M E M O R I E S
M E M O R I E S
Here are many interesting websites for your surfing pleasure. and here the best one, Eye Candy! http://vacations. com/50-photos- from-air-travels-glory-years
Click on the link below. 4 clips are really amazing.
Click on any of these:
Centennial of Flight Celebrations
is an interesting site featuring early United Airlines, check it out.
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DC-3 Flagship - Video -
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The Wright Brothers in Italy in 1909...
Here is a film clip from the Austrian archives about the Wright Brothers demonstrating their plane in Italy in 1909. What is even more fantastic is there was an on-board camera on the Wright plane and the last part of this film shows it. It's crystal clear. If you haven't seen it, you must see this important film. Wilbur Wright is at the controls on both of the flightsConsidering this was done in 1909 the photography is great! However, the background music is terrible.
www.europafilmtreasures.eu/PY/322/fiche_technique.htm?ID=322
Type this link on your browser and enjoy!
www.funstufftosee.com/goodbye.html
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And just click on this link.
A nice video of the the times.
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Here for you ex huns!
Click on the picture and also on:
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And from BA.
I thought you would like to see the notice that British Airways sent to
its pilots explaining what we remember to as the "monitored approach"
And what call "PF" and "PNF"
Now try this actual explanation of this procedure from the British Airways
manual:
British Airways Flight Operations Department Notice
There appears to be some confusion over the new pilot role titles. This
notice will hopefully clear up any misunderstandings. The titles P1, P2 and
Co-Pilot will now cease to have any meaning, within the BA operations
manuals. They are to be replaced by Handling Pilot, Non-handling Pilot,
Handling Landing Pilot, Non-Handling Landing Pilot, Handling Non-Landing
Pilot, and Non Handling Non-Landing Pilot.
The Landing Pilot is initially the Handling Pilot and will handle the take-off and landing
except in role reversal when he is the Non-Handling Pilot for taxi until the
Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the handling to the Landing Pilot at
eighty knots.
The Non-Landing (Non-Handling, since the Landing Pilot is handling) Pilot
reads the checklist to the Handling Pilot until after Before Descent
Checklist completion, when the Handling Landing Pilot hands the handling to
the Non-Handling Non-Landing Pilot who then becomes the Handling Non-Landing
Pilot.
The Landing Pilot is the Non-Handling Pilot until the "decision altitude"
call, when the Handling Non-Landing Pilot hands the handling to the
Non-Handling Landing Pilot, unless the latter calls "go-around", in which
case the Handling Non-Landing Pilot, continues Handling and the
Non-Handling Landing Pilot continues non-handling until the next call of
"land" or "go-around", as appropriate.
In view of the recent confusion over these rules, it was deemed necessary
to restate them clearly.Flight Ops.
Do you know or remember any UAL pilot
who might have flown the Boeing 40.
.
PUNCH UP, WWW.PEMBERTON AND SONS.COM.
.
MR.PEMBERTON GAVE A PRESENTATION TO OUR LOCAL DEDALION GROUP AND IT TOLD THE WHOLE STORY. A FANTASTIC TALE.
I'M SURE IF CONTACTED BY EMAIL FROM OUR HEADQUARTERS HE WOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION. YOU'LL SEE ON HIS PRESENTATION THAT THE WEBSITE DOESN'T QUITE TELL THE WHOLE STORY.
IF WE CAN PUBLISH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME OF OUR PILOTS WHO FLEW THE PLANE WE COULD REALLY GET IN THE FRONT DOOR.
.
BEST, BILL DENHART.
The confusing Navy numbers?!
.
And here the Navy's Rational Link.
.
F4F Navy WWII prop
.
F4D Navy Delta wing Jet (1957-1964) Held the time to climb record until F104
.
F4 Navy 2 place twin Jet (1969-2004) Soooo good, the AF got them too!
.
.
.
* * * * *
.
WATCH THAT FIRST STEP
The First Marine Air Wing had thie write up in their safety publication, Wing Tips of an AAR board's comments some 40 years ago:
It was conceded by all that the pilot had accomplished a brillant piece of work in landing his disabled machine without damage under the circumstances. It is not with intent to reflect less credit upon his airmanship, but it must be noted that he is a well experienced aviator with over 40 total hours in the air, embracing a wide veriety of machines, and this was his seventh forced landing due to complete failure of the engine.It was doubly unfortunate that upon alighting from his machine he missed the catwalk on the lower airfoil and plunged both legs through the fabric, straddling a rib, from which he received a grievous personal injury. Some thought should be devoted to a means of
indentifying wing-traversing catwalks to assist aviators in disembarking from their various machines.
Arvid,
This should be of interest to RUPA members as a number of UAL pilots have seen this airplane during their visit to our museum.
Another Boeing aircraft at the Museum of Flight Restoration Center at Paine Field, Everett, Washington is the Boeing 247D painted with a United Airlines color scheme. The first restoration of this aircraft was funded by the Boeing Management Association.After a seal failure in the LH landing gear oleo of the Boeing 247D after it's last flight, the Museum of flight asked some Boeing landing gear designers to take a look at the gear and advise as to a coarse of action. Their immediate reaction was this gear was no longer airworthy (but we had been flying with it for some ten years with no problems). The Museum provided them with copies of the original 1933 drawings for their review and subsequently they received an OK from their management to do some redesign on their own time using today's design tools. A new set of drawings were produced to the same form factors but with a more modern seal design. After soliciting some bids and the Museum receiving a grant from Bill Boeing Jr., the new design was let to Island Machine, Inc. at Paine Field and the new oleo parts are now in work to restore the airplane to flying condition once again. Assembly and testing of the new landing gear oleo assemblies will be accomplished by Aero Controls, Inc. in Auburn, Washington. Aviation Technical Services (ex Goodrich) at Paine Field has also contributed some hardware required for assembly.
Frank Leathley, Crew Chief Model 247D - email: frank247d@verizon.net
Without donations of this kind, the aircraft would have been a static display and the Crew of the Boeing 247D is very grateful to have it airworthy again.
TC Howard - email: tch727@aol.com
Terris 'Terry' C. Howard
Crew Chief & Quality Assurance
727 UAL Restoration Project - 727 Restoration Project & 727 Restoration Crew
The Museum of Flight Restoration Center
2909 100th St. SW, Hanger C72
Paine Field, Everett, WA 98204
The Last B-36_ (http://www.cowtown. net/proweb/ last_one. htm)
and Restoration
http://www.pimaair. org/project. php?rid=1_
(http://www.pimaair. org/project. php?rid=1)1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of.
Nov 17, 2006
The following came to me from Retiree Augie Miller skylane182@juno. com
Pete Sofman
============ ========= =========
The advances in aviation have been phenomenal since the days of Wilbur and Orville. We tend to gloss over this growth until we run across items like the following safety reports from 1917.I am particularly drawn to the ones titled No. 1 Brief and No. 2 Brief. Be sure to read these absolute gems. Chuckling permitted.
Flying was a bit different in 1917 !!!
Flying Reports: The following safety tips from Daedalian Foundation are excerpts from Royal Flying Corps monthly report of Dec. 1917.
The report was signed C. St. John-Culbertson, Royal Flying Corps Colonel and was dated 21 December, 1917.INTRODUCTION
Another good month.
In all, a total of 35 accidents were reported, only six of which were avoidable. These represented a marked improvement over the month of November during which 84 accidents occurred, of which 23 were avoidable. This improvement, no doubt, is the result of experienced pilots with over 100 hours in the air forming the backbone of all the units.
RESUME OF ACCIDENTS
Avoidable Accidents
1. There were six avoidable accidents this last month.
a. The pilot of a Shorthorn, with over 7 hours of experience, seriously damaged the undercarriage on landing. He had failed to land
at as fast a speed as possible as recommended in the Aviation Pocket Handbook.b. A B.E.2 stalled and crashed during an artillery exercise. The pilot had been struck on the head by the semaphore of his observer
who was signaling to the gunners.c. Another pilot in a B.E.2 failed to get airborne, by an error of judgement, he was attempting to fly at mid-day instead of at the
recommended best lift periods, which are just after dawn and just before sunset.d. A Longhorn pilot lost control and crashed in a bog near Chipping- Sedbury. An error of skill on the part of the pilot in not being able
to control a machine with a wide speed band of 10 MPH between top speed and stalling speed.e. While low flying in a Shorthorn the pilot crashed into the top deck of a horse drawn bus near Stonehenge.
f. A B.E.2 pilot was seen to be attempting a banked turn at a constant height before he crashed. A grave error by an experienced pilot.
Unavoidable Accidents
2. There were 29 unavoidable accidents from which the following are selected:
a. The top wing of a Camel fell off due to fatigue failure of the flying wires. A successful emergency landing was carried out.
b. Sixteen B.E.2's and 9 Shorthorns had complete engine failures. A marked improvement over November's fatigue.
c. Pigeons destroyed a Camel and 2 Longhorns after mid-air strikes. COST OF ACCIDENTS Accidents during the last three months of 1917 cost 317 pounds, 10 shillings sixpence, money down the drain and sufficient to buy new gaiters and spurs for each and every pilot
observer in the Service.ACCIDENT BRIEFS
No. 1 Brief No. 912
Squadron, 3 December 1917 Aircraft type B.E.2C, No. KY678, Total
Solo - - 4.20 Pilot Lt. J. Smyth-Worthington, Solo in type - - 1.10
The pilot of this flying machine attempted to maintain his altitude
in a turn at 2,500 feet. This resulted in the airplane entering an
unprecedented maneuver, entailing a considerable loss of height. Even
with full power applied and the control column fully back, the pilot
was unable to regain control. However, upon climbing from the cockpit
onto the lower mainplane, the pilot managed to correct the machines
altitude, and by skillful manipulation of the flying wires
successfully side-slipped into a nearby meadow. Remarks: Although,
through inexperience, this pilot allowed his aeroplane to enter an
unusual attitude, his resourcefulness in eventually landing without
damage has earned him a unit citation. R.F.C. Lundsford-Magnus is
investigating the strange behaviour of this aircraft.No. 2 Brief No. 847
Squadron 19 December 1917 Aircraft Type Spotter Balloon J17983, total solo 107.00 Pilot Capt. ***, Solo in type 32.10 Capt * * * of
the Hussars, a balloon observer, unfortunately allowed the spike of his full-dress helmet to impinge against the envelope of his balloon.
There was a violent explosion and the balloon carried out a series of fantastic and uncontrollable maneuvers, while rapidly emptying itself
of gas. The pilot was thrown clear and escaped injury as he was lucky enough to land on his head. Remarks This pilot was flying in full-
dress uniform because he was the Officer of the Day. In consequence it has been recommended that pilots will not fly during periods of
duty as Officer of the Day. Captain* * * has requested an exchange posting to the Patroville Alps, a well known mule unit of the BasquesNo. 3 Brief Summary of No. 3 Brief dated October 1917
Major W. de Kitkag-Watney' s Neuport Scout was extensively damaged when it failed to become airborne. The original court of Inquiry
found that the primary cause of the accident was carelessness and poor airmanship on the part of a very experienced pilot. The
Commandant General, however, not being wholly convinced that Major de Kitkag-Watney could be guilty of so culpable a mistake ordered that the court should be re-convened. After extensive inquiries and lengthy discussions with the Meteorlogical Officer and Astronomer
Royal, the Court came to the conclusion that the pilot unfortunately was authorized to fly his aircraft on a day when there was absolutely
no lift in the air and could not be held responsible for the accident. The Court wishes to take this opportunity to extend
congratulations to Major de Kitkag-Watney on his reprieve and also on his engagement to the Commandant Gereral's daughter, which was
announced shortly before the accident.FLYING SAFETY TIPS
Horizontal Turns
To take a turn the pilot should always remember to sit upright, otherwise he will increase the banking of the aeroplane. He should
never lean over.Crash Precautions
Every pilot should understand the serious consequences of trying to turn with the engine off.
It is much safer to crash into a house when going forward than to sideslip or stall a machine with engine trouble.
Passengers should always use safety belts, as the pilot may start stunting without warning. Never release the belt while in the air, or
when nosed down to land.Engine Noises
Upon the detection of a knock, grind, rattle or squeak, the engine should be at once stopped. Knocking or grinding accompanied by a
squeak indicates binding and a lack of lubricant.Here is a list of U. S. defunct airlines at wikipedia. You can log into wikipedia and edit the list if you know of some other defunct airline that is not listed. Charles Tolleson
http://en.wikipedia .org/wiki/ List_of_defunct_ airlines# United_States
a.. AAXICO Airlines (1946 - 1965, to Saturn Airways)
b.. Access Air (1998 - 2001)
c.. ADI Domestic Airlines
d.. Aeromech Airlines (1951 - 1983, to Wright Airlines)
e.. Air America (owned and operated by the CIA in SouthEast Asia)
f.. Air America (1980s)
g.. Air Atlanta (1981 - 88)
h.. Airborne Express (1946 - 2003, to DHL)
i.. Air California, later AirCal (1967 - 87, to American Airlines)
j.. Air Chaparral (1980 - 82)
k.. Air Florida (1972 - 84)
l.. Air Hawaii (ceased operations in 1986)
m.. Airlift International (1946 - 81)
n.. Air New England (1975 - 81)
o.. Air Niagara
p.. Air North (1963 - 83, to Brockway Air)
q.. Air South (1968 - 75, to Florida Airlines; 1994 - 97)
r.. Air Speed (1974)
s.. Air Vegas (1971 - 2004)
t.. Airways of New Mexico
u.. Albany Air
v.. All American Aviation Company
w.. Allegheny Airlines (became US Airways)
x.. American Flyers Airline
y.. American International Airways
z.. American Overseas Airlines (1945 - 50) merged into Pan American
World Airways
aa.. Arista International Airlines
ab.. Arizona Airways
ac.. Arizona Airways (1993-1996)
ad.. Aroostook Airways
ae.. Aspen Airways (1962 - 90)
af.. Atlantic Coast Airlines (1989 - 2004, to Independence Air)
ag.. Bar Harbor Airlines (1971-92)
ah.. Business Express Airlines to American Eagle
ai.. Boeing Air Transport (1927 - 30)
aj.. Bonanza Air Lines (1945 - 68, to Hughes Airwest)
ak.. Braniff (1983-1990)
al.. Braniff (1991-1992)
am.. Braniff International Airways (1928 - 82 and 1984 - 89)
an.. Britt Airways (1976 - 1987)
ao.. Brockway Air
ap.. CalPac (California Pacific) (1993 - 95 to Mesa Airlines)
aq.. Cal Sierra Airlines (1980)
ar.. Cape Smythe Air (1975 - 2005, to Frontier Flying Service)
as.. Capitol Air Lines (1970s - 1980s)
at.. Capital Airlines (1936 - 61, to United Airlines)
au.. Capitol Airways (1946 - 82)
av.. Caribbean Sun (2002 - 2007)
aw.. Carnival Air Lines
ax.. Cascade Airways (1969 - 86)
ay.. Catalina Airlines (1940 - 69)
az.. CCAir
ba.. Centennial Airlines
bb.. Central Airlines (1944 - 67)
bc.. Challenge Air Cargo (1978 - 2001)
bd.. Chicago Air
be.. Chicago and Southern Air Lines (1934 - 53)
bf.. Chicago Express Airlines (1993 - 2005)
bg.. Colgan Airways (1971 - 86, to Presidential Airways, revived
1991, and currently operating as Continental Express, United Express,
and US Airways Express: see http://www.colganai r.com)
bh.. Colonial Air Transport (1926 - 30)
bi.. Command Airways
bj.. Crown Airways (1969 - 1992 to Mesa Airlines)
bk.. Curtiss Flying Service (1929 - 1932)
bl.. Delta Express (1996-2003: replaced by Song; folded back into
Delta Air Lines)
bm.. Desert Sun Airlines (1995 - 1997 to Mesa Airlines)
bn.. Eastern Air Lines (1926 - 1991)
bo.. Eastwind Airlines
bp.. Emerald Air (1978 - 91)
bq.. Emery Worldwide Airlines (1977 - 2003)
br.. Empire Airlines (1976 - 85, to USAir)
bs.. Eureka Areo (c. 1976 - 1979)
bt.. Falcon Air Express (1995 - 2007)
bu.. Fine Air (1989 - 2004)
bv.. Florida Coastal Airlines (ceased operations 2006)
bw.. FloridaGulf Airlines (1991 - 1997, to Air Midwest)
bx.. Flying Tiger Line (1945 - 1988, to Federal Express)
by.. Freelandia
bz.. Frontier Airlines (1950 - 1986)
ca.. Galaxy Airlines
cb.. Global International Airways (1981 - ?)
cc.. Golden West Airlines
cd.. Great Plains Airlines (2001 - 2004)
ce.. Gulf Air Transport (1979 - 1990)
cf.. Hooters Air (2003 - 2006)
cg.. Hughes Airwest (1968 - 80, to Republic Airlines)
ch.. Imperial Airlines (1964 - 86)
ci.. Independence Air (2004 - 2006)
cj.. Indigo Airlines
ck.. Intermountain Airlines
cl.. Jet Express
cm.. Key Airlines
cn.. Kitty Hawk Airways
co.. Kitty Hawk International (to Kalitta Air)
cp.. Kiwi International Air Lines
cq.. Lake Central Airlines (1949 - 68, to Allegheny Airlines)
cr.. Lakeland Airlines (1980 - 84)
cs.. Las Vegas Airlines (1973 - 87)
ct.. Legend Airlines (1996 - 2000)
cu.. Liberty Express Airlines ((1994 - 97, to Air Midwest)
cv.. Lone Star Airlines
cw.. Mackey Airlines (1957 - 81)
cx.. Maddux Airlines (1927 - 29, to Transcontinental Air Transport)
cy.. Mahalo Air (1993 - 97)
cz.. Mall Airways (1973 - 89, to Business Express)
da.. MarkAir (1947 - 95)
db.. Marquette Airlines (to Trans World Airlines)
dc.. Mayflower Airlines (1936 - ?)
dd.. MetroJet
de.. Mexus Airlines
df.. MGM Grand Air
dg.. MidAtlantic Airways (2002 - 2006)
dh.. Mid-Continent Airlines (1928 - 1952, to Braniff)
di.. Mid Pacific Air (1981 - 88)
dj.. Mid-State Airlines (1964 - ?, to Sentry Airlines)
dk.. Midway Airlines (1979 - 81 and 1993 - 2003)
dl.. Mississippi Valley Airlines (1969 - 85)
dm.. Modern Air Transport
dn.. Mohawk Airlines (1952 - 88, to Allegheny Airlines)
do.. Morris Air to Southwest Airlines
dp.. Mountain Air Express
dq.. Mountain West Airlines (1995 - 97 to Mesa Airlines)
dr.. Muse Air to Southwest Airlines
ds.. National Airlines (1929 - 80, to Pan American World Airways)
dt.. National Airlines (1983 - 86)
du.. National Airlines/Private Jet Expeditions (1994 - 95)
dv.. National Airlines (1999 - 2002)
dw.. National Air Transport (1926 - 30)
dx.. Nations Air Express (1994-1998)
dy.. New England & Western Air Transportation Co. (1930)
dz.. New York Air (1980 - 86, to Continental Airlines)
ea.. New York Airways (1949 - 79)
eb.. New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line (to Pan American World
Airways)
ec.. North Central Airlines (1939 - 79)
ed.. Northeast Airlines (1940 - 72, to Delta Air Lines)
ee.. Overseas National Airways (1950 - 78)
ef.. Ozark Airlines (1943 - 86, to Trans World Airlines)
eg.. Pacific Air Lines (1958 - 68, to Hughes Airwest)
eh.. Pacific Air Transport (1926 - 27)
ei.. Pacific Alaska Airways (1973 - 86)
ej.. Pacific East Airlines (ceased operations 1984)
ek.. Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) (1945 - 86, to USAir)
el.. Pan American Airways (1996-1998)
em.. Pan American Airways (1998-2004)
en.. Pan American-Grace Airways (Panagra) (1928 - 67, to Braniff
International Airways)
eo.. Pan American World Airways (1927 - 91)
ep.. Paradise Island Airlines
eq.. People Express (1981 - 87, to Continental Airlines)
er.. Piedmont Airlines (1940 - 89, to USAir)
es.. Pioneer Airlines
et.. Planet Airways (????- June 8, 2005, speculation only at this
point in time)
eu.. Potomac Air
ev.. Presidential Airways (1985 - 89)
ew.. Private Jet Expeditions (????-1995)
ex.. Pride Air (August 1985 - November 1985)
ey.. Pro Air (1997 - 2000)
ez.. Provincetown- Boston Airlines
fa.. Ransome Airlines (1967 - 86)
fb.. Reeve Aleutian Airways (1932 - 2001)
fc.. Regent Air
fd.. RegionsAir (1996 - 2007)
fe.. Reno Air (1990 - 99, to American Airlines)
ff.. Republic Airlines (1979 - 86, to Northwest Airlines)
fg.. Rich International Airways (1971 - 96)
fh.. Rio Airways (1970 - 87)
fi.. Robertson Air Service
fj.. Rocky Mountain Airways (1964 - 86)
fk.. Samoa Air (American Samoa, ceased operations in 2003)
fl.. Saturn Airways (1960 - 76, to Trans International Airlines)
fm.. Seaboard World Airlines (1946 - 80, to Flying Tiger Line)
fn.. Shuttle by United and United Shuttle (1994 - 2001)
fn..Slick Airways (1946-1965)
fo.. Song (2003-April 30th, 2006 Merged back in with its parent
company, Delta Air Lines)
fp.. South Pacific Island Airways (SPIA) (American Samoa, ceased
operations in 1987)
fq.. Southeast Airlines (1992 - 2004)
fr.. Southern Air Transport
fs.. Southern Airways (1943 - 79, to Republic Airlines)
ft.. Southern Jersey Airways
fu.. Southwest Airways (1946 - 58, renamed Pacific Air Lines)
fv.. Standard Airlines (1926 - 30) 1927 subsidiary of Aero Corp. of
Ca., In 1930, bought by Western Air Express, thru merger with TAT
became TWA, Transcontinental & Western Air, Trans World Airlines
fw.. States West Airlines
fx.. Sun West Airlines
fy.. Sunworld International Airlines (? - 2004)
fz.. Superior Airlines (1993 - 95 to Mesa Airlines
ga.. Swift Aire Lines (1969 - 81)
gb.. TAG Airlines
gc.. TAT - Maddux Air Lines (1928 - 30)
gd.. Texas Air
ge.. Texas Trans Air
gf.. Texas International Airlines (1944 - 86, to Continental
Airlines)
gg.. The Hawaii Express (1982 - 83)
gh.. Tower Air (1983 - 2000)
gi.. Trans Air (1979 - 85)
gj.. Transamerica Airlines (1948 - 86)
gk.. Transcontinental Air Transport (1928 - 30, TWA)
gl.. TransMeridian Airlines (1995 - 2005)
gm.. Trans International Airlines (1947 - 1986)
gn.. TranStar Airlines (1981 - 87)
go.. Trans-Colorado Airlines
gp.. Trans-Texas Airways
gq.. Trans World Airlines (1930 - 2001, to American Airlines)
gr.. Trans World Express
gs.. Trump Shuttle (1989 - 91, to US Airways)
gt.. UltrAir (1993)
gu.. Universal Airlines (US Cargo Operator 1966 - 72, to Trans
International Airlines)
gv.. ValuJet Airlines (1993 - 1997, to AirTran Airways)
gw.. Vanguard Airlines (1994 - 2002)
gx.. Varney Airlines
gy.. WestAir Commuter Airlines
gz.. West Coast Airlines (1940s - 68, to Hughes Airwest)
ha.. Western Airlines (1925 - 87, to Delta Air Lines)
hb.. Western Pacific Airlines (ceased operations 1998)
hc.. Westward Airways (2002 - 05)
hd.. Wien Air Alaska
he.. Wilmington - Catalina Air Line
hf.. WinAir Airlines (1998 - 99)
hg.. Wings Airways (? - 1992?)
hh.. Wright Airlines
hi.. Zantop Air Transport
hj.. Zantop Flying Service
hk.. Zantop International Airlineshttp://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/35/a2674235.shtml
And scrolling down will present you more pictures and stories of interest!
The old hangar at Cicero Field , later known as Midway. Taken in 1924. (Thanks to Art Mount whose father is in the picture)
Hey! They still look for good instructors for B-747 and B-777 Retired Pilots are welcome. ( ed
Pictures from Milt Reel.
Headquarters Staff of 1935. "MDWHQ" ? 
Pictures courtesy of Milt Reel. Thanks. Avn
Aviation History - Charlie Brown's Story
Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber
Group at Kimbolton, England. His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was
in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass
was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead
of heading home to Kimbolton.
After flying over an enemy airfield, a pilot named Franz Steigler was
ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the
B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen
a plane in such a bad state'. The tail and rear section was severely
damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the
top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere.
Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and
looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to
control his damaged and blood-stained plane.
Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at
Charlie to turn 180 degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken
plane to and slightly over the North Sea towards England. He then
saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, back to Europe.
When Franz landed he told the c/o that the plane had been shot down
over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and
the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered
never to talk about it.
More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe
pilot who saved the crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He
had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions.
They met in the USA at a 379th Bomber Group reunion, together with 25
people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that
day.
Research shows that Charlie Brown lived in Seattle and Franz Steigler
had moved to Vancouver, BC after the war. When they finally met, they
discovered they had lived less than 200 miles apart for the past 50
years!!
============ ========= ========= ========= ======
Or how about this one? Anyone know when or were? Had to be sometime between 1950 and 1954 and probably in SFO.
Nice historical event. United getting " Good Housekeeping" recognition.
THE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN and MR. BEST
submitted by Bill Powell:
====================
While this is not really a "flying" experience, it is a United experience ... having to do with the Ben Franklin Hotel in San Mateo
California.
I was based at ORD and had never been west of Denver in my first two years with UAL. I was F/O on the 737 and was sent TDY to SFO for two weeks. The year was early 1968.
I checked into the Hotel on Saturday evening, ate in the hotel dining room. The service was quite good as was the food. However, I was
almost the only one there.
I got up early Sunday morning (after all), it was two hours later back at ORD. I got to the lobby just after 6 am. As I walked off the
elevator, I noticed both the glass swinging door choked open, and a well groomed older white haired man polishing an aged Jag nosed into
the curb right there in front of the hotel.
I wandered out, looked up and down the near deserted street, and stood there for 5 minutes just taking in the cool morning air ... and
watching the old guy polish the Jag. He would open the poop open can of paste wax, smear it on over a two square foot area, place the top
back on the can, and then buff the polish in taking about three or four minutes to do that small area.
Then he would carefully fold his buff cloth, Place it on an unbuffed area of the car, pick up the Poop top can of wax, and do another two
foot area. He never spoke, nor did I.
After about ten minutes, for lack of anything better to do, I picked up the buff cloth and began to buff..... as he slowly added new wax.
This went on 'til about 7 am, when he quit adding polish and went inside the hotel. He came out just as I finished buffing the last
waxed area. He reached out for the cloth, I handed it to him. He nodded an approval sort of nod, and sort of waved a hand and strolled
down the street. I a little over an hour, I don't remember either of us speaking a single word.
After strolling around the downtown area for about a two hours, I noticed the lobby area begin to fill with lots of "blue hair" ladies,
and equally old men. I went up to my room and read the SF paper.
Later, I went down to the Dining Room for the afternoon meal. I took my time eating, watching people, and an occasional Crew check in. I
kept getting my coffee cut refilled, and waiting for my check.
After an untold number of coffee refills, I got the waitress' attention. "May I have my check please?", I asked. She replied,
"Your check as been paid." I told her I did not understand. She just replied, "It's already paid."
And this is not the end of the story. I stayed there for two weeks.... and I never got a check for my meals.
Seems the old guy polishing the car..... that was one of the owners of the hotel... Mr. Best.
And I believe the man at the desk was .... "Bill."
One of my fondest memories of layovers in SFO, that a layover at the Ben Franklin Hotel.
================================================
Bill Powell
Many of us would agree. Thanks . ed AvN
July 12, 2006
Subject: The Clinton Iran Desert One Debacle
Ten pages of insight as to what went on during Desert One. May not be the complete story and certainly not a pretty
picture but well worth the read. God bless them all! S/F beaver
http://iran.theatlantic.com/interactive_article_page_1.html>
A collection of good memories from 30+ years of flying the line we all share.
(original order edited some. ed AvN)
Memories from 30 Years of Flying the Linewith Flying Tigers and FedEx
By Capt. Bill Austin
Flying Tigers/FedEx, Retired
A large handful of thrust levers, each one connected to 60,000+ pounds of thrust.
Rotating at VR and feeling 800,000 plus pounds of airplane come alive as she lifts off.
Hearing the nosewheel spin down against the snubber in the well after takeoff.
A delightful sound signaling that you were on your way!
Punching out the top of a low overcast while climbing 6,000 feet per minute.
Cruising mere feet above a billiard-table-flat cloud deck at mach .86, with your chin on the glare shield
and your face as close as you can get to the windshield.
· The majesty and grandeur of towering cumulus. And maneuvering the airplane through day lit canyons between them.
· Cloud formations that are beautiful beyond description.
· The delicate threads of St. Elmo’s Fire dancing on the windshield at night.
· The twinkle of lights on the Japanese fishing fleet far below, and miles from any land,
on a night crossing of the North Pacific.
· Ice fog in Anchorage on a cold winter morning.
The patchwork quilt of the great plains from FL 370 on a day when you can see forever.
· Seeing geologic formations that no ground-pounder will ever see.
The chaotic, non-stop babble of radio transmissions at O’Hare or Kennedy during the afternoon rush.
· The quietness of center frequency at night during a transcontinental flight.
Dodging colored splotches of red and yellow light on the radar screen at night.
Lightning storms at night over the Midwest.
· The welcome view of approach lights appearing out of the mist just as you reach minimums.
· The soft, comforting glow of the instrument panel in a dark cockpit.
· The dancing curtains of colored light of the aurora on a winter-night Atlantic crossing.
· The taxiway names at O’Hare… before they were renamed: The Bridge, Lakeshore Drive, Old Scenic, New Scenic,
the Bypass, Cargo, Outer, North-South… Anything to drive newcomers and especially foreigners crazy.
· The majestic panorama of an entire mountain range stretched out beneath you from horizon to horizon.
· Lenticular clouds over the Sierras.
Mono Lake and the steep wall of the Sierra Nevada range when approached from the east.
Yosemite Valley from above.
Sunsets of every color imaginable.
Seventy-thousand-foot-high thunderstorm clouds in the tropics.
· The deep blue-gray of the sky at FL 430.
· The Alps in winter.
· The lights of London at night from FL350.
· Squall lines that run as far as you can see.
Watching the lightning show while crossing the ITCZ at night
· Exotic lands with exotic food.
· Old Chinatown in Singapore… before it was torn down, modernized, and sterilized.
· Long-tail boats speeding along the klongs in Thailand.
· The quietly turning paddle fans in the lobby of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
A cold San Miguel in Hong Kong after a long day’s flying.
· Ocean crossings.
The sound of foreign accents on the radio.
· Luxury hotels.
· To paraphrase the eloquent aviation writer, Ernie Gann, “The allure of the slit in a China girl's skirt.”
· The taxiway sentry (with his flag & machine gun) at the old Taipei downtown airport.
· Sipping Pina Coladas in a luxury hotel bar, while a typhoon rages outside.
· Chinese Junks bobbing in Aberdeen harbor.
· Watching the latitude count down to zero on the INS, and seeing it switch from "N" to "S" as you cross the equator.
· Wake Island at sunrise.
· Oslo Harbor at dusk.
· Icebergs in the North Atlantic.
· Contrails.
· Pago Harbor, framed by puffy cumulus clouds in the late afternoon.
· The camaraderie of a good crew.
· Ferryboat races in Sydney Harbour.
· Experiencing all the lines from the old Jo Stafford tune…
See the pyramids along the Nile.
See the sunrise on a tropic isle.
See the market place in old Algiers.
Send home photographs and souvenirs.
Fly the ocean in a silver plane.
See the jungle when it’s wet with rain.
· White picket fences in Auckland.
· Trade winds.
· White sandy beaches lined with swaying palms.
· The endless expanse of white on a polar crossing.
·
· The hustle and bustle of Hong Kong Harbor.
The bus ride to Stanley... on the upper deck front seat of the double-decker bus.
The Star Ferry in Hong Kong.
The Peak tram in Hong Kong.
The bustle of Nathan Road on a summer day.
Bangkok after a tropical rain.
The Long Bar at the Raffles.
· Heavy takeoffs from the reef runway at HNL.
· Landings in the B-747 when the only way you knew you had touched down was the movement of the spoiler handle.
· Jimmy’s Kitchen.
· The deafening sound of tropical raindrops slamming angrily against the windshield, accompanied by the hurried
slap, slap, slap of the windshield wipers while landing in a torrential downpour in Manila.
· Endless ripples of sand dunes across the trackless miles of the Sahara desert.
· Miller’s Pub in Chicago.
· German beer. Even in the Bitburg Garden in HKG.
· The white cliffs of Dover.
· Oom-pa-pa music at the "Gemaltes Haus" in Frankfurt.
Double-decker buses in London.
The “Gas Station” in Frankfurt.
· The Eiffel Tower.
Fjords in Norway.
· The aimless compass, not knowing where to point as you near the top of the world on a polar crossing.
Breaking out of the clouds on the IGS approach to runway 13 at Kai Tak, and seeing a windshield full of
"checkerboard" and as you approach into Kai Tak in a B-747 with your wingtip skimming the rooftops of
Yau Yat Chen as you make the steep turn to final.
The old Charlie-Charlie NDB approach into Kai Tak.
The Burma Road.
· Flight bags crammed with charts to exotic places.
· An empty weight takeoff in a B-747.
· The rush of a full-speed-brakes descent at barber pole in a B-727.
· Sliding in over Crystal Springs reservoir for a visual approach and landing on 1R in SFO.
· The smell of tropical blooms when you step off the plane in Fiji.
· The quietness of a DC-10 cockpit.
· Main gear touching down while the 747 cockpit is still 70 feet in the air.
· The coziness of a B-747 cockpit.
· Good co-pilots.
· Good flight engineers.
· Deadheading in First Class.
· The Canarsie approach into JFK.
· Max gross weight takeoffs.
· Cross-wind landings.
The brief, yet tempting, glimpse of runway lights…. after you’ve already committed to the missed approach.
The tantalizing glow of the flashing strobe lights just before you break out of the clouds on approach.
CAT IIIb autolands in the DC-10 on a foggy day, when you feel the wheels touch before you ever see the ground.
· “Leak-checking” your eyelids on a long night flight but then.....
Sunrises seen from the high flight levels that make the heart soar.
· And, as one friend so perceptively pointed out, paydaySo where and when was this interesting event .
Who is the Captain? Does it say Jack or Jerry Land? Looks like his retirement cake.
Cleve,
Received a thank you letter from Ted Bochniarz for our $1,000 donation to the Foundation. I think a small item in the RUPA News would be appropriate.
Regards,
Jim Olson
Subject: Home Computer
Or maybe it was a Statocruiser Flight Engineer Station. AvN
Picture from 1954 Popular Mechanics Magazine.... read the caption and marvel.
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Anyone out there who might help? ... AvN
Subject: NASM America by Air exhibition
Date: Wed, 1 Feb 2006 13:43:16 -0500
From: "London, Joanne" <LondonJ@si.edu> Add to Address BookAdd to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To: rupaweb63@yahoo.com
I am a curator in the Aeronautics Division at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. We are currently working on a new exhibition about the history of air transportation, due to open in 2007. (Please see link for more information about the exhibition: (http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal102/americabyair/) I hoping that RUPA’s corporate memory may yield us some information about the cartoon image that I have attached.
In one part of the exhibition we are planning to discuss how the airlines used the increasing patronage by celebrities (in the 1930s) to “prove” that their aircraft and services were safe. Apparently sometime in the early 1930s, studios took out clauses in celebrity contracts that forbade them from using airlines for travel.
We found this cartoon (see attached) by Dick Shaw in the book, The Age of Flight: a history of America's pioneering airline / / by William Garvey & David Fisher ; Randy Johnson, editoral director/contributing author. Greensboro, N.C. : Pace Communications, c2002.
Joanne
Joanne Gernstein London
Curator, Aeronautics Division
202-633-2643 (office)
202-786-2447 (fax)
londonj@si.edu
Independence Avenue at Sixth Street SW
MRC 312 PO Box 37012
Washington DC 20013-7012
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And here is some more chuckles.
Subject: Fwd: Lutran Airlines
VE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE LUTRAN AIR IS NOW OPERATING IN MINNYSOTA.
ALSO SERVING VISCONSIN, NORT AND SOUT DAKOTA.
If yew are travelin? soon, consider Lutran Air, da no-frills airline.
Yer all in da same boat on Lutran Air, where flyin is a upliftin experience.
Dere i! s no first class on any Lutran Air flight.
Meals are potluck. Rows 1-6, bring rolls; 7-15, bring a salad; 16-21, a main dish, and 22-30, a dessert.
Basses and tenors please sit in da rear of da aircraft.
Evryvon is responsible for his or her own baggage. All fares are by free will offering and da plane will not land 'til da budget is met.
! Pay attention to yer flight attendant, who vill acquaint yew vit da safety system aboard dis Lutran Air 599.
Okay den, listen up. I'm only gonna say dis vonce.
In da event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, I am frankly going to be real surprised and so vill Captain Jimmy Olson, because ve fly right around two tousund feet, so loss of cabin pressure vould probably mean da Second Coming or sometin? of dat nature, and I vouldn't bodder vit doze liddle masks on da rubber tubes. Yer gonna have bigger tings to vorry about den dat. Yust stuff doze back up in dair little holes. Probly da masks fell out because of turbulence vhich, to be honest vit yew, ve're gonna have qvite a bit of at two tousund feet, sorta like drivin? across a plowed field, but after a vhile yew get used to it.
In da event of a vater landing, I'd say ferget it. Start saying da Lord's Prayer and just hope yew get to da part about fergive us our sins as ve fergive doze who sin against us, vhich some people say "trespass against us," vhich isn't right, but vhat can yew do?
Da use of cell phones on da plane is strictly ferbidden, not because day may confuse da plane's navigation system, vhich is s! eat of da pants all da vay. No, it's because cell phones are a pain in da vazoo, and if God meant yew to use a cell phone, He vould have put yer mout on da side of yer head.
Ve start lunch right about noon and it's buffet style vit da coffee pot up front. Den ve'll have da hymn sing; hymnals are in da seat pocket in front of yew. Don't take yers vit yew vhen yew go or I am goin? to be real upset and I am not kiddin!
Right now I'll say Grace: "Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let deze gifts to us be blessed. Fadder, Son, and Holy Ghost, may ve land in Dulut or perty close."
Amen.
.
