4ta@att.net

775-831-3040

Charlie Wilder, Senior Director .................................................... clwilder@optonline.net

732-833-2205

Bob Dedman, Hospitality Director .......................................................... rwded@cox.net

757-463-2032

Copyright © 2014 The TWA Active Retired Pilots Association

Material contained in TARPA TOPICS may not be used except with written permission of the Editor.

All inquires concerning this publication should be addressed to: Editor Bill Kirschner wma1012@me.com.

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

Magazine designed by Cathy Gillespie, Catzeye Graphics (www.catzeye.com).

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By the time you read this, the US Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane, should have made his decision, hopefully in our favor, with regard to retaining pass privileges, life and health insurance. Prior to our coming out of bankruptcy, monies were allocated for this continued insurance benefit by our beautiful company TWA. These efforts were a result of many people working very hard on our behalf, not the least of which is TARPA past president Bob Dedman and Seniors Club President, Fran Daino, etal. They represented TWA retirees at a recent Three Diamonds convention in Williamsburg, VA. This is the equivalent of TWA Seniors Club.

In attendance was American’s CEO, Doug Parker, and he was made aware of our concern regarding these prepaid insurance benefits by TWA. He had no idea of the aforementioned prior payment and will “check it out.” They also thanked Mr. Parker for his consideration of the TWA retirees being included in the restructured pass policy.

This coming September 8 - 12, TARPA is having our 35th annual convention in Reno, NV. All are welcome to attend. It coincides with the Reno Air races and we have selected a wonderful hotel: the newly renovated Silver Legacy, for $81 per night, plus tax. For further information, please visit our website: TARPA.com and click on the “Convention 2014” tab, or see pages 4 - 7 in this magazine.

We still have a few extra medallions for sale, which were the welcome gifts during our last year’s convention in Washington, DC. They are designed after the TWA pilots uniform cap insignia. The money goes toward a donation to the TWA Flight 800 Memorial and TWA Museum, which is now a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

If anyone is interested in purchasing medallions for $25 each, please contact: Captain Tom Standifur, 137 Altura Vista, Los Gatos, CA 95032 Email: tomorjeanne@comcast.net or phone: 408-833-6400.

A special thanks to the TARPA Board of Directors, Susy Madigan, Bob Willcutts and Vicki McGowen, for suggestions and proofreading TARPA Topics. Further, this publication would not be possible without Cathy Gillespie of Catzeye Graphics with her great designs and artwork, Roger Martin of RC Printing, and all those who have contributed articles.

Have a happy, safe summer and come have some fun in RNO.

Captain Bill Kirschner President, TARPA

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KI<8JLI<I¿JÛI<GFIKÛÝÛ8GI@CÛ~ Û ~ As of April 15, 2014 the membership is as follows: (R) Retired: .................................................... 407 (A) Active: ........................................................ 16 (E) Eagle: ....................................................... 353 (H) Honorary: ................................................. 52 Total:

...................................................... 828

There are also 27 subscribers to TOPICS and 16 who receive complimentary copies.

Following is the financial report for the period from October 1, 2013 thru April 15, 2014.

Opening Balance ...............................$103,922.28 C.A.C.U (CD’S) ...............................$ 25,927.18 C.A.C.U. (CK) .................................$ 3,352.56 Convention Account .........................$ 3,936.70 * Checking Account.............................$ 35,761.16 Savings Account ................................$ 19,917.12 Balance April 15, 2014: .....................$ 88,894.72 * Includes registration and event fees for 2014 Convention.

See you in Reno this September!

Respectfully Submitted,

Don’t let your TARPA Membership expire!

CHECK YOUR MAILING LABEL! If it reads 2012 or 2013, then it’s time for you to renew.

Ed Madigan TARPA/Treasurer

** UPDATE ON PASSES ** Sometime in late August/early September, American Airlines hopes to merge all employees (TWA included) in Jetnet with the updated passes (4 One Way “D1” per person, and 8 EEE or Buddy Passes “D3”.)

As to US Airways flights, we must go to myIDtravel from Jetnet to purchase a Zed fare for US Airways flights.

The cost is $2.01 per segment, this is a ticketing fee charged by myIDtravel to issue the ticket. Instant purchase and flight listing once you have your ticket number is simple, just follow the prompts.

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TWA Active Retired Pilots Association 2014 Annual Convention - Reno, NV September 8 – September 12, 2014 - Schedule of Events Monday, Sept. 8 Noon – 4:00PM 4:00PM – 6:00PM Tuesday, Sept. 9 10:00AM – 3:00PM 4:00PM – 6:00PM Wednesday, Sept. 10 9:30AM – 3:00PM 8:00AM – 3:00PM 4:00PM – 6:00PM Thursday, Sept. 11 8:15AM – 9:15AM 9:30AM- 3:30PM 4:00PM – 6:00PM 6:00PM

National Automobile Museum Buffet Lunch at the Silver Legacy, guided tour, feature film Welcome Hospitality Suite Open Historic Virginia City Gold Hill Train Ride, City Tour Lunch at the Palace Saloon Hospitality Suite Open Lake Tahoe M.S. Dixie Sternwheeler Lunch Cruise - OR Golf – Incline Village Championship Course Hospitality Suite Open General Membership Meeting National Championship Air Races Includes round trip transfers, reserved seating and pit pass Lunch coupons included Hospitality Suite Open Final Hosted Cocktail Reception and Banquet Dinner and Dance

Tour Transportation – Amador Stagelines will be providing our private transportation for our tours. Buses will be clearly marked and are parked at the 5th Street North Casino Entrance.

Meet at least 10 minutes prior to tour time for an on time departure. Air Race Day – Transfers are also provided by Amador Stage Lines – These buses are for all Air Race attendees, not just TARPA. Return transfers are at your convenience. Pick-up is designated at Air Race field. ***Dinner is on your own each evening, except for our final Dinner on Thursday night. *** Any Questions? Please contact Vicki McGowen McGowen Marketing – 775-722-2811

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2014 CONVENTION OPTIONAL TOUR PACKAGES

Monday, September 8, 2014

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The National Automobile Museum Guided Tour & Lunch at the Silver Legacy Buffet EggfÛ¤Û heÛÝÛ hhÛÛ

Historic Virginia City Including Trolley Tour, Train Ride & Lunch ~ YeÛ¤Û heÛÝÛ hhÛÛ

We begin our week in the Biggest Little City at one of the world’s premier auto collections – The National Automobile Museum. With more than 200 automobiles set in authentic displays and themed street scenes, this is truly an experience you won’t want to miss.

A visit to Nevada isn’t complete without a tour of the original site of the 1800’s Gold Rush: Virginia City. Visit the original saloons, sidewalks, schools and opera house of the era. The tour includes a scenic round trip ride aboard the restored Virginia–Truckee Railroad to the Gold Hill Hotel; the oldest hotel in Nevada.

First, we’ll enjoy a spectacular lunch at the Silver Legacy Buffet. Then, we’ll travel on a deluxe motor coach to the downtown museum for a private guided tour through the seven showrooms.

At the National Automobile Museum, you will see a 1941 Chrysler Convertible, a 1938 Phantom Corsair, Elvis Presley’s 1973 Cadillac, a Gold DeLorean, and even Frank Sinatra’s Ghia. There is a 25-minute film “Bill Harrah’s story and the Magic Carriage.”

We depart the auto museum at 3:45pm to return to the Silver Legacy hotel.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014 Lake Tahoe Cruise with Lunch YeÛ¤Û heÛÝÛ hhÛÛ Lake Tahoe is truly the most beautiful alpine lake in North America.

The lake is 26 miles long, 12 miles across with over 90% pure clarity. The M.S. Dixie Sternwheeler is a fabulous way to experience the incredible beauty

Back in Virginia City, there’s an hour to walk the town.

Visit St. Mary’s Church, the 4th Ward School, or maybe the Bucket of Blood Saloon. There’s tickets to ride the 20 minute guided tram tour through the center of town, with delightful stories of the city’s history. At 1:00pm you’ll be treated to a famous Rueben Sandwich at the Palace Saloon (includes your choice of a beer or glass of wine.) At 2:00pm, we depart for our scenic ride home to downtown Reno. Tour includes comfortable motorcoach transportation, train ride, guided tram ride, and lunch. Please let us know if you would like an alternative sandwich to their famous Double Reuben. of Lake Tahoe and the history of the Vikingsholm Castle at Emerald Bay, all while being entertained with history and intrigue of the azure blue water and snow-capped mountains.

The tour includes the scenic 75-minute ride from Reno to Zephyr Cove, just outside of South Lake Tahoe. We’ll have a two hour guided tour of Lake Tahoe and enjoy a group lunch of Cobb Salad with soft drink of your choice. Our return trip will include a drive-by tour of the capital of Nevada, Carson City.

The tour includes deluxe transportation, M.S. Dixie cruise fare, complete lunch and gratuity.

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2014 CONVENTION OPTIONAL TOUR PACKAGES Thursday, September 11, 2014 National Championship Air Races YeÛ¦Û heÛÝÛ hhÛÛ The “World’s Fastest Motorsport” is a unique and very special event in the Reno area. There are six classes of aircraft competition with speeds of over 500 mph. It is a day of pylon to pylon drama filled with excitement. In between the races we are entertained with an exceptional air show that includes aerobatic performers as well as military demonstration teams.

In 2014, the F22 air combat demonstration team from Langley Air Force Base the “Patriotic Team” will be the featured military team.

Tour includes round trip Air Race shuttle tickets (depart and return just outside the Silver Legacy virtually all day long.) Reserved seating and pit passes are included. A complete hamburger lunch and soda or water will be provided by the Civil Air Patrol. Coupons will be issued, so you can stop by at your leisure to enjoy their delicious fresh grilled burgers (chicken breast are available if you choose).

Air Races Weekend Ticket Packages (Sept. 12-14) Available for those who want to stay over for the finals, packages includes: reserved seats, pit passes and transportation. Cost: Friday, Sept. 12: $82pp Saturday, Sept. 13 and/or Sunday, Sept. 14 - $100pp (hotel not included)

Final Banquet Dinner & Dance Silver Legacy Ballroom

FhlagfYd Lake Tahoe Golf Tournament!

Û¤Û~ heÛÝÛ hhÛÛ Begins with a One-hour hosted cocktail party, compliments of the Silver Legacy (our host hotel)

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**Please note the golf event is the same time as the Lake Tahoe MS Dixie Cruise.**

To learn more about any of the Optional Tours, contact our meeting planner: Ma[caÛD[>go]fÛÝÛD[>go]fÛDYjc]laf_ÛÝÛna[ca³e[_go]feYjc]laf_ÛÝÛ ¤ ¤ ~~ GY_]Û

PHOTO CREDIT: BILL STEVENSON

The banquet dinner features your choice or slow roasted Prime Rib with Cabernet Jus and Creamed Horseradish, or Pan Seared Sea Bass, topped with Green Onion Pesto. The meal includes a lovely Tuscan field greens salad, scrumptious dessert, and features Ferrari Carano Wines. We’ll have a lively DJ for dancing into the night. Be sure and specify if you would like the Prime Rib or Seabass on your registration form.

An incredible opportunity to play one of the most prestigious golf courses on the West Coast – The Incline Village Championship Course. Prices include round trip transfers from Reno to Lake Tahoe, morning tee times, shared cart, and a delicious lunch at the Chateau. We have tee times for 20, so be sure and sign up early to confirm your space. After you are confirmed we’ll request further information on clubs, your index, and any pairing requests you have.

<------- Tear out, complete and MAIL THIS COPY of the 2014 TARPA Convention Registration Form.

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TWA Active Retired Pilots Assn.

2014 Convention – Reno, NV September 8 – 12, 2014 Convention Registration Form Last Name_____________________________________First ________________(for name tag) Spouse/Other___________________________________First________________(for name tag) Address______________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code____________________________________________________________ Phone___________________________E-mail_______________________________________ Self

Spouse/Other

Total

All Attendees Must Register Fee $65.00 per person

$________

$_________

$_________

Optional Tours: Monday, September 8 National Automobile Museum Including buffet luncheon Fee $46.00

$________

$__________

$_________

Tuesday, September 9 Virginia City, Train, Tram & Lunch Fee $58.00

$________

$__________

$_________

Wednesday, September 10 Lake Tahoe MS Dixie Cruise Includes Lunch Fee $94.00

$________

$__________

$_________

Wednesday, September 10 Golf Incline Championship Course including cart & lunch Golf Package Fee $178.00 $________ $__________ Package include clubs Fee $260.00 $________ $__________

$_________ $_________

Thursday, September 11 National Championship Air Races – Reserved seating Transfers, Pit Pass and Lunch Fee $85.00 $________

$__________

$_________

Final Reception and Banquet Dinner Dance Fee $90.00 $________

$__________

$_________

Prime Rib _______ SeaBass________ GRAND TOTAL ****See back page for mailing instructions**** Page 7

$___________

Convention Registration Form Page 2 Mail your Convention Registration Form and checks made payable to: 2014 TARPA Convention Attn: Ed Madigan P.O. Box 3565 Incline Village, NV 89450 We are pleased to announce we have selected the beautiful Silver Legacy in downtown Reno as our headquarters hotel. They offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport and the hotel is centrally located for all of the downtown attractions.

The Silver Legacy is offering us a special rate for of $81.00 per night (includes resort fee, plus tax) for our official convention nights – September 8 –September 12, 2014. There are rooms available for both Friday and Saturday nights (at a room rate of $171 per night) and we can provide discounted tickets to the Air Races for both days. If you interested in extending your stay, please contact Vicki and she’ll provide additional information for the weekend Air Race Packages.

Hotel Reservations - Please complete the enclosed hotel registration form and return with your Convention Registration Form or scan and email to Vicki Email : vickimcgowen@mcgowenmarketing.com !Special Needs !

Are you handicapped, have dietary concerns or any special requests? Please list your special needs or comments here_______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

See you in Reno!

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** KEEP THIS COPY of the 2014 TARPA Convention Registration Form for your files **

KN8Û8:K@M<ÛI<K@I<;ÛG@CFKJÛ8JJF:@8K@FE

TWA Active Retired Pilots Assn.

2014 Convention – Reno, NV September 8 – 12, 2014 Convention Registration Form Last Name_____________________________________First ________________(for name tag) Spouse/Other___________________________________First________________(for name tag) Address______________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code____________________________________________________________ Phone___________________________E-mail_______________________________________ Self

Spouse/Other

Total

$________

$_________

$_________

Optional Tours: Monday, September 8 National Automobile Museum Including buffet luncheon Fee $46.00

$________

$__________

$_________

Tuesday, September 9 Virginia City, Train, Tram & Lunch Fee $58.00

$________

$__________

$_________

Wednesday, September 10 Lake Tahoe MS Dixie Cruise Includes Lunch Fee $94.00

$________

$__________

$_________

Wednesday, September 10 Golf Incline Championship Course including cart & lunch Golf Package Fee $178.00 $________ $__________ Package include clubs Fee $260.00 $________ $__________

$_________ $_________

Thursday, September 11 National Championship Air Races – Reserved seating Transfers, Pit Pass and Lunch Fee $85.00 $________

$__________

$_________

Final Reception and Banquet Dinner Dance Fee $90.00 $________

$__________

$_________

All Attendees Must Register Fee $65.00 per person

C

Y P O

Prime Rib _______ SeaBass________ GRAND TOTAL ****See back page for mailing instructions**** Page 9

$___________

Convention Registration Form Page 2

Y P O

Mail your Convention Registration Form and checks made payable to: 2014 TARPA Convention Attn: Ed Madigan P.O. Box 3565 Incline Village, NV 89450

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We are pleased to announce we have selected the beautiful Silver Legacy in downtown Reno as our headquarters hotel. They offer complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport and the hotel is centrally located for all of the downtown attractions.

The Silver Legacy is offering us a special rate for of $81.00 per night (includes resort fee, plus tax) for our official convention nights – September 8 –September 12, 2014. There are rooms available for both Friday and Saturday nights (at a room rate of $171 per night) and we can provide discounted tickets to the Air Races for both days. If you interested in extending your stay, please contact Vicki and she’ll provide additional information for the weekend Air Race Packages.

Hotel Reservations - Please complete the enclosed hotel registration form and return with your Convention Registration Form or scan and email to Vicki Email : vickimcgowen@mcgowenmarketing.com !Special Needs !

Are you handicapped, have dietary concerns or any special requests? Please list your special needs or comments here_______________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

See you in Reno!

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<------- Tear out at the perforation, complete and MAIL the 2014 Convention Hotel Registration Form.

TWA Active Retired Pilots Association (TARPA)

- Hotel Reservation Form -

Rooms must be reserved by August 09, 2014. After this date, rooms and group rates are subject to availability. To reserve your room, return this application and one night’s room, tax and resort fee (credit card or check) to Ed Madigan or Vicki McGowen (contact information attached).

Silver Legacy Resort/Casino 407 N. Virginia Street Reno, NV 89505 Phone: (775) 329-4777 Toll free: (800) 687-8733

Transportation: 3.5 miles from the airport Complimentary shuttle (5 a.m. – midnight) or $16 cab ride Check-in: 3 p.m. Checkout: 11 a.m. www.silverlegacyreno.com

Convention Dates: September 08-14, 2014

Room Type

Single/Double Rate Midweek (Sun-Thurs) $69.00

Deluxe Room King orTwo Queens

Single/Double Rate Weekend (Fri-Sat) $159.00

(Tax: 13.5% room tax. Resort Fee: $10.00 per room, per night, Facility Fee: $2.00)

$81.00 per night inclusive of resort & facility fee ($91.94 total including tax) $171.00 per night – Fri & Sat ($194.09)

Check preferred accommodations: Single/Double (One King Bed) Double (Two Queen Beds) Arrival Date: ______________

Smoking Non-Smoking

Time: _________ Departure Date: ___________

Send Confirmation to: please print (confirmation number will only be sent via email) Name Address City

State

Zip

Daytime Phone

Evening Phone

Email Address # of Guests____________ Visa

MasterCard

Special Needs:________________________________ AMEX

Discover

Ma Diners Club

Account No:__________________________________________________ Exp Date:___________ CCV: ___________ Signature: ________________________________ Reservation Code: 14TARPA A deposit of one night’s room & tax will be charged to your credit card.

Deposit is fully refundable if cancellation is received by hotel 24 hours prior to arrival. Reservation must be guaranteed 14 days prior to arrival. ***Return this form with your Convention Registration Form or to vicki@mcgowenmarketing.com*** Page 11

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the

Grapevine

The Grapevine

C.O.P.S. – Cheap Old Pilots Society We meet every Tuesday at 12:30pm during the winter at Rookies Sports Bar in Incline Village, Nevada. They have half price hamburgs and $2.00 beer – an airline pilot’s dream. Sometimes we even have a Pam Am guy show up to keep the dream alive. A motley crew at best …

Left to Rt. Alec Hodgins, Ed Mckee, Roger Leach, Bill Kirschner, Guy Fortier, Ed Madigan

Captain Roy Chamberlin Amf Û Û~ Û¤ÛAYf Û Û ~ Û Ûq]YjkÛLJ8=ÛâÛ Ûq]YjkÛKN8 15 years NASA

About Tyme to Trade in That Olde Car????

Submitted by Jim Schmitt … losing it slowly but fighting all the way!!!

I imported an English Taxicab back in 1977 – flew it over from London in a TWA 707 cargo plane (for $100 employee pass benefit...). It was ten years old and cost me $500 off the street and had an estimated 500,000 miles with a rebuilt diesel engine. I had to put frangible glass head lights on it and eventually had it repainted basic black. I learned to drive on the right side (Hard to pass a semi on the highway but with its top speed around 40 MPH I wasn’t passing too many vehicles anyhow...) I put magnetic signs on it saying ‘Freehold Travel Agency’ and thus wrote it all off as a business expense as I delivered tickets to commercial clients a couple times a week. And it was neat making U-turns on any street in town - if you’ve been to London you know what I mean … After ten years of usage (it was pretty well rotting out...) I put a ‘for sale’ ad in an antique auto magazine, listing it for $1000. Got NO responses for two months. Had a brainstorm and put a later ad in, listing it for $2000... and got several calls!! By that time it was pretty well gone, so I donated it to a local antique auto club (and took a donation tax deduction)...

I still went out of business and lost a bunch when travel agencies became passe’ and I became old... Oh, well, evil will out …

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Captain Roy Chamberlin’s memoir, On The Wings of Challenge, describes his many flying adventures during his 50 years as a pilot. He intended to include other human interest stories from his fellow pilots, but died in 2013 before those stories could be written.

His wife, Mary Chamberlin is now editing his work and would love to include such stories if you have one to tell!

Mary can be reached at: (831) 624-0830 or mchamberlin1@earthlink.net Once published, the book will be given to young pilots with the proceeds from its sale providing scholarships to assist pilots in their flying careers.

The Grapevine CAPTAIN GUY FORTIER’S HEALTH CORNER

Johns Hopkins Update:

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

After years of telling people chemotherapy is the only way to try (‘try’, being the key word) to eliminate cancer, Johns Hopkins is finally starting to tell you there is an alternative way.

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, but also to environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet to eat more adequately and healthy, 4-5 times/day and by including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidlygrowing cancer cells. It also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc., and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON: a. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc. are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts.

Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color; a better alternative is Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, or sea salt. b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little other meat, like chicken. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans.

Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance

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growth of healthy cells. To obtainThe liveGrapevine enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering.

By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Florescence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.

A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.

Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.

He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.

You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So, such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.

Paper isn’t bad, but you don’t know what is in the paper.

It’s just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper, the dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran Wrap, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food; cover food with a paper towel instead.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Page 15

C H I P S O F F T H E O L’ B L O C K

Meet the Weltons:

Three-Generations of TWA Pilots!

Grandfather:

Captain Fred Welton ¨KN8Û~ ¤~ Û 9jYfa^^Û~ ¤~ ©Û Father:

F/O Larry Welton ¨KN8Û~ ¤ © Grandson:

F/O Matthew Welton ¨KN8Û~ ¤ Û [mjj]fldqÛ:gflaf]flYd£Lfal]\© 8Zgn] ÛK`]ÛKN8ÛxjklÛ^Yl`]j¤kgfÛ \mgÛg^Ûl`]ÛN]dlgfÛ^YeadqÛlgÛhadglÛ lg_]l`]j Û:YhlYafÛ=j]\ÛN]dlgfÛ Yf\Û`akÛkgf Û=£FÛCYjjqÛN]dlgfÛ in August 1982 piloting a DC-8 Cargo to the Caribbean.

Left: Son and grandson carry on the family tradition: :Yhl ÛCYjjqÛN]dlgfÛoal`Ûkgf Û =£FÛDYll`]oÛN]dlgfÛafÛ ~Û hadglaf_ÛYÛKN8ÛD; Û=CKÛ out of SLT. GY_]Û~

C H I P S O F F T H E O L’ B L O C K

March 25, 2014 Dear TARPA Editors, I enjoyed reading the TARPA article, “Family within the Family,” (November 2013). It was great to see all the photos of fathers with their pilot sons and daughters. I had the pleasure of flying with several of those fathers and their sons.

As a follow-up on the subject, I thought you might be interested in an unusual fact in TWA’s history: my father, myself, and my son were all TWA pilots, making three generations of TWA pilots from our family.

My father, Fred Welton, began with TWA as a passenger agent in 1940, working nights so he could learn to fly in the CPT (Civilian Pilot Training) program offered by the military before WWII. After the war in 1945, he was hired by TWA as a DC-3 First Officer. He was checked-out by none other than Capt. Ed Frankem, who went on to become Vice President of Flight Operations for many years.

I was hired by TWA in January 1966 and flew for TWA/AA for almost 38 years. I was based in MKC, LAX, SAN and STL, flying as a Line Instructor and Check Captain out of STL until retirement in 2003.

My son, Matt Welton, was thrilled to be hired as a F/O by TWA in 1999. Matt flew out of STL on the MD-80 and we were able to fly together on two trips before he was furloughed in 2003. This was certainly a fond memory for me, when I reflect on the good fortune I had flying for TWA. Today, Matt flies for Continental/United, and is based in EWR on the 757/767, international.

I think ours is the only family to have three consecutive generations of pilots to fly for TWA. Fred Welton: TWA 1940-1946; furloughed, then hired by Braniff; retired 1978 Larry Welton: TWA 1966-2003 Matt Welton: TWA 1999-2003 Sincerely, Larry F Welton, TWA Captain, Ret.

Page 17

C H I P S O F F T H E O L’ B L O C K

Father: Captain Jeffry Arnold ¨KN8Û~ ¤ ©Û

Son: F/O Scott Arnold (Currently a Delta Captain)

While the Father and Son TWA duo of Jeffry and Scott Arnold never flew together with TWA, they did fly together ferrying a Gulf Air 767ER to the Netherlands in 2008.

Left: :Yhl ÛA]^^jqÛ8jfgd\Û¨KN8Û ~ ¤ ©Ûha[lmj]\Ûoal`Û his son, Scott Arnold (Delta Capt.) in the Arnold family home in 1997.

Below: The Arnold father and son duo ferrying a Gulf 8ajÛ ]jÛlg_]l`]jÛlgÛl`]Û Netherlands in 2008.

LIKE TO SHARE YOUR FAMILY DUO?

Please send pictures and background information to: Capt. Bill Kirschner/TopicsEIT Box 3596 Stateline, NV 89449 Or, Email: wma1012@me.com If mailing to the PO Box, be sure to include original photos (not paper print-outs of scanned photos). Please also include a self-addressed envelope so we can return original photos to you.

If emailing, please send highresolution JPEG scans (at least 300dpi).

Send as much information as possible about your duo to include in the article! Thanks!

Page 18

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR FIRST SOLO FLIGHT

>m]kkÛo`]j]Ûo]ÛYj] ÛÛC]^lÛlgÛja_`l Û:Yhl Û9addÛBajk[`f]j Û=£F ÛAaeÛB]f\Ydd Û=£<ÛE]dkgfÛBjm_]j

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR FIRST SOLO FLIGHT

By Nelson Kruger

I never was much good at physics, so I’ve always considered an airplane in flight akin to a miracle. The folks at the Lawrence Municipal Airport, however, assure me that it is not.

Nelson Krueger — who has flown everything from 747s to the old two-seater, tail-dragging machines that sound more like a tractor than an aircraft — can go into great detail about forces such as gravity, lift, thrust, drag and other things that I can only assume have something to do with Newton and his apple.

Those forces are technically what make an airplane fly. But personally, I think a pilot comes in handy too. And, when it comes to making a pilot, I found that there is a force required that isn’t described in a physics book.

continued on page 20

“It takes a lot of trust,” said Krueger, who has been a longtime instructor for Lawrence-based Hetrick Air Services. “That pilot has to trust that when I say he is ready to go fly solo, that he really is.”

Page 19

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR FIRST SOLO FLIGHT Special to the Journal-World Kenneth E. Woodruff (Pappy) and Nelson L. Krueger (Pup) on Sept. 11, 1963.

All pilots remember the instructor who took their arm and sent them on their way. For Krueger, it was a steady pilot in a little Hays airport. His name was Kenny Woodruff, but Krueger simply called him “Pappy.” And Woodruff called him “Pup.”

“There are two numbers that stick with me of a pilot-trainee going up for his or her first solo flight: 10 and 2,000…”

There are two numbers that stick with me from the scenario of a pilottrainee going up for his or her first solo flight: 10 and 2,000.

Ten is the approximate number of hours a rookie pilot will have spent at the controls before he takes his first solo flight. Two thousand is the approximate number of feet he’ll be in the air.

Unless you are a pilot, you don’t know what it feels like to have your instructor take you by the arm and say it is time to fly alone. But you might be able to imagine.

“At first, it is like ‘Oh boy,’” said Lawrence resident Scott Randall, who took instructions from Krueger eight years ago.

But then something happens. You start doing what you are trained to do, Randall said. An instinct, even if it is a young one, starts to kick in.

“I remember taking off and still being nervous,” Randall said of his first solo flight. “But I also remember that Nelson was wearing a red shirt that day. A few minutes into the flight, I looked down and saw this red dot standing by the runway. That’s when it hit me that I’m really doing this.” It hits people all the time at the Lawrence Municipal Airport. With some training and some trust, they can fly.

Krueger, 66, began taking lessons at 14. Pappy and Pup would fly over Krueger’s home, and his mother would come to the yard and wave a white dish towel to catch her son’s attention. It may as well have been a surrender flag. Surely she had given up any thoughts of her son becoming anything other than a pilot.

“It has been a life of gold for me,” Krueger said. “I can’t get loose from it, and I don’t want to. I bet I’m at this airport 300 days a year.”

In that time, he’s learned more than just how to take off and land. It is odd, he said, but going several hundred miles an hour in an aircraft is a great way to learn how to go slow.

“Nothing needs to be done quickly up here,” Krueger said. “I tell my students that if you go slow, you get yourself in trouble slower.”

And really, why would you want to do anything too quickly up here? Many pilots will tell you that the greatest joy of flying is taking the time to savor all the things you can do up here that you can’t do down there.

“You get the big picture up there,” Randall said. “Sometimes you will be flying over Lawrence, and then 15 minutes later you’ll be driving on one of the city streets you just flew over. Then it hits you that there are 60,000 to 70,000 people down here and there are only a couple up there. It is a neat feeling.”

I don’t know … I’m still leaning toward miracle.

Page 20

“The airplane can take you to places that others can only dream of …”

REFLECTIONS ON YOUR FIRST SOLO FLIGHT Krueger said it has been his experience that some people will spend the $7,500 or so on flight lessons for practical reasons. It will make for a shorter trip to their cabin in the Ozarks or a quicker business trip, or whatever. But most people, he said, do it for the emotional reasons.

“The airplane can take you to places that others can only dream of,” Krueger said.

There is a lot to remember when landing an aircraft.

You have to fly into the wind to slow down your speed.

Reduce that throttle to about 80 knots, or a mere 90 miles an hour or so. At about a half mile from the runway, you “Hold the need to be at about 400 feet in control the air and dropping. By the way, you also ought to check wheel like a and make sure you are lined up young bird — with the runway. firm enough Hopefully, you’ve done that by that it won’t the time you are at about 50 fly away feet out from the landing strip.

At that point, you’ve descended but gentle quite a bit. You should be locked enough that into what pilots call “the slot,” you don’t the proper angle of descent and glide path. It is time to execute crush it.” the critical movement, the “flare,” where you descend to a mere five feet above the ground. And then you must do what really can’t be taught in a textbook, but rather only through experience: pull back on the control wheel with just the right amount of force – at the right moment in time – so that you land, but not with a thud.

This is where the inner voices that constantly travel with a pilot are likely to speak up. They’re apt to say any number of things. Krueger’s frequently talks about a bird. Hold the control wheel like a young bird — firm enough that it won’t fly away but gentle enough that you don’t crush it.

by the arm and said he trusted you. And you got in a plane by yourself and proved that you trusted that person.

And you still do. Krueger, you see, has never really flown alone. And he’s flown a lot: about 600 crossings of the North Atlantic and about 100 crossings of the Pacific. That’s a lot of landings, but every single one of them has come with Kenny Woodruff ’s voice talking to Krueger. Pappy telling Krueger to “pull it back, pull it back” at just the right moment before touchdown.

And Randall hears Krueger’s voice on every flight too, so in a sense, Pappy speaks to him as well.

Think about that for a moment: Pappy — a man who departed this Earth years ago — still flies its skies nearly every day.

See, I told you it was a miracle.

Jim, Nelson and I spent many great flying hours together. I always looked forward to flying with that crew. As with all TWA crews I flew with I knew I was surrounded with professionalism in flight and fun on layovers. :-) EIT

The voices vary from pilot to pilot, but they all come from the same place: That person who once took you Page 21

J J J J J

9]`af\Ûl`]ÛJ[]f]k ÛKN8Û=da_`lÛ:]fl]jÛYlÛA=B

Behind the Scenes:

JFK

TWA FLIGHT CENTER AT

By Michelle Young, Founder, UntappedCitites.com

J]]Ûl`]Ûgja_afYdÛha[lgjaYdÛYjla[d]Û¨\Yl]\Û £ £~ ©ÛYl ÛmflYhh]\[ala]k [ge£loY

There are those moments which form the core of your urban memory. For some, they serve as reminders of why they left everything to move to New York City.

For others they reinforce why they never left. As an architecture buff, my moments all have to do with the incredible spaces that capture the spirit of our city.

On a scouting trip, I had another one of those transcendent moments. I was on a one-on-one tour of the TWA Flight Center at John F. Kennedy Airport. The terminal was open to the public for ALL PHOTOS BY MICHELLE YOUNG, UNTAPPEDCITIES.COM

Open House New York in 2011, but I’ll be showing you some spots that were off limits. Standing alone in the terminal lobby will go down as one of my top 10 NYC moments.

Every curve and detail of the TWA flight center was thought out by architect Eero Saarinen, with the terminal being one of his last works, completed posthumously.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation was a partner in the effort to save it from the wrecking ball in 2003, and is now highlighting the terminal as one of the 24 most inspiring preservation stories in the 24 years of its 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List.

More than designing space, Saarinen clearly conceived of different scenes and experiences that would take place as one moved through the terminal, despite its free-form design. This is not out-of-thebox architecture—upon visiting in the present, you feel transported not only to another time, but also to an ethereal place. This was the cathedral to aviation, if there ever was one, and you feel through the design the pride and optimism the aviation industry had then.

Page 22

9]`af\Ûl`]ÛJ[]f]k ÛKN8Û=da_`lÛ:]fl]jÛYlÛA=B

That sense of pride still remains today, if you look closely, as the terminal sits empty awaiting approval for adaptive reuse. Upwards of 14 agencies are involved in the preservation and adaptation of the flight center, which will likely become a hotel (new wings will be built for the rooms so the original space will not be tampered with). James Steven, manager of JFK Physical Plant and Redevelopment tells me of the painstaking renovation he has overseen with Beyer Blinder Belle, down to the details of each circular tile and the years of sourcing materials all over the globe.

It is clear that James and those that maintain the building feel an immense sense of pride about the flight center, and are in fact rather in awe of it. “It’s a beautiful building, isn’t it?” one of the men said to me as I took the photographs.

This speaks to the power of architecture, as the three of us from different backgrounds felt simultaneously moved in the hallowed spaces of the building.

J J J J J

See additional photos on pages 24-25 AL L P H OTOS BY MI C HEL L E YOUN G, UNTA PPED CI TI ES.COM

Page 23

The main lounge was rebuilt according to Saarinen’s original design. During the use of the terminal, it had been replaced by ticket counters. The men in the photograph are scouting for illegal taxis hustling unsuspecting tourists.

9]`af\Ûl`]ÛJ[]f]k ÛKN8Û=da_`lÛ:]fl]jÛYlÛA=B

BEHIND THE SCENES: TWA FLIGHT CENTER AT JFK

ALL P HOTOS BY M IC HE LLE YOU N G, UNTA PPED CITIES .COM

Leonardo DiCaprio ran down this flight tube in the film Catch Me If You Can.

Saarinen designed all the decor, harkening back to his start in the furniture business.

Shelves for magazines and newspapers were built into the furniture (on the right).

A shoeshine station was built into the design

The still-lit Duty Free sign, around which are the baggage carousels. This whole area is off-limits.

Page 24

9]`af\Ûl`]ÛJ[]f]k ÛKN8Û=da_`lÛ:]fl]jÛYlÛA=B ALL PHOTOS BY MICHELLE YOUNG, UNTAPPEDCITIES.COM

A modern upgrade, it shows current flights even though the terminal is no longer in use

The First Class Lounge Top: The view once opened out to the jetbridges and runways; many new terminals have been built at JFK since, lessening the impact of the view.

Right: A James Bond-like spot in the First Class lounge Page 25

TWA’S DC-2 KN8¿JÛ;:¤

Photos and article contributed by KN8Û:YhlYafÛYf\Û8ml`gj ÛCqd]Û9gZraf

I]laj]\ÛKN8Û:YhlYafÛCqd]Û9gZrafÛ¨8ml`gjÛg^Û =da_`lÛ8jgmf\Ûl`]ÛNgjd\ Ûoal`ÛYajogjl`qÛ;:¤ ÛYlÛl`]ÛDmk]meÛg^Û=da_`lÛafÛJ<8

On February 15, 2014 the Museum of Flight, Seattle, Washington hosted a fifth book signing of “Flight Around the World.” We met many interesting folks, including several current commercial and future aspiring pilots.

During the event, a young chap from Hong Kong named Ringo Ho (an aviation student attending a local technical college), came to the table to purchase a copy of “Flight Around the World.”

His first statement was a question: “Did you fly into Kai Tak?” My reply was in the affirmative. It was extremely interesting to note this young man, who perhaps had not been born prior to the closure of Kai Tak, knew about its infamous past.

Just prior to closing of the session, Mr. Bruce R. McCaw came to the table to purchase a book. After signing his copy, we engaged in a conversation about my career.

It quickly became evident that Mr. McCaw knew several TWA pilots who were contemporaries of mine. During our GY_]Û

(continued on page 27)

KN8¿JÛ;:¤ (continued from page 26)

discussion, Bruce mentioned he owns and pilots his own jet aircraft and as a hobby, “collects vintage aircraft.

In passing, he stated he co-founded Horizon Airlines and had been a principle owner of McCaw Cellular.

Several years ago, Mr. McCaw was a principle in the acquisition of the Douglas DC-2 for the Museum of Flight, Seattle. The DC-2 was completely restored to airworthiness and painted in the authentic TWA livery.

The interior, including the seating, is in TWA décor.

Bruce McCaw (left) with Captain Lyle D Bobzin

The historic letter written by TWA president Jack Frye to Donald Douglas, president of Douglas Aircraft Company, Santa Monica, CA, resulted in the development of the Douglas DC-1. The DC-1 which became the DC-2 was test flown by TWA Captain Tommy Tomlinson and the Douglas aircraft test pilot.

The TWA DC-2 is on display at the Museum, except for occasional flights to aviation functions, such as Oshkosh, Wisconsin and other aviation events.

The lasting tribute to TWA at the Seattle Museum of Flight is due to this aviation enthusiast, Bruce McCaw, who is not only a museum trustee but also serves on the Executive Board and others who supported this effort.

Prior to the acquisition, TWA had not been represented at this world renowned aviation institution.

Lyle Bobzin shakes hands with Glenn Stieneke. Glenn is a former TWA 767 Captain (now AA); he lives in SEA and flies out of MIA. Note: Glen’s TWA belt buckle.

Upon completion of a proposed third building, the Museum plans a section devoted to TWA – showcasing the TWA DC-2 at the center of this permanent display.

This will ensure ongoing recognition of the significant contributions TWA made to the aviation industry.

J J J J J

See more historic photos of the DC-2 on pages 28-29.

Pictured at right: Captain Lyle D Bobzin at ZggcÛka_faf_Û^gjÛYml`gjÛ =da_`lÛ8jgmf\Ûl`]Û Ngjd\ Ûl`]ÛDmk]meÛg^Û=da_`lÛafÛJ]Ylld] Page 27

KN8¿kÛ;:¤

Lyle Bobzin akÛYÛ Ûq]YjÛ veteran pilot ^gjÛKN8 Û Growing up during the Great Depression, he was inspired by the solo flight of Charles A Lindbergh to pursue a career in aviation.

Page 28

KN8¿kÛ;:¤

Page 29

CL ASSIC PHOTO: THE LINDBERGH LINE

Ga[lmj]\Ûd]^lÛlgÛja_`l ÛNYqf]ÛDgjjak ÛDak[YÛ8n]j ÛA]YfÛDmaj Û<\oYj\kÛ8jfgd\ ÛIYdh`ÛDgj_Yf Û?]fjqÛ?add ÛDB:

A BL AST FROM THE PAST

THE LINDBERGH LINE CIRCA 1939-1940

This was a Sleeper DC-3. Note the two small windows in the upper berths, and the arrangement of the lower windows.

It is believed the picture was in association with a publicity flight Û^gjÛl`]Ûegna]Û >gf]ÛNal`Ûl`]ÛNaf\ Û Picture taken at the Kansas City Airport by the Chief Clerk of KN8ÛE]okÛ9mj]YmÛYf\Û_an]fÛlgÛ:YhlYafÛ9addÛ;apgf

Page 30

KN8Û=C@>?KÛ Û¦Û<O:<IGKÛ9PÛD8IBÛC Û9<IIP

Chapter 1

TWA FLIGHT 800 Aluminum Parachute An onshore breeze stirred as the mercury began its slow descent from near the top of the thermometer glass, barely cooling from the afternoon high of over 90 degrees, and the sandy beaches shook off the day’s glaze a little faster than the ocean. Some highaltitude cirrus clouds traversed with the imperceptible speed of a clock’s minute hand, almost like they were an atmospheric afterthought. I’ve flown thousands of flights into New York’s major airports, and admired Long Island’s southern shore so many times that I could paint it as it must have existed on the evening of July 17th, 1996.

This is the first chapter of YÛKN8Û=da_`lÛ Ûe]egajÛ told by Mark L. Berry, a KN8ÛhadglÛo`gk]ÛxYf[#]Û Susanne was one of the 230 passengers and crew who died when that flight exploded …

Previously published in Airways magazine where Mark is a contributing editor.

The sky was that deep shade of blue you only see only at dusk during summer, in the moments just before the sun finally sets. After a full day of absorbing radiation, heat, and light, the ocean set up a low shimmer above the steadily rolling waves as the atmosphere tried to reclaim what the golden orb had tirelessly delivered while passing overhead. The sea and sky seemed to be shaking a thousand hands along that stretched horizon. The distant colored sails of leisure boats jibed and tacked—small irregular triangles bending and pulling their water-skimming vessels.

And above them were departing aircraft—some fanning out for a variety of domestic destinations, while the European-bound flights cued up offshore like a string of marching ants on an invisible fishing line, all heading for the North Atlantic track system with an entry point somewhere far-off near Newfoundland.

A recent departure from JFK International airport joined the procession—a double-decker red and white Boeing 747 with four under-wing engines, each producing roughly 50,000 lbs. of thrust during climb-out. From the shore, it appeared as a Cross of Lorraine: a single line for its body with two lines across it— Continued on page 32 Page 31

KN8Û=C@>?KÛ Û¦Û<O:<IGKÛ9PÛD8IBÛC Û9<IIP

one larger to represent the wings, and a smaller one for the tail—such as a stick figure a child would draw.

Inside the plane’s windows, too far away to see, are 230 passengers and crew. And although I know several of them, someone special to me is in seat 3-2 in the forward first-class section: my fiancée Susanne Jensen.

Air travel was a regular requirement at both of our jobs, and Susanne and I always looked forward to it. She could hear the aircraft’s inner workings from her upfront seat, and through her time with me she had some idea of how and why it all functioned. The gentle vibration after take-off as the landing gear retracted and stowed, followed by the hum of jackscrews retracting the flaps for the aircraft’s acceleration, reminded her that she was now safely on her way to Paris. I’d shared part of my professional aviation training with her and explained that most aircraft accidents happen in the first eight minutes after take-off, or the last three minutes before landing, when the aircraft is close to the ground. With the world getting smaller outside—dwellings turning into doll houses and then further reducing to pillboxes, trees shriveling to matchsticks, and people shrinking to mere dots as her flight climbed—she would have already reclined her seat and most likely taken off her high-heeled dress shoes with a smile of satisfaction, happily unaware that anything was about to go fatally wrong.

At 10,000 feet the flight attendants would have just been given the signal to unbuckle, rise from their retractable jump seats, and begin their service; but there wouldn’t

have been time to wheel the dull aluminum carts out into the aisle. Susanne would now be reading reports and notes from her briefcase, mentally preparing for her multilingual financial meeting in the morning, or chatting with my co-worker and friend Captain Gid Miller, deadheading on this flight and seated across the aisle to her right. If she instead looked beyond the seat to her left, her view out the pressure-retaining, doublepane window would have faced north across the water at a steady string of Long Island’s strands—Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, Lido Beach, Point Lookout—with the slowly setting sun behind her casting lengthy shadows.

She may have recognized Long Beach as it went by, where I had a crash pad when “… witnesses we first started dating, where reported seeing we’d consummated our relationship in spite of my a streaking former roommates’ taunting and good-humored pressure, flash of light and she’d subsequently visited … a glowing many times.

fireball spreads out from Susanne’s 747 like a grenade.”

TWA Flight 800 had taken off about an hour late, but some of my off-duty pilot and flight attendant friends might have still been packing up the beach volleyball net by the shore, although they’d now be far too small to identify from Susanne’s vantage.

With a US Air flight overhead, her 747 was restricted from climbing above 10,000 feet until adequate aircraft separation was obtained. More seaside communities— Jones Beach followed by Fire Island—would have slipped by creating a beautiful moving view from the largest successful commercial aircraft of its day—one I’d hoped to eventually command. But Susanne’s Long Island sightseeing ended without warning at Smith Point near Moriches, NY. So many witnesses reported seeing a streaking flash of light; that’s what shakes the perfect summer evening’s tranquility when I imagine what happened. The sky is suddenly stained with exploding smears of red and orange airborne violence. A glowing fireball spreads out from Susanne’s 747 like a grenade. At 8:31pm near the

Page 32

KN8Û=C@>?KÛ Û¦Û<O:<IGKÛ9PÛD8IBÛC Û9<IIP longest day of the year it was still daylight, but not for much longer. The only red in this image should have been the pair of painted red stripes that ran the length of the aircraft’s 230-foot fuselage, and the red tail displaying TWA’s slanted, white-letter logo. The only orange should have been the impending sunset.

Whatever caused TWA Flight 800’s center fuel tank to explode, that initial blast would have instantly shoved Susanne and everyone else onboard 12 feet upward and 17 feet to the right according to William Donaldson, an independent researcher and retired U.S. Navy commander. The Suffolk county medical examiner’s office announced that the probable cause of death for almost everyone onboard was a snapped neck.

That’s the feel-good report for victims’ families so that we imagine our loved-ones departed this world quickly and painlessly—and the bulk of the passengers were seated in the main coach section where this Susanne Jensen at probably was the result.

where the rest of the aircraft should have been—an oblong oval opening to the tumbling sky, bordered by torn cables, shredded aluminum aircraft skin, sheared beams and spars, and accented with sparking severed wires. And I hope she couldn’t comprehend what was actually happening if she lived long enough to ride this nearly three mile high, free-falling hell-ivator all the way down to the ocean’s surface, and then sink to 140 feet below, where her body would wait to be recovered.

Capt. Mark Berry hadglaf_ÛYÛ

Long Beach (Long Island)

But because first class, in the nosecone of the aircraft, broke off and didn’t remain with the rest of the now burning wings, fuselage, and tail, I can’t get this image of Susanne out of my head: she’s free-falling for what would have felt like a lifetime, lap-belted to her mostly-blue seat styled with a single narrow white and two wide red vertical stripes. She’s in pure panic while flopping about violently, gasping for breath from the sudden decompression, and deafened by the explosion and resulting wind noise—only to finally die with her eyes wide open when impacting the water at roughly triple highway speed in what would later became known as the yellow debris field.

My only consolation is that, without being able to turn around, she never saw behind her the giant hole

She’s gone. In hardly more time than I can hold my breath, her life was over, and mine was torn inside out.

The 747 that went up whole and came down in 876 pieces invaded every part of my life.

Moving on from real-world disaster isn’t so easily imagined. I can’t just “My only paint over the images in my brain consolation of the streak of light, the burning is that, jet fuel, the now lifeless bodies, and the splintering aircraft. The without woman I loved, nestled in the being able to safest, most sacred place in my turn around, professional aviation world, was eradicated out of a clear evening she never sky without so much as a hint of saw behind a warning.

her the giant hole where the rest of the aircraft should have been …”

Six days later I couldn’t turn away from the news, it was everywhere.

The New York Times reported, “At the Ocean’s Edge, a Wrenching Farewell,” and the Connecticut Post printed an article, “Ocean of Tears.” Even standing with Susanne’s family knee-deep in the receding tide—floating a rose for her out to sea, along with a crowd of other mourners—was a spectacle captured by cameras, microphones, and a fleet of high-powered antennae trucks. Gone forever was the

Page 33

Continued on page 34

KN8Û=C@>?KÛ Û¦Û<O:<IGKÛ9PÛD8IBÛC Û9<IIP love of my life, torn from the sky while in the trusted and competent hands of my fellow employees—my mentors and my peers. The red and orange fireball that consumed her life also burned its way into my core existence. I’d lost everything, and even my airline didn’t know what to do with the pilot whose fiancée was on that flight.

As the days and weeks and months without her stretched on, I looked for solace within the familiarity and fraternity of the cockpit—the only thing with meaning I had left, and what became known as my aluminum parachute. It wasn’t much, but going to the cockpit was something tangible for me to hold on to, and a reason to get out of bed. After I buried Susanne, I buried myself in my work.

When all else fails When those I love die From sudden stops After falling from the sky

I’m not much of a musician, and people who have heard me sing have nearly threatened to file restraining orders if I attempt another off-key performance in their presence. But my fascination with songs has always focused on their words. I don’t know what part of my brain or heart is tickled by writing lyrics, but that’s where my personal struggle—and professional aviation disaster journey—began.

My aluminum parachute Is better than gold A place to re-compute That never grows old

My aluminum parachute Is better than gold A place to re-compute That never grows old

There’s a place I still go There’s a place I belong Forward of the front row The source of the siren’s song

My window with a moving view My office in the wild blue My sanctuary in the clouds Where I’ll always think of you

The night of TWA Flight 800’s demise—the night I lost Susanne in that very personal hole in the sky and my life without her began—occurred over sixteen years ago. Wrestling with her loss has been a long unwelcome adventure. The earliest steps toward my emotional recovery only manifested after I finally started writing lyrics—first in the form of fiction as I developed companion songs within my debut novel Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun, penning them from my protagonist’s perspective while trying to address my own issues of survivor’s guilt—and then more recently in nonfiction form as my friends, family, early readers, and eventually my grad school encouraged me to tell this story. My story. Susanne’s last story.

J J J J J

To read more of Mark L. Berry’s memoir, 13,760 Feet-My Personal Hole in the Sky, visit Amazon.com, where you can “Look Inside” to preview the first five chapters.

Additional novels by Mark L Berry: Pushing Leaves Towards the Sun Street Justice (Stories that rock, literally – each with its own companion songs.)

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Capt. Mark L. Berry KN8Û~ ¤ ~Û (still flying as an MD80 AA Captain)

www.marklberry.com

FLOWN WEST

=CFNEÛN<JK

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN JOSEPH L. DECELLES November 10, 1921 - April 4, 2014 KN8Û~ Û¤Û~ ~ Joseph Larrigan DeCelles, born November 10, 1921, passed away at the age of 92 on April 4, 2014 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Larry, as he was known to his friends, is the oldest of his parent’s sons: Larry, Dan, Jim, Pat, and Paul DeCelles.

During the war years, Larry had been touched by a visit to a concentration camp in Austria that had just been liberated. There he found a photo of a 5 or 6 year old girl in a discarded heap of personal effects. He kept that photo in his prayer book, and privately vowed to do what he could to make the world better. “Tis far better to light a candle than to curse the dark” became his personal motto.

Upon returning from the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1945, Larry went to work for Trans World Airline as a pilot. During the course of his 38 years with TWA, Larry became immersed as a volunteer, working on various safety issues. This culminated with him serving as national chairman of the Airline Pilot Association’s All Weather Flying Committee for 13 years, working to identify and solve the problems of airline operations in extremely poor visibility.

See the July 2011 issue of TARPA TOPICS at Tarpa.com for more information on Larry’s involvement afÛ :jYk`Ûg^ÛKN8¿kÛ=da_`lÛ Û February, 19, 1955.

Many of his ideas have had a significant impact on aviation safety.

In addition he participated in many dozens of airline accident investigations over the years, often defending the actions and performance of crews that were unable to speak for themselves.

The author of the book of the same fYe] Û:`Yjd]kÛD ÛNaddaYek Û`YkÛYÛ ogf\]j^mdÛ\]\a[YlagfÛlgÛCYjjq ÛÛ KgÛ Captain Larry DeCelles, who devoted `aek]d^ÛlgÛk]llaf_Ûl`af_kÛja_`l

Larry has 6 children: Joe, Danna, Sandy, Tom, Phil, and Don. There are 17 grandchildren, and 26 great grandchildren with two more on the way. Larry survived his first wife, Betty, who passed away in 1992. His present wife, Janet, survives Larry in Prescott, Arizona.

Page 35

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IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN JOHN (JACK) DOHERTY April 9, 2014 KN8ÛÛ~ Û¤Û~ I am sad to inform you that Captain John (Jack) Doherty, passed away April 9, after a courageous battle with a rare blood cancer, Multiple Myeloma. He was 75 years of age.

Jack graduated from Notre Dame University in 1961, entered the United States Air Force and flew for five years before leaving the military to join Trans World Airlines. Jack was hired by TWA January 6, 1967, and retired March 1999.

He is survived by his wife, Joni of 50 years, and two brothers, Frank Doherty (Gail) and Bob Doherty and a sister, Eileen Wurtzel.

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN ROBERT F. RUSSELL F[lgZ]jÛ~ Û~ Û¤Û8hjadÛ Û ~ KN8ÛÛ~ Û¤~ ~

Robert F. Russell, 77, of Kearney, Missouri, passed away April 2, 2014 at Liberty Hospital. Robert was born to Frank J. and Laura D. Russell and raised in Kansas City, Kans. He graduated from Ward High School, attended St. Benedict’s College in Atchison, Kans., KCK Junior College and the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He served with the U.S. Marine Corps as a Naval Aviator and retired with the rank of Major.

He flew for Trans World Airlines for 27 years, serving in various positions including management, until his retirement as an International Captain in 1991. He was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, the Tailhook Association and the Association of Naval Aviation, Heart of America Chapter and the Northwest Missouri Model A Club. He was a former member of the Confederate Air Force, Valiant Air Command, Experimental Aircraft Association and Warbird’s of America and was active in Airshow flying until 1990. He was a “Life Member” of the T-34 Association, the Marine Corps Reserve Officers and the VFW.

GY_]Û

=CFNEÛN<JK

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN LOUIS R. RELL November 19, 1940 – March 22, 2014 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~ Louis Robert Rell, 73, passed away peacefully on March 22, 2014 with his family at his side. Lou was married to M. “Jodi” Rell, the former Governor of Connecticut. Lou was born in Philadelphia, PA to the late Helen (White) and Louis Rell.

He had an extraordinary life. From the time he was 16 he knew he wanted to fly, and fly he did. Lou was a proud Navy pilot stationed aboard the aircraft carriers USS Forrestal, Saratoga and America. After leaving the Navy, Lou went on to have a distinguished flying career as a captain with Trans World Airlines (TWA).

As a former member of the Brookfield Police Commission and a past president of the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company, Lou believed very much in serving his community. For the past few years Lou has been a volunteer at the New England Air Museum, helping to restore various types of aircraft.

In addition to his wife of 47 years, Lou leaves behind his daughter, Meredith O’Connor and son-in-law Matt, his son, Michael Rell and daughter-in-law Maura, and his beloved grandchildren, Tyler and Shane O’Connor and Madeline and Charlie Rell. Lou also leaves his brother Allan and sister-in-law, Phyllis, of Langhorne, PA, his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Nils and Carol Bahringer of Virginia Beach, VA and his brother-in-law Hugh Glisson of Hastings, NE. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Lou was very proud of his family. When his wife became governor in 2004, a reporter once asked him what he wanted to be called: “the First Man, the First Husband, the First Gentleman?” Lou answered simply, “Please, just call me Lou.” Thanks Lou, for the memories.

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN LLOYD P. POPE February 18, 1925 - March 9, 2014 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN WAYNE S. TAYLOR April 17, 1919 - February 23, 2014 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~ Page 37

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IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN HENDERSON O. VAN ZANDT June 8, 1939 - January 14, 2014 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN VERNAL G. WHITE DYj[`Û~ Û~ ~ Û¤ÛAYfmYjqÛ Û ~ KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

Someone So Dearly Loved - by Jacqueline Ryan

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN CHARLES F. CASSETTY ;][]eZ]jÛ Û~ Û¤ÛAYfmYjqÛ~ Û ~ KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN DAVID C. MEYERHOLTZ February 20, 1921 - December 25, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ~¤~

Someone so dearly loved So popular with his friends We should not cry forever, For this is not the end.

His memory lives amongst us, Times we both laughed and cried, I cannot bare to lose him, But one day, we all must die I hear his voice within me, and his funny little laugh So many things remind me; Of times that are now gone past.

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN WILLIAM C. WAGGONER June 21, 1920 - December 24, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ Û¤~

Page 38

I knew of no-one who hated him, He was the apple of every eye Any conflicts, we all once had are now by the by.

=CFNEÛN<JK

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN ROBERT L. HORTON April 4, 1927 - December 20, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~ Remember Me In Your Heart - Unknown

IN MEMORY OF To the living, I am gone, To the sorrowful, I will never return, To the angry, I was cheated, But to the happy, I am at peace, And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen.

I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.

So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea . . .

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity . . .

Remember me.

Remember me in your heart: Your thoughts, and your memories, Of the times we loved, The times we cried, The times we fought, The times we laughed.

For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

CAPTAIN RAEFORD F. GIBBS July 17, 1929 - December 14, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN WARD C. BUDZIEN March 5, 1929 – November 21, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN FRANK R. ARRUFAT February 25, 1940 – November 21, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN ROBERT D. MITCHELL May 8, 1932 – October 29, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

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IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN WALTER R. DAVID January 18, 1928 – October 29, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN FRANK E. MCKEE March 21, 1920 – October 20, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤Û~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN JOSEPH C. LYNN AYfmYjqÛ~ Û~ Û¦ÛF[lgZ]jÛ~ Û ~ KN8ÛÛ~ Û¤Û~

I Do Not Think My Song Will End - by Johnny Hathcock I do not think my song will end While flowers, grass and trees Abound with birds and butterflies For I am one with these.

And I believe my voice will sound Upon the whispering wind So long as even one remains Among those I call “friend.”

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN JAMES R. FEIL October 14, 1935 – October 17, 2013 KN8ÛÛ~ ¤~

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN JOHN G. ANUNSON ;][]eZ]jÛ~ Û~ Û¦ÛJ]hl]eZ]jÛ Û ~ KN8ÛÛ~ Û¤Û~ Page 40

I shall remain in hearts and minds Of loved ones that I knew, And in the rocks and hills and streams Because I love those, too.

So long as love and hope and dreams Abide in earth and sky, Weep not for me, though I be gone.

I shall not really die.

=CFNEÛN<JKÛI<GFIK@E>

FLOWN WEST REPORTING The procedure for reporting a pilot’s death is for survivors to call American Airlines Survivor Support: 1-800-447-2000.

This is important, so as to determine eligibility for insurance benefits.

During that call, American Airlines Survivor Support will request the following information about the deceased and beneficiary(s): UÊ Full names and addresses UÊ Social Security numbers (for both) UÊ Date and cause of death UÊ Beneficiaries’ relationship to the deceased UÊ Funeral home information UÊ Beneficiary will later be asked to submit a certified copy of the death certificate Initial contact must be by telephone. American Airlines wants voice contact. Have the above information on hand before the call.

For inclusion in this publication as tribute for TARPA Members who have Flown West, family and friends are encouraged to send memorials and photos to:

If beneficiary is unable to call, and if someone else calls for him/her, beneficiary must be on hand.

Capt. Bob Willcutts 3 Dale Terrace Sandwich, MA 02563

American Airlines and TARPA maintain these records. TARPA uses the information for the Flown West section of TARPA TOPICS, and also for inclusion in the In Remembrance page on our TARPA Website and also in the Directory.

Email: Tarpa@tarpa.com 774-413-9003

All TARPA Members should save this notice and provide a copy for their family members.

Again, the number for American Survivor Support is: 1-800-447-2000

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9<C>@8EÛ:FE>FÛ<O:@K<D<EKÛ@EÛ~

BELGIAN CONGO EXCITEMENT IN 1962

By Indiana Bob Dedman I spent almost three years in the Belgian Congo – both as a civilian pilot, and/or working for the United Nations. The logo on all our airplanes in the Congo had large “ONUC” painted on the wings and fuselage. The name was in French (Organization Nation Unie au Congo) – which means “United Nation Organization to the Congo.”

It was not really my choice to go to Leopoldville, Congo, however it gave me the opportunity to fly as Captain, and to gain time to try and get back with the commercial aviation family.

Prior to going there, I had been in the Air Force for five years, worked in Peru for Pan American Grace Airlines, furloughed and “We went to went to Capitol Airlines in DC, which merged with places I could United. I was furloughed, not even spell, but had been an ALPA and many of our member for over 3 years.

When recalls went out, I was never notified, and United offered me a first on hiree. I should have been integrated, so I ask ALPA for help, and they did nothing.

approaches were self-made by previous pilots who had charted the area…”

Since I had no job, I studied for my ATR written, and passed. I then started reading trade papers for jobs, and answered an ad to fly in Holland with an airline called Seven Seas.

Main Street Albertville, Congo and layover hotel

I had been flying the DC-4 for two years as co-pilot, so I knew it pretty well, so I signed on with Seven Seas and started my “non-sked” career. You may have heard many stories about the non-skeds, some true, some not, however I found some very talented aviators there.

We went to places I could not even spell, and many of our approaches were self-made by previous pilots who had charted the area (not Jeppeson). Non-sked pilots were very wary of weird places, so we had our own code as to what we could – and wanted to – do.

One of the problems with Seven Seas was you had to complete a trip to landing, or no pay. Some wild guys tried to make it in, and their names are found everywhere … but the “true” aviators are (and will

Page 42

9<C>@8EÛ:FE>FÛ<O:@K<D<EKÛ@EÛ~ be) around forever – much like the Alaskan aviators (some of the best in the world.)

When you don’t have many (if any) nav aids, you have to rely on your basic map reading skills and know your limitations. One can become quite skilled in flying when you really have to confront all these obstacles at once.

While we were in Leopoldville, working for the United Nations, we were controlled (aviationwise) by the Swedish. Our load was controlled by the Swiss, and the load masters were the Italians.

Believe me, no one seemed to know what was going on.

We’d fly an exhausting 8 hours everyday, for 220 hours a month (two months in a row, then off a month, give or take an hour, as we had two log books.)

We had Luxembourg registry aircraft (I have a Luxembourg license), and USA registry aircraft, which meant we had to watch FAA limits against ICAO limits, having to abide by both limits of time.

Damage due to fighting

“…working for the United Nations, we were controlled (aviation-wise) by the Swedish. Our load was controlled by the Swiss, and the load masters were the Italians.

Believe me, no one seemed to know what was going on.”

To top things off, at night the Italians would fuel the aircraft according to what the Swedes wanted, then someone contacted the Swiss who had to load the plane according to weight and balance.

What a joke.

Some times, the first off-load was in front of all the cargo. More than once, we came out to find the DC-4 resting very tightly on the tail post. Not good. We could not remove it, so re-load… fun, when you had a full day ahead you …

The Belgian Congo is a large land mass and unfortunately, had very, very, limited NAV aids. Leopoldville had a VOR, as it was served by Sabena and KLM, scheduled airlines. When we left the Leopoldville VOR limits, we would fly for 3 hours over nothing but jungle using BIG maps and visual cues until we came in range of Luluabourg, which had a weak VOR and ADF. After that, it was another 3 hours to Elizabethville and another VOR for the same mentioned scheduled airlines. The rest of the time, it was DF and looking out DR’ing it (Dead Reckoning).

The Eastern part of the Congo was considered “Commie” or Lamumba land, so we were warned to be extremely careful in those areas.

Although there were ONUC troops scattered all around, their ranks were quite thin.

An incident that has always stood out was when the UN control called me in on a special operations

Page 43

Continued on page 44

9<C>@8EÛ:FE>FÛ<O:@K<D<EKÛ@EÛ~

Typical day in Elizabethville, Congo, with Captain Bob Dedman’s Douglas CARVAIR on the left side

Continued from page 43 mission to Goma, (in the North Eastern section of the Congo).

It was a lush town with green fields that overlooked an aqua blue lake at the base of a volcano. Paradise to be sure in the older Belgian days. We had an inbound load of fuel, ammo and supplies for the United Nations company there. Known for growing wonderful produce, we were to load to max with fresh vegetables for Leopoldville. We were also briefed that there were no enemy troops in the area.

Well, the airport is about at 5000’ elevation, single runway, take off down hill, and land up hill. Since we were loaded to max, we had planned to go to neighboring Rwanda (bitter enemies of the Congo) for fuel since it was a low-level airport.

Since the inbound flight was about 6 hours, we planned to overnight at a lovely villa overlooking the

“Suddenly, we heard some yelling and shouting … in came three Lamumba soldiers … one was a Major with two 45’s strapped around his waist on a bright red belt.”

volcano. At dusk, the three of us (myself, co-pilot and load master), bellied up to the bar for a bottle of wonderful beerSIMBA.

Suddenly, we heard some yelling and shouting in the lobby.

The next thing we knew, in came three Lamumba soldiers. (These soldiers were feared and ruthless Communist rebel troops, and arch enemies of Moise Tsombe of Katanga who seceded from the Belgian Congo after the Belgians basically abandoned them.) One was a Major with two 45’s strapped around his waist on a bright red belt.

Page 44

9<C>@8EÛ:FE>FÛ<O:@K<D<EKÛ@EÛ~ Well, we knew who they were, and since we were in our Khaki’s with Blue berets, (standard UN uniform) they knew who we were.

He just pushed us aside, ordered a beer for himself while his two riflemen just stood behind. He spoke to me in French; lucky for me, I had learned some words. He toasted me, and I returned the toast; then they left.

At the next beautiful dawn, we had a wonderful breakfast and took the jeep out to the airport where the aircraft was all ready. The co-pilot “… he pointed (who later became a his rifle at me …

Training Director for I pushed the rifle a major airline) went and filed the flight plan aside, walked to Rwanda, about oneover to the remote hour away. I did a walk ONUC land phone, around, and then we started to board the and told them I aircraft.

needed some help at the airport.”

One of the Commie soldiers stopped my load master saying, “Only two can leave.” I told him, “Three. No two. Yes three.”

With that, he pointed his rifle at me, and I then did something I never thought I could do: I pushed the rifle aside, walked over to the remote ONUC land phone, and told them I needed some help at the airport.

Well, the soldier had also gone over to his land phone. The next thing we see are two dust trails coming toward the airport, and unfortunately the enemy won the race. Guess who was there? The Major from the night before! “Bon Jour,” he says.

“Bon Jour,” I replied.

I explained that his soldier was stopping us from leaving. He spoke to the soldier, and then came back to me and, in so many words, told me that his man in control had said we were going to “RWANDA”, which is a no, no.

In my best authoritative voice, I told the co-pilot, “I told you to file to Leopoldville, so go do it right!” (I did this knowing full well we didn’t have enough fuel to go any other place other than Rwanda.) After I gave that order to the co-pilot, they let us board.

The load master (who was scared to death, and I cannot say that I blame him,) got behind the rows of lettuce and tomatoes saying, “If they fire at us, this should stop the bullets.” I told him, “No sweat.”

We went through the preflight and started the engines. Low and behold, along both sides of the runway, camouflage covers came off about FOUR 50-caliber machine gun installations, and then a huge tarp revealed an old twin 40mm ack-ack gun, aimed right at the cockpit. Since the ONUC troops arrived (five total), I figured we had best get out of town.

I did the run-up, and ran power full-up. As I released the brakes, the co-pilot ducked under the glare shield – so here I am, totally visible from both sides. As we gained speed, I kept it down for a few extra knots, and then did a “V 2” climb. At this point, the co-pilot broke the tension by saying: “Oh goodie, a V2 climb…”

We then contacted Rwanda and ask for permission to land for fuel. They approved. After landing and during the fueling, I filed for Leopoldville. As I did, a message came from “the Major” in Goma who had received a customary arrival message. In it he wrote, “If you return to Goma, you are dead.” Strong words, indeed.

Our flight back was normal, but I chewed the “A” off the UN official who told me there would be no troops or armaments. Hah! I did not go back to Goma for about a month, and by then the enemy had been routed. That time, it was just another two days in the Congo!

Later that year, we also participated in the capitulation of the rebels, but I’ll save that for another story…

Page 45

J J J J J

KNFÛJKFI@<JÛFEÛK?<Û:FE:FI;<

INTERESTING OBSERVATIONS FROM THE JUMP SEAT ABOARD THE CONCORDE …

The recollection of an event in the 1980’s experienced ZqÛ<eadÛJ[`ggf]bYfkÛ¨KN8¿kÛ=da_`lÛ Manager-Training B-747 flight engineers) with his boss, :YhlYafÛIgfÛI]qfgd\kÛ¨KN8¿kÛ Flight Manager-Training B-747)

Ron and I were TWA’s basic two man flight crew utilized by the company to accept the new B-747 SP’s from Boeing and/or any used 747 aircraft either from Boeing or another airline. While Ron and I were at London’s Heathrow airport, a reserve F/O was summoned and we conducted the flight test of the first of two 747-200’s TWA agreed to purchase from British Airways.

Flight tests are very intensive and time consuming and just when we were about to ferry our new toy home to Kansas City’s MCI, Ron’s counterpart at BA asked if we would be able to complete the deal by the end of the month ... the end of BA’s fiscal year – a few days hence.

Since we’d be pressed for time after minimum time off at home, Ron suggested we would appreciate a little extra time at home if permitted to come back on the Concorde. “No problem” was the answer.

On the morning of the return flight, we boarded with Concorde’s flight crew at JFK. The cockpit is just as any standard three crew aircraft. Ron sat in the first jump seat behind BA’s pilot, and I in the second

jump seat behind BA’s F/E. Ron learned of the controls and indicators from the pilots, and I the fuel management and tankage by the flight engineer. He also told me to insert my hand into the gap between his instrument panel and the adjacent bulkhead. I could not do that as the space was too small. He said, “Remember that.”

Ron and I were as excited as two teenage boys at the Indy 500 on race day. JFK tower gives us “Cleared for take-off ” and, we aboard Speedbird, are about to cross the pond in three hours.

Absolutely amazing!!!

With take-off power set, and the aircraft rapidly approaching decision speed, we get an aural takeoff warning!!!

PF states, “I suppose we’d better stop”, answered by the PNF, “Yes I think that would be advisable,” followed by the seemingly

GY_]Û

“... JFK tower gives us ‘Cleared for take-off’ and, we aboard Speedbird, are about to cross the pond in three hours...”

KNFÛJKFI@<JÛFEÛK?<Û:FE:FI;< simultaneous closing of power levers, spoiler activation, braking application and thrust reversal. If you are going to have a rejected takeoff on an SST ... it’s nice to have it on a 15,000 foot runway.

As we taxied back to the terminal, I said to Ron, “There goes our best laid plans.” BA’s captain asked me why I said that? Two reasons, I said, “Assuming there is a quick fix on the T/O warning system fault, the brakes will still be too hot.” The BA captain said, “Come with me while a couple of tonnes of fuel will be added.”

When he and I got to the main landing gear trucks, he said, “I want you to touch the brakes.” I did so reluctantly, and found to my amazement they were cool. Concorde’s brakes have built-in cooling fans.

The most notable thing about the cabin is the small fuselage diameter and the very small cabin windows.

(Sable Island appeared a lot smaller than usual).

A TV-type screen mounted on the forward cabin bulkhead displayed flight conditions as ... present altitude, OAT, speed in MPH and Mach number as ... 55,000 feet, -57 degrees C, 1500 MPH and Mach 2.0.

Two times the speed of sound! Like superman ... we were ‘faster than a speeding bullet’

“Two times the speed of sound!

Like superman ... we were ‘faster than a speeding bullet’”

The T/O warning fault was quickly corrected, and with fuel topped off, we were on our way. This time, for a perfectly exhilarating T/O and climb to cruise at 55,000 feet.

A short time later, we were invited to leave the cockpit because BA had blocked two passenger seats for us for lunch. The main cabin is configured for 100 first class passengers, with two lush seats on each side of a narrow aisle; every seat is either a window or an aisle.

After a delightful lunch, we resumed our coveted cockpit seats as the captain explained how the aircraft “grows” nine inches in length due to heating caused by aerodynamic friction. The same rule of physics that causes sublimation of the tip of a rocket or a capsule heat shield at reentry.

I was now able to insert my hand into the gap that was too small during the pre-flight attempt.

The moveable pointed SST nose is rigged down out of sight for take-off and landing as one anomaly; another is that the tail section fuel tank content is pumped forward at touchdown. Then Ron says, “OK Emil, we’ve had our fun, lets go get BA’s other 747-200”.

J J J J J

Article by Emil Schoonejans (TWA 1949-1985) Email worked in Tech Service as an 8¬<Ûe][`Yfa[ÛYlÛ<NIÛYf\ÛC>8 Û in Flt Ops as a flight engineer at LGA and JFK, an international relief g^x[]jÛZYk]\ÛYlÛA=BÛYf\ÛC8OÛYf\ÛafÛ 747 Flight Training at JFK.

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KNFÛJKFI@<JÛFEÛK?<Û:FE:FI;<

TAKING CONTROLS OF THE CONCORDE

by Captain Robert Dedman (Ret.) On February 11, 1982, I was duty Flight Manager 747 when I received a summons into the General Manager flying’s office.

We had just learned that our Paris flight had run off the taxiway, yet continued into the ramp. Since we did not know if there was damage, I was told to get over to CDG to bring the return flight back to JFK. Since we had no one available in Europe, the only way I could get there was by SST. TWA approached Air France, but they would not accept anything with TWA. We then called BA, and they accepted me but I had to hurry. I went to our Long Island house, got my uniform and bags, and went right to the terminal where they were boarding. Our plan was to get to LHR in the afternoon and then take the earliest flight the next day over to CDG and fly home.

I settled back into my seat mid-ship, only about 25 PAX on board. Before we started to taxi, the Steward came and said the Capt. wanted me to join him in the cockpit. I was thrilled, as I had never been supersonic.

After the intros, the Captain advised me that it was the F/O’s leg, but after we got airborne, I could sit in the left seat and have a go at flying this wonderful machine.

It was more than I could ever dream of! The F/O retracted the nose cone and told me, “Your airplane,” and to follow the flight director, which I did.

Climb and speed were restricted until we got well off the coast of Long Island, since there were only three routes for the SST, one each way plus an alternate.

We were then cleared to 51,000 feet, the highest I had ever been, even in Air force fighters.

I was offered dinner back in the cabin, but I requested to stay put so they brought me a few items to eat. I was more into flying than eating. I kept hand flying

“We got to 59,000’ and cruised just over Mach 2.07 – faster than any bullet.”

it – and it felt like a fighter, so smooth.

We did put the autopilot on for a short time, and the Captain explained the systems and the safety items. Very close cockpit and the F/E really has to work hard as fuel is constantly being moved about to cool things and to keep the center of gravity in proper position.

Navigation was done by pre-programed slides into the nav. system. Actually, it was very easy to follow and watch how fast the scenery went by.

We got further climb to 59,000’ and cruised just over Mach 2.07 – faster than any bullet. As we neared coast of the British Isles, the Captain came back to the cockpit and we changed seats for the descent and landing. Gets busy but the F/O did a splendid job.

Block to Block was 3.1 hours.

The crew signed the flight plan and other flight data, and the Steward gave me a seat back gift package which I still have. I brought Flt. 803 home with a full load and thankful that all that needed to be done was a big cleanup. When I got home, I showed my “gifts” to my wife and she said, “Why do you need that junk?” – I said, “Do you know how few people have done what I did?”

By the way, the BA aircraft, “OE” was given away but I have not been able to find where it went. Many went to museums.

Page 48

J J J J J

@ E K < I < J K @ E > Û C P E O Û

ÝÛHistorical Photos of AA Dating Back to the 40’s

bgfhjg[lgj f]l£[`a[Y_g¤l`jgm_`¤l`]¤q]Yjk ÝÛTWA/Saudia After WW II

`a[cgjqYnaYlagfemk]me gj_£ hº ~ ÝÛThe Connie

ooo qgmlmZ] [ge£oYl[` nº_ k nM=q~8 ÝÛTAT Tri Motor

ooo ahYkk f]l£_afc_g£E ~ `ge] `led

INTERESTING “LYNX” N]Ûl`gm_`lÛqgmÛea_`lÛ enjoy these web links.

Many will bring back memories – and some are just interesting or a heck of a lot of fun.

ÝÛSFO by Airship

`ge] [ge[Ykl f]l£åZr]]~Z£Q]hh]daf£Q]hh]daf `led ÝÛJFK Bad Day

ooo qgmlmZ] [ge£oYl[` nº 9D;co^cOn ÝÛThe Air Cam

hdYq]j nae]g [ge£na\]g£ ~ ÝÛB-29 Frozen in Time

ooo qgmlmZ] [ge£oYl[` nº~m P9obHK\k ÝÛPanAm China Clipper 1935

ooo dgm_ghYd [ge£eYfadY£ hº~ ÝÛWWII Statistics

hahhY]llgj] [ge£?gjjax[äNN@@äJlYlakla[k `led

Please type the links in your web browser to view.

Enjoy!

ÝÛMansions

ogjja]jkYfgfqegmk gj_£J`Yj]£DYfkagfk `le ÝÛEuro Fighter Ride

ooo qgmlmZ] [ge£]eZ]\£kbn_:~[BH>8 ÝÛYosemite Time Lapse

ooo qgmlmZ] [ge£oYl[` ^]Ylmj]ºhdYq]jä]eZ]\\]\¬nºQorP~gä`9 P ÝÛFrench Air Show

ooo qgmlmZ] [ge£]eZ]\£_Ef\Jid A ^]Ylmj]ºhdYq]jä\]lYadhY_] ÝÛKamikaze

ooo \jghZgp [ge£k`£ rch `nj_Z[\ _\£;¤iGEk> qeÛ ÝÛB36 Engineer Panel

ooo femkY^najlmYdlgmj [ge£e]\aY£ £9¤ AÉ <f_af]]j `led ÝÛNavy, Marine & Coast Guard Pilots

hdYq]j nae]g [ge£na\]g£ ~ YmlghdYqº~

Page 49

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID ST. PETERS, MO PERMIT #394 KN8Û8:K@M<ÛI<K@I<;ÛG@CFKJÛ8JJF:@8K@FE

KN8ÛG@CFKÛD<;8CC@FEJ TWA Pilot Medallions Available for $25* See the President’s letter on page 2 for how you can purchase one!

*Proceeds from the sale of the medallions goes towards donations to the TWA Flight 800 Memorial and the TWA Museum – both are 501(c)(3) Charitable Organizations.