1996.11.tarpa_topics

Jack Frye...continued

Walt Gunn

etc.

CONVENTION '96

Photos, etc.

SITE NEWS FROM RETIRING CHAIRMAN EV GREEN

Convention ABQ '97 at the Marriott is being prepared by co—chairmen Klete and LoisRood and Ken and Rosemary Slaten. September 2, 3, 4 are the dates and $76 the room rate.

Next week we will be signing the Cavalier Virginia Beach contract for TARPAConvention '98. Many thanks to Bob and use Dedman who did the site survey and haveagreed to chair the convention.

That will complete 7 convention hotel surveys and contracts since Joe Brown andRuss Derickson gave me this job way back when, so it's time for Dave Saaks to take thischair and do 1999 and beyond. Welcome aboard, Dave.

Jessica and I thank you for all your help and site suggestions. Please keep themcoming to Dave.

CONTENTS

TARPA TOPICS THE MAGAZINE OF THE TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION*

FEATURE ARTICLES: DEPARTMENTS:

TARPA BUSINESS 6 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGEJohn Gratz, Pres. 3

TARPA CONVENTION '96 17 SECRETARY-TREAS. REPORTDick Davis, &c-Treas. 4

Special Section: JACK FRYEFORTUNE 1945 Co' Walt Gunn 39

TRIO of "RIGHT STUFF" FLOWN WESTby Walt Gunn 53 coord by bob Widholm 61

EDITOR'S DESKChuck MacNab 5

AGE 60 RULEby Russ Hazelton

VISITING RUSSIAby bill Dixon

TARPA TOURSby Chuck Hasler

HEALTH NOTAMSby bob Garrett

GRAPEVINEby Hank Gastrich

TOPICS MAILBOX

NEW MEMBERS

83

89

95

110

119

Cover.: A collection of TWALogos over black. (see Ed. column)

Material contained in TARPA TOPICS may be usedby non-profit or charitable organizations. All other useof material must be by permission of the Editor.

All inquiries concerning this publication should beaddressed to:

Capt. Charles E. MacNab, EditorTARPA TOPICS1865 Penny Royal LaneWentzville, MO 63385

73

77

TOPICS is an official publication of TARPA*, a non-profit corporation. Editor bears no responsibility foraccuracy or unauthorized use of contents.

PAGE 1...... TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER, 1996

Published 3 times a year by the TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION

TARPA is incorporated as a non-profit corporation under the non-profit corporation laws ofthe State of Nevada. As stated in Article II of the By-Laws, its purpose is social, recreational,and non-profit, with a primary goal of helping its members to maintain the friendships andassociations formed before retirement, to make retirement a more productive and rewardingexperience and to assist those active pilots approaching retirement with the problems that areinherent in the transition from active to retired status.

OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS, 1996/97

EDITOR:

HISTORIAN & CONTRIBUTING EDITOR:

FLOWN WEST COORDINATOR:

HEALTH & MEDICAL COORDINATOR:

TARPA TOURS COORDINATOR:

GRAPEVINE EDITOR:

Charles E. MacNab, 1865 Penny Royal Lane,Wentzville, MO 63385-4302 (314) 327-1999Henry E. Gastrich, 291 Jamacha Road., Apt 52,El Cajon, CA 92019-2381 (619) 401-9969Edward G. Betts, 960 Las Lomas, PacificPalisades, CA 90272 (310) 454-1068Robert W. Widhohn, 286 Bow Line Drive,Naples, FL 33940 (813) 261-3816B. H. "Bob" Garrett, 1008 Gen. George PattonRoad, Nashville, TN 37221 (615) 646-3248William C. "Chuck" Hasler, 8 Rustic Way,San Rafael, CA 94901 (415) 454-7478

PRESIDENT1646 Timberlake Manor Pkwy, Chesterfield, MO 63017

FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT3728 Lynfield Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23452

SECOND VICE PRESIDENT1201 Phelps Ave., San Jose, CA 95117-2941

SECRETARY/TREASURER449 Santa Fe Drive, #200, Encinitas, CA 92024

SENIOR DIRECTOR848 Coventry Street, Boca Raton, Fl 33487

DIRECTOR , TOPICS EDITOR1865 Penny Royal Lane, Wentzville, MO 63385-4302

DIRECTOR107 Kay Street, Newport, RI 02840

DIRECTOR96 Indio Drive, Pismo Beach, CA 93449

EX-PRESIDENT233 S. E. Rogue River Hwy, Grants Pass, OR 97527

JOHN P. GRATZ(314) 532-8317

ROBERT W. DEDMAN(804)463-2032

ROBERT C. SHERMAN(408) 246-7754

RICHARD A. DAVIS(619) 436-9060

HARRY A. JACOBSEN(407) 997-0468

CHARLES E. MACNAB(314) 327-1999

LOU BURNS(401) 846-8626

PAUL B. CARR(805)773-9677

DAVID M. DAVIES(503) 476-5378

NOTHING REPLACES GOOD JUDGEMENT ON THE FIRING LINE!

PAGE 2 TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER, 1996

John P. Gratz, President1646 Timberlake Manor ParkwayChesterfield, MO 63017-5500

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The eighteenth annual convention of TARPA, TWA Active Retired Pilots Association, brought more thanthree hundred members and guests to the historic City of Boston where our tours offered us the opportu-nity to visit historic sites, picturesque sights, and paragons of academe.

The business meeting was held Friday morning and it was relatively short and noncontroversial. Itincluded Officer reports, guest speakers, and elections. I reported on the background and implementationof 7R Pass improvements which went into effect September 1, and my ill-fated attempts to gatherenough support for the 50th anniversary Connie Flight to Europe. But, it was a special pleasure toannounce, in Boston, the names of the two recipients of the TARPA Roy Van Etten Memorial Scholar-ships, Anthony Arenas and Katherine MacDonald!

TWA Senior's Club President, Herb Griggs said a few words, Ev Feltham, of the TWA Trauma Teamand TARPA member, described the work of that dedicated group and their need for more volunteers.Dave LaRocque, Chairman of the TWA MEC Investment Committee and TARPA member, reported onDAP issues. The business meeting ended the election of officers. The only change was the addition ofPaul Can as director replacing Fred Arenas.

Friday afternoon, we heard from a group of distinguished speakers from several financial institutions onthe subject of capital preservation. It was well attended, well represented and well received.

In the early evening, the Board of Directors hosted a special reception for the pioneers of TWA who flewInternational in early 1946. It was great to see so many of these men and, in some cases, meet wiveswho were hostesses on those early flights.

Our final event, the Dinner Dance was held in the most beautiful ballroom TARPA has ever seen. Ourspeaker, Bill Compton gave us a frank and earnest appraisal of the outlook for TWA this year and next.And so, after a fine dinner, a few drinks, a few jokes, a little dancing and a lot of remembering, weended TARPA Convention 1996. Many thanks to Al Mundo and his many helpers. It was great.

Sincerely,

John P. Gratz

PAGE 3...... TARPA TOPICS.... NOVEMBER, 1996

Richard A. Davis449 Santa Fe Dr., #200Encinitas, CA, 92024

November 1996

Secretary/Treasurers Report

The treasury remains in pretty good shape, thanks to the steps taken at the 1995 convention.Most of our funds are kept in the Members America Credit Union, and the rest in a local checkingaccount nearby. As of Convention time you have $43,909.65. This compares with $56,136.89 atthis time last year. Some of the difference is because of publishing the Directory, and will not occurnext year. The Board of Directors sees no need for a dues increase at this time.

The Internal Revenue Service audited our last three years activities earlier this year. They mustbe spot checking as I have not heard from them before. No fault with our returns, and they havecontinued our 501(C)(7) tax exempt status.

There is a dues envelope packaged with this issue. Make my life a little easier, and mail the peskything in while you are thinking of it. I also get a chance to update your addresses and telephonenumbers at the same time. This saves you a surprising amount of dollars in postal fees.

Nice seeing old friends in Boston. As a displaced New Englander I also enjoyed more than myshare of good sea food. Next year it may be Tacos on the banks of the Rio Grand !

Have a good one !

R. A. DavisSecretary/Treasurer

Pursuant to a resolution of the TARPA Board and, as directed by communications from the Presidentof TARPA, Checks for $1000 have been mailed to the school accounts of this year's Roy Van EttenMemorial Scholarship Grant. An award of $1000 each were mailed to the accounts of AnthonyArenas and Katherine MacDonald.


• EDITOR'S DESK •

With this issue, we conclude our series of articles about Jack Frye. Hopefully, the small effort we haveput forth in TARPA TOPICS, in memory of Jack Frye, will spark an effort to give him at least someofficial recognition as the primary founder of TWA. As in everything, opinions differ among theexperts, but, after studying the written history of Frye's decisions, it seems clear that he was the oneperson who set the stage for TWA's accomplishments during the airline's brightest days. Those of uswho enjoyed, and those who are still enjoying, great careers in the airline industry, owe more than werealize to Jack Frye.

Well, Convention '96 is history. A great "thanks" and "well done" to convention Chairman Al Mundo.Of course, you all know that Al takes this kind of compliment in stride as he has been at the heart oforganizing, negotiating and creating good things for TWA pilots for many years. Also, our personalthanks to all who sent the many photographs and descriptions we received for publication in this issue.You have truly helped the Editor more than you know. Through your images and descriptions, thosewho couldn't attend can now see many smiling, sipping and giggling faces. Maybe they will be enviousenough to be sure to come to Albuquerque. We go from great seafood to wonderful enchiladas .. whatvariety. Stick with TARPA....that's where the fun is!

Just a brief comment about the cover of this issue. The black background is both intentional andsymbolic... and is designed for this issue only. The coasters and baggage stickers appearing in theforeground are from the early days of TWA and are courtesy of Dan McIntyre's collection. ( See theAugust 1993 edition of TARPA TOPICS for an article about Dan and his TWA collection.)

You might make a note that Grapevine Editor, Hank Gastrich, has a new address. He would very muchappreciate receiving your Grapevine stuff, pronto and forthwith. (I like the "forthwith"...sounds like acourt order.) Hank's new address is published in the Grapevine section and also on the Information ForGrapevine Editor form in the back of this issue.

Once again, I want to thank all those who forwarded pictures from the convention and the cruise...and,of course, we thank all of our writers and contributors. Please keep sending us your "stuff"...as usual. Ijust know there are some untold tales of wondrous adventure to equal or top those we have alreadypublished.. out there somewhere...just waiting to make a thunderous appearance in....you guessedit..TARPA TOPICS! And... be sure to send graphic illustrations and photographs along with your text.

See you next issue.

Chuck


IS YOUR PAYROLL NUMBER LISTED HERE?

If it is, the Post Office has destroyed your copy of the TARPA TOPICS. Second classmail is not forwarded unless you are willing to pay first class rates, therefore the mail istrashed, and the PO advises me the item was undeliverable.

Printing, mailing, and the cost of this notification runs just about $5.00 for each of theseventy-five numbers here, typical of each issue. There are several possible solutions tothis problem, the easiest of which is for you to let me know where to send the book.

Your fellow TARPA members will appreciate eliminating this needless expense!

Dick,Secretary/Treasurer

00395 00419

01525 02421 02450 03183 05141 06101

09481 09565 11877 13146 15255 16869

20984 21163 23021 23329 24507 26571

28737 28957 29794 31765 31893 31975

34890 34893 38220 38369 40449 40700

42587 45839 48397 48451 48627 49173

49197 49963 50930 51185 51723 51935

52335 59223 64997 67105 67111 69265

69719 73059 74237 76547 76745 77827

78321 80879 82337 82464 83087 85095

87043 88117 88837 89631 91938 91992

92409 92516 94765 95959 96260 99264

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TWA Active Retired Pilots AssociationBoston, Massachusetts

September 10, 1996Board Meeting Minutes

Meeting called to order at 1900 EDT, President Gratz presiding.

Board members in attendance were:John P. Gratz PresidentRobert W. Dedman 1st Vice PresidentRobert C. Sherman 2nd Vice PresidentRichard A. Davis Secretary/TreasurerHarry A. Jacobson Senior DirectorLou Burns Director

Also present was :Kenneth R. Slaten 1997 Convention Co-Chairman.

Ken Slaten gave a report on the location, (Marriott Hotel) and the status of the 1997Albuquerque convention.

President Gratz reported on the status of the 7R pass situation, the Save-a-Connie plans forEurope, and the possibility of aiding a TWA museum.

Capt. Dedman reported his studies on Supplemental Health Insurance. Found HalMiller's work accurate and far reaching. Abandoned further efforts.

Capt. Dedman reported on the plans for the 1998 Convention at the Cavalier Hotel, VirginiaBeach, VA.

Capt. Sherman reported on the status of the DAP plan.

A request by Mr. Dave Turner to publish a book about TWA was turned down by the board.

Treasurers report read and approved.

Motion by Davis/2nd by Sherman to add the Editor to Section 3 of the Fiscal policy. PASSEDMotion by Sherman/2nd by Dedman to appoint a three man committee to draft revisions to the RoyVan Etten Scholarship Fund and report at the March meeting. PASSEDMotion by Sherman/2nd by Dedman to award two Roy Van Etton grants this year.PASSED (unanimous)Motion by Dedman/2nd by Jacobson to make minor changes in the wording of some sections of theBy-Laws. PASSED

Meeting adjourned at 2040 EDT

Respectfully submitted,R. A. DavisSecretary/Treasurer

PAGE 8 ... TARPA TOPICS.... NOVEMBER, 1996

TWA ACTIVE RETIRED PILOTS ASSOCIATION

TARPATWA Active Retired Pilots Association

Boston, Massachusetts

September 13, 1996Convention Minutes

Convention called to order at 0735 EDT at Park Plaza Hotel, President John Gratz presiding.

The President introduced the members of the Board present.Pledge of Allegiance, led by Bob Dedman.

Flown West report by Bob Widholm. The names of those members deceased since the 1995convention were read, and a minute of silent respect observed.

John Gratz gave his report on the activities of the Presidency.

Bob Dedman reported on the status of the 1998 convention at Virginia Beach, VA.

Bob Dedman led a discussion on the possibility of a Memorial Fund for the members offlight 800. Several funds already started, we could participate in those if desired.

Bob Sherman reported on the status of the DAP.

Secretary/Treasurers Davis gave financial report.

Past Presidents John Fergerson, Russ Derickson and Jack Donlan introduced.

TWA Seniors President Herb Griggs discussed the activities of the group. There now are16,000 retirees.

Bob Thompson gave the financial report for the TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation.

Ev Green reported on the 1997 Convention to be held Sept. 2 to Sept. 4 at ABQ. Co-Chairmen to be Ken Slaten and Klete Rood.

Ev Feltham described the activities of the TWA Trauma Team after the flight 800incident.

Meeting recessed at 0911 EDT and resumed at 0925 EDT.

Dave LaRoque reported for the TWA DAP Investment Committee.

Russ Hazelton reported the status of the age 60 rule. Still active and going to court.TWA expects the loss of 60 % of their crews by the year 2003.


Convention minutes..cont'd.

The Roy Van Etten Scholarship Fund granted awards to:• Anthony Arenas at the University of Illinois

Katherine MacDonald at Flight Safety International

Motion to change Art. 1 to read The name of the Association shall be TARPA, whichstands for TWA Active Retired Pilots Association". Passed

Motion to change Art II, Sect 2 to read The Association shall operate under Roberts Rulesof Order, revised. DELETE "unless otherwise specified". Passed

Motion to change Art III, Sec 1 DELETE last words: This includes the predecessorcompanies of TWA". Passed

Motion to change Art III, Sec 2 DELETE last words: "for any reason". PassedMotion to change Art III, Sec 3 Last sentence changed to read: "Widows of members will

also be offered HONORARY membership. PassedMotion to change Art III, Sec 4 Change five seventh to five eighths. Passed

Arenas.Ev Green presented slate forThe following were elected.

President1st Vice President2nd Vice PresidentSecretary/TreasurerSenior DirectorDirector / EditorDirectorDirector

officers. Paul Carr to replace Fred

John P. GratzRobert W. DedmanRobert C. ShermanRichard A. DavisHarry a. JacobsenCharles E. MacNabLou BurnsPaul Carr

Dick Guillan reported the results of obtaining new members.

Herb Griggs (TWA Seniors) suggested a notice in their (Seniors) publication.

Sam Luckey suggested a tear-off sheet to obtain TWA business cards.

Meeting adjourned at 1044 EDT.

Respectfully submitted,

R. A. DavisSecretary/Treasurer

PAGE 10..... TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER, 1996

The TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation, Inc.

PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT SECRETARY/TREAS. TRUSTEE TRUSTEECapt. Fred G. Arenas Capt. Harry Jacobsen Capt. Robert R. Thompson Capt. Robert D. Essaf Donald C. Ulrich1622 Cantebury Court 848 Coventry Street 807 West Hintz Road 3917 Wellington Circle 15 Circle DriveArlington Hts, IL 60004 Boca Raton, FL 33487 Arlington Hts, IL 60004 Palm Harbor, FL 24685-1178 Algonquin, IL 60102

847-398-1331 407-997-0468 847-259-9718 847-658-7581

THE TWA PILOTS RETIREMENT FOUNDATION, INC.REPORT TO 1996 TARPA CONVENTION

SEPTEMBER 1996 - BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The TWA Pilots Retirement Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of Florida, in 1982 (Charter762206).

The objective of the Foundation shall be to provide certain TransWorld Airlines cockpit crew members, who retired under anyprovisions of the TWA Pilot or Flight Engineer Retirement Plans,monetary assistance on a charitable basis as may be deemednecessary to enable them to meet and offset, to some degree, theeffects of inflation and to maintain a reasonable minimumstandard of living consistent with their individual

circumstances.

Additionally, the Foundation may provide assistance to certainwidows and surviving children of deceased TWA pilots.

The Foundation derives its monies for operation from, basically,four sources:

1. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS

47 contributors beginning 199540 contributors end of 1995

TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS $6,494.20

2. DIRECT CONTRIBUTIONS

27 contributors in 1995TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS $6,170.00

3. TARPA

Memorials $475.00

PAGE 11..... TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER , 1996

-2-

4. ALPA CREDIT UNION ACCOUNT DIVIDENDS

Total dividends 1995 $7,541.64Presently paying 5.50%

Total revenues for 1995 were $ 20,680.84Total grant expenditures for 1995 were $ 16,820.00Total administrative expenditures for 1995 were $ 209.25

Increase To Account Balance

ACCOUNT BALANCE END OF 1995

$ 3,561.59

$146,215.52

Since incorporation in 1982, the Foundation has aided 7 pilotsand 4 widows. The total benefits paid through 1995 have been$291,560.00. The total projected benefits to be paid through1996 will be over $304,000.00. At the end of July 1996, the ALPACredit Union Account remained at $153,566.50. The averagemonthly benefit to the recipients is $440.00.

we are presently assisting 2 widows and 1 pilot.

Robert R. ThompsonSecretary/Treasurer


TOTAL DAP PLAN ASSETS

Approx. Participants: 2600+ Actives / 1200 Retirees

1995 Total Net Operating Expenses : $ 2,125,960

Expense Ratio : 22 Basis Points

1996 TARPA DAP REVIEW

Dear TARPA Readers:

Captain Dave LaRocque, Chairman of the TWA Pilots Directed Account Plan,presented a short overview of the DAP at the 1996 TARPA convention in Boston onSeptember 13. A number of topics were reviewed in addition to Plan performance.

Captain LaRocque announced that monthly distribution checks from the DAP wouldnow arrive the first of the month starting in 1997. Those participants who are affectedby the age 70 1/2 IRS Minimum Distribution Rules were reminded to keep their DAPbeneficiary information current. DAP participants who have not taken their minimumdistribution in 1996 will receive an extra check in December. Last year 126 participantsreceived a minimum distribution check avoiding a 50% IRS penalty. All DAPparticipants who receive a monthly distribution (approximately 800) from the Plan willreceive their 12th check for 1996 around the first of January, 1997.

The topic most discussed and misunderstood concerned how the beneficiary wastreated in the Directed Account Plan. Spousal beneficiaries of DAP participants mayremain in the Plan for the remainder of their lives. Non-spousal beneficiaries (includingrevocable trusts) are required to exit the Plan within five years of the primaryparticipants death. Spousal beneficiaries have all the distribution options thatparticipants have for their lifetime.

Please refer to the accompanying charts for DAP assets and Plan performance. I lookforward to our presentation at the 1997 convention in N. Mex. See you there.

Joseph A. MontanaroExecutive DirectorTWA Pilots Directed Account Plan/401(k)

PAGE 13..... TARPA TOPICS ...NOVEMBER, 1996

DAP MODERATE PORTFOLIO

ASSET ALLOCATION

MODERATE MODEL VS. COMPOSITE INDEX

AS OF AUGUST 31, 1996

Plan performance is reported net of all plan expenses

** The index has no management or administrative expense **

TWA PILOTS DIRECTED ACCOUNT PLANOption and Model Asset Allocation

PAGE 14..... TARPA TOPICS.... NOVEMBER, 1996

*** ***

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It's time for some.... HUMOR?*

Nine out of ten doctors want you to get wellimmediately!... The tenth one thinks youmight still have a couple of bucks somewhere.

ELBONICS (el bon' iks) n. The actions of twopeople maneuvering for one armrest in thecoach section.

The Devil promised the lawyer unboundedsuccess in business and in love, to be paid forin the end by the delivery of his soul. And he(the lawyer) asked, guardedly, "What's thecatch?"

Late one night a burglar broke into a house that hethought was empty. He tiptoed through the livingroom but suddenly he froze in his tracks when heheard a loud voice say, "Jesus is watching you."Silence returned to the house, so the burglar creptforward again. "Jesus is watching you" the voiceboomed again. The burglar stopped dead again.He was frightened. Frantically, he looked allaround. In a dark corner he spotted a bird cageand in the cage was a parrot.He asked the parrot," Was that you who said Jesusis watching me?""Yes," said the bird.The burglar breathed a sigh of relief, then heasked the parrot," What's your name?""Clarence," said the bird."That's a dumb name for a parrot," sneered theburglar. "What idiot named you Clarence?"The parrot said," The same idiot who named theRottweiler Jesus!"

--submitted by Jim Jeskey

* Humor on this page is courtesy of S.J. "Scotty" Devine, Editor, RUPA (Ret. UAL Pilots) Newsletter...Thanks Scotty.


TO ALL "B–TOWN" CONVENTIONEERS

A most sincere thank you to all who participated in the 1996 BostonTARPA Convention and helped to make it a resounding success.

Well over two thirds of the attendees took part in the organized tourswhich by all reports were immensely enjoyable. Most, if not all, of theremaining attendees availed themselves of the tours, events, and the myriadof sights and things to do in the city proper. And from all of this, we lost nota single person to "Charlie on the MTA!"

While the sunset over Boston failed to cooperate, the dinner cruise wasa truly pleasant experience with excellent cuisine and a view of the Bostonskyline at night that was unforgettable. The week's activities culminated inthe gala dinner dance in the most impressive Imperial Ballroom, where uponentrance, each lady was presented with a long stemmed rose.

Reading between the lines of this brief summary, one realizes thatthese events simply did not fall into place and I would therefore like to givedue recognition to: Barb and Chuck Drake for developing and maintainingthe "spreadsheet" that was the detail blue print for the whole operation;Pauline & Bob Hamilton, our longtime Council 41 keepers of the coin, whohandled finances as only a real Scotsman can; Patti and Jim Rude who did asuper job in the mind-boggling task of registrations, assignments andcancellations. Kudos to Pat & Chuck Boulanger for ALL the banquet andreception functions as well as floral arrangements; to Cynthia and Dick Vauxnot only for registration duty, but for overall responsibility for picking up thepieces and plugging the leaks to make sure we stayed afloat.

Thanks to: Yola and Nick Mourginis for activities planning; Dick Fortin,golf chairman; John Callamaro, trap and skeet; Jim Aylward, car rentals andparking; Jerry and Abby Burns for his tennis chairmanship and her tourthrough their lovely 18th century home in Salem, Mass.

Lastly, our everlasting thanks to Katie Buchanan for overseeing "her"hospitality suite, the display of the "Connie," and her success as fund raiserextraordinaire. And to the many others who filled in at the registration desk,raffle table, and assisted where and when they could, when a need wasevident, you have my sincere appreciation. To all, a hearty well done.


As is apparent, the success of a convention results in part from theinput of a relative few and the participation of many. Each new conventionbuilds upon the success of the previous ones, so as we move from historicBoston of the East to historic Albuquerque of the West, let's all contribute toa terrific TARPA '97, whether by helping in committee work or simplyshowing up and participating.

Make your reservations early! See you at TARPA '97.

Warmest regards,

Al MundoConvention Chairman TARPA '96


CONVENTION PIC'S

Chris ClarkDon PetersArlie NixonRed Miller

Fred and Ginger??Oh no....it's "twinkle toes " Jacobsen

Alias.. Jake & Jean

Jim and Patti RudeKlete and Lois Rood


CONVENTION PIC'S

Bob and Fay WidholmJack and Barbara Donlan

Rich and Shirley Beighlie

The 1997 Convention TeamKen & Rosemary SlatenKlete & Lois Rood


CONVENTION PIC'S

Jane and Ford Blaney (top)Anita Walker and

"G.P. " Underwood (bottom)

Ev and Jessica Green (top)Pat and Chuck Hasler (bottom)


CONVENTION PIC'S


HIGHLIGHTS OF TARPA '96

by

Al Mundo

Approximately 300 conventioneers came to Boston for the 17th Annual TARPAConvention, plus a number of "locals" who having "been there, done that," came for thebanquet and dance, an event which did not disappoint them. Music for a lively eveningwas provided by the Dixie Jazz Kings and their vocalist with a repertoire that ranged fromWWII "oldies" to modern light rock fare.

Tours ranged from a visit to the Plymouth Plantation where the villagers still speak in "olde "English, to Lexington and Concord where the "old" English were first invited "to leave!"

Another popular outing was the scenic cruise on the Charles River with visits to Harvardand MIT where a visit was made to the original wind tunnel which was dedicated by OrvilleWright. Another feature of the MIT visit was the display of the their new miniature turbojetengine which is the size of a silicone microchip and operates in excess of one million RPM.

For a combination of the historical and nautical, two buses full of attendees headed forSalem and Marblehead where they were able to take in the sights of that historic town aswell as see the original painting of the "Spirit of 76." Venturing on to Salem and its vividpast, a special treat was afforded with a tour through the lovely 18th century home offormer M.E.C. Chairman, Jerry Burns.

Meanwhile, back in the city, others were exploring Boston either on foot or by other meanssuch as the "Duck Tours" (WWII amphibious trucks) that take you not only through the city,but into the river to view it from a different perspective. Popular spots were the QuincyMarket, Filene's Basement, Durgin Park Restaurant, and the Public Gardens with its SwanBoats.

The dinner cruise on Boston Harbor proved to be a high point of the convention with itsexcellent cuisine, entertainment, and views of the harbor and environs. Unknown to most,the Captain of the vessel allowed two of our retired Captains to assist in the "landing" whenthe ship returned to port. In the interest of protecting their lives and licenses, no names arebeing given!

The annual business meeting got off at o'dark thirty on the last day of the convention andencompassed all the regular committee reports plus the annual report on the D.A.P. byInvestment Committee "Chairman Captain Dave La Rocque. The roll call of those "FlownWest' since the last meeting was read, and finally the election of officers for the comingyear was held.


The afternoon seminar featured presentations by the Boston Safe Deposit and TrustCo./Mellon (which is the master trustee for all TWA retirement plans), Bank of Boston, andFidelity Investments. The subject of wills, trusts, and pitfalls in estate planning as well asthe economic outlook for investments proved to be of extreme interest to all.

The final evening's events began with a special reception hosted by President John Gratzto commemorate TWA's 50 years of Trans Atlantic service and honor some of our pioneeraviators present at the convention. A short time later, the general reception commencedfollowed by dinner and dancing. The guest speaker was Captain Bill Compton, the pilotmember of the TWA Board of Directors, who spoke about the condition of TWA and itsnear term future prospects. A Commemorative Paul Revere Bowl was presented to Bill inappreciation of his significant leadership role in helping to save TWA during the tumult ofthe past few years.

So much for a great time had by all in Boston. Next year maybe their column will be titledThis Was Albuquerque! See you there.


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TARPA CONVENTION 1996 BOSTON ATTENDANCE

ALLARDYCE, ROBERT & BARBARAAYLWARD, JIMBAAR, RUTLAND & LUCIENNEBAINBRIDGE, BILL & EVELYNBAKER, JACK & DONNABECK, TOM & DIANEBEIGHLIE, RICHIE & SHIRLEYBERGER, JIMBLANEY, FORD & JANEBOULANGER, CHUCK & PATBRESLIN, JIM & ERIKABRISTER, ROY & ESTHERBROWN, DAVID & JACKIEBUCHANAN, KATIEBUCKLEY, ROBERTBURNS, JERRY & ABBYBURNS, LOU & SHEILABUSHY, S. C.BUTLER, LEE & JEANNECALLAMARO, JOHN & PATRICIACARPENTER, JOHN & MARIECARR, DONALD & BETTYCARROLL, THOMAS & THERESACAWLEY, NOREENCLARK, CHRIS & CAROLECLARK, HARRY & LEECOCHRAN, JIM & RUTHECOCKS, BOB & JANICECOMPTON, BILL & DREENACURTIS, KIKE & RITADAVIS, CHARLES M. & SYLVIADAVIS, RICHARD & MARCIADAVIS, WALTER & FRANCESDAY, RUSSELL & TEOMMEY, BILLDEDMAN, ROBERT & ILSEDENSIESKI, BENDERICKSON, RUSS & ULRICKEDOHERTY, FRANK & DOLLYDONLAN, JACK & BARBARAELDER, ROBERTELLIOTT, BUD & LUCYEMMERTON, JOHN & DONNAEVANS, FLOYD & DIANAFERGUSON, JOHN & ABBYFETHERMAN, BETTY JOFISER, JESSE & JANEFORD, ROSEMARYFORTIN, DICKFRANK, GENE

GATTY, TONY & MARJORIEGIRARD, CLAUDEGRATZ, JOHN & PATGREEN, EVERETT & JESSICAGRIGGS, HERBGRUBER, ED & CLEONEGUILLAN, DICK & PEGGYHALLIDAY, BILL & VIRGINIAHAMILTON, BOB & PAULINEHASLER, CHUCK & PATHASSLER, VICHAZELTON, RUSS & SUSIEHEALD, BOB & RODHENDRICKSON, JOHN & DORISHIPPE, KEN & NELLHOFFMAN, BARRY & DIANEHOFFMEISTER, HOWARD & COLLEENHOGLANDER, HARRY & JUDITHHOOPER, JACQUELINEHUBBARD, LLOYD & MARGARETHUGHES, HARRY & PATRICIAHUTTENBERG, VERNE & MARIEINGLIS, IDUS & JEANNEIVES, LARRY & CONNIEJACOBSEN, HARRY & JEANJUDD, LEW & VICKIKAPPLER, BUD & NICOLEKELLY, PAUL & MILLIEKERSHNER, WAYNEKIDD, JOHN & RAEKIRSCHNER, BILL & BOBBILANG, ROBERT & ANGELALAPE, BRUCE & LANNALAURIN, LESTER & CAROLINELEIN, JOHN & DANIELELENGEL, ROGER & CONNIELEONARD, ARTHUR & CELIALINGENFELSER, FRED & ESSIELOCKE, LYLE & LESLIELORENTZ, ARTHURLOWE, SIM & OLLIELOWELL, VERNONLUCKEY, SAM & MARJORIEMCINTYRE, JIMMCKENZIE, VERN & EVYMACQUARRIE, JANETMERRIGAN, WILLIAMMILLER, ADAIR & JUDITHMILLER, DEAN & ALICE


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TARPA CONVENTION 1996 BOSTON ATTENDANCE

MILLER, GEORGE & MARIANMILLER, ROYLEE & KATHLEENMILLER, WILLIAM & DOROTHEEMOFFETT, MEREDITH & LEEMOKLER, HAROLD & FRANCESMOLINARIO, RICHARD & SANDRAMONTEMURRO, FRANKMOREHEAD CLEM & PATRICIAMUNDO, AL & JEANNEMYERS JR, RUSS & IRENENEALIS, DON & JOSIENELSON, DICK & JEANNEWMAN, BILL & COOKIENICOLAIS, MARIO & ROSEMARIENIXON, ARLIEPAHL, SLIM & MICKEYPERRY, DAVE & PAMPETERS, DONALD & NANCYPIERSON, LEON & RONNIEPOLK, BILL & GALERAGER, TERRY & BETTYREA, BILL & GEORGIAREHBOCK, ALANRICHARDS, GENE & SUERISTING, DONNAROOD, KLETUS & LOISROQUEMORE, DON & EVELYNRUDE, JIM & PATTIRUHANEN, ARTHUR & PEARLSAAKS, DAVID & RHONDASALMONSON, ROGER & ANITASCARBOROUGH, JOHN & KATHERINESCHEMEL, PEGGYSCHMIDT, CARLSCHMIDT, RAY & RUTHSCHMUTZ, LEON & ANNA MARIESHERMAN, ROBERT & ALICESHIELDS, JACK & ROSESHIPSTEAD, WESSLATEN, KEN & ROSEMARYSMIDDY, ILENESNOOK, VALERIESTACK, JOSEPH & FRANSTIMMEL, MANNY & PETRASTOCK, WALTERSTONE, DICK & NANCYSTURTEVANT, HANK & ADRIENNESULLIVAN, ART & LAURASWANSON, CHARLIE & LINDA

THOMPSON, BOB & MARGETHOMPSON, JEANTHRUSH, MARGARETTOOP, GEORGE & GINNIETOWNER, BILL & TEDDIETREPAS, RON & KATE HENDRIKSTRISCHLER, MILDREDTRUMPOLT, BOB & NANCYUNDERWOOD, GP & GEORGIAURBAIN, DON & CHRIS ROUSHVAN ETTEN, BOB & SUEVAUX, DICK & CYNTHIAWALDO, WALT & ELLIEWHITAKER, LEWISWHITE, CHARLES & ELLAWIDHOLM, BOB & FAYWIDMAYER, TED & JANEWILDER, CHARLESWILSON, RUTHYOUNG, BEN & DIDIYOUNG, jAMES & HELENZIMMERMAN, LUTHER

The Editor wishes to offera "special " thanks to thefollowing people for theirsupport in sendingphotographs and other"stuff' from theconvention. If I haveforgotten anyone, pleaseaccept myapologies...Ed.:

Katie BuchananCharlie & Sylvia DavisBob DedmanFloyd EvansChuck & Pat HaslerJohn KiddAnita WalkerBob & Fay Widholm


SNAPSHOTS


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SNAPSHOTS


BOSTON '96

by Charlie "Black Dog" Davis

Our timing was excellent. Sylvia and I arrived at the Hospitality Room just before dusk andthere was already an advanced degree of merrymaking in progress. However, to accomplishthis, since we live in SBA, a layover in STL was necessary. From Gate 70 to the motel was amiserable trek going and coming (Luggage transfer, man!). Therefore the atmosphere of mirthand high spirits that prevailed cordially enveloped us and the dreadful experience in STL wasforgotten...almost.

I believe everyone was favorably impressed with the Park Plaza Hotel conveniently located inthe heart of the Back Bay area and adjacent to the Common and the impressive Public Gar-dens. Sightseeing was accomplished by bouncing around in The Trolley, a hard-seated affairthat, in two hours, covered the territory, with the driver, not breaking cadence, pointing out instentorian tones, all things of historic and intrinsic value. Many of us embarked on the dinnercruise and though it was very black outside the illuminated silhouette of the city was stunningand made the effort worthwhile in spite of a rock band that was geared for a younger group.

Drat it! I missed the business meeting but my arithmetical calculations (convening at 0730)based on West Coast time indicated that I would be involved with my toilette at 0330! Sorry.

There was a sharp decline of Old Timers in attendance. This saddens me because of the rea-sons why. I did see Clem (Walt) Morehead wandering around the Room looking in all direc-tions and I assumed correctly, when we conversed, that he was trying to spot someone in hisretirement seniority bracket. Leaving the room I rounded a corner and ran plumb into Arlie J.Nixon. I cringed and drew back just as I had done in the spring of '45 when I first flew copilotfor him. He glared at me for a moment and then his eyes softened and he patted me comfort-ingly on the back and said, "There, there. There, there."

The banquet dinner dance was superbly enhanced by our surroundings, a genuine theater withall the embellishments; loges, chandeliers, a magnificent vaulted ceiling and impressiveappointments. The renderings from the podium were not extensive but good and to the point.The moment of silence for our ill-fated flight was moving and I'm sure there were tears.

I now feel irresistibly compelled to get to "THE VOYAGE", but must not move on withoutassigning a huge kudos to Katie Buchanan, the tireless queen of the TARPA conventions.

SHIP AHOY!

If Katie Buchanan is the queen of TARPA conventions then Chuck and Pat Hasler are the kingand queen of TARPA excursions. Their planning and management of the Bermuda cruise wasfaultless. Even the bus ride to NY was without a hitch and someone (guess who) cajoled thedriver into stopping at a quick-food service establishment for a burger.

Boarding the impressive Zenith was quickly and effortlessly accomplished and at 1630 (SKDdeparture time) we backed out into the Hudson River channel. The sun was low on the westernhorizon and the Manhattan skyline was a sight to behold. There was a somber air aboard as wepassed Ellis Island but that changed quickly as we drew abeam of "THE LADY". The throngsjammed against the starboard railings and became jubilant. Dead ahead was the VerrazanoBridge and as we passed under the great span all eyes turned upward. A stack of exhauststhrust up from the highest superstructure and from the decks it looked as if clearance would beabout a foot. Festive activities had already commenced and couples began to gyrate around the


.... TARPA TOPICS.... NOVEMBER, 1996

.... TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER , 1996

Boston '96...cont'd.

pool which was adjacent to the band stand. They played on and on, mostly calypso and I don'tthink they ever stopped for a breather during the entire trip.

Our group designated 1700 for the cocktail hour and the occasion warranted full attendancefor the seven day cruise. It would be a task to try to describe and itemize the quality, quantityand frequency involving the vittles aboard this vessel. How about just plain super.

Captain Ioannis Papanikolau was a Greek Adonis and had all the gal's hearts aflutter. He wasconstantly about, visiting, smiling, informing and lo... Chuck did it again; an escorted visit tothe very restricted bridge where we were allowed to ponder over the instruments as the chiefnavigator (also Greek) attempted to clarify the manner in which they functioned.

Entertainment was prevalent in all of the lounges plus pool side night and day, the biggieoccurring in the Celebrity Show Lounge during the evening. Couldn't encompass all the actionin the allotted number of days.

Now, about Bermuda. Let me tell you. Like my compatriots, I've traveled the world and this isthe cleanest, classiest, friendliest island I have ever set foot on. Nearly all of us ferried andbussed and I think the whole gang was impressed with the orderliness of this garden isle. I willnot attempt to describe the fabulous coastline and the floral scenery. It has to be seen.

The cruise to St. George was dropped from our schedule due to strong winds left over fromHortense. It seems the harbor had to be entered through a gap that provides very little hullclearance. However, busses were available from Hamilton. Now there's a town. It's full ofcolorful buildings and shops and motor scooters. Look out! Must mention male attire, chieflythe police and well-dressed business men; Bermuda shorts and black knee-high socks. Sylviapurchased same and physically forced me to display my twig-like legs to one and all. The galsthought I looked neat and the guys snickered.

The voyage back was literally rife with entertainment and action. Contests, dancing, dancing,dancing... (Done the macarena lately? Not sure about the spelling.) The conga line started atthe pool and went, well, everywhere and I think most of the 1500 passengers were involved.

The last night was special. A horse race was held on the stage of the Celebrity Show Loungeand TWA was supremely represented. Syl was the jockey and was attired appropriately;captain's hat, gold braid, TWA shirt, wings, epaulets (all Chuck's) and gold lame pants. Chuckgave a rousing pro TWA speech at the podium and received hearty applause from his support-ers and the audience. Then the jockeys and their steeds were introduced by the MC and ourget-ups were the best. A little risque amusement was added to the scene when one of our chaps(I deign to identify him without his written permission) placed himself behind TWA andfurtively deposited a couple of small brown orbs beneath the tail, then casually picked one upand began munching (muffin, I hope) and strolled off the stage. There was ribald laughterfrom the audience mixed with several "ughs".

The dice were thrown and TWA shot out number one. Then it got sticky. Some young thingstarted getting big numbers and our mount faded (Fixed?) All of us hooted and hollered any-way.

On time again. We docked at 0630 and debarking was rapid and simple. No hang-ups incustoms. The group split, EWR, LGA, JFK and it was homeward bound. Again, many thanksto Chuck and Pat for their marvelous effort. As for Sylvia and me, without this arrangement,it's doubtful if we would have ever laid eyes on this paradise isle.


Jack Frye may have been forgotten by airline executives and the industry,

but his legacy and his leadership will live with TWA pilots, crew members,

employees and passengers..... for decades to come.

JACK FRYE


CHEST EXPANSION

Reprinted from an April, 1945 edition of FORTUNE

With Jack Frye's Ambition, Howard Hughes Money, and Three Years' ATC Experience T.W.A. WouldLike to Change Its Name to "Trans-World Air " and Fly Around The Globe

President Roosevelt, the Civil Aeronautics Board, and the State, Commerce, War, and Navy departmentshave ranged themselves solidly in favor of having the country represented on the transoceanic air routesby more than one company. Pan American Airways, pioneer of the international routes and chief propo-nent of the doctrine of representation abroad by one line only, is not yet ready to concede defeat on itsscheme for a single "community company. " It may have an ace in the hole in influence with the congres-

sional committees that grant or withhold air-mail subsidies. But Congress tends naturally to favor com-petition over monopoly, and on such issues President Roosevelt usually carries Congress with him.

So confident of the outcome are the domestic airlines desiring international routes that they are spendinghundreds of thousands of dollars on traffic surveys, studying weather conditions over projected routes,and making friends and influencing people in the countries where they hope to fly.

In terms of ambition to operate overseas and activity to implement that ambition, Transcontinental &Western Air takes second place to none. Although it has never flown outside the U.S. at all - exceptunder contract for the Air Transport Command - T.W.A. is applying to fly around the globe. HowardHughes, chief owner of the line, and Jack Frye, its President, are talking of changing the name of T.W.A.

to "Trans-World Airlines. " The center of glamour and adventure in aviation has shifted from the domes-tic to the foreign field; Frye and Hughes, still young men in an industry that keeps even older menyoung, are determined to follow it.

Since late in 1941, when the Army asked the airlines to take over the major burden of its transoceanflying, T.W.A. has flown planes of the Air Transport Command some 6,000 times across the North andSouth Atlantic and thousands of miles more in Europe and Africa. It has flown one special mission

around the world.

T.W.A. officers and pilots like to talk about the notables they have flown, including President Roosevelt,Generals Marshall and Eisenhower, Admiral King, and General and Madame Chiang Kai-shek. Whatthey are most proud of, however, is the skill and experience they have acquired in flying over oceans,deserts, icecaps, and through Arctic storms. They do not intend to let these assets lapse after the war, andso they have filed for around-the-world commercial routes, upon which they could launch theirStratoliners the day following authorization by the CAB. T.W.A. proposes to fly passengers daily toLondon in twenty-two hours, at a fare of $263.80, against Pan American's present charge of $525. Whenits forty-eight passenger Lockheed Constellations are available, T.W.A. plans to cut the flying timenearly in half, the cost well under $200 - as does Pan American. Frye is also talking of a twenty-seven-day deluxe cruise around the world; only three days would be spent in flying, the rest in sightseeing.

Cost of an all-expense tour: about $2,500.

If T.W.A.'s dream of postwar routes seems to expansive, it is at least in keeping with the past record ofits President, Jack Frye. Had he lacked the imagination to project himself into an unlikely future, Jack


CHEST EXPANSION...cont'd.

Jack Frye



Frye might never have left his father's ranch in the Texas Panhandle. In World War I, when Frye wasfourteen, three Army "Jennies " made an emergency landing near the pond where he was skating. Theboy forgot his new skates and spent the day running errands for the flyers. That day he contractedpneumonia, of which he was cured in due time, and a fanatical interest in aviation, from which, at forty,

he shows no sign of recovering.

In 1923, when he was eighteen, Jack Frye went to Los Angeles, got a job as a soda jerk, and savedenough money to pay for flying lessons. He folded his lanky six-feet-two into an old Army plane andsoloed in seven hours. He was so apt a pupil that his instructor almost immediately made him a partner

in the "flying school." One of Frye's early pupils was Paul Richter, a swart, stocky youth who had fledhis father's advertising business in Denver as soon as he could accumulate the wherewithal. He toomade his way to Los Angeles and astounded Frye by paying his $250 flying fee in cash. Richter wasclearly a young man worth cultivating. Before long he had bought into the flying school and helpedfinance an agency to sell planes. Piecing out their capital by stunt flying for Hollywood, the partners by1927 had acquired enough money to set up a flight service between Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Richter, who is today Executive Vice President of T.W.A. on leave as a captain in the Naval Air Trans-port Service, has a fond memory of that first route, modestly christened Standard Air Lines. Its patronswere mostly movie people with hide-outs in Arizona, and on weekends traffic was so heavy, Richterrecalls, that they "had to sort of wish the plane off the ground. " Oxygen masks had scarcely been heardof in those days, but Frye and Richter, flying alternate trips, thought nothing of forcing their single-engine Fokker up to 16,000 feet to get above the clouds. The usual flight was from Los Angeles toPhoenix direct. But the plane's comfort facilities were suitable for men only; if women were aboard itwas customary to put down on the sand and mesquite at a place now known as Desert Center, California,where a lonely filling station offered the luxury of two primitive outhouses.

When the depression struck, Frye arranged for Standard, by now somewhat expanded, to be takenaboard by Western Air Express, which paid $1 million in stock for Standard, the flying school, and theairplane agency. Frye became Vice President in charge of operations of Western Air Express.

ANGELS - ERSATZ AND REAL

From here on Frye's career toward the presidency of a major national airline was speeded by two guard-ian angels in the quaint disguise of Postmasters General. Western Air Express was one of the few reallyprofitable airlines in the U.S. in 1930, and it would have been satisfied to limit its expansion to the West.But President Hoover's Postmaster General, Walter Folger Brown, was determined to combine theexisting east-to-west airlines into two or three transcontinentals. For the New York - Kansas City - LosAngeles route he wanted to merge Western Air Express with Transcontinental Air Transport, whichalready flew across the continent - except for two gaps representing nights, when the job of advancingthe daring traveler was turned over to the railroads. T.A.T., known as the "Lindbergh Line,

" was long on

prestige but short on profits, and W.A.E. recoiled violently from the union. Through his power over air-mail subsidies, Postmaster General Brown finally got what he wanted, but it was a shotgun wedding.

Frye became operating Vice President of the new cross-country line (now air all the way), which tookthe present name of Transcontinental & Western Air. The presidency went, after a short interim, toRichard W. Robbins, who had been head of a small Pennsylvania company included in the merger. In



1934 Mr. Roosevelt was in the White House and James Aloysius Farley was Postmaster General. He toounwittingly played good angel to Jack Frye's fortunes. Mr. Farley's part was to rule, after the air-mailcontract cancellations of 1934, that anyone who had been present at the so-called "spoils conferences " inthe Brown incumbency could not be represented in any reorganized company bidding to carry air mail.This arbitrarily forced Dick Robbins out of his job as President of T.W.A., and Jack Frye took over.

Frye has been President ever since, but his seat has not always been as secure as it now is. T.W.A. didnot fare too well in the reallocation of routes after the air-mail contract cancellations. After making aprofit in 1935 and 1936, the line in both 1937 and 1938 showed a net loss of more than three-quarters ofa million dollars. Lehman Brothers and John D. Hertz, who had bought controlling interest in T.W.A. in1935, were disgruntled. Hertz, a tough hombre who had put Yellow cab on top in Chicago in the taxi-war days, clamored loudly for the company to show a profit. Frye and Richter insisted on such new-fangled things as constant-speed propellers and Stratoliners. Hertz blew up. He moved to weaken theyoung men's authority, if not to dump them overboard.

Frye and Richter, who are not the type to take a licking lying down, even from such a powerful operatoras John Hertz, looked about for a backer who would let them run the line the way they thought it shouldbe run. They unanimously nominated Howard Hughes, round-the-world flyer, movie producer, andmultimillionaire heir to the Hughes Tool Co. of Houston, a business grown fat on an oil-drill patent.Hughes had met Frye and Richter in their gypsy days, when he was producing Hell's Angels, and in themiddle thirties he had spent some weeks around the home office of T.W.A. at Kansas City, "soaking upinformation about planes and airlines. " Frye and Richter now made a date to meet Hughes at the Ambas-sador hotel in Los Angeles. Hughes listened sympathetically as his friends recited their worries. First heproposed to finance them in setting up an airplane plant, but Frye objected that they wanted to continuein air transportation.

"Well," replied Hughes, a believer in direct action, "let's buy an airline. American? United? " Fryecountered with the proposal to buy T.W.A. Hughes agreed. They bound themselves to secrecy and thenext day quietly began to buy up stock. When they had acquired a few thousand more shares than Hertzand Lehman Brothers owned, Frye called on Hertz and proposed to buy the Hertz-Lehman stock. Hertzblanched and fidgeted and demanded the name of Frye's backer, but finally agreed to sell without beingtold. That was in April, 1939; since then Hughes has added to his holdings, which now total 45 percentof T.W.A.'s common stock. (There is no preferred.)

It appears now that Frye and Richter did Hughes about as great a favor as he did them in 1939. Hughesacquired his 440,000 shares of stock for a little over $6 million; it is now worth (at market) over$12,500,000. The whole company is valued, on the late February market, at about $28,500,000.

ROUNDING OUT THE ROUTES

Thus Jack Frye, a youngish forty, is the chief executive and part owner of the third biggest transconti-nental airline. (American is the biggest and United second; Northwest became the fourth last Decemberwhen it was granted a route from Milwaukee to New York.) Like all airlines, T.W.A. is physically lessbusty than the public's impression of it. Its gross revenue last year, $25 million, was chicken feed along-side - for example - the $1 billion take of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Even its 7,700 miles of routes arecomposed merely of paper franchises (revocable) to the upper air. But by airline standards T.W.A. issubstantial. As of March, 1945, it had some forty-nine planes - or about one-seventh of all airline planes



in the U.S. It also has seven maintenance bases, 6,700 employees, a chief operating office in KansasCity, a top executive office in a remodeled Y.M.C.A. annex in Washington, and ticket offices strungalong its routes at thirty-one points in the U.S.

Those measurements of T.W.A.'s domestic structure are true only as of today. Jack Frye is busily tryingto correct certain weaknesses, most glaring of which is T.W.A.'s lack of a supporting network of routesto feed the main line. Always T.W.A. has been badly off for feeders. In the shotgun marriage by whichT.W.A. was conceived, Western Air Express withheld from its dowry its most profitable lines. Later,T.W.A. came out of the air-mail contact cancellation minus two or three profitable auxiliary routes. So,sandwiched between American's and United's transcontinental routes, T.W.A. badly needs intermediatetraffic, especially for the jump across the sparse area between Kansas City and Los Angeles.

Since 1939 Frye has bombarded CAB with applications for additional routes - no measly stub-end linethat winds up at a tank-town terminal with an empty plane, but a real network that will nourish T.W.A.'smain stem. The routes he has applied for lace Pennsylvania and Ohio, and to some extent Indiana,Illinois, and Missouri, like the chicken-coop struts of a museum biplane. Already he has been awardedseveral, including a route from Pittsburgh to Boston, and one from Dayton to Washington. T.W.A. isfaced with plenty of contenders for the rest of the territory it covets, but it ought to come out fairly well.The CAB, like Postmaster General Brown, prefers a limited number of strong, sound lines to a multi-

plicity of weak, cutthroat competitors.

Growth, naturally, will take time. Meanwhile, what about T.W.A.'s current operations? Like those ofevery transportation company in wartime, they are grossly abnormal. Early in 1942 the Army beganrequisitioning equipment from the airlines, taking from each the same proportion of planes and paying afair price. Of T.W.A.'s forty-two planes, eighteen were commandeered - just when passenger travel andair-mail and express loads began to increase. The planes have since been returned, and the proportion ofoccupied seats has continued to rise, so that in 1944 it averaged 92 percent, compared to 61 percent in1941. Up, too, went the earnings from a 1941 deficit to a profit of about $2,700,000 last year. And, whatwith priority travel alone running at 60 percent on transcontinental lines, Jack Frye expects T.W.A. toearn even more in 1945, when its five big Stratoliners (commercial version of the Flying Fortress) areback in service. (The profit of T.W.A. on its ATC operation is negligible.)

Still, T.W.A.'s profit chickens are not yet hatched, and the CAB is rooting rudely among the eggs. TheCAB - which is to the airlines what the ICC is to the rails - feels that the government, having carried theairlines with mail subsidies in their lean days, deserves a break now that they are fat. Possibly the CABdisapproves a special tax concession that the airlines wangled from Congress five years ago. By theterms of that deal, the airlines enjoy an extra exemption on excess-profits tax equal to the total amountof a line's air-mail pay for the year! (One New York financial house has described this arrangement as a

"mild form of financial mayhem.") Whatever the reason, the CAB has recently ordered the airlines to

show cause why their air-mail should not be slashed from 60 cents to 32 cents a ton-mile - an orderwhich, in 1944, would have cut T.W.A.'s net profit in half.

PREPARING FOR PEACE

Whatever is done about air-mail pay, T.W.A. is assured a good profit so long as the war lasts. But Frye



knows that when peace comes and the airlines can run all the planes they want, the pay load will fall,and profits with it. So he is tightening up his operation. For four or five years T.W.A. has been bringingin executives trained in corporation finance and administration, and the organization has been reshuffledon the staff-and-line principle. The operation heads have conducted an efficiency survey of the engineoverhaul and maintenance departments, obtaining a notable reduction in man-hours. An executivecommittee is considering an incentive plan of pay for the employees.

T.W.A.'s greatest weakness possibly has been the failure to do a better selling job. Its advertising andpassenger traffic departments, for example, have not been as effective as those of American and United.American reaps a dividend from having built up a reputation for safety; actually there is little differencebetween American's and T.W.A.'s long-run safety record, with T.W.A. enjoying a margin.

In its advertising, T.W.A. for years moved from one agency to another without finding a consistenttheme with which to identify itself in the public mind. In the past four years T.W.A.'s advertising hasimproved, and for this romance must be credited with an assist. Jack Frye and Mrs. CorneliusVanderbilt Jr. (nee Helen Varner of Clarksburg, West Virginia)became interested in each other when shetaunted him at a party for the dullness of T.W.A's advertising. She went home and wrote Jack a letterabout consumer appeal in air travel; it made such an impression it still serves as T.W.A.'s informaladvertising manual. T.W.A.'s recent full-page advertisement showing a Constellation (with the advice,"Don't travel unless your trip helps win the war, " in type almost too small to be readable) is a model ofsleekness.

Mrs. Frye's influence is discernible also in efforts of T.W.A. to improve its dining service. Like otherairlines, T.W.A. considers a planes's pay load too precious to permit the use of a kitchen; it is experi-menting with a deep-freezing process that may bypass this limitation. The idea is to cook food as appetiz-ingly as possible, then deep-freeze it, and reheat it electronically on the plane.

FROM CAIRO TO CATHAY

Nowadays it is only by a conscious exercise of will power that Jack Frye turns his mind to such things asT.W.A.'s advertising and dining service. His heart is in the drive to obtain a round-the-world air route.T.W.A.'s plans for a global operation are encased in nine encyclopedic volumes known to the CAB adDocket No. 1598 and Docket No. 1060. T.W.A. is asking for a route across the North Atlantic to theBritish Isles; thence across central Europe to Cairo; on to Shanghai and Tokyo by way of Calcutta,returning to the U.S. by Petropavlovsk, Nome, and Fairbanks. (See map, page 137.) In Europe the routeincludes London, Paris, Berlin, Belgrade, and Athens, and would serve ten of the twenty-six "air-trafficgenerating areas" that T.W.A.'s staff of thirty-five economists and geographers have spotted in theworld.

Evidently Frye and Hughes were not suffering from bashfulness when they applied for this rich route. ToJuan Trippe, the architect of Pan American, the application must appear as sheer effrontery, a reactionpossibly shared by American Export Airlines. These are the only two U.S. lines certified by the CAB fortransoceanic routes, and the CAB's examiners have recommended that Pan Am and Amex split betweenthem the four routes that CAB projects across the North Atlantic and through Europe. As for the routethrough Alaska and the Kuriles to the Far East, Northwest and Western airlines are contesting T.W.A.'sclaim.



The opposition to T.W.A. on both the Atlantic and Pacific might dampen the spirit of a less determinedman, but Jack Frye is a congenital optimist and used to improbable odds. He thinks there is room formore than two American companies to share the traffic to Europe, and he doesn't give much weight tothe examiners' report.

With the enthusiastic backing of Hughes, who in 1938 made a round-the-world flight that is still arecord, Frye is going ahead as blithely as if the CAB's authorization were in the bag. He has deployedprivate diplomatic agents to the non-Axis capitals along the proposed route. So has Pan American, butFrye has gone Pan Am one better by sending, at a total expense of several hundred thousand dollars,technical advisers to improve the domestic aviation of those nations. T.W.A.'s men go in and survey theair-transport needs of a country with a view to setting up a ten- or fifteen- year development plan cover-ing "the whole damn thing." Frye thinks this investment will pay off in political friendships and jointarrangements when T.W.A. begins to fly abroad. Already it has produced an invitation from a greatpower to submit a brochure on T.W.A.'s proposed operations within its boundaries. At Hillcrest, aseventy-three acre estate across the Potomac from Washington, Frye entertains for the foreign diplomaticcorps, concentrating on air attaches and missions. He has developed a special affection for representa-tives of the Soviet commonalty; they are as forthright as a ranch-raised Texan.

BATTLE OF THE LOBBIES

Forthrightness, nevertheless, has its limitations, especially when the main opposition is Pan American,which can claim as efficient representatives as can be found in Washington. Pan American is especiallystrong with the Senate Commerce Committee, whose chairman, Senator Bailey of North Carolina, hasbeen trying to issue a report which, if it did not come out flatly for some version of the "chosen instru-ment," would at least urge that no domestic company be given a franchise for a transocean route. So far,Senators friendly to the domestic lines have blocked such a report, and even if the committee shouldissue it, it is doubtful that Congress would make it law. (A compromise may be adopted requiring do-mestic lines to set up subsidiaries to qualify to fly abroad.)

The CAB sides with T.W.A. in opposing Pan Am's one-company idea, but it wants to give our flag linesa chance for a sound profit, and it is well aware that on important transoceanic routes foreign countrieswill have lines.

Even though CAB rejects the chosen-instrument idea, it is unlikely in the beginning to authorize morethan one U.S. line to operate a complete round-the-world service; and that line almost certainly will bePan American. President Roosevelt and the CAB both are said to believe Pan Am deserves the plum forits pioneering in the transocean air.

Against Pan American's experts, T.W.A.'s chief Washington representative is Jack Nichols, a formerDemocratic Congressman from Oklahoma who calls himself "a country lawyer. " Nichols operates with

all the subtlety of a politician trying to get an appropriation for a home-town airport. But he is aided byAlexander Royce, a Harvard-and-Yale trained lawyer who knows that in negotiation a straight line oftenis not the shortest distance from where one is to where one wants to go. Royce is chairman of theSeventeen Airlines Committee, jointly financed by all domestic lines opposing the chosen-instrumentdevice. (All the domestic airlines, that is, except United.)



If worst comes to improbable worst, T.W.A. will still have a foothold in the international air throughTACA, a Central and South American airline in which T.W.A. owns controlling interest (see page 179).T.W.A. also owns a 20 percent interest in Hawaiian Airlines, a flourishing inter-island company that hasapplied for a route from Honolulu to San Francisco.

EYES VERSUS MOUTH

Unfriendly observers like to remark that "T.W.A.'s eyes are bigger than its mouth, " by which homelyfigure they imply that the line does not have financial backing to support the additional routes it hasapplied for. T.W.A.'s working capital and cash at the end of 1944 totaled nearly $11,500,000 a fairlyrobust figure for a domestic airline, but not very hefty when set beside the cost of equipment for a wholebatch of new domestic routes and an intercontinental route. Frye says, however, that a group ofinsurance companies has offered to buy $15 million worth of thirty-year T.W.A. debentures at 4.5percent. More probably, T.W.A. will issue additional stock. The brokers have been trying for two yearsto get the company to sell more stock; Frye and Hughes may soon agree.

How to find money is among the least of T.W.A.'s worries. Hughes's personal worth has been estimatedas high as $80 million (the Hughes Tool Co. has a capital and surplus of about $25 million) and hehimself can, if he wishes, underwrite any probable expansion of T.W.A. Presumably he would wish totake care of a substantial part of it, if only to prevent too great a dilution of his control.

Hughes's interest in T.W.A., though definitely warm, does not extend to taking an active part in themanagement. Besides the tool firm, T.W.A. has several other competitors for Hughes's attention -Sturges-Hughes, Inc. (moving-picture produc-ers); Hughes Aircraft, engaged in manufactur-ing military planes; and the Gulf Brewing Co.,largest in the Southwest. There are also inci-dental enterprises like engineering the giantHughes-Kaiser flying boat, soon to belaunched.

When T.W.A. is engineering a new transportplane, Hughes may work over the designtwelve or fifteen hours a day. But on businessmatters he does not like to be bothered. Hewill go weeks without answering when Fryetries to telephone him, though the pendingdecision may involve sums running into themillions. After Hughes had told Frye to buycontrol of T.W.A., he went off on his yachtand couldn't be reached for advice on howmuch to pay for the stock.

Jack Frye is paid $40,000 a year by T.W.A.and $12,000 more as a consultant for HughesTool. His fortune, including stock options,runs to perhaps a half million dollars. This



may not make him rich by Wall Street standards; but Frye, like Hughes, can afford to be less interested inmaking money than in developing better planes and new techniques of flying.

In this field T.W.A. is conceded high rank even by its rivals. In 1934, T.W.A. introduced the DC-2, thefourteen-passenger, 200-mile-an-hour plane that made all other transport equipment in use at that timeobsolescent. American Airlines forged ahead in 1937 with the DC-3, but T.W.A. - with Pan American -was first to get the four-engine Stratoliner, first commercial plane with a pressure cabin, able to fly "overthe weather. "

Had not the war intervened T.W.A. would have led again in 1943 with the Constellation. The war de-layed completion of this plane, but it is now being used by the ATC. With a future speed of 400 miles anhour, a ceiling of 30,000 feet, the "Connie" can carry forty-eight passengers in complete comfort, or onehundred soldiers in bucket seats. It has a maximum range of 4,000 miles, and its ton-mile cost is a thirdless than that of older commercial planes. But Frye knows that the Constellation is not the last word.

"Within the next ten years, " he says, "we will have transport planes flying 400 to 500 miles an hour at analtitude of 35,000 feet. Such things as jet propulsion and boundary layer control (a wing-suction device)will assist these speeds. Reversible propellers will permit the planes to land at higher speeds withoutlengthening the runways. Souped-up models on demonstration flights will be able to fly around the

world in thirty-six hours. "

Frye means to push T.W.A. ahead in the use of new planes and devices as fast as safety permits. T.W.A.as the first airline to use the Sperry automatic pilot, the wing de-icer, the propeller de-icer, and wing flapsas a means of reducing landing speeds. It was also the first line to train pilots in celestial navigation fornight flights. Frye wants to add more "firsts " .

This technological initiative is especially valuable in an industry which, though far from mature, isclosely regulated and therefore tends to become cartelized. T.W.A. urges further that this is an industrialasset worth fostering in the international as well as the domestic field. It is an asset that T.W.A. willcontinue to have as long as it is run by men like Frye and Richter and owned by a man like Hughes, andit constitutes T.W.A.'s best claim to fly the international air...End

TARPA thanks the publishers of FORTUNE MAGAZINE for permission to re-print the previous article.The article appeared in the April, 1945 edition of FORTUNE and was sent to us by TARPA member,Captain Jim McIntyre.

For additional information on Jack Frye and his accomplishments we recommend a review of the photo-graphs and text contained in the July 1995 and July 1996 editions of TARPA TOPICS....Ed


In TARPA, members are encouraged to write of their more memorable flying experiences. The tales arecaptivating. In searching nearly 40 years of cockpit assignments, it is difficult to sort out any one situa-tion which may qualify as a "most unforgettable" event in my career, however, one early and lasting

impression persists. It follows:

Early on as a novice, I was privileged to serve as TWA president Jack Frye's copilot on his privateLockheed 12A. On each trip, Jack enjoyed chatting about how things were going "on the line for hismen." On each fuel stop, he would seek out crews for chit-chat or check on any employees who mayhave needed a ride where we were going.

A personable interest and concern for others might best describe Jack Frye. Physically, he resembled adefensive end, but with an affable, infectious smile for others; pondering aviation matters, he assumed apensively, more serious facial expression.

Most corporate leaders today, fall painfully short by comparison. To paraphrase a popular cliche, "Iknew Jack Frye... he was a friend of mine... etc." Few, if any, airline leaders today can be likened to Jack

Frye!

Two trips with Jack Frye stand out unfaded by the nearly five decades of time and myriad changes inTWA's destiny:

The first trip left Kansas City at dusk, en route Amarillo for Boulder City (serving Las Vegas at thetime). We had five passengers, of whom, two were TWA executives (names missed) and three business-men who were hurriedly introduced.

After several minutes at cruise, Jack mentioned that he had some business to discuss in the cabin and leftme to manage things; radio checks and traffic advisories, etc. Lacking an autopilot, I delighted at beingin control, if only for the moment. In retrospect, trust (in me) was perhaps the real source of my delight.

Some minutes later, Frye led a man to the left seat, and asked that I, "let Mr. Yerex look over things.""Sure, my pleasure," I replied. The first question by the stranger was "What model airplane is this?""Lockheed 12A," I responded. The guest gazed around the cockpit and replied with a puzzled tone in hissoft-spoken voice, "I don't know if I have any of these or not."

My immediate impression was, what kind of clown is this character? For sure, I would know if I had anyairplane, especially a sleek L12A, the sister ship to Amelia Earhart's record-setter.

I accepted the unlikely remark, deciding it could be possible for him to not know what airplanes this Mr.Yerex owned. I then learned that Mr. Yerex was President of TACA Airlines, the major freight carrier inCentral and South America.


Remembering Jack Frye... cont'd.

It was on this trip that Jack Frye concluded purchase control of TACA for TWA's future expansionbeyond the U.S. to Central and South America... considered a bonanza for TWA, and an example of thefertile-minded leadership of Jack Frye. Later, the deal was never finalized due to the war conditions andmajor postwar changes in international route awards.

Still, the attempt reflects Jack Frye's dream of expanding TWA internationally at such an early time.

Pursuing his lifelong goal, Jack Frye accomplished a much greater feat at war's end by expansion in towhat was to become Trans World Airlines as a major international carrier.

Another trip offered a broader view and insight into the charismatic charm and visionary focus of JackFrye. (Granted, the perception is that of a fledgling copilot):

The occasion for the flight was his recent marriage (second or third time, but unimportant) and subse-quent honeymoon to his ranch in the Oak Creek Canyon near Sedona, Arizona.

The flight was uneventful except he had Helen, his bride, join me by taking his left seat in the cockpitwhile he did some work in the cabin. After a fuel stop again at Amarillo, we then proceeded to a primi-tive, sod-surfaced landing strip at Cottonwood, Arizona. On final approach, Jack noted a LockheedVentura B-34 bomber parked on the field. He surmised the crew must have had an emergency to get thatplane in on such a limited runway. And, right he was!

As we secured the plane, Jack explained that he would be at his ranch "for a few days" and I would bestaying at the only motel in Cottonwood. He also asked that I try to locate the bomber crew if they werein town as he would like to meet them. Even honeymoon plans failed to divert his interest in the pilotsskillfully managing the emergency landing on such marginal turf.

The three or four day stay in Cottonwood grew into nine days. The bomber crew was at the same motel(only one) when I checked in. First Lieutenant Bill Reynolds was pilot, with a warrant officer copilot,staff sergeant engineer, and corporal radioman. We became close friends at once. They were intriguedwith my job as airline pilot and more so, that I was flying copilot for the president of the airline!

The bomber landing was an emergency as a result of engine failure (fuel pump) while they were en routeNellis AFB in Las Vegas to Luke Field, Phoenix. As Frye stated later, "a helluva good job... getting intoa postage stamp field!"

Reynolds and his crew were a delight to know and we spent three days whiling away our time in thelimited one restaurant, one movie house (Mexican films), and one oasis (bar) in town. Boredom wasoffset by helping the motel owner stack lumber in his adjacent lumber yard and building supply enter-prise. I was warmly received by all the townspeople, which I credited to their admiration of Jack Frye.

With little activity in Cottonwood, the motel/lumber yard owner offered his Lincoln Zephyr (and war-time fuel ration stamps) to his only motel guests, for a trip up to Prescott. Dinner and a Clark Gablemovie filled the bill.

After four days, the crew and I were in the local restaurant/bar with the Budweiser distributor, exchang-

PAGE 50..... TARPA TOPICS.. NOVEMBER, 1996

Remembering Jack Frye... cont'd

ing flying tales and the recent state of the war. The "Bud Man" was quite generous with a constant flowof cold mugs for the "grounded airmen." The setting typified an old west saloon, but with one excep-tion... we were the only customers rather than a raucous gathering of cowhands, bar maids and towncronies.

A stately figure caught my eye entering the door... Frye in person... his tall stature was reminiscent ofJohn Wayne as he shuffled to our table. His western wear only lacked a holstered six-shooter danglingfrom his waist; leather jacket, jeans, boots and cowboy hat could have come from the costuming depart-ment for a shoot-em-up western movie.

Since he had left word he was extending his stay, it was obvious he was not planning to fly out forseveral days. By imbibing with Reynolds and his crewmen, I was merely carrying out his wish to meetthem... sure! Jack joined in and insisted on picking up the tab. After a brief negotiation, he deferred tothe Bud distributor who mentioned it was a rare treat for him to host such honored customers. To thelocals in the Oak Creek Canyon area, Jack Frye was highly revered.

After introducing Jack to Reynolds and his crew, he made note of each of their names, giving them hiscard as he praised their feat of landing on such a limited airstrip. With a warm, confiding, tone of voice,he stated, "When the war is over, we'll need each one of you on TWA... so let me know when you'refree... I've got jobs for you!"

How more personable can one be? He was serious. I sensed the pride felt by Reynolds and his men.They beamed with such approval, and from an airline president no less! Later, Bill Reynolds likened thecareer offer from Frye to having the Air Medal conferred on him by his commanding officer.

A full round of "hangar flying" lasted for more than an hour. Jack went on to say he had come to town tomeet the crew and to bring in a load of apples for the local grocer to market. His eyes gleamed as hedescribed harvesting the crop from his ranch. I never figured if he found more pleasure in ranching thanin flying. If betting, I would have to toss a coin, his enjoyment of both activities brought him such greatpleasure.

On leaving, he briefed me on his plans. Apologetically, he had a few more days "work" at the ranch...lots to do. He would let me know the day before we were to leave. My only duties called for checkingthe airplane and seeing that it was serviced for our departure. From boredom, I did runup the engines,checking all of the systems and radios. A real treat, since even engine-starting was not a copilot duty onregular line schedules.

Tragically and ironically, Jack Frye was killed in a truck accident near Tucson, Arizona.

As a fitting tribute to their revered leader, the TWA pilots established a "Jack Frye Memorial" withdonations directed to purchase aeronautical engineering text books for leading universities such as MIT,Ohio State, Cal Tech, Purdue and Kansas University. Frye held these schools in high esteem for vitalresearch in aviation, his "first love!" The books were given a special section in their libraries labeled asthe "Jack Frye Memorial" collection, and were the earliest publications in "aerospace engineering" aschosen by the various schools.


Remembering Jack Frye... cont'd

What more fitting tribute would Jack Frye have wished? As a pioneer in aviation, Frye envisioned safer,faster, and higher performance aircraft for man to develop. Recognized in aviation text books as "fatherof the DC series of air transports," Jack Frye's visions led to the famous Lockheed Constellation serieswith pressurized comfort and valuable transoceanic ranges.

As a team, Howard Hughes and Jack Frye built the TWA dynasty by developing the famed LockheedConstellation. Frye pressed on, clinching international routes, challenging the venerable Pan Am underJuan Trippe's forceful leadership. The TWA story internationally, soon decimated Pan Am's monopolyof foreign air travel... fulfilling Jack Frye's dreams of TWA being known as truly the leading TRANSWORLD AIRLINE!

The last tribute from TWA to Jack Frye involved naming the training center in Kansas City after him.Since the training move to St. Louis, the Jack Frye Training Center is no more. The premises have beensold.

Several "concerned" TARPA seniors have suggested that a fitting recognition of Jack Frye be consideredby the present TWA leaders. I agree.

Unfairly, fate deprived him an active role in the jet age when conflicts arose with the eccentric, unpre-dictable Howard Hughes, major stockholder of TWA. However, Jack Frye's contributions to aviationcontinue to enhance today's air transport industry and he will long be remembered by those privileged tohave known him. Aviation history will be sadly lacking if his rightful role as a pioneer is not given fullrecognition and his visionary leadership given full credit ....End

Lockheed 12A


A TRIO OF "RIGHT STUFF" TWA PILOTS

by Walt Gunn

Preface:Make no mistake... the following profiles are purely as viewed by the writer, but there's little doubt (orargument) the views expressed are shared by myriad of others so privileged to have known each of the

men documented herein:

The pre-World War II era was marked with an explosive growth in the aviation industry, which offereduntold opportunities for turning dreams to reality for those bent on seeking flying careers.

In retrospect, the careers of each must be viewed as a reflection of their early and sustained interest inflying. They have been singled out as "right stuff" role models for future airline pilots. With little doubt,much the same traits and fraternal excellence could be said of the rank and file TWA pilots we havegrown to know and admire during our own careers... let it be said.

At age 16, he broke the junior transcontinental speed record by flying solo across the United States...During World War II, he earned the air medal for flying severe weather research in a specially designedB-l7 and P-61 Black Widow.

Chief Pilot of TWA at age 37, he amassed 37 years of air-line experience in everything from a Douglas DC-2 to aBoeing 747, with more than 2,000 trans-Atlantic flightsbefore retirement...

I have just described Captain Robert N. Buck. His accom-plishments are legendary. He continues to fly and soar glid-ers nearing his eighties. Bob is sought for consultationsby industry and governments wishing to capitalize on hisvast experiences in aviation. In addition, he has authorednumerous works sharing his expertise in a broad array offlying topics, including weather flying, instrument tech-niques, navigation, jet-flying and human factors... all thewhile remaining abreast of the wild expanse of techno-logical changes.

Bob Buck's grasp of change is enriched by his astute linkwith early aviation. His books are ageless and remain bestsellers in aviation circles worldwide.

Bob's most recent book, The Pilot's Burden, treats a sub-ject long overdue for telling it like it is, and was, in mat - Captain Bob Buck


A TRIO...cont'd

ters of flight safety. His wealth of flying experience merges with his basic grasp of human behavior creat-ing a logical, rational and realistic view of man's tenuous role in aviation safety in coping with cockpitoverload and regulatory strictures.

"Technology has progressed, but human factors have not. The fact that reducing demands on the humanwill reduce chances for human error has not been addressed with the intensity and honesty it deserves -until now!" reveals a global truth as he states in The Pilot's Burden.

My initial contact with Bob will be lastingly treasured. One result of my short tenure as copilot deprivedme from flying with him as his copilot. However, after passing my final check ride for upgrading tocaptain, I received a congratulatory phone call: The caller snapped, "Walt, this is Bob Buck and I justwanted to congratulate you on completing your captain's qualification... never doubted you'd make it...all the best... welcome aboard!"

For a major airline in the midst of rapid expansion, to have the chief pilot personalize such praise of ajunior pilot revealed much about the man, to be further confirmed over the years to come.

Bob Buck's personable warmth was buttressed with a wryly, subtle sense of humor, which I would soonlearn. His call was sincere. He closed with a request for me to serve as a training pilot during the up-

surge in hiring in 1945.

I would never have opted for a training assignment; however, the role of instructor pilot offered vastadvantages in honing my DC-3 skills for the time when I would be flying regular schedules. Every flightinstructor will confirm that one really learns flying, when they instruct others. Bob Buck knew it. Ilearned it.

Eventually, returning to line schedules, I had little contact with Bob until I transferred to internationalflights out of New York. He had returned to active line flying as a supervisor, joyously leaving hisadministrative desk job. Buck's leadership and management skills are impeccable, but still his rightfulplace (and his heart) was in the cockpit.

At that time, Bob Buck could write the book on cockpit leadership command and management (whichhe did later). His balance of concern for people and concern for the mission is a model for today'scockpit resource management programs.

I can attest to viewing his exceptional leadership skills from two vantage points: First, in the cockpit(receiving a line check from him), and later, serving with him on flight operations staff in New Yorkduring the hectic, pre jet era.

My first cockpit-shared experience with Buck involved a Super-G Connie flight on international. I hadflown the leg from New York to Frankfurt, and Bob chose to fly the return leg out of Frankfurt (appar-ently I passed the check ride on the way over). At full gross load on takeoff, just after calling for "gearup," our concentration on airspeed and climb attitude and traffic was broken by a brilliant red light onthe eye-level glare shield with a deafening fire-warning bell screaming for our attention. The controltower confirmed smoke from the No. 3 engine. The high-decibelled fire-warning bell would alert even acomatose crew and wouldn't cease until the threat had ended! Decision to return for landing was neverin doubt. The engine fire procedure was initiated immediately: throttle closed, fuel and oil shut off and


A TRIO...cont'd

engine feathered...

Hearing the checklist being read was impossible... as you may recall, the fire bell was directed justinches behind the copilots head. Between radio contacts with Frankfurt tower, managing the cockpitprocedures, and flying the plane with heavy military traffic in the landing pattern, Buck displayed a"masterful coolness" with the blasting bell extolling a cacophony of painful decibels. Thanks to Buck'scool, piloting expertise, the potential emergency was a non-event!

Sharing his cockpit will be long remembered. Bob pursued the problem of the disruptive fire warningbell with crafty engineering, ultimately providing a cutoff switch for silencing the bell once it hadalerted the flight crew. I doubt Bob Buck ever experienced an issue involving safe flight without takingsufficient action to improve the situation, technically or procedurally — and always with a driven pro-fessional ingenuity!

Later, I saw a new facet in Bob Buck when I served on flight operations staff. He held a key role asspecial consultant to our then president, Carter Burgess. Buck's talents and expertise were well known toBurgess before he joined TWA as CEO. I had many occasions to share with Bob, the multitude of flightoperational problems we had in the days immediately preceding the introduction of jets.

Bob Buck's counsel in areas beyond flight operations were of immense value to Carter Burgess, butmore so, to the line pilots in assuming responsibility for increasing focus on safe, operational efficiency.His industry-wide reputation smoothed many adversary problems with the FAA, Airline Pilots Associa-tion (ALPA), Air Transport Association (ATA) and even the International Civil Aviation Organization(ICAO) on world-wide aviation problems, which were conceived, implemented, and resolved with hissage guidance.

The earliest concept of crew coordination at TWA was developed with Bob's input to Floyd Hall, FredAustin, and TWA's flight training staff. The principle of teamwork with shared responsibility in thecockpit was innovative and formed the basis of cockpit resource management (CRM) programs longbefore they proliferated the air transport industry of today!

Bob Buck's accomplishments and contributions to aviation continue to be acknowledged. The retiredpilots of TWA (TARPA) honored him with their Award of Merit, which Bob treasures as one of hisgreatest achievements, especially coming from his peers.

In conclusion, Bob Buck's youthful interest in flying should be seen as the springboard for his lifetimeof achievements in the advancement of aviation safety and professionalism... truly a role model for allaspiring pilots.

Uppermost among the multitude of copilots I shared cockpits with during my 39-year flying career wasa youthful, energetic, and highly skilled pilot... Vern Laursen. Vern admitted that he was driven tobecome a pilot since early childhood. He claimed to have spent hours entranced with small planes flyingin and out of his uncle's private airport near Moberly, Missouri.

A Navy tour provided Vern with opportunity to take flight training on the GI Bill. With his instructor's


A TRIO...cont'd

rating he amassed sufficient hours to reach his life's ambition for an airline piloting career. The dayeventually came when he took the controls of an airliner and soared aloft on a course few have equaled...before, or since. His career spanned from DC-3 copilot to, ultimately, a senior vice-president of flighttraining for TWA... top of the professional rung for pilots!

I first met Vern on a DC-3 flight from Kansas City to Washington National airport... as my copilot for anall-night, seven-leg milk-run trip. As we met in the ready room, he seemed overly shy, concealing astifled exuberance as he mentioned it was only his second flight. I assured him we would keep it inter-

esting.

Vern was blessed with more than his long-lasting interest in becoming a pilot. If there was ever a modelprofile of the ideal traits, temperament, intellect and personality factors, the desired norm and nothing

short of the "right stuff' professionally.

Vern continued accumulating praise from others he flew with, assuring his upgrading to captain. Hisseniority, or lack thereof, was soon overcome with his appointment as a training instructor. Beforeassuming a training assignment, Vern's first jet copilot qualifications were on the Convair 880.

The 880, being the fastest of the jet transports barring the SSTs, flew like a jet fighter, quite a challenge


I flew the first leg to St. Louis. Routine. Vern was amodel copilot, monitoring the radio, managing thelanding gear, wing flaps and cowl flaps on cue, whileobserving my every more from engine start to engine

stop. Weather was no factor making it an ideal night for

flying.

After the customary rituals on a stopover, we returned toboard the awaiting DC-3. Approaching the cockpit, Isignaled Vern to take the left seat for the maiden leg ofhis airline career.

Some things are never forgotten... others seldom re-called... true in life and ever so true in flying. When I'masked about a pilot I had flown with, I can usuallyvisualize some aspect of our encounter. As a copilot Ican vividly recall every captain I flew with over thescant two years of co-piloting. With nearly 37 years ofcaptaincy, many copilots leave a blurred view whilesome are remembered for their exceptional virtues...leading them is Vern Laursen.

Vern's performance on our first trip was a classic perfor-mance in every respect. His stick-and-rudder skillsshaped instantly with the slightest instructive comments.

His fast-learning matched his ability to retain the cues given, a class act for a novice... shrinks equate

this with high-order intellect!

Captain Vern Laursen

A TRIO...cont'd

to newly upgraded captains from props to jets. Vern was in an early class of 880 copilots.

My first jet training was in the 880 while Vern had accumulated some six months of experience on the880 when we first held a bid together. Fate must have played a major role on our being assigned togetheronce again. The scene had shifted from the first DC-3 flight we had nearly 10 years before. Althoughmany captains would be reluctant to admit the copilot was ever other than a mandated crew member byFAA regulations, Vern topped me with several months of 880 experience, and now, I was the underling...but still, the "captain."

Pilot/copilot relationships are often depicted as legendary struggles in aviation history. Hollywoodscenarios make much of cockpit conflicts when under stress, which in reality is a rarity. My novicestatus with the fighter-like craft called for vast differences from the prop planes that I had managed. The880 was a challenge, but the half dozen or more 880 flights with Vern as copilot served to hone my jet-flying skills for the following 22 years of turbojet flying in the Boeing 707, Lockheed 1011 and Boeing747.

When I flew, Vern monitored my every move with timely and relevant comments, mirroring my style ofcoaching him on the DC-3. I had come full circle in confirming Vern's exceptional skill in knowing hisequipment and conveying his knowledge to others, simply and reassuringly... rank or seniority notwith-standing. His mentorship was graciously appreciated.

With Vern as copilot, I was fully at ease with a laissez-faire style of leadership in full respect of hisadded experience on the 880. The informal rapport failed to lessen our attention to each detail, con-stantly analyzing the intriguing technology of jet flying. The shared learning enhanced my confidenceand everlasting affection for jets.

An axiom on the airlines says, "Be kind to your copilot, lest he be your chief pilot someday!" In VernLaursen's case, wisdom served me well in gaining his friendship early in his career. Vern's leadership,administrative skills and personable demeanor assured his advancement to captain, training instructor/supervisor and ultimately executive command of TWA's vast flight training facilities. His exceptionaltraits remain indelibly etched in my memoirs as a model profile for the piloting profession, but more-over, a lasting friend.

In describing Vern Laursen's attributes as a copilot and model captain, evidence of his early intrigue forflying should be viewed as a contributing factor in his career successes.

In my early copilot days, I roomed with Jack Schuler and Bud Jury while based in Burbank, California.We never missed debriefing the events after a flight because it was then that we'd learn if a particularcaptain let the copilot fly. We lusted for every chance to get a takeoff and landing. Ted Hereford's namewas one that came up on the sparse "Good Captains" list for his leniency in letting copilots fly.

Additionally, copilots rated their captains' skill levels based on whether they let them fly, or if theyhogged all of the flying. Ted Hereford was seen as an "ace" among his copilots... "fun to fly with" wasthe classic comment in describing a trip with Ted. Of course, their praise of his cockpit leadership wasinfluenced by the fact that Ted had let them make takeoffs and landings with confidence in their perfor-


A TRIO...cont'd

mances, free of any harassment!

Ted Hereford was already a legendary pilot when I first flew copilot out of Burbank in 1943. Herefordcould have been the model for the hero in one of the classic movies about the romantic, daring-do offlying. Tall, blonde-wavy hair, infectious smile, with a swaggering gait, Ted Hereford radiated an aura ofassurance as he ambled toward his airplane in a John Wayne-like stroll reminiscent of Wayne's role inThe High and The Mighty authored by Ernie Gann which epitomized romanticizing pilots.

But something was usually missing. Ted would be seen in uniform with captain's stripes, but his blondelocks bounced freely, unencumbered by the customary pilot's cap. Hereford had an aversion to any headgear except for a helmet, and then, only to hold his goggles... but there was little need for goggles in aDC-3.

The story circulated (unconfirmed by Hereford) that JackWalsh, Burbank chief pilot, reprimanded Hereford for be-ing out of uniform without a hat. Hereford's excuse, thatthe hat "wasn't worth the money" was nullified when Walshoffered to buy Ted's uniform cap if he would wear it.Thenceforth, Hereford was noted in proper uniform... someof the time.

An addendum to Hereford's uniform compliance (or non-compliance) occurred one evening in the lobby of theHilton Hotel in Albuquerque. The leather, over-stuffedlounges became a favorite vantage point for watching thearrival and departure of the flight crews. Hereford arrived,tresses flowing askew and, again, no cap! Most likely, Tedknew Walsh wouldn't be in Albuquerque.

As Ted strutted past me, I noted his open-collar, tielessshirt, but, in an eye blink, I was drawn to his shoes —white and tan saddle shoes! Today, some would view TedHereford as a swinger, but then, saddle shoes were forsports (and bobby-soxers). Ted was a sport.

Ted Hereford's flare for the flamboyant in casual attire varied at other times when in uniform. Occasion-ally, when appearing to be properly uniformed, close perusal revealed maroon dots in his otherwise navytie! Ted ambled to a different cadence, but what a class guy!

Perhaps, casual may best describe Ted Hereford in more ways than his attire. In the cockpit, he wasoften described as "laid back" even when the going was less than routine. His affability never faltered.Where many pilots recorded stressful reactions, Hereford would be described as "coolly unstressed." Hisexuded confidence was infectious to crews. Humor dotted his cockpit demeanor, which helped break theboredom of the routine.

Hereford's recall of early fixation for flying is an example of his casual form of wit: "I was late to schoolone day... running up the steps, while a buddy was coming down... I asked where he was going, and he


Captain Ted Hereford

A TRIO...cont'd

said a barnstormer was in town, and that he was headed for the airport to take a flying lesson." Tedcontinued, "I told him to wait for me to get my motorcycle and I'd go with him."

At the time, Ted was in junior high school in Tucson. He got to the airport and his buddy, Clyde Wallace,had completed his lesson. After landing with Clyde, the barnstorming pilot, Charley Mays, offered Ted alesson for $35. Ted only had five dollars and when he told Mays, Mays said, "That's enough kid... let'sgo!" And off they went... Ted Hereford's first flight at the youthful age of 15!

Ted continues the tale with, "I went home, sold my motorcycle and took another lesson the next day."He then recalls that he continued flying with Mays long enough to finally join him in barnstormingaround the southwest. The rest is history: He started in a Waco 9 and Jenny OX5 before his airline careerflying the mail in Northrop's Fokker F-14s, and Lockheed Orions.

Hereford joined TWA after a stint with Western Air Express as an early airmail pilot and continuedthrough the Ford trimotor days, then to the Douglas transport series, Boeing Stratoliners, all of theConstellation models, and ending with his greatest love, the Convair 880.

Depicting Ted Hereford's career from mail plane to jets points out a rarity few airline pilots haveachieved... his career began as a captain! Flying the mail was a solo task. When trimotors arrived hisseniority skipped ever being a copilot. However, Ted came narrowly close to missing the jet age, mostlyby his own choice.

At that time, jet training for the airlines in 1959 signaled many apprehensions among the companies andtheir older pilots. Rumors persisted with many dubious questions for jet training of pilots over 55 yearsof age. Many were offered bonus pay to remain on props in lieu of accepting the costly jet training whenretirement was mandated at age 60.

Further, rumors flourished about the difficulties encountered by some of the older pilots. Concerns grew,unfairly so, causing many of the veterans to opt for deferring jet training.

Ted Hereford relished the luxury of his non-stop Super-G and 1649 Jetstream airplanes sufficiently sothat he deferred going to the pressured stresses of jet training... he was content to retire from the Conniesand avoid the hassle of jet upgrading as it had become with varying accounts from his peers.

I had flown the CV880 for a year or two out of Kansas City when I had a layover in Albuquerque. Afterlanding, I noted a Super-G charter unloading at the terminal. Ted and his crew deplaned and we shared acrew limousine to the hotel for an overnight stay. Ted was his usual jovial self, even had his uniformcap... held in hand. We mused over the early days in Burbank.

Ted (and his crew) were to deadhead to Los Angeles on my flight the next morning. I sensed the oppor-tunity to impress him with the performance and ease of flying a jet. I invited him to join us in the cock-pit. Before schedule, I placed him in the left seat as we went through the check lists. Each item waspointed out, with a brief description of its function and similarity to the Connies.

Ted's interest and curiosity was obvious. Perhaps the plan piqued his appetite for jets... after all, jets stillhad engines and wings... and Ted Hereford had yet to meet an airplane he couldn't fly!


A TRIO...cont'd

For takeoff, I told him what to watch for as we lifted off and climbed out at a 17-degree nose-up angle,doubling the climb attitude of a Connie. I directed his attention to the airspeed acceleration, which Iknew would impress him. It did, as it built rapidly to 250 knots from the 125 knot liftoff speed!

Soon after, I turned the controls over to the copilot as I ushered Ted into my seat. Only brief hints weregiven throughout the climb to cruise altitude. Ted flew the plane without help from the autopilot to getthe feel of his first 600 mph airplane... his boyish grin growing to a broad-span smile. He beamed whennoting the uncanny, fighter-like performance of the 880... his first jet!

The rest is history. Ted gave in, volunteering to go to 880 training rather than the 707, which was beingused for international schedules and holding little interest for him. Besides, he knew the reputation of the880 as a Corvette compared to the "truck-like" 707. Jet ground school was tolerated, because he knewthe "gold ring" on the merry-go-round awaited in the form of flying his very own jet.

Ted Hereford rode out one of the most illustrious airline careers known in the history of airline pilots.His boyish enthusiasm coupled with his masterful piloting skill remains a legacy not soon to be forgot-ten by his peers... and a treasured example for generations of future airline pilots.

* * *

Bob Buck, Vern Laursen, and Ted Hereford are not unusual in the youthful attraction to a flying career.Their contribution to air travel is a legacy to be long-remembered. Moreover, the professional qualitiesof these three men in terms of leadership, skill, peer acceptance and career accomplishments, shouldserve as model guidelines for those driven by youthful aspirations to fly.... End

***

Carrying the mail....by TWA Autogiro


CAPTAIN RICHARD CAMPBELL

JULY 2, 1933 - JULY 17, 1996

Richard G. Campbell of Lincoln Lane, a former Air Force captain and a longtime pilot for TWA,died Wednesday, July 17, as the flight engineer for TWA flight 800, when the plane crashed off thecoast of Long Island soon after takeoff from New York's Kennedy International Airport. He was 63and the husband of Marjorie Campbell.

Mr. Campbell was born July 2, 1933 in Ohio, a son of the late Richard and Thelma HawkinsCampbell. He went to schools in Ohio and then attended Ohio State University. He served in theU.S. Air Force from 1954 until 1966, when he was honorably discharged with the rank of captain.

In 1966, he joined Trans World Airlines - TWA - where he served as a flight engineer, first officerand captain for the next three decades. He logged 18,527 hours flying with the airline. Reaching theage of 60, in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, he returned to being aflight engineer.


Flown West, cont'd.

He originally moved to Ridgefield, Connecticut from Irvine, California in 1985 with hiswife and two sons, Scott and Todd. He then was an international pilot for the airline flyingout of Kennedy Airport. The family returned to California in 1989, before moving back toRidgefield two years ago.

William Mayr of Thunder Hill Lane, a friend and also a captain with TWA said, "He was agreat guy, a dedicated pilot and devoted father and husband. He always had a good wordfor everyone and never put anyone down. "

Mr. Campbell was a member of the Airline Pilots Association and belonged to the FirstCongregational Church of Ridgefield.

Besides his wife of 18 years, he is survived by two sons, Scott R. Campbell and Todd S.Campbell, and a sister, Ann Fleming of Tucson, Arizona.

A memorial service for Mr. Campbell took place at the First Congregational Church.

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN DONALD MINSKE

August 3, 1916 - August 1, 1996

Captain Donald H. Minske, of the Cypress at Hilton Head Island, died Thursday, August1, 1996 at the Medical University Hospital in Charleston, S.C.

Don was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After teaching flight training at Superior StateCollege in Wisconsin, he became a flight instructor at Darr Aero Tech in Albany, GA,where he instructed British Royal Air Force trainees. He subsequently joined TWA andflew for 31 years, retiring as Captain in 1976.

He was a Bridge Bronze Life Master and an ACBL Bridge Director. He was a member ofDolphin Head Golf Club Turkeys and Hole-In-One-Club, Country Club of Hilton Head,Grace Community Church, XYZ Club, Hilton Head Seniors Golf Association, the SecondCircle Book Club, QB'S, TARPA and ALPA.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, June Rogers Minske, three daughters, DianeUnderwood Geiler of Hilton Head, Donna Joanne Stiner of Macungie, PA., and DaleMinske Stevenson of Wilton, CT; a sister, Helen Feehan of Corcoran, MN; seven grand-children, and one great-grandchild.

by June Minske

I vividly remember Don, as he was one of the first Captains I flew with at EWR. I alwaysenjoyed flying with him, as he, like many at EWR, made us learn how to fly TWA's way,but taught us in such a way as not to belittle our knowledge, but to encourage us to learneverything we could absorb about the whole operation. He will be truly missed.

by Bob Parker


Flown West, cont'd.

FIE WILLIAM HARKINS

October 29, 1922 - August 6, 1996

Quiet as he seemed, Jim expressed in many ways his love and respect for TWA and his fellow crewteams. We both looked forward to the conventions so he could relive the "good old days. "

It was especially poignant because he knew it might be the last one.

Jim spent most of his retirement years at our local airport, to "gab, " work on and fly his beloved '43J-3 and '53 Pacer. Jim's wish was to fly the J-3 across-country, but weather prevented the flight andhe had to resort to "Hertz Rental Truck. "

His spirit and love of flying continues. Our son, Brian,and daughter, Elaine (both of whom he taught to fly)will land tonight in California (Napa Valley) after a 5day cross-country flight in his '53 Pacer. In additionto Jim's picture and spirit, they have onboard a GPS,a Laptop computer and a Cellular phone. Jim wouldshudder at the thought.

To the government and TWA William James Harkinswas his name but he or I (for our 46 years together)called him "Jim " .

by Elly HarkinsJim Harkins with '53 Pacer


Flown West, cont'd.

IN MEMORY OF

F/E WILLIAM G. HIGGINS

December 15, 1920 - July 10, 1996

William G. "Bill" Higgins was born in Koblemz, Germany on December 15, 1920 as his father wasin the American Army of Occupation. Bill was two years old when his parents settled in Warren,Idaho. His father died two years later. At the age of eleven, his mother remarried and Namp, Idahobecame his hometown.

He attended classes for one year at Idaho State College. However, it was an advertisement for aDallas Aviation Mechanic School that really interested him. After he completed his courses there,and with his newly acquired A&E Mechanic License, he was immediately employed by TWA.

After working as a mechanic for two years, he left TWA, but he became disenchanted overhaulingsmall airplanes, returned to TWA on March 2, 1942 and stayed until his retirement on December 1,1983. For his first seven years, Bill worked as a mechanic, and for his remaining years, he flew as aFlight Engineer, ten of those years on the various Constellations and then the 707's, the Lockheed1011's, and the 747's. He liked to say, "TWA was the only company I ever worked for."

During WWII, he serviced not only the TWA Fleet, but all the military airplanes which passedthrough Winslow, AZ. In 1944 he enlisted in the Navy. For years, he wanted to enlist, but the mili-tary was uneasy about Bill's being born in Germany. His tour of duty was as a "Plane Captain" on anAdmiral's Lodestar. The Captain (of this aircraft) was a former TWA pilot, and when he learned thatBill was a former TWA mechanic, trust was established. After the War, Bill returned to TWA'sWinslow Station. Several months later, he bid Flight Engineer School. For one year, he flew Inter-national from the East Coast. Then he transferred to Cairo. Those three years he cherished for thetravel opportunities, and for all the lifelong friendships which he developed there.

When he returned to the States, he met and married a TWA Hostess, Veronica Chervenick, (Ronnie),his wife of forty-three years. His interests were camping and touring. Rarely did he venture onto anairplane during his time off. He was extremely proud that he was a part of "growing up" with theaviation industry. In addition to his membership in TARPA, Bill was a member of the TWA SeniorsClubs and the American Legion.

After a short illness, Bill Higgins died on July 10, 1996 at the age of seventy-five in Thousand Oaks,CA. The words which describe Bill best are those of a dear friend who said, "Bill lived the AmericanDream. He had a good education, a great job, a loving wife, a beautiful home, four wonderful daugh-ters, and many dear friends."

by Veronica "Ronnie" Higgins


Flown West. contd.

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN ALFRED LEWELLING

July 11, 1920 - May 7, 1996

IN MEMORY OF

F/E ROBERT KIEPER

JANUARY 30, 1924 - May 13, 1996

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN CYRIL MOORE

February 6, 1927 - May 16, 1996

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN CHARLES E. DAVIS

September 1, 1917 - May 19, 1996

IN MEMORY OF

F/E JOSEPH LEONARDO

January 19, 1918 - May 26, 1996

IN MEMORY OF

CAPTAIN STEVEN SNYDER

November 21, 1938 - July 17, 1996


Thank you Letters

to "Flown West"

TARPA receives many thank you notes from those who read Flown West. These are notes addressedmostly to Bob Widholm, myself, as Editor, or sometimes simply to TARPA. Bob does a great job increating a comforting response to those whose loved ones have passed on and in keeping the FlownWest material organized and ready to format. Your Editor takes a special interest in The Flown Westmaterial as we prepare it for publication. Many people are gratified that our members, through their duesand contributions, make the publication of Flown West and TOPICS available. For the information ofmembers, we will publish, from time to time, a few of the letters we receive. In addition, to those whohave contributed to Flown West, we express our sincere appreciation .. Ed.

Dear Bob ,

Thank you so much for the copies of TARPA TOPICS . I do appreciateyour kindness.

Sincerely,

Peg Tomlinson

March 20, 1996

Dear Captain Widholm ,

That. you for your very nice letter. The memorial to Larry will meanmore than any words can express and I will cherish that memory therest of my life.

Those who had the privilege of working for him or with him will remem-her him with admiration and respect.

My sincere thanks to you,

Respectfully ,

Helene Trimble

Captains Widholm for your support.

Its hard for me tohearing from peoplehad the pleasure of knowing.

neverrealize that Tommy had so many admirers. I'm stillwho never met him and most of whomI've


Thankyou letters...cont'd.

July 12, /996

Dear Captain Widholm ,

Both your phone call and letter to me on my husbands recent passingwas very comforting and thoughtful.

The contribution in Johns name, to the TWA. Pilots Retirement Founda-tion and the honorary. membership in TARPA extended to me, is great&appreciated.

As a former TWA hostess, I do enjoy reading TARPA TOPICS and thededicated people who continue to serve in keeping the airline family intouch and informed, get a sincere Thank You for a good job.

Again, and on behalf of our daughters, ,area and Sandra , yourwords concerning John, will he remembered.

Sincerely,

Anita Moore

Septemher 9, 1996

Mr. Robert Widholm286 .Bow Line DriveNaples, Fl 34103

Dear Capt. Widholm:

Thank you for the beautiful letter regarding the Honorary Membership inTARPA . I truly enjoyed the past conventions that we attended as I tooflew for TWA. from /950 to 1952 and know many of the members.

It was also kind to know that a memorial to Bill was made to the TWA.Pilots Retirement Foundation.

Several times I attempted to telephone you about Bills passing, but nodoubt you were out of town. The question I had was whether or not youwould like a few lines about Bill for publication which I am enclosing.

Again thanks for the comforting letter, and I hope to see you soon.

Sincerely ,

Veronica Higgins (Ronnie)

kind


In Memory of TWA crew members who lost their lives on TWA

Flight 800, July 17, 1996

Steven E. Snyder, CaptainRalph G. Kevorkian, CaptainRichard G. Campbell, Jr., Flight EngineerOliver Krick, Flight Engineer

Jacques Charbonnier, Flight Service ManagerConstance Charbonnier, Flight AttendantSandra Aikens-Bellamy, Flight AttendantDan Callas, Flight AttendantJanet Christopher, Flight AttendantDebra Diluccio, Flight AttendantArlene Johnsen, Flight AttendantRay Lang, Flight AttendantMaureen Lockhart, Flight AttendantSandra Meade, Flight AttendantGrace Melotin, Flight AttendantMike Schuldt, Flight AttendantMarit Rhoads, Flight AttendantMelinda Torche, Flight AttendantJill Ziemkiewicz, Flight Attendant

Gideon B. Miller, CaptainDonald Gough, CaptainRick Verhaeghe, First Officer

Lani Warren, Flight Service ManagerRaili-Anneli Pulliainen Gough, Flight AttendantRosemary Braman, Flight AttendantPaula Carven, Flight AttendantWarren Dodge, Jr., Flight AttendantDaryl Edwards, Flight AttendantJoanne Griffith, Flight AttendantEric Harkness, Flight AttendantJames Hull, Flight AttendantLonnie Ingenhuett, Flight AttendantBarbara Kwan, Flight AttendantElaine Loffredo, Flight AttendantEli Luevano, Flight AttendantPamela Cobb McPherson, Flight AttendantOlivia Simmons, Flight Attendant

Douglas Eshleman, Flight EngineerElsie Ostachiewicz, Customer Service Agent

Daughter: Chelsea, 8Francis "Frenchy" Gasq, Retired Flight Service ManagerPam Lychner, former TWA Flight Attendant

Daughters: Katie, 8; Shannon, 10Lamar Allen, husband of retired TWA Flight Attendant

Son: Ashton, 16Scott Rhoads, Husband of Flight attendant, Marit RhoadsKathleen Vera Feeney, wife of TWA Ramp Employee

Daughter: Deirdre (De De), 17


RICHARD G. CAMPBELL EDUCATION FOUNDATION

The Richard G. Campbell Education Foundation, "If I could, I would",has been established to provide scholarship money to children whosemother or father has died in a catastrophe.

Richard Campbell, TWA Pilot, who lost his life on July 17,1996 alongwith 229 others, is survived by his wife and two teenage sons. Nineteenadditional children lost a parent who was a member of the Flight 800flight crew. Sadly, many young people have experienced or willexperience a tremendous loss like this because of a sudden calamity.

"If I could, I would" will award scholarships to qualifying high schoolgraduates age 19 and under to assist them in achieving their careerdreams. Through financial support, the foundation will enable them topursue a post-high school course of study to become a teacher,policeman , pilot, doctor, computer programmer, or whatever their chosenField may be. In short, children will be helped to reach personal goalseither no longer possible, or much more difficult to attain without thesupport of their parent.

Relatives of Richard Campbell and the Board members are not eligiblefor scholarships. Along with a completed application, proof documents,and letters of recommendation, eligible students will submit an essayentitled, "If I could I would". Consideration will be given to grades(minimum 2.5 GPA, "C" average), community or church service, extracurricular activities, or employment history when evaluating finalcandidates. The Board intends to award the first scholarship in 1998.This delay will allow the time necessary to A) raise funds, B) accruedividends/interest on principle to provide a self sustaining fund far intothe future.

Professional legal, accounting, banking, and graphic and computerdesign services have been donated to establish the Foundation. Relativesand close friends of the Campbell family will continue to volunteer theirtime, knowledge, and skills to raise funds and to administer the businessof the Foundation.

Your tax deductible contributions may be sent to Richard G. CampbellEducation Foundation, or to "If I could, I would" at P.O. Box 1026,Ridgefield, CT 06877.

For additional information and updates visit this World Wide Webaddress:http: / /ccnet.com/ificouldiwould


Memorial Scholarship Begun at Central Missouri State

Friends and family members of a Central Missouri State University alumnus who was killedJuly 17, when TWA Flight 800 exploded off Long Island, NY, have established a scholarshipin his name.

The Ollie Krick Memorial Aviation Scholarship will help pay tuition or buy flying time forstudents in the university's aviation program, said Walt Gunn of Mission, a retired TWA pilotand adjunct professor of aviation technology.

Krick, 25, of Lake St. Louis, MO, graduated from Central Missouri in 1992 with a bachelor'sdegree in aviation technology. He was a TWA flight engineer trainee; Flight 800 was to be hisfinal training flight.

Besides Gunn, others involved in setting up the scholarship are Gunn's brother, George Gunn,of Mesa, Ariz; his nephew, Terry Gunn, of Lake St. Louis; Vern Laursen of Kansas City,retired vice president of transportation training at TWA; and Krick's father, Ron, of Lake St.Louis.

Those interested in contributing can contact the Central Missouri State University Foundationat (816) 543-4435 or Tim Brady, Department of Power and Transportation, Central MissouriState University, Warrensburg, MO 64093. The phone number is (816) 543-4975.

TWA 800 MEMORIAL PINS

Two types of pins are available...lapel pin or tiebar. All proceeds above cost go to the TWA 800Memorial Fund. Send check and self addressed, stamped envelope to:

Capt. R. W. Dedman (Ret.)3728 Lynnfield DriveVirginia Beach, VA 23452

Lapel pin: $7.00 (or more) Tie bar: $10.00 (or more)

TAX DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPT GIVEN.


THOMAS BENSON "BEN" HOY

An aviation pioneer and a part of TWA's roots, T. Benson "Ben" Hoy, passed away on July, 31, 1996. Hewas born in Minneapolis in December 1903, and graduated from Columbia University. Ben learned tofly at Navy-Pensacola and one of his early flying jobs started in 1927 piloting the mail flights forNYRBA on their route from NYC to South America, which included flights over the Andes. In 1928 heworked for Pacific Marine Airways piloting the Curtiss "Flying Boat" between Catalina Island and theLA Harbor area.

Pacific Marine was one of the nation's oldest airlines although it was not continuous. It was founded onJuly 4, 1919 by Charlie Chaplin's brother, Syd, as "Chaplin Air Lines." Art Burns was the pilot of theone-passenger plane; the fare was $42.50 for the 25 mile flight to Avalon Bay. Pacific Marine took overthe company in 1920 and the fleet was increased to three planes which could carry three passengers.Other veteran TWA pilots who flew the Catalina flights were "Dutch" Holloway and Franklin Young. InJune 1928 the company was purchased by Western Air Express and they used amphibian-type aircraftflying out of their Vail Field. The fare was lowered to $10 (one way) for the 30 minute trip. In 1931WAE lost its lease and the flying was taken over by United Air Lines..

Since the first draft of a TWA pilot seniority list was not issued until 1934, Ben's exact dates withTranscontinental Air Transport and TAT-Maddox are not known. He was among the original copilotshired by TAT circa May-June 1929, and was based at Glendale, CA, flying the Ford tri-motors toKingman and Winslow, AZ. Later in 1929 the merger to form TAT-Maddox was completed and, by early1930, the copilots were checking out as Captain (such as Fred Richardson, Howard Hall, Joe Bartles,Otis Bryan, Harry Campbell, Cliff Abbott and Jack Zimmerman). When the Post Office Departmentforced the merger of TAT-M and Western Air Express to form T&WA in late 1930, a number of thejunior pilots resigned rather than "buck" WAE's seniority; including Les Munger, Bill Campbell andBen Hoy.

Les and Bill returned to TWA a year or so later, but Ben flew for several airlines including Eastern. Hewas copilot on an Eastern Ford in September 1933 that was involved in an accident and it was necessaryto amputate his right leg. This ended his career as an airline pilot, but not his keen interest in aviation.He was a contributing writer for "The Saturday Evening Post" and editor of "Western Aviation" maga-zine. During WWII he served with the Navy as a Liaison Officer in Washington, D.C., later as CO of aTransport Squadron, based in Florida, flying troops to South America. Ben was back in the cockpit againas pilot. Most of his pilots were formerly with the airlines and now on active duty. He was one of thefew, or only, amputees called to active duty by the Navy. In 1942, while based in DCA, he marriedElizabeth Gerdes, a 13 year veteran with TWA (including 7 as Fred Betts's Secretary).

After the war Ben continued with his writing and, in 1958, was hired by Douglas Aircraft in their Public-ity Department. This was when the shift was in progress from their Santa Monica plant to new facilitiesat El Segundo. He retired ten years later at age 65 in Santa Monica and soon became well known as anexpert bridge and chess player, winning numerous tournaments. Ben is survived by wife, Elizabeth.They had no children.

I knew him for about the past 26 years but do not have any details of his flying career with TAT, TAT-Maddox or TWA such as dates. This was before the first TWA seniority list of 1934, so no dates areavailable. I assume he checked out as Captain in early 1930 as did most of the TAT copilots before themergers got started.

Editor's note:Thomas Benson "Ben " Hoy had been one of only three surviving original TWA airline pilots.

See a photo of Hoy on page 42 of the March, 1996 Edition of TARPA TOPICS.


Jon Proctor, TARPA Subscriber and Assistant Editor of AIRWAYS Maga-zine, has authored a very interesting and landmark book on the Convair880. If anyone is interested in obtaining a copy of this book, they canwrite Jon at the following address:

Jon ProctorAssistant Editor, Airways MagazineP.O. Box 968Sandpoint, Idaho 83864-0853


History of the FAA Age 60 Rule

During periods of real or perceived national emergencies, governments often make far reaching deci-sions based on misinformation, secrecy and deception - so is the case with the Age 60 Rule.

To make any sense of the circumstances which led to enactment of 14 CFR 121.383(c), i.e., the "FAAAge 60 Rule," recall that the country was under the leadership of General Eisenhower in his second termas President and in the midst of the cold war. During the exact time frame that the Age 60 Rule wasenacted, our government, unknown to members of Congress, built a legislative complex under the WestVirginia Wing of the Greenbrier Hotel at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. So secret, the site wasnever discovered by a foreign government, members of Congress nor the public until 1995 when aninvestigative reporter from the Washington Post pieced together the long held rumors and exposed"Project Greek Island."

After WW II, the airline safety record was deplorable. The new, so called non sched's, had numerouscrashes. Lockheed Constellations developed electrical problems which resulted in fires, DC-6's hadmysterious cargo fires and Martin 202's developed wing spar failures. CO2 cargo fire extinguishingsystems asphyxiated flight crews. All caused fatal accidents.

Most of the aircraft involved were grounded until the cause was found and the problem fixed. NewarkAirport was closed due to a series of crashes.

When TWA/United collided over the Grand Canyon; the country was about to enter the Jet Age - a newera not yet experienced nor understood by the civilian sector. Even the military lacked experience withpassenger transport in jet aircraft. At the time, the only military jet aircraft flying were trainers, fightersand a single bomber, the B-47. Everyone wore oxygen mask and parachutes. The British Comet fellout of the sky with fatigue cracks from repeated pressurization cycles. The aviation industry was inturmoil, something had to be done!

By Act of Congress, the Airways Modernization Board was formed to revitalize the Air Traffic ControlSystem, and the Federal Aviation Act created the FAA to replace the CAA. President Eisenhower calledon his friend and war time theater commander, General Elwood "Pete" Quesada, cantankerous, opinion-ated, authoritarian, highly decorated general who sprang from the early days of the Army Air Corps andU.S. Air Force. No one questioned General Quesada's authority or demeanor. He was a demigod.

The one thing certain that airline managements, unions and FAA employees could agree on was that theycouldn't wait for General Quesada to leave.

On the commercial side of aviation, most airlines were still under the control of their founding fathers:C.R. Smith at American, Bob Six at Continental, Eddie Rickenbacker at Eastern, Juan Tripp at PanAmerican and Bill Paterson at United. Northwest was led by former CAB Chairman Don Nyrop, andTWA was controlled by Howard Hughes.

From the end of the war though the mid fifties, aircraft flown by major carriers were under the commandof war experienced captains hired in the mid 1930's through early 1945. Many came back from WW IIolder and wiser than their years with diverse aviation experiences provided by the war. Never before,nor since, had so few, flown so much, in so short a period of time. Airline pilots, hired at the end of thewar, came from the War Training programs or the war itself. Those hired after the fall of 1945, flewcopilot for the next eight to ten years. Life expectancy was sixty-two and one half years.

Airline pilot employment was relatively slow during the 1950's, and of those hired, some, but not all,had limited jet experience gained during the Korean Conflict or the National Guard Training Programsmostly in trainers or fighters (T-33, F-80, F-84, F-86 or their navy counterparts). Of those hired by the


major carriers during the mid and late 1950's, many were furloughed when the B-707 was introduced in1958-59. Progressing up the seniority list was slow or reversed and remained status quo until 1963.

During 1958-1962, many of the pilots hired in the 50's were furloughed and returned to active militaryservice or remained current by flying in the Air Force, Navy or Air National Guard & Reserve Programs.Some moved to the regionals, others tried corporate flying or left the industry all together. The conceptthat the older captains would not be able to qualify in the jets was prevalent among military reservepilots who hoped that they would quickly move into the captain ranks when the older pilots were elimi-nated by the rigors of jet training.

American, unlike other airlines, used relatively young military jet qualified instructors early in their jettraining program. Letters sent to General Quesada by C.R. Smith, indicated that his instructors weretaking an inordinate amount of transition time to train the older captains. Training was dragging, andnew B-707's were sitting at Tulsa without crews to fly them. Something was wrong ..

The American pilots had not won a jet contract, and American had established a company AGE 60Policy. A few pilots filed and won grievances to fly beyond the companies imposed retirement age.In contrast to the American situation, TWA used relatively senior captains for training, which theyqualified at Boeing. Once rated, they returned to Kansas City to train TWA's line pilots. TWA's linepilots had a stand still ...ment and would not have to fly as line captains without a jet contract, anovel idea. In the end, the jets proved far more reliable and physically easier to fly than expected. Onejust had to get through the school which was longer and more difficult than necessary. Jet crews, in-structors and check pilots were equally inexperienced as were the federal inspectors.

Like Project Greek Island, the Age 60 Rule Docket information was "lost" and would not surface formany years. Through the efforts of the Professional Pilots Federation (PPF), the information has beenfound and is part of the evidence to be submitted during the proceedings in the U.S. Court of Appeals,District of Columbia. The judges not only have agreed to hear the case, but have scheduled PPF expe-dited hearings. The FAA's brief is due June 6, 1996. Oral arguments are scheduled to begin October 3,1996.

THE AGE 60 CHRONOLOGY

June 30, 1956 -Mid-air collision of TWA/United over the Grand Canyon.

1957 -Congress created the Airways Modernization Board, General Quesada appointed as Chairman.

1958 -Passage of the Federal Aviation Act, General Quesada appointed as its first administrator.

1958-1959 -Pilot forced retirement grievances settled under the auspices of the Railway Labor Act. The attempt ofthe companies to impose a retirement was decided in favor of the pilots in cases involving American,TWA and Western Airlines. 21 day, year end strike by the pilots at American Airlines settling a jetcontract dispute, including the recently won age sixty grievance. C.R. Smith had initially refused toconform to the arbitrator's award. Strike concluded on January 10, 1959, and Smith reluctantly agreedto return "over age 60 pilots" to work. Angry, Smith wasn't finished with his pilots.

February 5. 1959 -Letter form C.R. Smith, Chairman of the Board of American Airlines, to General Pete Quesada, FAAAdministrator and old friend, requesting that the Agency fix a suitable age for retirement of air line

pilots. Letter is based on failed negotiations involving pilot retirements.


April 30, 1959 -C.R. Smith sent pilot training records to General Quesada's home complaining that some of the olderAmerican pilots were taking up to thirty-five hours of aircraft flight training. Note: the youngest pilotlisted required the greatest amount of training time - 35.25 hours. Advanced simulators not yet on thehorizon.

May 8, 1958 -Quesada wrote to potential advisory panel members asking that they meet in Washington to consider theproblem of limiting pilot ages. The issues involved the learning time of older pilots and economicconsiderations. Safety was not mentioned. The letter concludes: "requesting that you treat this commu-nication as confidential."

June 3,1959 -Advisory Group On Aging met in Washington, D.C. at 9 A.M. and adjourned at 12:30 P.M. GeneralQuesada presented his thoughts on aging and data on transition training vs. age for commercial airlines.The panel was unanimous in upholding the position of the Administrator. The panel also discussed thepotential requirement of an upper age limit of 50 or 55, but there were differing opinions regarding theage limit of transition to the jets and the government's involvement in the process. The panel concludedthat age 55 was reasonable and would not be objected to. A copy of the FAA position on the proposedrule was left with the panel with the agreement that each member would study the proposed rule andsubmit recommendations. Dr. A.H. Schwichtenburg, General USAF Retired of the Lovelace Clinic, amember of the committee had recently developed tests for the Mercury Astronaut Program which fell indisfavor with some of the prospective astronauts. Ref: The Right Stuff by Thomas Wolf, re: PeteConrad.

June 27, 1959 -FAA published its proposed AGE 60 Rule in The Federal Register. NPRM, Fed. Reg. 5247.

October 9, 1959 - Review of Pilots Aging Charts by the Staff of the General Counsel's Office. FAAAttorneys have problems with the presentation of the proposed regulation.

Spring and summer 1960 -The Lockheed Electra in-flight wing failures were caused by engine mount and nacelle design defi-ciency, but Quesada, at the request of Lockheed, American, and Eastern kept the aircraft flying at re-duced airspeed.

December 16, 1960 -TWA/United Airline mid-air collision over Staten Island. Only one month before, FAA AdministratorQuesada told the National Press Club that jet flights were being monitored by radar from takeoff totouchdown. United was well out of the Preston holding pattern and not in communication with the nextradar controller.

Early 1961 -General Quesada retired from the FAA and immediately joins the Board of Directors of AmericanAirlines. It was the end of an era.

Early 1980 -Congress directed that the National Institute of Health study the pilot aging problem. The NIH assignedthe task to the National Institute of Aging. No medical or performance standards were deemed availableto identify pilots who would pose a hazard to safety. The Panel concluded that there is no convincingmedical evidence to support Age 60 or any other specific age for mandatory retirement.

1990-1993 -FAA contracted for the Hilton Study to consolidate accident data and correlate it with flying experienceof pilots. ... they concluded that "this suggests that one could cautiously increase the retirement age..."The original CAMI Report contained no specified age cut off, but Pam Della Rocco, FAA contractmonitor insisted that the report specify "an age, any age." Age 63 was specified in Revision R-2 only

PAGE 75..... TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER. 1996

after the FAA demanded that an age be published.

December 11, 1995 -The FAA issued a Disposition of Comment and Notice of Agency Decisions regarding the Age 60 Rule.The Disposition announced the FAA's determination not to propose to change the Age 60 Rule at thistime, and its intention to deny petition for individual exemptions. The FAA also extended the Rule tothe commuter industry and corporate aircraft operating under FAR Part 135. The regulation allows thatthe industry has four years to adjust to the new rule thus allowing the oldest commuter pilot, thensixty-eight to fly until age seventy-two. The age of the oldest corporate pilot operating under FAR Part135 is unknown.

December 1995 -The PPF filed an appeal in the U.S. Court of Appeals, District Columbia

April 22, 1996 -The judges, on their own, award the PPF an expedited hearing.

June 6, 1996 - The FAA's brief is due June 6, 1996.

October 3, 1996 - Oral Arguments are scheduled to begin.

The "found" docket tells the tale of an angry man in the twilight of his career, who by using fraud,deception and his personal friendship with the new administrator caused the Age 60 Rule to be enactedto suit his own personal agenda.

Like the Berlin Wall, the Age 60 Rule will shortly be an unfortunate memory of times past

RCH

Sent by Dick Loomis


VISITING RUSSIA: FANTASTIC, FUN, REASONABLE!

By Bill Dixon

Cockpit crew members have a history of liking to travel. If you haven't been to Russia, particularly on aboat trip on the Volga, you have missed a gem! Last year my wife, June, and I and another coupleenjoyed an extraordinary two weeks in Russia, plus 3 days in Finland. Finland was interesting andexpensive. Russia was a relatively inexpensive, visual smorgasbord!

The best and most historic castles andchurch buildings were mostly spared bythe Communist regime and turned intomuseums. Many are magnificent, such asthe Hermitage and Catherine's summerand winter palaces in St. Petersburg, andthe Armory Gallery and St. Basil's churchin Moscow's Red Square. Countlessmonasteries are again in use.

Our 14 days on a river boat from Moscowto St. Petersburg in August '95 (bookedthru Cruise Marketing Int'l, Belmont, CA1-800-398 2784 offers a small airlinediscount) was a super experience! FromSan Francisco we flew Finnair nonstop toHelsinki, and two days later to Moscow.Going through Finland was an agreeablediversion and we avoided flying Aeroflot!

Helsinki is a clean, beautiful city, costlyfor shopping, food and drink. The city bustour, and the Islands boat trip were re-warding. Dinner at the Piekka, a restau-rant featuring Finnish cuisine, was worththe $75 for two with wine. I orderedreindeer steak! The Piekka was a coupleof blocks from our tour hotel, the Inter-Continental. It's top-notch and included abountiful breakfast buffet. It also is nearthe Mamma Rosa Ravintola, an excellentItalian place, charging about $45 for two.

We walked to downtown shopping, visiting Stockman's department store. It rivals any in San Francisco.A light sweater, warm jacket, and raincoat are musts. Temperatures can range from 75 degrees to the low50's in Finland and northern Russia, and cold rain can strike suddenly in the short summers. Eightydegrees is considered hot, hot!

It was arduous and time consuming going through customs in Moscow, but pleasant departing St. Peters-


The Grand Palace of Peter The Great

VISITING RUSSIA...cont'd.

burg. There were about 60 on our tour and we arrived weary, but excited, about 2 a.m. at our boat, theLev Tolstoy, anchored in the Moscow Canal.

Cabins were all alike, not spacious but boasting a large picture window which opened. Meals wereadequate, but not cruise ship quality! One glass of wine, choice of red or white, was included withdinner. If you wanted it with lunch, or a second for dinner, you paid $2 per glass, same for vodka, ginand scotch. There were two bars - same prices.

Waiters - young, nice looking men and women, were courteous and fast, and passable in simple English.These were summer jobs for them and most lived in Nizhny Novgorod, an old city, where we stoppedfor a few hours. Its river port rest rooms were filthy - fairly common in public toilet facilities, butNovgorod got the prize! It formerly was called Gorky, and was a closed city.

All crew members were helpful and friendly, and the entire vessel was kept spotlessly clean - in spite of thefact they hadn't been paid for two months, according to a young guide! Morning maid service was prompt.Laundry and cleaning wererather expensive but ok. Theone hairdresser was excellentbut spoke little English.

A promenade deck circled the142 passenger vessel. We sawabout a half-dozen similarriver boats during the twoweeks. Ours was primarilyfor English speaking passen-gers. If you want luxury andcruise ship entertainment, thistrip is not for you, but if youwant to touch Russia upclose, you can't beat it. A trioplayed nightly for dancing,but entertainment mostly in-volved passenger and crewtalent and low stakes bingo.Taped modern movies wereshown on a big TV.

There were tours (bus and walking) of cities and towns along the rivers and canals (many locks), thatwere interesting beyond compare. The guides that joined us on shore were mostly school teachers (theiraverage school pay - $30 per month) and highly knowledgeable.

We changed traveler checks into dollars (preferred almost everywhere) at the Hotel Europa in St. Peters-burg. It rivals for luxury any hotel in the world - Its public restrooms are superb! About the third dayfrom Moscow the ship quit cashing travelers checks into dollars and wouldn't accept credit cards; youhoped you had enough dollars with you. Several shops in Moscow and St. Petersburg accepted AmericanExpress credit cards and occasionally Visa. Take cash. About $800 per couple should be plenty, unless


Cruise ship - Lev Tolstoy


Street vendors

you are a shopping fiend. Thereis not much of quality, althoughwe did purchase 5 excellentwatches, ranging from $14 to$34. There also is a profusion ofnested wooden dolls, decorativeenameled boxes, and amberjewelry.

Street vendors abounded aroundMoscow's Red Square, andprincipal intersections in St.Petersburg, plus downtown in allbut the smallest towns along theriver. They would try to sell youmaps, guide books, pictures,souvenirs - but weren't toopersistent, as in Cairo. Open airfruit, meat, and vegetable farmer

markets, located mostly in large squares, were fairly well stocked!

There were a half dozen or so young beggars (not obnoxious) that met the boats looking for candy, gumor money, and our pre-tour information suggested we bring some goodies for giveaway. The boat'scruise director counseled us not to do this, as it encouraged begging. The lipstick and pens did come inhandy for extra little tips on board.

What we missed most was fresh fruit. A typical dinner was tomato and pepper salad, beef patties,chicken, or fish garnished with rice. Juice, cereal and oatmeal, or sausage and scrambled eggs, bread andjam, coffee and tea, were standard breakfasts. No second helpings! We made our entree choice thepreceding day. There were a couple of elaborate "tastings," where the announcement read "nice dresswill be appreciated!" (casual was the norm). In Petrozaodsk, we purchased Ben's and Jerry's ice cream -two huge dips in a big cone for $2. And there are a couple of MacDonalds available in Moscow and St.Petersburg, if one must have a Big Mac!

One could write a book on the fascinating tours along the river (most included), and in Moscow and St.Petersburg. Highlights were the Moscow Circus ($35), the ballet in St. Petersburg ($55), and a spectacu-lar folklore concert in Petrozaodsk. Among the many other towns and cities on the waterways wereKastroma (outstanding monastery exhibition of Romanov family history), Uglich, Iyos, Irma, KiahiIsland, and Valaam, each with its own intriguing tale! May through September are the river cruisemonths. If you like to travel, want to see a different culture, magnificent museums and churches, excit-ing vistas, don't bypass Russia!

HIGHLIGHTS:-Tour cost for the two of us, including air (which represented almost one-half), and insurance, was just

over $4700. We spent about another $800 additionally.-Excellent lecturer on board spoke freely about yesterday's and today's Russia.-Rubles averaged 4600 to the dollar at banks - 5000 from shops and street vendors.



-Moscow subway is graffiti free. Escalators are steep and fast. Hold tight to the railing.-Nice young doctor on ship. Charged $20, including medicine, to treat my sore throat.-Depressing are the hundreds of huge apartments in Moscow and St. Petersburg. No nice suburbs, nohouses as we know them, except some being built along the rivers! Riverside villagers live in houses -mostly old and made of wood, some bright shutters.

TAKE WITH YOU:-In addition to the usual, bring your own soap, shampoo, wash cloth, alarm clock, tissue, prescriptionand common medicines, insect repellent, lots of film, binoculars, money belt, light sweater, jacket,raincoat or umbrella, hat, reading material (excellent factual novel is Ruska), sun lotion, converter and2-pin adapter, passport copies for backup....END (All photographs in this article are by Bill Dixon...Ed.)

Statue of Peter The Great...Built under orders ofCatherine The Great

St. Basil's Church inMoscow's Red Square....Now a museum.


VISITING RUSSIA: More Photos


HARRY'S BAR5 rue Daunou. Paris

by Hank Gastrich

Harry's New York Bar. 5 rue Daunou, 2e. Opened early this century and has neverlooked back, even though the Hemingway era is well and truly over. Popular with Parisians aswell as expatriate and visiting Americans, it stays open year-round till the wee small hours. Sosays Fodor's 1982 Paris Guide. So said my father, a World War I GI (sic) attached to one of theU. S. Army Air Corps' embryo flying squadrons back in 1918. I remember when I broke thenews to him that I had enlisted in the navy's flight training program,estranged from my mother and some kind of a leper in that her branch of myfamily saying, "When you get to Paris, be sure to go to Harry's New YorkBar ... sank roo danoo ... and sign the pilot's book they keep behind the bar.All the pilots in our war signed it." I suggest my father exaggerated. I'msure all the pilots of that war had not signed the ledgers I saw in Harry's Barsome 15 (1957) years after receiving my father's dictum. I am reasonablysure that not all the pilots of World War I had even been to Harry's New York Bar.

But I did! Very proudly I signed my name in a ledger. Very proudly? Of course! Forsomeone who when he 'goes' who leaves little behind to show he was ever here, there is somesmall comfort in knowing that my name is in a book at Harry's New York Bar! Over the years,the original ledger had been filled and new ledgers added, and if I remember correctly, I signed inthe 3rd one. All some 2 or 3 inches thick and filled with names, famous and perhaps infamous. I doremember (or seem to) seeing Frank Luke's signature, the renown 'balloon buster' of that war.And the noted French pilot, Raoul Lufbery. Lufbery, battling with the famous Red Knight ofGermany, Baron Manfred von Richtofen, invented (through necessity) the "Lufbery Circle"maneuver. Lufbery fought the man who had downed 82 Allied planes to a tie by going into a tightcircle in which neither he nor the German could win position to aim his guns at the other. I don'trecall seeing Rickenbacker's signature or that of the Canadian, Captain Roy Brown (the pilotmost often credited with downing von Richtofen).

Sunday, 22 September, the San Diego Union printed the obituary for Andrew MacElhone.Now mind you, I am not given to reading obituaries as a diversion, albeit, as I age I must confessto a temptation to check them occasionally for my own name, but the line below MacElhone'sname did get my attention. "Longtime owner of Harry's Bar in Paris, 73." Then the dateline,"Paris." I had to read the ten paragraphs devoted to Andrew MacElhone, owner-manager ofHarry's Bar from 1958 until 1989. I am reasonably sure that when I requested to sign a ledgerand to look at the others, it was Andy's father with whom I must have talked. And if my ownfather said he remembered Harry's Bar and from the names I did indeed see in those ledgers fromanother time, another war, it had to have been Andy's father Harry that purchased the bar from aprevious owner.

Harry's Bar is noted for having 'invented' several cocktails; the French 75 (named afterthe World War I artillery piece) in 1915; the Bloody Mary in 1919; and the Side Car in 1931.When Germany occupied France in 1940, Harry and Andy fled to London. Andy served as acaptain in the British intelligence corps in Africa and later in Germany. Andy was injured byfalling on a land mine in Germany. Andy followed his father back to Paris and Harry's Bar andtook over when his father died in 1958. Harry's Bar, 'sank roo danoo' is currently operated byAndy's son Duncan.


BY PAT & CHUCK HASLER

WE HAVE JUST RETURNED (last night 10:30 pm) FROM THE

GREAT CONVENTION IN BOS & THEN OUR FABULOUS CRUISE

TO BERMUDA. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A 5 + RATEING TO THE

GREAT CONVENTION PUT TOGETHER BY AL MUNDO & HIS CO-

CHAIRMAN DICK VAUX & ALL THEIR GREAT ACTIVITIES CHAIR-

PERSONS. 38 OF US LEFT AT 9:00 AM BY MOTOR COACH

FROM THE PARK PLAZA HOTEL SATURDAY MORNING ON A

VERY SCENIC RIDE TO MANHATTEN. WE THEN BOARDED THE

CELEBRITY CRUISE LINES "ZENITH" & SET SAIL FOR THE

BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF BERMUDA. WE WEIGHED ANCHOR AT

4:30 PM & WE HEADED SOUTH FOR AWHILE TO GET AROUND

THE HURRICANE THAT WAS NOW EAST OF NY & HEADED

NORTH. THE CAPT. DID A GREAT JOB AS THE WAVES DID NOT

GET TOO HIGH. YOU WILL FIND A WRITE UP OF THE ENTIRE

TRIP ELSEWHERE IN THIS FINE PUBLICATION. I WILL

MENTION THE RECIPIENTS OF THE MEDALS THAT WE GAVE

OUT BY MAJORITY VOTE. THE MOST LOQUACIOUS: SAM

LUCKEY-THE MOST GREGARIOUS: BONNIE PIERSON-THE MOST

SEDUCTIVE: RUSS BOWEN & THE MOST CHICK, SOOAVY &

DeBONER: WALT WALDO. LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE MOST

CUDDLY: IDUS INGLIS. ON THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE THE

SCHEDULED TOURS & CRUISES FOR 1997. GET YOUR

DEPOSITS IN EARLY BEFORE THE SPACE IS ALL GONE.


England,

Scotland,

Wales & Ireland

April 16, 1997

Regal Princess

Alaska Cruise

Round Trip FromVANCOUVER 7 Days

June 1, 1997

Copper

Canyon

Mexico

Post AlbuquerqueConvention TourSeptember 5,1997

Book Now so you don't miss the boat, train, or plane!!

1997 TARPA Tours - Chuck & Pat Hasler

(415) 454-7478.8 Rustic Way , San Rafael, Ca 94901

Regal Princess Alaska Cruise

PAGE 84

ENGLAND/SCOTLAND/WALES & IRELAND!!

April 16, 1997

Basic program - days1-1 lending in Shannon - $1799pp*Deluxe Castle Extension - Days 11-13 $595pp*A minimum of 22 participants required to operate.If we have 32+ in our group, we each save $100

Air add on available.

PAGE 85 TARPA TOPICS.... NOVEMBER, 1996

COPPER CANYON, MEXICO

POST ALBUQUERQUE CONVENTION TOURRoundtrip from El Paso, Texas • September 5, 1997

Air add-on from Albuquerque - $79 (possibly as low as $49)


The following article appeared in , the Retired United Pilots' Newsletter. It is reprinted here FYI....Ed.

HEALTH INSURANCEHello Scotty; I see some references to our insurance premium problems with Cigna, however, we

were employed and negotiated our work and retirement agreements with U.A.L.If U.A.L. wants to accept Cigna's cost increase without justification and pass them on to us and

further increase our deductibles, we are left at their joint mercy. This was never intended nor can it bejustified. We have no way of verifying Cigna's actual costs, how much U.A.L. pays Cigna or how eachinsured retiree group is pro rated. In recent discussions with the UAL-MEC Office expert, I found theyalso have no way to determine these items and further they have no interest in doing so for our group.

My premiums have increased 89% in the past three years; 63% in two years and 36% this year.My cost this year—$3,363.92 including the $500 deductible. Does anyone believe that Cigna's orU.A.L.'s costs have really increased these amounts?

I included articles from the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune to Scotty. Foster Higgens &Co., the widely followed benefits consulting firm, in their latest report states: "Costs for retirees jumpedalmost 10% and overall costs rose 2.1% in 1995." These are costs to the companies surveyed. Per retireecost in 1995 was $3,311 for Medicare eligible retirees. Average costs actually decreased in 1994.

It is quite obvious that U.A.L. is sticking it to us when you compare these costs. I would alsoguess that U.A.L. with their "PPO" has lower than the average costs.

Our insurance was a negotiated matter. As we approached retirement, we were given choices ofthe option we wanted and told the cost and also told we could not change options after retirement.

Capt. Al Santmyer, the MEC expert on retirement benefits for a number of years before hisretirement, and I had a number of conversations on these matters after Al retired. He strongly affirmedthat U.A.L. had no right to change our deductibles or raise our premiums. When RUPA established abenefits service provision and Al was then appointed to hear this, I know his intention was to attemptresolution of these problems. As several have stated, Al's death shortly thereafter has left RUPA in aVOID ref. these benefits.

My letter to RUPA (418-2) covered the talks I had with then MEC grievance chairman MikeGlawe (now MEC Chairman and Member of the U.A.L. Board) and the UAL-MEC Office regarding thegrievances filed ref. health care.

In September 1995, I wrote RUPA President Walt Ramseur (Newsletter 430-37) asking for anupdate on the problem. Walt did not reply to me or to the newsletter. In his President's Report sixmonths previous dated Feb. 6, 1995 (RUPA 428-33) he covered in some detail a meeting with U.A.L.Chairman Greenwald which included discussions on how retirees could aid U.A.L. as volunteers. Healthcare costs must not have had any priority.

It appears even though the membership established a benefit's service provision, our RUPAleadership will not in reality activate this service. Perhaps they don't want to chance using any of theirtreasury (approx. $100,000). I don't know.

Some of you think U.A.L. is trying to force us into their HMO, or to outside HMO's. I haverecently had close family experience with an HMO (horrible) and read quite a lot of scary information. Isuggest you investigate thoroughly. No problem if you don't get sick!

We had best face reality. Neither ALPA nor RUPA are going to help us. To protect the benefitsand costs we were promised, we will have to organize and head for the courts. If anyone out there hasthe time and desire, I think time is very critical.

Isn't it exciting that the new corp. made $349,000,000 last year! Good luck.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Retirees Medical Costs rose 10% in 1995. CIGNA raisedtheir UAL Retirees premiums approximately 35%. - (88% since 1987.)


By Bob Garrett

HEALTH NOTAMS


By the time you receive this issue of the Topics, fall weather

will be in the air and another reunion will be

a pleasant memory. Time really flies when

you are getting old, doesn't it?

Reminder: I welcome feedback, good and bad, from the troops

and any E-mail from Netbrowsers. E-mail me and/or send those cards

and letters to me here in Music City, USA.

Bob Garrett

1008 General George Patton Road

Nashville, TN 37221

E—Mail address-TGSV43A@ Prodigy.com

I hope everyone had a healthy and enjoyable

summer. Mother Nature was kind to us in

Tennessee, not too hot and enough rain to keep the

grass and weeds green. I purchased a new Pentium

computer and stay busy learning all the new bells

and whistles.

New Drug May Help Lower Hip Fractures Risk.

A drug recently approved to help American women

fight osteoporosis may work better than promised.

Merck & Co.'s alendronate, brand name Fosamax,

may prevent hip fractures as well as the hormone

estrogen. The FDA has approved alendronate because it fightsspinal fractures, the small breaks that cause the humped backcharacteristic of osteoporosis. In the test study, funded by Merck andrun by the University of California, San Francisco, high-riskosteoporosis patients took either alendronate or a dummy pill every

day for almost three years. The alendronate patients showed a 51 percent lowerrisk of hip fracture.

Wrinkle Cream Works???

Studies show that so-called age-defying creams with alpha-

hydroxy acid really can reduce wrinkles somewhat and

improve the skin. Don 't expect to look 20 when you 're 40 or more, but it will

make people look better, according a study published in the June issue of theAmerican Medical Association's Archives of Dermatology. Funding for this studycame from Unilever, the parent of Chesebrough-Ponds, which makes Pond's Age-Defying Complex, an age cream widely advertised on TV and in magazines. For 22weeks, 67ages of 40creams withtwo types ofor an acid -

DON'T EXPECT TO LOOK

20 WHEN YOU'RE 40 OR MORE!

women between theand 70 used eitherglycolic or lactic acid -alpha-hydroxy acids -free lotion. The

women were rated beforehand on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being undamaged and10 significantly damaged. Seventy percent of the women who used alpha-hydroxylotions improved 1 to 2 points on the scale. Forty-one percent of the women in theother group showed similar improvement. Women who showed improvement withthe acid showed reduced wrinkling and better color, texture and elasticity. Womenshowing improvement using non-acid lotions saw a difference mostly in thesmoothness of their skin. However, dermatologists caution that this study does not

mean alpha-hydroxy lotions are miracle creams. Sun protection is still your

best prevention against aging and wrinkles


Vitamin A Helping Liver Cancer

A new synthetic form of vitamin A shows promise in keeping

people healthy after surgery for liver cancer. The drug,

developed in Japan, appears to reduce the risk of developing

new liver tumors by two-thirds. Liver cancer, often triggered by hepatitis

viruses, is a major killer in many parts of the world. After surgical removal of thetumor, the disease often comes back. While some of the recurrences are a return ofthe original tumor, victims also run a high risk of developing entirely new livercancers unrelated to the ones that were taken out. The new drug, polyprenoic acid,appears to reduce the risk of these so-called second primary tumors. The drug wasdeveloped and tested by Dr. Yasutoshi Muto and colleagues from Gifu University inGifu, Japan. Their findings were published in a recent issue of the New EnglandJournal of Medicine. They randomly assigned 89 patients to receive eitherpolyprenoic acid or dummy pills. After 38 months of follow-up, second primarytumors had developed in seven of those getting polyprenoic acid and in 20 in thecomparison group.

Waterborne Diseases May Rise.

Growing populations and decaying infrastructure are threatening the

safety of drinking water with disease outbreaks

increasing even in developed countries. Unless

something is done soon, according to a recent

report, Americans can expect more incidents like

the 1993 contamination of Milwaukee water. The

microorganism cryptosporidium, which

debilitated 25 percent of the city's population,

was blamed in 100 deaths. Scientists have disclosed

that funding for water treatment and testing around the

world has decreased in recent years while water supply

systems built a century ago in many European and U.S. cities are in decay.

Population growth increases the danger of waterborne disease from bacteria, viruses

and other microorganisms and maybe a bigger problem than toxic chemicals and

heavy metals. Also, many cases go unreported because they commonly result in

nothing more serious than diarrhea. In May, the EPA ordered the nation 's 353 largest

municipal water suppliers to begin testing for cryptosporidium once a month for 18

months.


To Keep Your Blood PressureSix Reasons To Eat Less Salt

Optimal as You Age

1.Just because you don't have high blood

pressure now, doesn't mean you never will.Only 2 out of 10 people in their 40's have highblood pressure that requires drugs. But the oddsjump to 5 out of 10 in your 60's and 6 out of 10as you get older.

2.Even "normal" blood pressure increases

the risk of heart attack and stroke. MostAmericans have "normal" or "high-normal", notrequiring treatment with drugs. Anything over"optimal" (less than 120 over less than 80)increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.

3.Not sensitive to salt? Some medicalevidence shows that salt-sensitivity is commonand there is no simple test for it. So morepeople may be salt-sensitive.

4.Drugs have side effects; impotence,chronic cough, and fatigue. And they can beexpensive. Reducing salt intake and lifestylechanges can help to reduce drug dose.

5.Cutting down on salt is safe. Most reportson the dangers of low-salt diets have beenshort-term experiments with possible flawedresults.

6.Salt causes more than just hypertension.There is growing evidence that indicates saltincreases calcium excretion, which raises therisk of osteoporosis and kidney stones. Also,there is some evidence that salt increases therisk of asthma, stomach cancer, and heartenlargement.

Limit Sodium to no more than 2400mg (1800 mg even better) a day.Avoid foods containing more than480 mg of sodium per serving.Lose excess weight.Walk briskly, jog, swim, cycle, oraerobic exercise 30 to 45 minutes atleast 3 times a week.Limit alcohol to no more than 2drinks a day. One drink a day forwomen may cut their risk of breastcancer.Get more potassium, magnesium,and other nutrients by consuming 5to 9 servings of fruits andvegetables a day.

How to Avoid Trans Fat

( Trans are oils that are "partiallyhydrogenated" to make them morestable)1.Look for foods containing no"vegetable shortening" or "partiallyhydrogenated" oil.2.Avoid deep-fried foods. The less fat,the less trans. Look for "lower fat" fooditems.3.Use olive or canola oil instead ofbutter, margarine or shortening.4.If you buy margarine, buy tubs, notsticks and look for "light", "low-fat", or"fat-free".5.Just because the foods say"cholesterol-free', "low saturated-fat', or"made with vegetable oil" doesn'tnecessarily mean low in trans fat.Look for "saturated-fat-free".


Did you know that sugarless

chewing gum can reduce your risk

of cavities? There is growing

evidence that chewing gum for 20

minutes after a meal may result

in fewer cavities. So pick up some

sugarfree cinamon, peppermint or

fruit-flavored gum and give it a

try. Let me know if you notice any

improvement in your dental

health.

How much time do you

spend each time you

brush your teeth? The

average person brushes

for 45 seconds. Dental

experts recommend two

minutes or about the time

to listen to a song on the

radio.

Have you ever no-

ticed where you first

begin to brush your

teeth? On the outside

teeth if you are like me.

But the most overlooked

and underbrushed teeth

are the inside bottom front

teeth. If you want to keep

the back of your teeth and

the front, better change

your brushing routine to

do the backside first before

moving to the outside

teeth. Doing the hard part

first may increase the

chances that all your teeth

will be bright and clean.

Remember: Brush only the

teeth you want to keep!

Time for some more pearls of wisdom

from the Tooth Fairy. Hope all you guysand gals have been brushing and flossingyour pearlies.


SHORT

ONES!

Did you know that a little

hanky panky before your PSA

(prostate-specific antigen) test,

can send it off the scale? Newresearch suggests that sex 48 hoursbefore the test may send PSA levels up40%, temporarily. These false readingscould result in an unnecessary prostatebiopsy. It may take two days to return tonormal levels. Prostate surgery, TURP,(transurethral resection of the prostate)and prostate biopsies can send PSAlevels high. Wait 6 weeks after surgeryfor any new tests.

Did your mother always tell you to eatyour vegetables when you were a kid?Well, she was just trying to help your eyesight in your old age. New researchsuggests that certain compounds in fruitsand vegetables may help your eyes evenif you suffer from macular degeneration.This is good news since maculardegeneration is the leading cause of non-correctable vision loss in people over 50.Researchers began to notice that olderfolks who ate lots of produce, especiallyleafy greens, had less degeneration thantheir peers. Antioxidants, along withvitamin E, help fight the progression ofthis disease and heart disease by helpingto keep the blood vessels unblocked.

Take a blanket with you the

next time you have surgery!Doctors blanketed 104 surgery patientsand 96 got the standard operatingcovers. Only six blanketed patientsdeveloped infections, while 3 times asmany of the standard covered ones gotinfections. Also, the warmer patients hadtheir stitches removed a day earlier andleft the hospital 2 days sooner. Theblankets are not normal ones, they areconnected to a special warming devicethat allows warmed air to flow over yourbody. Higher body temperature causesan increase in the oxygen in the blood,resulting in faster healing and helps killbacteria.

stroke away? A 15 year studyrevealed that men who drink the mostfavonoids, compounds that occurnaturally in plants and plant products ,had a 73% lower risk of stroke thanthose who consumed little. Black teaand apples were the major sources offlavonoids, with tea contributing thegreatest amount. Flavonoids appear toreduce stroke risk by hindering bloodfactors called platelets from clumpingand forming clots. As powerfulantioxidants, they block the oxidation ofLDL cholestrol form sticking to arteries.


By Hank Gastrich

NEW ADDRESS:Hank Gastrich291 Jamacha Road #52El Cajon, CA 92019Tel/Fax: 619-401-9969Internet: 104342,775 (@compuserv)

New! Merriam and Webster define the word new with seven usages. None of these areeither especially apropos or diametric to the new-look GRAPEVINE. Starting with a newaddress for ye olde editor, it was my choice (tacitly approved) to bring a new look to the entirefirst page. The picture is for the 92.2% of Tarpans who never knew me ... as well as for the13.6% of those old timers who knew me when! To let them all see that old Hank is still the same,sweet, handsome, lovable, shy and introverted person he ever was.

I frequently thumb through the TARPA Directory (very fine book - not much plot but ahelluva cast) and see many names I never knew. If I do not recognize these retirees' names(mostly) then it is logical to expect they do not know me. As of now, mid-September, I havecompleted 8 pages for the November GRAPEVINE. Seven Tarpans have sent letters andpictures, and with a little added humourous (sic) items, we may end up with a 10 pageGRAPEVINE. Saves a few bucks I expect, but if we have money budgeted for a largerGRAPEVINE, it would be unwise NOT to spend it. Like government appropriations ... if wereduce GRAPEVINE cost in the November issue because of fewer pages, it will be difficult toincrease it for the March TOPICS if the need is there.

There are times I blame my "comments" on the sparsity (yes, I checked the dictionary) ofGRAPEVINE mail, and if the reason lies there I do apologize. Humor isn't humor if it hurts ...

anyone! Often it backfires. Once I was flying a Piper Saratoga ($95/hr rental rate) from SanDiego to Yuma in clear weather but with a strong north wind. Knowing I would land on Yuma'snorth (35?) runway I intentionally let the airplane drift southward (into Mexican airspace) to what

I planned as a left base leg. Figured I might save a few minutes ($1.50+/minute rental rate)!When I contacted approach control, their first comment was, "Saratoga 97 Whiskey, do youknow you are in Mexican airspace?"

I replied, wittily I thought. "SI!"

A few seconds (2 1/2 cents/second rental rate) passed and approach replied, "97 Whiskey,turn left to 320° and fly toward the mountain you'll see!" Approximately $35 dollars laterapproach turned me to a southerly heading and advised me to contact Yuma tower. "ROGER!"I replied, and should have added, "lesson learned!"


GRAPEVINE (coned)

BEN YOUNG Los Osos, CA

Dear Hank,We attended the 39th annual Merced Antique fly-in in June. Dick and Alice Escola both

work very hard putting on this huge fly-in every year. Carl Schmidt came up to visit them andenjoy the airplanes.

Ben and Didi YoungCarl Ben and Didi Dick and Alice

Thanks for the letter and picture Ben. The aircraft is Ben's 1942 Fairchild 24 ... a wonderfulflying machine! Oh yes Ben, one question? How did you ever get Didi to consent to your havingthe Budweiser truck back up to the door? This was a two-part question! Have you emptied it yetor is that still on the list of "things to do?"


GRAPEVINE (coned)

KATIE BUCHANAN Stateline. NV

Capt. Henry E. GastrichTARPA TOPICS Grap evine Editor11450 Via Rancho San Diego, #187El Cajon, CA92019-5255

Dear Hank:

I just returned home to my cabin on the mountain at Lake Tahoe,Nevada, after a busy but fun week at the TARPA '96 convention inBoston. Congratulations go to chairman Al Mundo and his efficientcrew who did a superb job. Having the Registration headquartersand the Hospitality Room next door on the hotel mezzanine floor wasmost helpful for the 300 plus who attended the convention from notgetting lost. Boston is a beautiful city and except for Thursday'sand Friday's damp weather, there was a lot of sightseeing and goodeating.

For the fortunate ones who happened to be in the hotel lobby onWednesday afternoon, we were entertained with Bavarian native songsand yodeling by a group on tour of the United States from Lucerne,Switzerland, It was a thrill for me as this area in Europe was afavorite spot for the Buchanan Family.

With deep regrets this year, I had to give my faithful, loyal,vivacious, ambitious and some times lively bartenders a vacation,but next year in Albuquerque, I hope to have them back and on thepayless roll.

It's always a special privilege for me to be involved with TARPAand to host the Hospitality Room at the Conventions. God willing Iplan to see you all next year in New Mexico. THANKS to all of youfor you "KINDNESS."

Katie Buchanan

P.S. On my flight home out of St Louis to Reno, I was on the receivingend of tip-top service from Flight Attendant Carol L. Harvey. She wasthe grand-daughter of Captain Thomas R. Cockcroft.(Deceased) He washired by TWA on June 1, 1936, retired in 1964 and flew out of JFK. Herfamily would appreciate any information relating to his flying yearswith TWA and how they can obtain a copy of his photo that is in "TheMaking of An Airline." If anyone out there in TWA land have any infoabout Capt. Cockcroft, please send it to Carol L. Harvey, 4 RusticMeadow Ct., St. Peters, MO 63376.

Bless you Katie! What a fine report on the convention and the flight from Bawston. And all"camera ready." Voila! I think I shall engage you as my 'secretary' ... as the bartender jobs, thepay isn't much (nil) but the hours are long! Thanks again.


GRAPEVINE (coned)

BOB ZIMMERMAN Lakeside. CA

Dear Hank,

In the summer of 1952 I was a reserve copilot at LGA and I worked on the Martin

delivery program. Captain Clarence Robey was in charge of the404 program. We stayed at the Lord Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore.We would go out to Martin Aircraft, load up with attorneys andcontract people and fly to Wilmington, DE where TWA wasincorporated. The airplane would be purchased and we would flythe "white collars" back to Martin before we flew the new 404 to Philadelphia to meet the nextLGA Martin inbound flight. The passengers would be off loaded from the old (sic) plane and

loaded onto the new Martin. We would ferry the "old" aircraft to LGA and the new aircraftwould arrive in New York state as an "used" airplane. Pretty crafty, huh? Must have been somesort of tax advantage, huh???

At that time in the history of TWA Uncle Howard usually appropriated a new aircraftmodel for his personal toy. One of the Martins was designated for delivery to Mr. Hughes atBurbank and Captain Robey asked me to accompany him on the flight. The plan was to fly toMKC, R.O.N., and then, with full tanks, fly nonstop to Burbank.

Per instructions from our owner, his designated aircraft was ran up at 0400 each morning(seasonal temperature and dew point were "just right"). The cowlings were raised and loweredwith contoured, felt lined blocks; we wore 'bootie' over our shoes whenever we entered oroperated the plane. After a week of run-ups and delays we got the green light. We were just

airborne when Martin tower contacted us with the request (sic) to return and land - Mr. Hugheswas on the telephone.

We returned, shut down and Clarence went into operations. When he returned in a fewminutes, the normally mild mannered, all a copilot could wish for in a captain, Captain Robey wasnow irate, almost incoherent and close to apoplexy. He advised me to return to LGA; Hughes

had told him to tell Glenn (Martin) to "store the plane as he (Hughes) did not have room for it in

Burbank." Martin later had TWA fly it to MKC where it languished in the hangar for weeksbefore it ended up in Texas, leased or sold to an oil company! And that's what happened to the

41 st Martin 404. TWA had 40 404's and 12 202's which made up a fleet of 52 aircraft that

replaced the venerable DC-3's ... 75 of them!

You should have sold the 41 s' Martin ... and retired early ... and I would have moved up a notch,Howard would probably never known that you and Clarence sold a Martin. I kinda rememberHoward letting a 1649 Constellation languish [I like your words, Bob] in Montreal long enoughthat it technically required Canadian registration. Still ... I like the way things were when Howard

was boss.


GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

RON TREPAS Costa Mesa. CA

Hi Hank,

Just received my pictures from an early fishing trip at Langara Island in the QueenCharlotte Islands.We departed Vancouver for Sand Spit via Convair 580. At Sand Spit we were transferred tofloat twin Otters, andflown to the MVMarabell for fishing. TheMarabell was our homeand we fished from 17foot skiffs. Fishing wasfrom 0530, first light,until around 2200. OnMonday we went lookingfor larger Halibut andfound some thatafternoon.

I landed a 134#fish around 1500 and a103 # one at 1645. Thatwas my limit and bothqualified for MasterFisherman awards withOAK BAY MARINE! Itwas a great fishing trip for four nights. Oak BAY has a 2 for 1 deal if you are willing to wait untilthe last minute to go ... and they still have openings. You get yourself to Vancouver, BC in themorning - the rest is on them. Good fishing, good food and good company ... and all a lot of fun.

Here's a picture of the 134 pounder.

RonP. S. Fishing is without a guide, two to a boat. so you make your own mistakes!

Fantastic Ron! How'd you get that monster and his wife to Costa Mesa ... in a twin Otter? I'venever seen so much Sushi in one piece. I'll bet the ocean dropped 6 feet when you pulled those

two out on both sides of the Pacific. Do you plan to mount it? With a saddle or bareback?who made

that fishes abdomen." Maybe you can get a Boy Scout - or a Boy Scout troop

to send in and check that thing out ... inside! Do you think those fishes might have migrated to

the Pacific ... from Loch Ness? Ron, when you go telling fish yarns, feel free to use any of theforegoing, less than witty bon mots. Your welcome.

You remember the story from Bible School about "ol" Jonah that lived in a whale

his home in


GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

EARL JINNETTE Calpine. CA

Dear Chuck,As per our telephone conversation I'm sending copies of old photos I hope other retirees

will enjoy. About 5 years ago I submitted to the Skyliner a picture of one of TWA's old Boeing307 B-1 airplanes that was taken in Saigon. It would have complimented Ed Bett's mostinteresting history of the Boeing recently published in the TOPICS. However, probably a bit toomuch at this time.

In September 1945, after 2 years as a flight engineer in ATC I hired on with TWA as astudent flight engineer. After check out, the first line Captain I flew with (on a Boeing 307 B-1)was Ted Weaver. Ted is here (on the left with helmet and goggles) in a Curtiss pusher trainer. Ifailed to check out as a Flight Engineer on the Curtiss Trainer ... the systems were toocomplicated.

When Ted gave me the photo (about 1968) he told me the location and date of it but timehas canceled out these facts. The other picture is of Ted Weaver standing beside a TAT(Transcontinental Air Transport) Ford tri motor. Ted flew this airplane as a TAT Captain duringhis service with TWA's predecessor airline. That photo was taken in front of my hangar at SantaPaula in 1972. I feel genuinely privileged to have known and flown with some of our aviationpioneers.

Thanks a million Earl. The pictures as well as your letter was terrific. I hope to get the copy ofthe Boeing from the Skyliner and the others on the next page. You say you feel privileged tohave flown with some of the aviation pioneers in our business? Earl, hasn't anyone ever told you,"You are one of the more stellar of the pioneers" and it is I who feel privileged to tell your storiesand use the pictures of yesteryear in the Grapevine. Thanks again. Hank.

During theVietnam War,TWA, on theMAC-PAC con-tract, made innu-merable flights toSaigon. On onesuch trip I wasflying as I.R.O.and struck up theacquaintance ofan FAA Inspectorwho was ridingwith cockpit au-thorization.

At his suggestion, we decided to view a couple of old airplanes when we arrivedat Ton Son Nhut Airport. To my amazement, there, on the ramp, was one of TWA'sold Boeing 307B-1 airplanes and another in the hangar! Each was in immaculatecondition, inside and out.

It was the inspector's turn to be surprised when I told him that not only had Iseen those very same aircraft 25 years previously, but had 500 or more hours inpossibly each aircraft in my early years as a TWA flight engineer.

These two aircraft, I was told, had been flying daily passenger runs betweenSaigon and Hanoi throughout the duration of that strange and infamous conflict.

Submitted by Earl JinnetteRetired

PAGE 100.....TARPA TOPICS.... NOVEMBER, 1996

GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

Above: Captain Ted Weaver and 'unknown' copilot (or student?) in Curtiss Trainer, a two-placereplica of the Curtiss Reims Racer. The Curtiss Racer won the Gordon Bennett trophy race heldbefore 150,000 spectators in Reims, France on August 29, 1909. Races in that era were soloflights over a measured course. Glenn Curtiss with an average ground speed of 46.6 miles perhour bested his closest competitor who flew a French Bleriot, by 5.8 seconds. Below: TedWeaver beside a TAT Ford Tri-motor.


GRAPEVINE (coned)

NEUMAN E. RAMSEY Sun City West. AZ

A recent visitor to Boston had heard about the wonderful scrod that was available there.Accordingly, he approached the concierge and asked, "Where can I get scrod?"

With a look of surprise, the concierge replied, "I've had that question asked hundred oftimes, but this is the first time I ever heard it in the plu-perfect subjunctive!"

Very well put Neuman, and I think it was scrod I got when I took this job - I knew there wassomething fishy about the offer. An aside to the troops. I'll wager Neuman didn't think I wouldknow that plu-perfect means past perfect and subjunctive means to use as a verb. I didn't ... but Ihave a son and a daughter-in-law whom are teachers (note the whom which means, "now oftenconsidered stilted esp. as an interrogative and esp. in oral use; occas. used as predicate nominativewith a copulative verb)"

PITA BREAD(How to make it)

This Old World bread is irregular in shape, puffed with a hollow inside. As of now (late August),the mail is very light (explains the long comment to Neuman's anecdote, huh?) so here's therecipe for some home made pita bread ... first time I made some I thought it was pizza bread and

slopped cheese and salami all over it:

1 hour, 20 minutes15 minutes

1/2 cup warm water1 teaspoon salt

2 cups active sourdough starter3 cups white bread flour2 bottles Michelob beer(or 12 oz. good red wine)

In large bowl mix water and salt, stirringuntil salt dissolves. Blend in olive oil. Stir

in starter; mix. Add flour 1 cup at a time,stirring each time. When dough is too stiffto stir, turn dough onto floured board, andknead about ten minutes until smooth andsatiny, adding flour as needed

Pull apart dough, forming 9 equal pieces;roll into egg sized balls. On well-flouredboard, roll out each

piece 1/4 inch thick (careful to not roll toothin as pita will become cracker-likewhen baked). Place pita rounds onfloured surface and cover with towel.Allow to rise 45 minutes.

Place oven rack on lowest level (not thebroiler dummy). Preheat oven to 550°F.

Use baking sheet (not insulated style) withnon-stick surface or use cooking spray.Place 3-4 pitas on baking sheet. Bake 4-5minutes until puffed and lightly browned.Repeat, cooking all pita breads. (Coolbaking sheet (or use two) before placinguncooked pita on it.

Nutrients per pita: calories 252; protein 7g;carbohydrates 46g; total fat 4g; cholesterol 0mg; fiber 2g; sodium 239 mg.

Preparation time:Baking time:Ingredients:

PAGE 102.....TARPA TOPICS....NOVEMBER, 1996

GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

GERGE BORGMEIER Albuquerque. NM

Dear Hank,No one can say too much about Bob Kadoch! He was one - in - a million in my

book. I flew a Connie ferry trip from STL to MKC with Bob sometime in the late 50'sHis canine friend was in the cockpit with us as usual. After landing, Bob instructed me totaxi to the hangar from my side, using the brakes for steering. Just before we got to thehangar, Bob put the dog in the Captain's seat. To the signal man on the ground below, itlooked as if the dog taxied the Connie in!

Good "Kadoch story" George. Number 899? 01' Bob was something else but loved byall (man and dog!). !!

WAYNE SEVERSON

Dear Hank,

Mission. KS

Thanks for putting the information about Dean Allin in last month's GRAPEVINE.So far he has received two letters and probably will get more.

WayneNot if they write Dean like they write the GRAPEVINE Wayne ... albeit, I just

sent Dean a letter myself after talking with you. (Yes ... this was a telephone call ... not a

letter).LOVE STORY

It's been said, "a pictures is worth a thousand words!" I wonder if I have ever loved

anyone this much!!!


GRAPEVINE (coned)

GENE GEROW Trout Creek. MT

Dear Hank.After my bid was accepted on TWA's International Division my first line check was

scheduled with Captain Don Terry. I had been warned by other TWA pilots that Captain Terrywas an exacting check pilot; they said a check ride with Terry was being 'terrorized'. The flight

was from Paris to Cairo and true to his predicted form, Terry launched into aninvolved description of what he expected me to accomplish during this check ride.I couldn't remember half of what he had said, so when he asked me if Iunderstood what was expected I just said, "Don, I hear you cluckingbut I can't find your nest!" Terry raised his hand, as if to slap me formy impertinence, but suddenly burst into laughter. Maybe he liked asurprise punch line with a surprise ending but we became friends for

as long as I was in the International Division.

When I started flying my own schedules to Cairo I found that crew meals wereconsistently bad. Shrimp from Alexandria could be delicious but sometimes the old truck whichbrought the seafood to Cairo broke down in the Sahara and the seafood turned into pure poison.And the steaks we were getting at the Heliopolis Palace where the crews stayed looked as if theyhad been run over by street traffic and they smelled bad. My crew noticed that BOAC crewswere getting steaks that looked and smelled like Celtic Hotel Chateaubriands And asked me tofind out how we could get steaks like that.

and presented to the chef. He brought forth a couple of glasses and we sippedthe fine French wine while I told him the problems I and my crew were havinggetting edible steaks. He said the problem was when we ordered. He instructedus to ask our waiter for, "Bifstek; Pas de Gamoose!" (beefsteak - not waterbuffalo!). After that, the crew always let me order dinner in Cairo.

On the trip home we usually holed up in Lisbon for three or four days before starting thelong and tiresome westbound Atlantic crossing against the prevailing winds. Unlike the 'stiff -necked' Cairo Britishers we tried to meet in Cairo, in Lisbon we associated with what were called"Gibs." British operators and work folk from Gibraltar. We found the Gibs to be very warm,friendly people and often they would approach with hand extended and say, "Aren't you theCaptain that just brought in the TWA Connie?"

At the Monte Estoril where the crews stayed we tried to break the monotony of the longlayover by going to the bullfights. Ole! In Lisbon they didn't kill the bull. Or we would go

Now most Americans know how reluctant Britishers are toconverse with strangers not properly introduced and my questions toBOAC crew members went unanswered. So, I tried a differentapproach. I went to a store where the clerk was the beautiful FortunaCohen whose brother I knew in Tel Aviv. She sold me a bottle ofFrench wine she knew the French chef at the Heliopolis Palace likedwhich I took through the back entrance of the hotel


GRAPEVINE (cont'd)

swimming at Ginshu Beach (the most western point on the European continent) where we woulddine on delicious, freshly caught lobsters taken from an underground pool A hunchbacked, Port-ugese man, sack and lantern on his back, would go down a winding staircase into a huge,cavernous underground pool. Reaching bottom, he would raise the lantern and

we could see hundreds, perhaps thousands of wriggling creatureswhich as he raised one by one we could see were huge lobsters.None under two pounds I'm sure. So each of us in the groupwould select 'our' lobster and back upstairs we would sip finePortugese wine while we waited for the freshly captured lobsters tobe served ... with a salad. As I recall, the price for dinner includingtip was maybe 42 'scuds' ... when escudos were 28 to the dollar! A buck and a half... lobsters are probably that much an ounce now! Where did we go wrong Hank?

Sincerely.Gene

Gene, thanks for the trip back to yesteryear! I remember going out to Ginshu withCaptain Harold Aikens and a very shapely French hostess. She wasn't allowed to wear her'bikini ' at the hotel pools around Caiscais ... we couldn't get her to ' model' it in our room so wewent out to Ginshu. We went behind huge boulders to change into our swimming attire andYvonne (aren't all French hosti named Yvonne?) was the one for whom the designer envisionedthe bikini. Later, when I was commenting on Yvonne's attributes I remember Harold saying,"Well, I dunno. she doesn't have too many, er, breasts!" I knew he meant "too much" or "too bigof," but you can bet I stayed on his knowledge of female anatomy all the way back to Kansas City(where we both lived).

The GRAPEVINE has moved!

The EDITOR has.

NEW ADDRESS:

EL CAJON, CA 92019

291 JAMACHA ROAD #52

TEL/FAX: 619-401-9969

E-MAIL ADDRESS: 104342,775 (@ compuserve)


GRAPEVINE (coned)

FUNNY OR NOT - HERE IT IS!

If you see this page in the November Grapevine, it is because YOU failed to write to giveme something better to put here:


GRAPEVINE (cont'd)HANGING ON THE RAIL

SAILING ON THE QE-2

Don ' t let the above picture fool you. Shortly afterit was taken, a guy came up to me and ordered a couplebeers. I told him I couldn't do that because I wasthe "HEAD " waiter. Now all you Navy guys know whatthat means......

That expression, " Hanging On The Rail " covers a lot,you know. Most folks very much enjoy the docking inand out of port. Others, like Bob and Fay Widholmabove, were just puttin ' on the dog. On the otherhand, a lot of people use it for emergency measures.

We know the TARPA cruise to Bermuda was a GREAT suc-cess under the fine leadership of Pat and Chuck Hasler.There were " no stops " to visit their relatives on theway either. We ' re ready for another " TARPA " goes toSEA in ?? OR The Mississippi OR San Francisco toOakland. OH, I see...It ' s Manhattan to Brooklyn...

"Hang in there everybody",


EPILOGUE

And in the lyrical words of of blue eyes, "And so my friends, I've reached the end," andits time to wind this down ... or up. I just checked the back issues of the TOPICS and find it hardto believe that this issue culminates two years of assembling the letters, cards and pictures thatcomprise the GRAPEVINE. No waaay! Two years? Seven issues? Tempus does fugit, does itnot? Forty three years ago (10-53) I moved a wife and 5 siblings to Kansas City and startedcopilot training in the hangar at 10 Richards Road. Sometimes I think I still hear the sound ofhigh heels ... host-i trainees going thru the halls to their classes ... my first training flight with thelate Captain Merrill Shurtleff and First Officer Rodeberg. 'Rodey' later became my golf pro soRodey not only taught me airline flying but also taught me golf! I'll add, "using the wordloosely," and leave it to you whether it should be 'taught' or should be 'golf '. Or both!!

Those were indeed good days. With good, what am I saying, nay, great people. Lookingthrough my files (sic) I found a February 1953 radio range flight plan (thanks to Gordon Hargis)from Dayton to Washington D. C. With a stop in Wheeling! Wheeling? Created by the TWAcartographic department! The cartographic department also created our approach charts and outarrival charts. As I recall, a helluva lot less cluttered than today's scribblings, huh? I thinkJeppesen 'stole' our cartographic department. Notice the terrain clearance features. We hadsomething similar for the North Atlantic and Europe. And remember trying to contact OceanicControl? On an HF frequency? When the "Northern Lights" were 'acting up'? Maybe somethings are better today but

From such crude beginnings we now havenonstop flights from New York to Athens ...even further over the Pacific! And only a dayor so away (in relative time) TWA will beflying 'shuttles' to Mars and even my oldplanet Anwar 17. On the subject of outerspace travel, I would be very remiss were Inot to include a salute to Shannon Lucid, ourlady astronaut who spent some 188 days (notunlike a 2 night layover at Dessie's inVandalia) in space with some of ourastronauts and a few Russian cosmonauts.

Congratulations Shannon, and by the way, I think your safe enough now to forego the need tokeep your legs crossed so tightly (reminds me of some of the ... er, never mind)!

Enough! Remember folks ... the GRAPEVINE has a new address, so ... use it ... or, putanother way, write, dammit, WRITE! Let us know how things are. Everyone thinks retirementis easy. As we all know, it's hard work. So share the problems, share the bliss, keep fromreading, junk like this. So long until the March issue ... oh yes, "Merry Christmas to all and toall a good night!"

How long

is too long

in space?

Astronaut Shannon Lucid,broke the U.S. record forconsecutive days in space.Now she's facing tons oftests on the effects ofweightlessness. 4A.

Lucid NASA


August 18, 1996

Capt. Charles E. MacNabEditor TARPA TOPICS1865 Penny Royal LaneWentzville, MO 63385

Dear Chuck:

Thank you for the fine tribute to Larry Trimble in the July '96 TARPA TOPICS and thanks toClaude Girard for furnishing the "Larry Trimble—One Of A Kind " article. It covers Larry'simpressive aeronautical career very well. Yes. He was one of a kind.

I first met Capt. Trimble in the cramped dispatch-weather-radio room on the 2nd floor of the rickety,old hangar on 63rd St. at Chicago's Municipal Airport one stormy night in 1941.

In spite of his 'juniority' Larry was flying Captain on TWA's brand new Boeing Stratocruisers. Theywere not too popular with some pilots at that time mainly because of the problems such as heexperienced that very night.

Just before touchdown on the final approach Larry closed the throttles per standard procedure.

"But," he said squinting his right eye and smiling, "Nothing happened! "

With little space to maneuver he managed to pull up. After checking the throttles thoroughly andfinding them working perfectly, he made a routine landing and taxied to the tiny terminal.

It is hard to believe that after his many years of flying different and often difficult aircraft intocountless airports world wide under all sorts of conditions, a mean patch of highway ice up north inMaine could abruptly end Capt. Trimble's action filled life.

I prefer to picture him at the controls of that Stratocruiser taking off on one of CGO's short runways,confidently climbing through murky midwestern weather then breaking out on top in clear, cool star-studded skies making his Final Flight.

Good night, Larry. Over and out.

Best regards,

R.W. Goldthorpe


August 5,1996

Charles E. MacNab, EditorTARPA1865 Penny Royal LaneWentzville, MO 63385-4302

Dear Mr. MacNab,

I am writing this letter on behalf of my sister, Margie Campbell, widow of Richard G. Campbell wholost his life on July 17 aboard TWA flight 800.

In an effort to do something positive as (we) begin to heal, we have established a scholarship fund tohonor Richard's memory and to help others in need.

I have enclosed an information sheet on the Richard G. Campbell Education Foundation, "If I CouldI Would", and hope that you will see to it that it gets printed and emphasized in your next publica-tion. I believe that most of the questions you may have can be answered by the information pro-vided. If you do need further information, I would be happy to talk to you at any time.

Richard Campbell was a member of TARPA and had planned to attend the convention this year.

I have also enclosed a copy of a letter that many of our family members and friends have submittedto newspapers around the country. We are all grateful for the care with which we were treated byTWA personnel. Feel free to print that letter if you care to.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sandra Hammett708 Bremerton DriveGreenville, NC 27858(919) 321-2852

cc: John P. Gratz, President1646 Timberlake Manor Pkwy.Chesterfield, Mo. 63017

Editor's comment:Information on the Richard G. Campbell Education Foundation is located next to theFlight 800 Memorial section in this edition of TARPA TOPICS.


Charles Davis1420 N. Jameson LaneSanta Barbara, CA 93108805-969-0980

July 8, 1996

John P. Gratz, Pres.1646 Timberlake Manor, Pkwy.Chesterfield, Mo. 63017

TOPIC

In serious vein this ode must be and thus I state my case.It has to do with Tarpa site where annual fete takes place.

I am aware of diverse thought, distinct amongst our group,when time arrives, selective-wise, some grumbling from the poop.

Entitled then, as each should be, to have a preference...Right?Each minion amongst the "regulars" should state a favorite site.

Well I prefer to generalize, much simpler to portray.A mild approach is always sage when joining, hmmm, the fray.

So Hark! Now list to ramblings here, some wisdom, well, perchance.I see a vast and endless lake and on a hill a manse (lodge).

It's Central Mo, and long ago we reveled, pleasured there.No hustle, deadlines, bus to catch, and no one seemed to care.

And then, oh yes, the cost, the fee, for "outing", as it were.A monstrous gap 'tween present ones, I must, indeed, infer.

My goodness then, why strain and sweat in cluttered urban sprawl?A moderate choice, resort perhaps, unless one needs a mall.

May be alone in preference here and maybe not, don't know.You folks might bandy subject then, your interest could just grow.

P.S. Hannibal? I was born there and the burg warrants some consideration. Samuel Langhorne would bepleased as would Finn, Sawyer and Becky Thatcher. Indian Joe, also. Much to do: The Cave, Lover'sLeap, Riverview Park (Twain is there, staring out at "OL MAN RIVER ", side trips to Quincy, Palmyra(folks were married there), Shelbina, Indian Mound Park (don't know which tribes but the chiggerswould be ecstatic), Marble Creek Graveyard (many Davises), and finally, a tour of the Fifth StreetBaptist Church where I became a member of the Cradle Roll Department. Very good fishing in the Saltand various sloughs. Oh yes! A painting contest, the white picket fence. Think it over.

Black Dog

Ed note:I have it on good authority that the previous tongue-in-cheek suggestion by Black Dog, to hold a TARPAconvention in Hannibal, Missouri really comes from his mother...who owns a bed-and-breakfast there.(AND a grain elevator, bank, beauty salon, cafe, two gas stations and the "Huck Finn Theater. " I under-stand Chuck Hasler is all for it.. he's setting up a speelunking tour of "lost cave."


NEW MEMBERS and SUBSCRIBERS.. WELCOME! - ----------------------------

(R) ANDRE GEORGE CAPT (LENENE) 12802 OAKSTONE LANE314-576-1725 CREVE COEUR MO 63141

(R) COMPTON STUART F/E (BETH) 690 PIXIE LANE510-837-1698 DANVILLE CA 94526

(R) CORCORAN,JR EUGENE F. CAPT (JOY) 17N560 BIG TIMBER RD.847-683-4733 HAMPSHIRE IL 60140-9035

(A) CREWS WADE CAPT (PATRICIA) 37 SOUTHVIEW WAY508-540-3103 E. FALMOUTH MA 02536

(R) CROWDER WARREN F/E 5718 QUINCE RD. APT #7901-767-4892 MEMPHIS TN 38119

(A) CROWLEY DENNIS M. CAPT (MARIE) 17203 LE FORET CT.314-458-1673 GLENCOE MO 63038

(R) CUSHMAN JAMES E. F/O (JANET) PO BOX 951719-783-9299 WESTCLIFFE CO 81252-0951

(A) DANLEY ARTHUR CAPT (JUDY) RD #1, BOX 3750207-395-4605 WINTHROP ME 04364

(R) DELL ISOLA JOHN CAPT (PAT) 3 EVANS DRIVE603-742-7392 DOVER NH 03820-4618

(R) DYER LARIMER J. CAPT (HELGA) 133 VILLAGE LANE516-724-3493 HAUPPAUGE NY 11788

(A) EDWARDS GAIL CAPT (KATHLEEN) 240 VIA LA CIRCULA310-378-5104 REDONDO BEACH CA 90277

(R) FELTHAM G. EVERETT CAPT (DORIS) N. 2229 SIX CORNERS RD.414-275-3952 WALWORTH WI 53184

(R) FETHERMAN BETTY JO MRS RD #7 BOX 7579717-421-1882 E. STROUDSBURG PA 18301

(A) FREW WILLIAM J. CAPT 562 E. 5th ST617-268-4822 SO. BOSTON MA 02127-3062

(A) GOLLNICK GREGORY CAPT (MOLLIE) 2310 MEADOWLARK DR510-846-7031 PLEASANTON CA 94566

(A) GORDON DAVID S. CAPT (DENISE) 631 TINA WAY510-443-2070 LIVERMORE CA 94550

(S) GOUTIERE PETER J. MR. (EVELYN) 7403 BRAMBLEWOOD DR.813-842-2374 PORT RICHEY FL 34668

(A) GRIMM DERWIN CAPT (MARTHA) 4347 E. NORTH LN602-996-1296 PHOENIX AZ 85028-4141

(R) HEAD PETER S. CAPT (SHEILAGH) P.O. BOX 3367441-238-0173 BOSTON MA 02101-3367

(A) HUGHES HARRY CAPT (PATRICIA) P.O. BOX 235207-883-8210 SCARBOROUGH ME 04070-0235

(R) KAHN KE CAPT (CHERYL) PO BOX 496508-945-3598 WEST CHATHAM MA 02669

(R) KELLY ROBERT CAPT 13 EVERGREEN DR508-922-8584 BEVERLY MA 01915

(R) KERCHNER WAYNE F/O (FRAN) 108 PILGRAM RD617-235-0479 WELLESLEY MA 02181


NEW MEMBERS and SUBSCRIBERS.. WELCOME!---------------------------

(A) KRUBSACK ERNST A. W. F/E BARBARA 9 OAK DR860-354-1743 SHERMAN CT 06784

(A) LANZ RILEY CAPT 8333 AUSTIN #2P718-805-4641 KEW GARDENS NY 11415

(?) LAROCQUE DAVID CAPT 338 GLENBROOK RD., #39203-325-3181 STAMFORD CT 06906

(R) LIEDING HAL CAPT 1433 BLANDFIELD703-438-0993 VIENNA VA 22182

(R) MADIGAN ED CAPT (SUSY) PO BOX 3565702-831-1265 INCLINE VILLAGE NV 89450

(A) MANDEL PHILIP N. CAPT. (CAROL ANN) 5 CASTAWAY DR.203-748-8711 DANBURY CT 06811-4312

(R) MANGOLD THOMAS CAPT (KATHLEEN) 668 MARINERS WAY407-735-0952 BOYNTON BEACH FL 33435

(?) NEE KEVIN CAPT (JOANNE) 123 MEADOW NECK RD.508-548-9126 WAQUOIT MA 02536-7711

(R) PHILLIPS JOHN CAPT 1421 ALSTON PLACE, APT 136703-787-0697 RESTON VA 20194

(R) PLATTNER R. DAVID CAPT (SUE) PO BOX 455217-285-4517 PITTSFIELD IL 62363

(R) REUSS HERB CAPT (INGEBORG) 1666 BERWICK PL805-495-3085 WESTLAKE VLG CA 91361

(A) RIDGWAY KENNETH W. CAPT (JUDY) 72 ROLLING RIDGE CT.314-939-4835 ST CHARLES MO 63304

(A) SCHOELZEL HUGH CAPT (BRON W YN) 194 CHESTNUT HILL RD.860-567-8518 LITCHFIELD CT 06759

(S) SMIDDY ILENE MS. 6286 STATE ROAD H314-586-5435 DESOTO MO 63020

(R) SNARSKI JIM CAPT (ETHEL MARY) 2730 MONTECITO AVE.707-528-0555 SANTA ROSA CA 95404

(R) STEVENS WILLIAM CAPT (SHIRLEY) 9706 HIDDEN LANE815-338-1342 WOODSTOCK IL 60098

(A) TAYLOR PAUL A. CAPT (MARJORIE) 52 PIEDMONT RD.415-924-2442 LARKSPUR CA 94939

(A) THOMAS THOMAS CAPT (DOROTHY) 11326 W. 120 ST913-897-5627 OVERLAND PARK KS 66213-2000

(S) TOLIVER RAYMOND MR. 4116 RHODES WAY619-940-8555 OCEANSIDE CA 92056-7412

(?) TONERY DAVID P. CAPT (PAMELA) 123 SPRING ST.914-763-5111 SOUTH SALEM NY 10590-1614

(A) WEST LYLE CAPT (NANCY) 118 TIDY ISLAND BLVD.941-795-5411 BRADENTON FL 34210-3304

(A) WEST LYLE CAPT (NANCY) 155 PHEASANT RUN216-461-0507 MAYFIELD HEIGHTS OH 44124-4175

(R) WILLIAMS DWIGHT CAPT (JEAN) 964 ROSARIO DR.805-495-1988 THOUSAND OAKS CA 91362


CHANGE OF ADDRESS----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - ------------------------------

(R) ARNOLD DAVID L. CAPT. (DIANE) RR 1 BOX 161FSWOOPE VA 24479-9727

(R) BARTHOLOMEW ANTHONY CAPT. (KATHLEEN) 12555 SW KANNER HWYINDIANTOWN FL 34956-3110

(H) BICKETT LOUISE MRS. (KEN) 65 W. BROADWAYFORT JEFFERSON NY 11776-3827

(H) BLAKEMORE MARY MRS. (BILL) 32 BRAEBURN DRWASHINGTON TNSHP NJ 07675-3852

(E) BORGES JOHN N. FIE 6227 NE CIRCLE DRKANSAS CITY MO 64118-4712

(R) CALLAHAN PHILIP R. CAPT. (MARGARET) 1402 SE BREWSTER PLSTUART FL 34997-5612

(R) COOPER RICHARD B. CAPT. (MARY) RR 3 BOX 15E813-637-7560 MONTICELLO MS 39654-9306

(H) DREW MILDRED MRS (GEORGE) 10 CENTER PLACE, # 15ORLEANS MA 02653

(H) ENGLAND PATRICIA MRS (GEORGE) 2240 BRIGHTWOOD CIRVIERA FL 32955-6540

(A) EVERLY JOHN D. CAPT. (CAROLE) 6 DEPAULA TRLST. CHARLES MO 63301-0191

(A) FORTIN RICHARD G. CAPT. (BETH) 15 LONG BCHROCKPORT MA 01966-2248

(E) FOWLER RAYMOND B. CAPT. (JANE) 13373 PLAZA DEL RIO BLVD.602-974-8682 PEORIA AZ 85381-4874

(A) HAMMON EUGENE N. CAPT. (JOYCE) 2301 LACOSTE CV501-931-4372 JONESBORO AR 72404

(A) HARVEY, JR. EDWARD CAPT. 35339 APPALACHIAN TRAILROUND HILL VA 20141

(R) HODGINS ALEC T. CAPT. (JEANNE.) RR 3 S-31 C-19NELSON BC VIL5P6 CANADA

(R) HOGLANDER HARRY CAPT. (JUDITH) P.O. BOX 5544.508-525-3280 MAGNOLIA MA 01930

(R) KIEPER ROBERT H. FIE 1333 S 36th STOMAHA NE 68105-1849

(R) KIRCHHOFF RICHARD T. CAPT. 2716 FAIRVIEW AVE. EASTSEATTLE WA 98102

(R) LEDFORD III GRANT D. CAPT. (BETTY) 2857 MARY LNESCONDIDO CA 92025-7717

(H) MAGUIRE ALMA MRS. (GEORGE) 19351 DEER TRAIL DRWOODBRIDGE CA 95258-9328

(E) McDONALD JOSEPH R. F/E (MILDRED ) 42 CANDY LNGRASS VALLEY CA 95945-7015

(R) MOONLY JOHN L. F/E 2117 WILLOW COVE LANE704-483-8150 DENVER NC 28037-7600

(H) MOSSHOLDER EVELYN MRS. (JESSE) PO BOX 947KLAMATH CA 95548-0947


CHANGE OF ADDRESS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(A) MURPHEY WILLIAM A. CAPT. (JACKY) 55 LOWER NO. SHORE RD.BRANCHVILLE NJ 07826-4060

(E) OTTEWILL H.A. CAPT.516-427-0888

(R) PAULSON G. N. CAPT. (CAROLYN)

..... 1212 LAKESHORE DR NHUNTINGTON, NY

..... 110 MAPLE COVE

32578-4701

WILLIAMSPORT IN 47993

(ROGER)

(BETTY)

(R) PLETCHER PAUL PETER CAPT.305-462-7565

(H) PRYOR ELSIE A. MRS.

(F) RAMSAY EUGENE S. CAPT.

..... I LAS OLAS CIR., APT 417FT. LAUDERDALE FL 33316-1634

..... 3303 NOHLCREST PLPLANT CITY FL 33567-2730

..... HC 3 BOX 405

(R) SANDERCOX GORDON CAPT. (HELEN)

BANDERA

..... 244 WEST VIEW TER

TX 78003-9702

ARLINGTON TX 76013-1620

(R) SCHINDEHETTE RUSSELL CAPT. (DENE) 203 E LAKE EMILY RDCRYSTAL FALLS MI 49920-8511

(R) SCHNEIDER ROBERT S. F/O (DORY) TONGUE RIVER STAGEMILES CITY MT 59301

(E) SHOTWELL JIM F/E (BARBARA) 2373 MANZANO LOOP NE505-771-0617

(E) SIMMONS GEORGE LANE F/O

RIO RANCHO NM 87124

..... #5 FERNHILL ROAD N. SANDRINGHAM VIC 3191AUSTRALIA

(R) SMITH LEO M. CAPT.813-495-9143

(H) SOLOMON FRANCIS MRS.

(BETTY)

(PHILLIP)

..... 24580 CANARY ISLAND CT.BONITA SPRINGS FL 34134

..... PO BOX 190YARMOUTH PORT MA 02675-0190

(R) WALKER ERIC CAPT.408-659-7432

(R) WASSON DREW C. MR. (LORRAINE)

..... 38 VILLAGE DR., #10CARMEL VALLEY CA 93924

..... 215 ROYAL PALM WAY

(SIGA)

BOCA RATON FL 33432-7941

(SHIRLEY)

(DORIS)

(NELL)

(E) WETHERBEE MAX CAPT.602-974-6844

(E) WHEELER JAMES W. CAPT.916-771-6916

(A) WIESE STEPHEN R. CAPT.

(A) YORK WAYNE H. CAPT.

(R) YOUNG DONALD F. CAPT.

..... 10429 W. PEORIA AVE.SUN CITY AZ 85351

..... 4056 ENCHANTED CIR.ROSEVILLE CA 95747

..... 5625 PERSHING AVE APT 32ST. LOUIS MO 63112-1724

..... 25350 US 19 N, APT #346CLEARWATER FL 34623

..... 73577 EL HASSON CIRPALM DESERT CA 92260-5809


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