Winter 2013 - The Silver Falcons

Transcription

Honor, integrity, pride, fellowship — The rEAL Flight Crew!
The Official Newsletter of The Silver Falcons
Volume 17, Number 1
www.silverfalcons.com
Winter 2013
Memories of the good old days and where we got our name
The rEAL Word | Winter 2013
1
Ladies and Gentlemen of The Silver Falcons,
As the new President of the Silver Falcons, may
I offer a “word to the wise”? Do not make a
rest room visit during a Silver Falcons Business
Meeting or you may return to find that you have
been elected President.
P.O. Box 71372
Newnan, GA
30271
Board of Directors
Don Teel, President
Tel: (770) 775-4783
[email protected]
Scott Gressler, Director
Tel: (770) 432-2410
[email protected]
Walt Brill, Vice President
Tel: (907) 339-2367
[email protected]
Dick Borrelli, Newsletter Editor
Tel: (770) 254-1748
Fax: (770) 254-0179
[email protected]
Stuart Hughes, Database
Coordinator
Tel: (770) 229-2784
[email protected]
Tia Robertson, Secretary
Tel: (678) 521-6266
[email protected]
Sandy McCulloh, E-Mail Editor
Tel: (770) 491-0727
[email protected]
Collins Bomar, Director
Tel: (770) 956-8844
[email protected]
Hank Sanak, Convention
Coordinator
Tel: (770) 487-4255
[email protected]
Joe Zito, Financial Officer
Tel: (770) 252-0761
Fax: (770) 252-0758
Cell: (678) 523-1235
[email protected]
Madeleine Brill,
Official Mascot
Can be found
at her daddy’s house.
The opinions expressed in The rEAL Word are the opinions of individual members
and do not express the opinions of the BOD or the organization.
Newsletter layout by KFD&P; 678 386-4472; [email protected]
The Silver Falcons is a group of former Eastern Airlines Pilots and Flight
Attendants who honored the picket line in 1989. It is incorporated and registered
as a nonprofit organization in the State of Georgia. The Silver Falcons is also
registered as a tax-exempt organization with the IRS.
Dues are $30 per year for Charter Members and Family Members. A life
membership may be purchased for $600. Dues and all correspondence should be
mailed to: The Silver Falcons, P.O. Box 71372, Newnan, GA 30271.
A quarter page ad for one year (Four issues) is $250. A half page ad, either
horizontal or vertical, is $500 a year. Every attempt will be made to put these ads on
the outside of the page rather than toward the middle. The back cover and the inside
of the front cover will be offered for full page ads only and will cost $1000 a year. If
you have a special event that needs attention for a short time, we will accept single
issue ads at $62.50 for a quarter page, $125 for a half page, and $250 for a full page
(If available). We will not decrease the content of the newsletter, but will increase
its size to accommodate our advertisers. Every attempt will be made to insure that
there is no more than one ad per page. The editor will have the right to reject any
ad that he deems objectionable, although we do not anticipate this as a problem. All
ads must be in black and white since we do not have color capability at this time.
It will be the responsibility of the advertiser to supply a print-ready ad to the editor
at least 30 days prior to publication of the newsletter. Every effort will be made to
accommodate any specific requests you may have.
Publication dates are January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15 each year. All
materials can be mailed to The Silver Falcons, P.O. Box 71372, Newnan, GA 30271,
or contact Dick Borrelli at this address, by fax at (770) 254-0179, or by E-Mail at
[email protected] if you plan to participate. Deadline for ads is at least 30
days prior to the publication dates stated above.
2
We attended the annual Christmas Dinner in Atlanta. Although the
dinner was very enjoyable, the attendance was smaller than in past
years. This brings up a problem we need to address. As members
we need to make contact with non-participating members and
encourage them to join us at our activities. We all know a great time
is had when pilots can get together and talk about—what else—
Airplanes! We were lucky group as we flew during the heydays of
the airline industry…
Were we to return to the air as airline pilots today we would not
recognize the industry at all! Security checks, glass cockpits,
reduced Captain’s Authority, increased FAA regulations, advanced
navigation aids and, worse of all, a greatly reduced respect for the
profession!
Now for the 2013 Silver Falcons Convention!
Let’s take an imaginary flight on an old respected airline, that being
our Eastern Air Lines!
This is your Captain speaking, welcome aboard Eastern 2013,
headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Our trip this year will take
us to a pretty little city nestled about one hour west of the Great
Smokey Mountains. Departure times will vary according to your
present location. Arrival is scheduled for October 13, 2013. We
have some great plans for a three day layover at the Chattanooga
Marriott.
The agenda for our layover or convention, if you like, will follow
the format of our previous conventions. There are many things to
do in this city, lot of attractions, good food, a free shuttle through
the downtown area, golf, and of course, shopping for the ladies.
The best part of our convention is the fellowship and the good
times shared with some of the finest airline types who ever lived.
For those of you who don’t know me and there are quite a few,
I tried to keep a low profile during my 28 years with Eastern Air
Lines. My ambition was to go to my retirement party and have the
Chief Pilot ask, Who is that guy? Needless to say, it didn’t work
out that way, but we at Eastern are survivors. Let me say that it is
great to be with you, so let’s sit back and enjoy our 2013 Trip to
Chattanooga.
Best regards to the best,
Donald R. Teel
President, Silver Falcons 2013
Our 2013 convention will be held in Chattanooga, Tenn. , October 13-16, 2013.
Mark your calendars now and check the convention information in this newsletter.
To make reservations for the Chattanooga convention
you must call the hotel at 423-756-0002 and ask for
“In House Reservations” or call 1-877-901-6632.
WEB NEWS:
The Silver Falcons are
now on Facebook.
Simply search
“The Silver FalconsrEAL Eastern Flight
Crew” on Facebook to
bring up the site.
Check out the
new movie on our
official web site
www.silverfalcons.com!
Help Us Complete
Our E-mail List
We currently do not have E-Mail
addresses for the following members.
If you currently have an E-Mail address
or if you have recently changed your
E-Mail please let us know.
Sandy McCulloh
[email protected]
Joe Zito [email protected]
Dick Borrelli [email protected]
Dues were due on
January 1st
If you have not yet paid your
dues PLEASE do so now so
that we don’t have to chase
you and send reminders for
the next six months!
Tim M. Ashbaugh
Don B. Bonner
Arthur H. Buckley
Raymond T. Burke
Ron Busch
Mrs. Carolyn
Cheatwood
James W. Cobb
Jack Coleman
Sharon Crisal
Wayne O. Dailey
Robert G. Dawson
Dan Dibble
Jerry P. Finley
Jerry Fradenburg
Fred Garcia
Robert R. Giuliano
John B. Gotta
William L. Grieme
Russell G. Hanley
Jeanie Hansen
Leann Harris
Chris Head
John Knepper
Janet Lane
Bruce Larsen
Linda Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale
Raynor M. Leiby
Carol Lindner
Lawrence A. Link
John Madala
Ken Mattis
Roy A. McLeod
Arvil W. Miller
Lee Mingus
Robert L. Myers
Gordon A. Nelson
Gail Nicholson
Nicholas G. Plackis
Vance B. Riley
John S. Roche
Pete Scott
Chuck Stanfield
Mrs. Cathleen
Stephens
John Sullivan
William H. Symmes
J. P. Vandersluis
Paul B. Ward
John G. Watson
Robert M. Wilbur Jr.
Donald R. Witt
Kenneth V. Wolters
Thomas J. Young Jr.
3
The Way it Was… as Retold, One
About a month ago I started a thread on
Facebook about the good times at Eastern.
The response was so positive and refreshing
that I have published it here. I hope you enjoy
it as much as I have. The thread is still out
there on a facebook site called, believe it or
not, “Eastern Airlines” and you can find it at:
https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/2254494106/
Kathy Bannister Sanders Cookie swaps in the galley at Christmas
were the best. Then the parties in some poor crew members room!
Tom Webber how about the wheels of cheese from Aruba? ten
bucks, ten lbs, and the pilots would bring some back for us in
miaoo........
Remember when we’d call from Toronto Ops to the Anchor bar
and have Buffalo wings delivered to the gate when we landed at
Buffalo (after we’d gotten permission from ATC to circle Niagra
Falls at 1000’ for the passengers)? How about the delicious gumbo
from the New Orleans employees cafeteria. Or the nachos from
San Antonio? Do you remember the outstanding conch chowder
from the Nassau airport restaurant? The sourdough bread from
the San Francisco airport? Going way, way back, remember when
we’d give our breakfast orders when we landed and then eat our
crew meal breakfast in the airport restaurant the next morning
in Sarasota? In the old days (on the Connie) if we refueled in
Greenville the entire crew got ice cream sundaes from the fueler.
Ya know, it really was a pretty good job way back when!
Pat Napier Lest we forget hauling Coors beer from LAX to AT..
Kathy Bannister Sanders Yes it was! I remember all of this.
Except the Connie. Before my time. thank you for sharing!
Kathy Bannister Sanders Donuts in the galley in the morning
was a surprise as well!
Alexa Conway Indeed Dick! And if I flew a GNV, my mom made
ham, egg, cheese sandwiches for all 7 crew for 0600 departure.
Wonderful memories!
Dick Borrelli Sr. I remember when I was flying the A-300 (Atlanta
based) and we laid over in Newark. We left in the morning with
Newark Flight Attendants. It was Thanksgiving and the Flight
Attendants had all gotten together and brought an entire turkey
dinner with them to serve the crew. It had everything including
cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie! This was back when the cabin
and cockpit crews still liked each other!
Arline Warren Fabrizi YUL duty free for Amaretto and Dom
Perignon, such great prices.
Wes Macnamara ..COORS FROM DEN TO MSP ALSO......
Dee Beeler Hamns beer in the snow in at the hotel in MSP
Karen Hatfield Jaudon Skyline chili in Cincy airport. A cooler of
beer in the van to our hotel.
Dick Borrelli Sr. When I was Convair Captain we would rent a
locker at the Miami airport. Since we made multiple trips to the
Bahamas over three days we would purchase duty free booze each
leg, store it in the locker, and then take it all home on the last leg
to Atlanta. Our suitcases were so heavy we nearly couldn’t carry
them! Ah, the good old days!
Ima Daniel I remember the gumbo downstairs In Nola, and the
crew meal out of Mexico City...Yummy! Also the Arroz con Pollo
in San Juan employees cafeteria.......I could go on and on......of
course the buffalo wings before the rest of the world had caught
on to them.
Bruce E. Gipson ... there was something on this thread quite
awhile ago about when EA’s “Moonlight Svc” hubbed in Houston
and someone on the ground crew’s wife made all these apparently
quite delicious TexMex vittles to bring to the airport for crews ...
Kathy Bannister Sanders I remember those Bruce E. Gipson.
They were scrumptious!!
Stacha Turner Working for Eastern definitely had it’s perks!!!
Sharon Transue Terenzio Dick, I remember all of the above,
especially the gumbo in MSY....and conch chowder in Nassau....
what a life....
Anne Warren So many good food memories! Like the best
breakfast sandwiches on Kaiser rolls flying Shuttle in LGA...
Made “especial for you” by the nice old man there! Funny how
food memories are the most vivid :))
Sharon Transue Terenzio also remember circling Niagra Falls.....
always such an amazing experience. Even now when I tell AA
FA’s or pilots I flew for EAL, they say how lucky you flew when
it was so much fun. wouldn’t trade one minute of it......
Alexa Conway The greatest thing was that our front and back
crews got along so well. Not so, at other carriers.
Kathy Bannister Sanders Loved it when they flew low before we
landed in Cancun. Thanks Pilots!! That was fun!!
Stacha Turner There was this awesome cake that Ozark Airlines
would bring to the Oakbrook ,IL Res office every visit (we
connected to them in small markets)...We called it the Ozark Cake
(cake had strawberries,bananas etc.,)...Good times!!!!
John C. Evans My Dad was an ATL Capt, he would bring us
gumbo from MSY employee cafeteria!
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Post at a Time, on Facebook!
Ellen Blasi Best breakfast at St. Lucia airport....eggs and fresh
grilled fish!
Lynne Christen Snapper Veracruz from the caterers in Mexico
City.
Arlene Urichich Aiello Ahhhh great memories for the mind and
the tummy. Thank you Dick for making me remember happy times
Dick Borrelli Sr. I can’t remember ever having a bad trip—at least
not after I made Captain!
Jill Van Harlingen Can’t forget the Scones in London!
Marsha Mills Ahearn I loved how we would walk across the
airport lawn at FLL to get ribs at an outdoor rib joint ... It was
tough as a f/a
Marsha Mills Ahearn Oops....it was brutal to try to eat that stuff
in your f/a uniform...
Ima Daniel Yeah, someone else remembers the pie guy! I loved
his pies!
Beverly Henson Absolutely! And—I even remember Wonder
Dog—aka WD—from the Raleigh-Durham airport!
Jean Hassett Henry BOS clam chow-dah.. the best!!
Dick Borrelli Sr. I had almost forgotten wonder dog, thanks for
that memory!
Sharon Wherley Rizzo we served a lot of “chicken unknown”
on the plane
Sharon Transue Terenzio turtle steaks at the Aruba airport.....
lonnnnngggg time ago..ha
Dick Borrelli Sr. That’s why the first thing they taught us in
Captain’s school was “I think I’ll wait for a First Class refusal”!
Sharon Transue Terenzio Ed’ Beds in ORD and the car he loaned
us with no floor board...haha...lot’s of stories at Ed’s.....
Sharon Transue Terenzio And we always took great care of
you.....
Beverly Henson Ed’s Bed’s—I had totally forgotten!
Michael Johnson I worked SRQ ops for a few years, it wasn’t
unusual to get a call from a crew about to come down from ATL
and ask that we cancel the crew meals and get cheeseburger meals
from the caterer instead. The caterer there was happy to do it. We
would call them when the flight was in range and they would cook
and package them and get them to the aircraft still hot just after
it landed.
Dick Borrelli Sr. I remember doing that. It was a special group
in SRQ!
Raysa Quiros McNeill Who remembers the agent in PHL who
took our orders and sold those delicious Amish homemade pies?
The strawberry-rhubarb pies were the best!
Ginny Harrison McCormick who can forget ed’s beds!!!
Sharon Transue Terenzio Sorry, Turtle Steaks at the Andros
airport, not Aruba......
Sharon Transue Terenzio Oatmeal with butter and brown sugar
in Montreal........we did eat well.
Jill Van Harlingen I remember trips on the A-300 MIA-ATLSEA-PDX. While in PDX we would go to the Farmer’s Market
and buy ingredients for caesar salad on our return trip. We would
serve breakfast to the passengers , then we fixed the salad. You
could smell the garlic through the cabin. It got to the point that
passengers wanted what we were having—especially those that
flew with us on a regular basis!
Tom Gallagher He lived up in Amish country and he sold many
of those pies. He sold so many on company time that EAL finally
made him to stop.
5
2013 Convention
A Note from Your Convention Chairman
Philip Hutchinson
Our 2013 Convention will be held at Chattanooga Marriott Hotel
at the Convention Center. The dates are, October 13 – 16. Mark
your calendars now! Hotel room rates are $109.00 per night and
subject to applicable state and local taxes. This group rate will be
available 3 days before and 3 days after the convention.
Parking is available at the attached garage owned and operated
by the Chattanooga Convention Center. The cost will be, $6.00 a
day for self-parking and $14.00 a day for valet parking plus tax
per day.
Reservations may be made by calling 1-877-901-6632, created
specifically by Marriott Groups 24/7. Reservations must be
made by cut-off date, Friday September 20, 2013 in order to
be eligible for the group rate. Be certain to mention The Silver
Falcons Convention! Reservations can be made immediately.
(Not a bad idea!) Reservations can always be cancelled, so we
recommend that you make your reservations as early as possible
even if you do not intend to send your money in until later. The
hotel reservations list is our primary event planning tool and we
appreciate your courtesy in signing up early
Golf Tournament information: We have not made any
arrangements for the golf tournament yet. The final decision
about golf will be made after the first of the year when we have
some indication of the number of players participating. Please
advise Phil Hutchinson as soon as possible if you plan to play.
An E-Mail or a phone call will be sufficient plhutch@bellsouth.
net or (770) 886-6189.
The restaurant for the pre-convention dinner has not been
decided yet, since there are so many to choose from and
transportation is not a problem to any of them. We have already
sampled a couple and we’ve had several recommendations that
we would like to check out before making a final decision. Our
choice will be announced after the first of the year, but an
outstanding facility is guaranteed!
We are considering a River Boat Cruise for the spousal
luncheon, but for the same reasons , it has not been finalized. Below please find some websites of interest that you may want
to add for membership information related to the Chattanooga
Convention.
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chattanoogafun.com
chattanoogafun.com/events
discoversceniccity.com
Shuttle service is available
between the Marriott and
the airport for $15.00
per person one way.
The hotel also provides
complimentary shuttle
service to and from downtown Chattanooga between the hours
of 5:00am-11:00pm, Sunday through Saturday.
Discover the Chattanooga Marriott Hotel at the Convention
Center and experience all that the Scenic City has to offer within
one distinctive hotel in Chattanooga, TN. Perfectly positioned
in the downtown business district, this Chattanooga, TN hotel is
connected to the Convention Center and is only minutes from the
cities top attractions the Tennessee Aquarium, The Bluff View
Art District, UT-Chattanooga, Shopping & Dining. This vibrant
Chattanooga hotel boasts spacious hotel rooms with state-ofthe-art amenities including Plug-In Panel, flat screen panel LCD
TV, and deluxe bedding. Experience The Terrace Grille, located
inside this downtown hotel, serving exceptional cuisine daily or
indulge in your favorite Starbucks Coffee at our Lookout Cafe’.
— Philip Hutchinson
2013 Convention
SILVER FALCONS Accommodations
Chattanooga Marriott Hotel
7
2013 Convention
Golf Tournament
Eagle Bluff Golf Club
Our own Jack Rolfson is handling the golf tournament in
Chattanooga and has picked a terrific site for our contest.
The course is about a thirty minute drive from the hotel
and the price will include green fee, cart, and lunch. Full
details will be included in our April newsletter, but the
price is going to be fantastic! The number of golfers has
dropped significantly in the past few years and the future of
our annual golf tournament is in doubt. If you want to see
this event continue then I strongly advise that you play this
year. We really need a strong turnout for golf to survive so
please sign up early and make this the tournament the one
with the most players ever!
Eagle Bluff Golf Club
Chattanooga’s mountain course features an 18 hole
championship layout. Eagle Bluff is located in an exclusive
residential neighborhood just 15 minutes from downtown
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Chattanooga (5808 Clubhouse Drive, Chattanooga,
TN 37416). It is nestled atop several distinctive bluffs
overlooking Chickamauga Lake and Harrison Bay. This
course provides a challenging, scenic and memorable
experience to golfers of all levels.
The course measures 6,700 yards from the tips. Eagle Bluff
demands precision and patience while rewarding prudent
shot making abilities. During an 18-hole experience, it’s
not unusual for players to use every club in their bag.
Eagle Bluff’s contoured and rolling fairways, uphill
and downhill elevation changes, meticulously maintained
greens and the picturesque backdrop create a breathtaking
mountain course.
Visit the course on line at: www.eaglebluffgolf.com/
“The New Eastern” A Cheap Imitation of a Legend
Reuters) China unveiled 50 new orders for its COMAC C919
passenger jet at the opening of the country’s main air show and
promised to assist in the rebirth of one of the most famous names
in aviation—defunct U.S. carrier Eastern Air Lines.
EASTERN REBORN?
In a surprise move, the state manufacturer also announced tentative
purchase plans by investors said to be planning to resurrect U.S.based Eastern Air Lines, which went bankrupt in 1991.
“Eastern used to be the largest U.S. airline to serve the Latin
America market,” he said. “A lot of preparation work needs to be
done, such as applying for an air route.”
Shi told his Chinese audience that once reborn, Eastern wanted to
be the first operator to fly COMAC jets in the United States just as
it had introduced the European Airbus there.
There have been sporadic reports of efforts to relaunch the airline,
whose forked logo was seen on display as a backdrop to Tuesday’s
signing ceremony.
The announcement puzzled several delegates, including some who
had done business with the original Eastern, who said little had
been heard about the re-invented airline’s plans or its leadership.
“We do not comment on our customers,” a COMAC spokesman
said.
Once led by former World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker and later
by former Apollo astronaut Frank Borman, Miami-based Eastern
Air Lines rose to become one of the largest airlines in the world
before losing a battle against low-cost competition.
“We are still a young company. The start-up investment has not
been finalized yet,” Jack Shi, senior vice president for commercial
development of Eastern Air Lines, told Reuters.
Shi addressed a packed hall of Chinese airline executives and
media, but there were no other top executives present from the
U.S. carrier which Shi said had been reconstituted in 2008 in
Miami, the original hub of Eastern.
He said the airline, which included some previous employees of
the bankrupted group, was shopping for planes to start services
late next year from Miami to unspecified destinations in Latin
America.
9
What’s a Pilot all about?
Pilots: People who drive airplanes for other people who can’t
fly.
Fighter Pilots: Cold, steely eyed, weapons systems
managers who kill bad people and break things. However, they can
also be very charming and personable. The average Fighter Pilot,
despite sometimes having a swaggering exterior, is very much
capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring.
These feelings generally just don’t involve anyone else. Words of Wisdom From Aviators:
Flying is a hard way to earn an easy living.
Both optimists and pessimists contribute to society. The optimist
invents the airplane; the pessimist, the parachute.
If helicopters are so safe, how come there are no vintage helicopter
fly-ins? Death is just nature’s way of telling you to watch your airspeed. Real planes use only a single stick to fly. This is why bulldozers and
helicopters(in that order) need two. As a pilot only two bad things can happen to you and one of them
will be:
a. One day you will walk out to the aircraft knowing that it is your
last flight. b. One day you will walk out to the aircraft not knowing that it is
your last flight. Regarding aircraft, there are Rules and
there are Laws:
The Rules are made by men who think that they know better how
to fly your airplane than you.
Laws (of Physics) were ordained by God.
You can, and sometimes should, suspend the Rules, but you can
never suspend the Laws. About Rules: a. The rules are a good place to hide if you don’t have a better idea
and the talent to execute it. b. If you deviate from a rule, it must be a flawless performance
(e.g., If you fly under a bridge, don’t hit the bridge.) The ideal pilot is the perfect blend of discipline and aggressiveness. The medical profession is the natural enemy of the aviation
profession. Ever notice that the only experts who decree the age that a pilots
career is over are people who have never flown anything? Also, in
spite of the intensity of their feelings that the pilot’s day is over, I
know of no expert who has volunteered to be a passenger in a nonpiloted aircraft. 10
Before each flight, make sure that your bladder is empty and your
fuel tanks are full; check T/O wt....
He who demands everything that his aircraft can give him is a pilot;
he who demands one iota more is a fool. There are certain aircraft sounds that can only be heard at night. The aircraft limits are only there in case there is another flight by
that particular aircraft. If subsequent flights do not appear likely,
there are no limits. Flying is a great way of life for men who want to feel like boys, but
not for those who still are. “If the Wright brothers were alive today, Wilbur would have
to fire Orville to reduce costs.” — President, DELTA Airlines. In the Alaskan bush I’d rather have a two-hour bladder and three
hours of gas than vice versa. It’s not that all airplane pilots are good-looking. It’s just that goodlooking people seem more capable of flying airplanes. I’ve flown in both pilot seats, can someone tell me why the other
one is always occupied by an idiot? Son, you’re going to have to make up your mind about growing up
and becoming a pilot. You can’t do both. There are only two types of aircraft—fighters and targets. The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are
composed entirely of lost airline baggage. A Blast from the Past
Our own Capt. Dick Distel
17 Things your Flight attendant Won’t Tell You
Ever wonder what your flight attendant really thinks of you? What
they’d tell you if they had the nerve? Or weren’t afraid of being
fired? What deep, dark secrets would they reveal about their jobs?
I have a number of friends who work as flight attendants.
One of them recently retired after 20 years flying for the most
storied name in commercial aviation, while others work for less
glamorous domestic U.S. airlines. I asked them what they’d tell
their passengers if they could tell them anything at all, or what
secrets they’d reveal only if granted complete anonymity. All I
can say is that these people do not represent every single flight
attendant in the skies, so if you’re a flight attendant yourself,
please hold your fire and don’t shoot the messenger. But I didn’t
make this stuff up. What you read here may shock you, or make
you laugh, I’m not sure which.
we upgrade? Not the slob who’s dressed in a dirty tank top.
It helps if you’re extremely nice, well dressed, pregnant, very
tall, good looking, one of our friends or all of the above.
6. Please don’t take your computer and a newspaper into the lav.
It’s gross and it means you’re going to be occupying it longer
than you should.
7. Please don’t ask me what we’re flying over. I’m as clueless as
you are. I am not flying the plane.
8. Please don’t do deep knee bends in my galley while I’m trying
to work. You won’t get deep vein thrombosis on a flight
between Houston and Austin.
1. You know that coffee you ordered? It’s actually decaf even
though you asked for regular. We’d rather that you sit back,
relax and fall asleep so you don’t bother us too much. Our
airline sent around a memo wondering why the decaf supplies
were going so fast, noting that decaf costs more than regular
coffee.
9. Jiggling your glass of ice at me won’t make me dash to the
galley for a refill. In fact, it makes me want to scream.
2. When we “arm” the doors on your aircraft, each flight attendant
checks the work of his colleague at the opposite door. You’ve
heard it a million times: “arm doors and cross check.” Did you
hear “crotch check?” It wasn’t your imagination. We get silly
sometimes. And yes, despite all the cross checking -- maybe
because we’re checking crotches instead -- once in a great
while we screw up and we forget to arm the doors, which
means the emergency slides won’t automatically deploy if
needed in an emergency. We can get fired for that.
11. I want to yank your headphones off your head after I’ve asked
you what you want to drink and you’ve responded “huh?”
three times. After the fourth time I just move on or give you
a Coke.
3. Our airline used to pay us when we showed up for duty at the
airport. That was eons ago. Then we got paid our measly
hourly wage when the cabin doors closed. Then it was when
the plane’s brakes were released. Now we get paid only
when the wheels leave the ground (“wheels up” in airline
parlance). We don’t even get paid when we’re taxiing! There
can sometimes be hours of delay between the time we show
up for work and when we’re airborne. Different airlines have
different policies, but it’s a way for them to save money. So
when we greet you at the door, we do that for free. When we
serve you your pre-flight drink, we do that for free, too. No
wonder our smiles are so fake.
4. If a flight is late, the airline might have to pay us overtime. If the
flight is going to be late anyway, we’ve been known to delay
it even further in order make sure overtime kicks in, which on
our airline means up to double the hourly pay. We might find
some minor defect in the aircraft or use some other ruse to
make up for the money we don’t get paid waiting for take off.
10. When I ask you what you’d like to drink and you ask me “Well,
what do you have?” I want to answer “Not a lot of time.” But
you wouldn’t like that.
12. Yes, we do ask the captain to leave the seatbelt on long after the
turbulence has ended so we can serve in the aisles.
13. On night flights, we sometimes hold off on meal service as
long as we can so that you’ll be asleep and we’ll have less to
do.
14. All male flight attendants are not gay, even if they might look
like they are.
15. We really don’t like children. Not just your children, children
period. Why do you think we chose a career where we spend
half our lives away from home?
16. If you poke me, I’m going to poke you back. Harder!
17. Don’t ask me where you can shove your bag. I’ve been waiting
12 years to tell you where you can shove it.
5. Yes, we can upgrade you to business class or first class after the
airplane’s doors close. No, we don’t do it very often, partly
because on some airlines we have to file a report explaining
why we did it, partly because there has to be a meal for you
and partly because the forward cabins are often full. Who do
11
The Curse of the Boneyard
Are Aging Aircraft Putting Firefighters at Risk?
On the afternoon of June 3, an aging
Lockheed Martin P2V air tanker crashed
near the border of Nevada and Utah, killing
the pilot and co-pilot.
The same day, one landing gear on a P2V
failed to deploy, forcing the plane to circle
a landing strip in Minden, Nev., burning off
excess fuel before making an emergency
landing and skidding to a halt.
Both planes were more than 50 years old.
The day highlighted the dangers that come
with piloting one of the U.S. Forest Service’s
aging air tankers, which average more than a
half-century old.
Six people died in air tanker crashes during
firefighting missions this year, and at least 22
have perished in the past decade, according
to a review of accident reports from the
National Transportation Safety Board.
Critics say it’s no surprise the air tankers are not fit for the rigors of
21st-century firefighting. Many were designed for other missions,
then scavenged from the fields of the Pentagon’s massive aircraft
“Boneyard” in Arizona, and retrofitted to battle wildfires across
the country.
“This is the third generation of old military aircraft that have
ended up causing multiple deaths,” said Jim Hall, former head of
the National Transportation Safety Board. He also was co-chair
of a federal commission that issued a critical report on the state
of the U.S. Forest Service’s aerial firefighting capability in 2002
recommending the agency modernize its aging fleet.
But a decade later, many of those planes continue to fly—and
crash—often in some of the most difficult flying environments in
aviation: remote, mountainous forests and valleys where planes
can be jolted by swirling winds and turbulence and forced to fly
through heavy smoke and ash.
Pilots say they have seen giant rocks and tree stumps thrown into
the air—sometimes hitting planes—due to the powerful convection
forces created by intense forest fires. And the weight of planes
rapidly shifts as they dump thousands of pounds of water or
retardant in mere seconds. The extreme conditions also can prey on
the weaknesses of the tankers: Wings have fractured and separated
from aircraft bodies. Engines have caught fire. Hydraulic system
lines have ruptured.
“I have serious concerns about both the size and age of the aging
air tanker fleet, and fear that it isn’t up to the job of stopping
wildfires that grow larger every year,” said Sen. Ron Wyden,
D-Ore., chairman of the Forestry Subcommittee. “That’s what I
12
have repeatedly told the Forest Service, as I have pushed them to
address this crisis.”
Both congressional and Forest Service leaders recognize the need
to update the fleet, but Congress has never allocated funding to pay
for new aircraft. President Barack Obama’s 2013 budget proposes
$1.97 billion for wildland fire management, down from about
$2.2 billion in 2011. It includes $24 million to modernize the air
tanker fleet, but that’s a fraction of the cost needed, critics say.
Congressional budget proposals, meanwhile, do not include any
money for the fleet’s modernization.
Since 2007, one-third of the 79 forest firefighter deaths have
occurred in aviation accidents, more than any other cause,
according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, a coalition
of federal and state fire agencies.
“I’ve been on fires in California where people have had their houses
burned underneath them twice before—they rebuilt the third time
in the same spot,” said Dick Mangan, a former program leader
at the Forest Service’s Missoula Technology and Development
Center with more than 30 years experience in wildland firefighting.
“The only thing that doesn’t come back are dead firefighters.
Grass grows back, the trees come back, houses come back. Dead
firefighters don’t come back.”
And as wildfires have grown in size in the last decade—2012 has
seen more than 9 million acres burn, the third-highest amount this
century—the number of available air tankers has been halved.
Some have been retired from services; others have been destroyed
in crashes. The Forest Service estimates its needs 18 to 28 “nextgeneration” large air tankers, but did not seek a congressional
appropriation last summer because of budgetary constraints.
Boneyard, continued
Ronnie Edwin Chambless died in the crash. The NTSB has not
released its final report on the cause.
The P2V has long been the workhorse of the Forest Service’s aerial
firefighting fleet. Designed to track submarines in the 1940s, the
P2Vs remained in military use until the Vietnam War.
In the years after Vietnam, the tankers were given a new job:
dropping fire retardant on wildfires. Retrofitted to carry retardant
but with relatively few other changes, the planes—and similar
planes like the Lockheed P3 Orion—were deployed across the
American West.
“Many of these aircraft—P2 and P3s, old submarine search
planes—come from the Korean War and Vietnam era,” Mangan
said. “They do not have the greatest track record.”
“It is a monetary issue, absolutely,” said Ron Hanks, head of
aviation safety with the Forest Service. “The cost, the engineering
and the development—they’re costly.”
Industry leaders defend the safety records of the planes. They
note that age itself does not disqualify a plane from meeting the
Forest Service’s requirements, and properly maintained planes can
continue to be airworthy even as they pass 50 years in age.
Dan Snyder, the president of Neptune Aviation Services in Missoula,
Mont., said his company has begun buying and retrofitting former
British passenger planes to replace
the older aircraft. But Snyder, whose
company has the biggest air tanker
contract, defended the safety records of
planes like the P2V.
In the past decade, P2V crashes alone have resulted in at least 10
deaths. On Sept. 1, 2008, a P2V crashed and killed the pilot and
two passengers after the left engine caught fire during takeoff near
Reno, Nev. The following spring, a P2V crashed while attempting
to navigate foggy, windy weather in Utah’s Oquirrh Mountains,
killing all three people onboard.
“Clearly, those aircraft were not designed for the missions they are
flying,” said Hall, the former NTSB chairman. “We recommended
a purpose-built aircraft for the types of missions being flown 10
years ago. It could have easily been accomplished during that
time.”
“It’s an airframe that has really worked
well for us,” Snyder said. “It’s taken
the stress and strain quite well.”
Still, Snyder acknowledged that many
airframes are fast-approaching their
life limits. “They can only fly so many
takeoffs and landings, which we call
‘cycles,’ and those cycle limits are
starting to approach,” he said.
For old sub chasers, the mission has changed
Captain Todd Neal Tompkins understood the risks.
The Boise pilot had flown over wildfires for years, and firefighting
often took him away from his family for extended periods during
the wildfire season, said his friend, Brian Walp.
“He was in touch with the fact that when he left in the spring to go
to work, it may be the last time he’d see his kids,” Walp said. “I
think he lived with that idea.”
At 1:47 p.m. on June 3, Tompkins was in a Lockheed P2V that
crashed into mountainous terrain while dropping retardant in a
shallow valley north of Modena, Utah. Tompkins and co-pilot
The P2V isn’t the only plane that has critics worried.
In July, the U.S. Air Force grounded all firefighting-equipped
C-130s on loan to the Forest Service from the Department of
Defense after one of the turboprop planes crashed in South Dakota,
killing four people. While many of the C-130s are significantly
younger than the P2Vs, Hall said they simply were not designed to
handle the dangerous conditions above wildfires.
But newer, better-designed planes are out of the Forest Service’s
reach due to cost.
The Forest Service’s modernization strategy, published in February,
includes contracts for next-generation civilian aircraft like the
13
Boneyard, continued
BAe-146, which cost about
$7 million apiece and
carry 3,000 gallons of fire
suppressant—much less
than larger, more expensive
tankers. Retrofitting adds
$1 million to $4 million to
the price tag.
Other retrofitted planes can
be even costlier: A new
C-130J, for example, which
can deliver 4,000 gallons of
fire suppressant, costs about
$80 million, according to
the Forest Service report.
Or the agency can lease
a C-130 flown by military
pilots from the Air Force
for $13,740 a day, plus
$6,600 for every hour it’s
in the air.
All of these options would put a significant strain on the Forest
Service’s budget. But inaction also carries a price too: About
$55 million was spent each year from 2009-2011 to maintain the
current fleet, said Jennifer Jones, a spokeswoman for the Forest
Service.
Dug up from the Boneyard
After World War II, the
U.S. Air Force established a
storage facility near Tucson,
Ariz., where dry conditions
kept aircraft from corroding.
Today, it is officially known
as the 309th Aerospace
Maintenance Regeneration
Group.
But many refer to it by its
more colloquial name: the
Boneyard.
Since its inception, the
Boneyard’s fleet has grown
to include planes like the P2Vs and C-130s. Now, with more
than 4,400 aircraft and 13 aerospace vehicles from all branches
of the military and NASA, the Boneyard operates as a stockpile
for military units and government agencies to take parts or entire
planes for their own use or to sell to U.S. allies.
For years, these mothballed planes have been called into action to
battle wildfires. In 2002, the federal firefighting commission took
a closer look at the Boneyard, condemning the Forest Service’s
practice of using retired military planes salvaged from the facility.
One of those planes was a Lockheed C-130A, registration number
N130HP. Built in 1957, the plane was retired from military service
in 1978, spent a decade in the boneyard and then was retrofitted
with retardant tanks to battle wildfires.
On June 17, 2002, as the plane swept low over a fire in California,
14
its wings separated from the
body of the plane, sending it
plummeting to the ground.
The accident, which was
filmed by a witness, killed
all three people on board. An
examination of the wreckage
found fatigue cracks in the
right wing, a problem that had
been found in other C-130s,
according to the NTSB.
The dramatic footage sparked
concern about the aging fleet.
And in December of that
year, the federal commission
called its safety record
“unacceptable.”
The C-130 crash is not the
only example of structural
failure. On July 18, 2002, a Vultee P4Y-2 air tanker’s left wing
ripped off, sending the plane spiraling into a Colorado mountain
and killing two crew members. Cracks in the frame of the aircraft,
which was manufactured in 1945, went undetected because they
were hidden behind the retardant tank, according to the NTSB
report on the crash.
Hall, the chair of the federal
commission, said the Forest
Service is gradually phasing
out these older planes, but
not quickly enough, and
without funding for newer
planes.
“In the same period of
time since this report was
published, we have fought
two wars,” but made virtually
no progress in updating the
federal firefighting fleet, he
said in a recent interview.
At the same time, he said, the
fleet has shrunk steadily. In 2002, the agency contracted for more
than 40 air tankers.
“Right now, we have 17 aircraft, and that includes the Canadian
aircraft that we have borrowed,” Hanks said.
Building for the future but relying on the past
In a hangar in Missoula, Mont., the past, present and future of the
air tanker industry can be found side by side.
All nine of Neptune’s planes—seven P2Vs, and two BAe-146
passenger jets that are being refitted to fight fires—are under
government contract., but the fleet of P2Vs has dwindled in recent
years. Neptune will retire two of its P2V Neptunes this year and
replace them with BAe-146s.
Boneyard, continued
“The P2Vs that Neptune operates were built in the late 40s, early
50s – so they’re 60, 70-year-old aircraft,” said Ron Hooper, a former
government contracting officer who now works for Neptune. “The
BAe-146’s were in passenger service over in England, and they’re
15, 16-year-old aircraft.”
Neptune is one of only two remaining air-tanker contractors in
the U.S. Last year, the Forest Service ended its contract with Aero
Union, a California company that operated P3 Orions. The Federal
Aviation Administration said the company failed to follow the
scheduled inspections of its air tankers. (Aero Union CEO Britt
Gourley said in a letter published in January by Wildfiretoday.
com that the company’s “aircraft have always been meticulously
maintained and continuously airworthy. He also stated that Aero
Union had appealed the contract termination through the judicial
process, but in the meantime had been forced to sell the aircraft and
lay off its 60 employees.)
In June, the Forest Service announced it would contract with four
U.S. companies to lease seven new air tankers, some of which
could have been in the air this year. But two bidding companies
that lost out protested, saying the contract requirements were
vague, delaying the process. The Forest Service requested updated
bids, which were due Nov. 1, from potential contractors. The
agency has not announced new contracts.
Obituary
Mrs. Jeanne Marie Burke
Wife of Captain Ray Burke
We regret to announce the passing of Mrs. Jeanne Marie Burke,
age 78, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012.
She is survived by her husband, retired Eastern Captain Raymond
T. Burke of Flowery Branch; children, Raymond and Marie Burke
of Clearwater, Fla., Michael and Nancy Burke of Portland, Ore.,
Andrew Burke of Satellite Beach, Fla., Robert and Jane Burke of
Berkeley Lake, Ga., Shawn Burke of Atlanta, and Steve Burke
of Atlanta; one sister, Pat Pickering of New Jersey; two brothers,
John McLaughlin of Philadelphia, Pa., and Robert McLaughlin
of Westboro, Mass.; and four grandchildren, Russell Burke, Sara
Burke, Mitchell Burke, and Jennifer Burke.
A Memorial services was held Saturday, Dec. 29, at Saint
Michael’s Catholic Church in Gainesville with the Rev. Father
Jaime Barona officiating.
In lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of Jeanne Burke to the
Saint Vincent De Paul Society at www.saintmichael.cc.
We extend the sympathy and prayers of all The Silver Falcons to
Ray and his family!
Both Neptune and Minden Air Corp.—the two current federal
contractors—have begun phasing in retired civilian airliners to
replace the military planes. Neptune’s BAe-146s, built by British
Aerospace in the mid- to late-1980s, are more nimble than the
P2Vs, Snyder said. The planes foster a safer flying experience for
pilots and flight crews, he said.
But they aren’t cheap. The BAe-146 cost $20,000 per day to have
available plus $10,000 for every hour of flight, according to the
USFS. But greater speed and greater suppressant capacity—about
1,000 gallons more than the older tankers—will help offset that.
“It flies twice as fast,” Hooper said. “Our maintenance cost will
go down relative to the P2V. So there are a number of advantages
for the Forest Service from an operational standpoint, as well as
for Neptune, from an operational maintenance standpoint to be
upgrading our fleet.”
Minden is building a new BAe-146 service that should be ready
in about a year, said Matt Graham, the company’s maintenance
director.
In Missoula, Neptune hopes to have four BAE’s available next
spring. The remaining P2Vs are scheduled to be phased out within
the next five years, Hooper said.
Letters
A Research Question
Hope all of you had a great holiday.
Now, I need some info on flights. If you can help, or know
someone who might, pls get back to me. My memory says this
was our DC10 or A300, leaving MIA in the evening. I think this
gentleman originated in DCA, then changed equip in MIA. He is
trying to get flight numbers, equip, and even departures or arrivals
if possible. I flew nothing but S Amer my last 7 years but I don’t
have timetables or bidsheets to show the info. So……
Rec’d this note Christmas Eve and am hoping agents, pilots, flight
attendants, ground personnel might be able to shed some light on
this timetable question:
I’m doing research for an autobiography. Do you have access to
Eastern’s timetable for August 1987 for flights originating in the
U.S. (Washington, DC) and bound for LPB (El Alto) in La Paz,
Bolivia? Thanks for any assistance you can provide.
Sincerely,
Michael Hacker
P.S. I think the equipment was a Boeing 727.
[email protected]
Alexa Conway
15
Letters, continued
Update on Ed McGarvey
Hi Dick,
My dad is still at the VA in Gainesville as I write this because a
bed had not been available up north, but one opened up today, the
transfer papers have been completed and the plane is on its way.
The ambulance is scheduled to pick him up and take him to the
plane at 6 pm. He will be going to the VA hospital in Baltimore,
MD because they had the best services available for him and still
close to the family. We don’t know how long he will be there but
I am sure it will be a couple of weeks minimum as he continues to
recuperate from his last surgery, and after that, he will move to a
physical rehabilitation facility.
He is beginning to feel slightly better which is a good sign. You
can send the newsletter to my sister’s address and she will take it
to him. I think it will make you smile and know your efforts are
appreciated when I tell you that all this week, he has been asking
when the next newsletter will be out and asking for it! In fact, it’s
the only thing he has shown an interest in looking at! Lori’s address is: Lori Loveday, 83 Fulton Street, Akron, PA
17501-1164. I will keep in touch with updates. Warmest holiday wishes to you
and your family!
Anne
Layabed
The following Silver Falcons and family members are currently
under the weather and would appreciate calls, cards, and visits
from friends. A card or a friendly voice can do wonders when a
person is really hurting!
It’s easy to get on the Lay-A-Bed list. All it takes is a bad headache
and a big mouthed friend. Getting off the list is another matter
altogether! No one ever tells us when they get well!
Therefore we have had to make rules to control this situation. In
the future:
1. When the flower dies, take your name off the lay-a-bed list
whether you are sick or not.
2. If you are still sick, put your name back on the list and we
will send you a new flower!
3. When the new flower dies, go back to rule one!
Capt. Tim Chase
109 Carols Lane
Locust Grove, GA 30248
(770) 320-8576
[email protected]
Capt. John Green
3811 SW 96th St. Gainesville, FL 32608-8603
[email protected]
(352) 333-0391
Mrs. Dee McKinney, Wife of
Capt. Clancy McKinney
2860 Roxburgh Dr.
Roswell, GA 30076
(770) 475-1129
[email protected]
Capt. Ed McGarvey
c/o Lori Loveday.
83 Fulton St.
Akron, PA 17501-1164
Capt. Luis Vallecillo
1896 Mountain Creek Dr.
Stone Mountain, GA 30087.
(770) 938-3408
[email protected]
The Editorial
This is a changeover year for The Silver falcons. For the first time
we have a Board of Directors that is staffed primarily with members
from the final generation of Eastern crew members rather than the
old timers we have become accustomed to. It amazes me that we
have so many people who were with Eastern for such a short time
that still have feelings of family and such emotional ties to an
organization they were associated with for such a short time—who
still consider Eastern as family! It says a lot for Eastern and for the
people who worked there and this will give us the continuity we
need to survive in the future.
Walt Brill, our new Vice President, started with Eastern January
1, 1988 and worked for fourteen months before the strike, but still
walked the picket line with us and has been an active Silver Falcon
for years. Now a United Captain, he still considers himself a loyal
Eastern Pilot. His beautiful new daughter was elected the official
mascot of The Silver Falcons, having attended her first convention
when only six months old.
16
Scott Gressler, another new director, began his short Eastern career
August 31, 1987 and flew the line for eighteen months before
joining us on the picket line. A relatively new member of The Silver
Falcons, he is currently a pilot for Delta Airlines. When he was
learning to fly, Scott received his multi-engine ticket from our own
Captain Joe Wolbert.
Tia Robertson, our third new Director and our Secretary, joined
Eastern January 1, 1986 and flew with us for 26 months before
walking the line. Tia worked for United Airlines as a Boeing 737
Captain before finally leaving to become a full time Mom. Her
husband is a Captain for American Airlines. Tia has instructed and
soloed both her sons and she was also instructed by Joe Wolbert.
These three people have a total cumulative time as pilots for
Eastern of just four and a half years and I find that amazing and
extremely satisfying because they were sufficiently impressed with
the crew members they worked with to give our strike total support
when they could have crossed the line so easily and continued to
work and be promoted rapidly.
Editorial, continued
Our Flight Attendant membership is increasing and the dynamic
of The Silver Falcons is changing. After twenty-three years the
founders are beginning to become the Old Guard and the junior
pilot group is beginning to take the helm—which is as it should be.
We now have family memberships and the children of our founders
are now members. A generational transfer is beginning to take
place and this is a good thing since it indicates that there are young
members who care enough keep The Silver Falcons in existence
and who have the loyalty to Eastern that never seems to die. It’s
time for the founding members to sit back and let the youngsters
take the helm.
as strong today as it was when we marched together and watched
the scabs fly our airplanes. I can remember nearly 56 years ago
when I was a new hire Martin 404 co-pilot in New York and how
proud and thrilled I was to be an Eastern pilot and how proud and
thrilled I am today that those new hires when we struck still feel
that way. We need to make our Flight Attendants and junior pilots
feel welcome and try to attract as many more into the group as we
can and also bring our children in as well. Ladies and gentlemen,
they are our future!
We all walked the line together and we all have the battlestar on
our wings. We forged a bond twenty three years ago that is still
Dick Borrelli, Editor
Now, if I can only find someone to publish the newsletter!
AmR Said to Take Steps
Nearing Merger with US Airways
Bloomberg News: By Mary Schlangenstein, Jeffrey McCracken and
Beth Jinks on December 20, 2012
American Airlines parent AMR Corp. and US Airways Group Inc.
are moving closer to a merger, and a decision could come early next
month, people familiar with the matter said.
Teams from each carrier are discussing how to combine departments,
including personnel, compensation and severance, said the people,
who asked not to be identified because details are private. AMR’s
board will meet Jan. 9 to decide whether to go ahead, with an
announcement possible within days, said the people. The talks may
yet be scuttled or delayed, they said.
The push follows AMR’s efforts to reorganize in bankruptcy court
before a merger and US Airways’s quest to lead a takeover creating
the world’s largest airline. The chief unsettled issues pending with
AMR’s unsecured creditors committee, which must approve any
exit plan, are how to divide the equity in a new company and who
would run it, three people said.
“It sounds like things are certainly getting close to a resolution,”
Michael Derchin, a CRT Capital Group LLC analyst, said in an
interview. “It does seem like there is an inevitability about a merger,
with the main issue whether they do it in bankruptcy or out.”
Derchin, based in Stamford, Connecticut, recommends buying US
Airways.
US Airways President Scott Kirby and Denise Lynn, senior vice
president for people at American, have been involved in talks with
pilots from each carrier, along with Jack Butler, the attorney for the
creditors’ panel, two people said.
Agreement Near
An agreement may be completed this week on work rules for
each pilot group until a joint contract is negotiated with a merged
carrier, one person said. Kirby is leading the merger analysis for US
Airways Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker, people familiar with
his role have said.
AMR is “actively taking part in ongoing discussions” with its
pilots, US Airways and the smaller airline’s pilots, Michael
Trevino, a spokesman, said in an e-mailed response to questions
about department-level planning, the board and a possible merger
announcement by the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier.
US Airways declined to comment about meetings with AMR,
said Todd Lehmacher, a spokesman for the Tempe, Arizona-based
airline.
Parker, Kirby and Butler met yesterday with the board of the US
Airline Pilots Association, which represents US Airways pilots, in
Charlotte, North Carolina, said James Ray, a union spokesman. He
declined to comment on the substance of the talks. Lehmacher also
declined to comment.
Shares, Bonds
US Airways rose 0.4 percent to $13.54 at 4 p.m. in New York. The
shares have more than doubled this year on merger speculation to
lead gains in the Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index. (BUSAIRL)
Investor optimism about a merger also has helped fuel a rally in
AMR debt. The $460 million of 6.25 percent convertible notes due
October 2014 climbed 2.4 percent to 86.75 cents on the dollar at
1:48 p.m, according to Trace, the bond-price reporting system of
the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The notes traded at
17.75 cents just after AMR filed for bankruptcy on Nov. 29, 2011.
AMR CEO Tom Horton has said the company’s future should be
resolved “soon,” after completing contract changes that provided
$1.06 billion in labor savings, and that he hasn’t ruled out a merger.
In the past he backed a stand-alone bankruptcy exit, with tie-ups to
be considered after that.
Pilot Board
He met last week with the Allied Pilots Association board to discuss
AMR’s progress in bankruptcy and plans for the future that include
adding about 550 new jets to replace aging planes and increasing
international service to attract more business fliers.
17
AMR/US Airways, continued
After becoming CEO when AMR filed for bankruptcy, Horton
focused first on the idea of remaining independent. US Airways
began pursuing a merger in January and said in April that its bid
was backed by unions for American’s pilots, flight attendants and
mechanics and baggage handlers.
A combination of American, the third-biggest U.S. carrier, and No.
5 US Airways would surpass United Continental Holdings Inc.
(UAL) as the world’s largest airline, based on passenger traffic.
The case is in re AMR Corp., 11-15463, U.S. Bankruptcy Court,
Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
Full Accident Report on
Eastern Air Lines, Inc., Lockheed L-1011, N334EA
Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, May 5, 1983
Synopsis
At 0856, on May 5, 1983, Eastern Air Lines, Inc., Flight 855,
a Lockheed L-1011, N334EA, with 10 crewmembers and 162
passengers on board, departed Miami International Airport en
route to Nassau, Bahamas. About 0915:15, while descending
through 15,000 feet, the low oil pressure light on the No. 2 engine
illuminated. The No. 2 engine was shut down, and the captain
decided to return to Miami to land.
The airplane was cleared to Miami and began a climb to FL 200.
While en route to Miami, the low oil pressure lights for engines
Nos. 1 and 3 illuminated. At 0928:20, while at 16,000 feet, the No.
3 engine flamed out. At 0933:20, the No. 1 engine flamed out while
the flightcrew was attempting to restart the No. 2 engine.
The airplane descended without power from
about 13,000 feet to about 4,000 feet, at
which time the No. 2 engine was restarted.
The airplane made a one-engine landing at
Miami International Airport at 0946. There
were no injuries to the occupants.
The National Transportation Safety Board
determines that the probable cause of the
accident was the omission of all the O-ring
seats on the master chip detector assemblies
leading to the loss of lubrication and damage
to the airplane’s three engines as a result of the failure of mechanics
to follow the established and proper procedures for the installation
of master chip detectors in the engine lubrication system, the
repeated failure of supervisory personnel to require mechanics to
comply strictly with the prescribed installation procedures, and the
failure of Eastern Air Lines management to assess adequately the
significance of similar previous occurrences and to act effectively
to institute corrective action.
Contributing to the cause of the accident was the failure of Federal
Aviation Administration maintenance inspectors to assess the
significance of the incidents involving master chip detectors and
to take effective surveillance and enforcement measures to prevent
the recurrence of the incidents.
18
1. FACTUAL INFORMATION
1.1 History of the Flight
On May 5, 1983, Eastern Air Lines, Inc., Flight 855, a Lockheed
L-1011, N334EA, was a regularly scheduled passenger flight from
Miami, Florida, to Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas.
The flightcrew arrived well before the scheduled takeoff time and
conducted all prescribed preflight activities. The captain recalled
that the forecast weather conditions for the arrival at Nassau called
for scattered rain showers.
-2At 0900, 1/ the weather conditions at Nassau were, in part: 500
feet scattered, 1,000 feetbroken, 7,000 feet overcast, visibility
4 miles with light rain and fog. Additionally, a frontal system
extended north-northeast from extreme
southern Florida and the Florida Keys. The
weather conditions at Miami International
Airport at 0900 were: ceiling 2,300 feet
broken, visibility 7 miles, and no significant
weather.
The flight engineer performed the “walkaround” inspection of the airplane. He stated
that there were no indications of oil leaks
from any of the engines. He also stated that
there were no abnormal engine instrument
readings during engine start or the taxi-to-takeoff.
At 0856, Flight 855 departed runway 27R at Miami International
Airport with 162 passengers and a crew of 10 aboard. The flight
was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) plan to Nassau with an
estimated time en route of 37 minutes. At the time, the captain was
sitting in the left cockpit seat, the check captain was sitting in the
right cockpit seat, and the flight engineer was at his station at the
engineer’s panel.
The captain and the check captain stated that the takeoff and the
initial climb to Flight Level (FL) 230 were uneventful. The flight
engineer stated that he monitored the activities of the captain
during takeoff and scanned the flight engineer’s panel for abnormal
indications; all engine instrument readings were normal. At 1,000
N334EA, continued
feet, 2/ the flight engineer turned
back to his panel to regulate the
cabin pressurization and the cabin
cooling. The flight engineer stated
that he also checked the electrical
system and the engine instruments,
and that, as the airplane passed
through 1,500 feet, he called
Eastern Air Lines at Miami to
report the departure time. He then
completed the climb checklist,
called the Eastern Air Lines Miami
Technical Center to establish
contact with the flight dispatcher,
and continued to scan the engine
instruments. The flight engineer
stated that from takeoff until the airplane was level at FL 230 the
oil quantity gauges did not fluctuate, and that all three indicators
were indicating about 18 quarts (full indication is 21 quarts).
About 0908:14, Flight 855 leveled at FL 230. About 0910, the flight
was cleared to descend to 9,000 feet, and the captain began the
descent. At 0911:17, the flight engineer contacted Nassau approach
control and reported descending through FL 200, 70 miles from
Nassau. Nassau approach control reported the weather as ceiling
1,000 feet broken and visibility 5 miles, ceilings to the east and
south as 500 to 800 feet, and thunderstorms to the north. Nassau
approach control informed Flight 855 that it was following a light
twin-engine airplane which was about 30 miles ahead of it.
The flight engineer then prepared the landing card data for landing
at Nassau and read the descent and in-range checklist in preparation
for landing. He stated that he also received requests from the cabin
attendants for routine items involving the passengers and the arrival
at Nassau. The flight engineer stated that he did not scan his panel
or the oil quantity or pressure gages for about 5 minutes because he
was preparing the landing data information. During that time, he sat
at a small desk in front of the engineer’s panel. The oil pressure and
quantity gages were at eye level.
As Flight 855 descended through 15,000 feet, the captain informed
the flight engineer that the low oil pressure warning light was on
for the No. 2 engine. The flight engineer stated that at this point he
had finished the in range call and the landing data card.
-3He looked at the oil quantity and pressure gages and saw that Nos. 1
and 3 indicated about 15 quarts with the oil pressure in the “green”
or acceptable range. However, the No. 2 engine indicated a quantity
of 8 quarts, and the pressure was fluctuating between 15 psi and
25 psi. The flight engineer was not concerned with the quantity
indications1 since he stated that he expected to see fluctuations of
up to 3 quarts on either side of 18 quarts. However, he had never
had an oil pressure problem with the L-1011. The flight engineer
then advised the captain that the oil pressure on the No. 2 engine
was fluctuating between 15 and 25 psi, that the minimum pressure
required for, normal engine operation was 30 psi, and that the oil
quantity gage for the engine was reading 8 quarts while the other
two engines indicated about 15 quarts.
The captain ordered the flight
engineer to shut down the No. 2
engine, and the captain started
the auxiliary power unit (APU).
At 0915:26, while at 12,300 feet,
the captain requested a clearance
back to Miami; the check captain
concurred in the request. At the
time, the airplane was about 50
miles from Nassau. The captain
later stated that he elected to return
to Miami rather than continue to
Nassau because of the deteriorating
weather conditions which had been
reported at Nassau and which he
had observed on airborne radar.
Also, he anticipated some delay in landing at Nassau due to the
nonradar environment and a light twin-engine airplane reported
ahead of Flight 855, and he believed that he could land at Miami
sooner than at Nassau.
At 0915:48, Flight 855 was cleared to make a 1800 turn and to
maintain 12,000 feet. At 0918:11, Flight 855 contacted Miami
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), and at 0918:36,
the flight was cleared to climb to FL 200. During this time the
flight engineer completed the engine shutdown checklist and
the secondary items on the emergency checklist. He said that
these tasks required about 4 minutes to complete, so he was not
constantly monitoring the indications on engines Nos. 1 and 3.
As the airplane climbed through 15,000 feet, the low oil pressure
light for the No. 3 engine illuminated, followed by illumination of
the light for the No. 1 engine. At that time, the oil quantity gages
for all three engines read zero. At 0923:15, with the airplane
level at 16,000 feet, Flight 855 informed Miami ARTCC of the
engine gage readings but indicated that “we believe it to be faulty
indications since the chance of all three engines having zero oil
pressure and zero quantity ,is almost nil.” The flight engineer then
contacted the Miami Eastern Air Lines maintenance personnel to
determine if there was a common electrical source which could
affect the engine instruments. The captain stated that he assumed
that the problem of low oil pressure and zero oil quantity for the
three engines was a faulty indicator problem since the likelihood
of simultaneous oil exhaustion in all three engines was “one in
millions I would think.” During this time, the Miami Technical
Center called back to Flight 855 to say that the No. 2 AC bus was
the common power source for the oil quantity instruments. The
flight engineer checked the appropriate circuit breaker and found
no discrepancies.
At 0928:20, the No. 3 engine failed. The airplane, which was about
80 miles from Miami, began a gradual descent. The flightcrew
stated that they realized at this point that the indications of zero
oil pressure and quantity were correct and were not the result of
a gage problem.
At 0929:15, Miami ARTCC cleared Flight 855 to descend to any
altitude required and to fly directly to Miami International Airport
for a landing on runway 27L. The flight engineer called the
senior flight attendant to the cockpit and instructed her to prepare
19
N334EA, continued
the cabin for a ditching. The senior flight attendant, in turn,
briefed the other flight attendants, who then began preditching
preparations.
-4The flightcrew attempted to restart the No. 2 engine but was not
successful; and at 0933:20, the No. 1 engine failed. The airplane
was about 12,000 feet above the ocean. The rate of descent, which
was about 600 feet per minute (fpm) with one engine operating,
increased to about 1,600 fpm with no engines operating. The
indicated airspeed remained about 225 knots throughout the
descent. The APU provided hydraulic pressure and electrical
power to the airplane after all engines stopped operating. As a
result, the flightcrew had the ability to operate all the controls of
the airplane despite the total loss of engine power.
At 0933:38, Flight 855 advised Miami ARTCC that no engines
were operating; the airplane was about 55 miles from Miami.
Shortly thereafter, the flight engineer announced over the public
address system that a “ditching is imminent.” The senior flight
attendant assumed that the airplane was about to enter the water
and instructed the passengers to assume the brace position.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard and other potential rescue vessels
were notified of the emergency by Miami ARTCC. The initial
notification was made to Coast Guard District Headquarters at
0928:18. A Coast Guard Falconjet and a helicopter immediately
departed the Coast Guard station at Opa Locka, Florida. At 0936,
a helicopter and a C-130 airplane, both of which were already in
flight from USCG Air Station, Clearwater, Florida, were diverted
to assist Flight 855. Additionally, three more Coast Guard
helicopters and another Falconjet were alerted and prepared to
respond to the emergency. One Coast Guard cutter and five other
patrol vessels were standing by at sea. An Air Force C-130 and
a helicopter, both from Homestead Air Force Base, were alerted
and were preparing to takeoff. All aircraft and surface vessels
were alerted and either underway or preparing to get underway
by 0944.
The captain attempted to restart the No. 2 engine for a second
time but was unsuccessful. He then attempted to start the Nos. 3
and 1 engines, but again was unsuccessful; simultaneously, the
flightcrew was proceeding through the ditching checklist. The
captain then attempted a third time to start the No. 2 engine.
At 0938:18, when the airplane was at 4,000 feet and with an
indicated airspeed of about 250 knots, the No. 2 engine restarted.
The airplane was about 22 miles from Miami. The descent was
arrested at about 3,000 feet, and at 0940:20, a gradual climb was
started to 3,900 feet. At 0943, Flight 855 leveled at 3,900 feet and
began the final descent for landing at Miami International Airport.
The passengers and flight attendants remained in the brace
position until just before landing, when the captain announced
that they would land at Miami. At 0946, the airplane landed.
Air traffic control reported to the captain after the airplane landed
that smoke was emerging from the No. 1 engine. The captain
discharged the fire bottles in the engine and the smoke stopped.
He later discharged the firebottles in the No. 3 engine after smoke
was reported to him by ground personnel. Because the airplane
could not be taxied on the power generated by the No. 2 engine,
it was towed to the gate and passengers deplaned normally at the
terminal.
Captain Richard E. Boddy
Captain Richard E. Boddy, 58, holds Airline Transport Pilot
Certificate No. 221729 with an airplane multiengine land rating.
He received a type rating in the L-1011 on February 14, 1983.
His first class medical certificate was issued November 18, 1982.
He had 12,045 hours of total flight time, of which 13 hours were
flown in the Lockheed L-1011. He had been off duty for more
than 24 hours before the flight.
Captain Steve C. Thompson (Scab)
Captain Steve C. Thompson, 48, occupied the right seat in the
cockpit. He was a supervisory check airman. He holds Airline
Transport Pilot Certificate 1271445 with ratings for airplane
single engine, and multiengine land. He has a type rating in the
L-1011 airplane. His first class medical certificate was issued
January 10, 1983. Captain Thompson had a total of 16,946 flying
hours, of which 282 hours were flown in the L-1011. He had been
off duty to 22 hours before the flight.
Second Officer Dudley H. Barnes
Second officer Dudley H. Barnes, 44, holds Flight Engineer
Certificate No. 1868584 with a turbojet engine power airplane
rating. He possesses a current second class medical certificate.
Mr. Barnes had flown a total of 9,027 hours of which 2,666 hours
were in the Lockhead L-1011. He had been off duty for 24 hours
before the flight.
Senior Flight Attendant Shirley Alexiou
Senior Flight Attendant Shirley Alexiou has been employed by
Eastern Air Lines as a flight attendant for 14 years. Her most
recent recurrent training was in May 1982. She was scheduled for
recurrent training in May 1983. She is qualified in the L-1011,
DC-9, B-727, and A-300.
The History of N334EA
20
Delivery date
Airline
Registration
11/11/1976
Eastern Airlines
N334EA
13/07/1989
Air Algerie
N334EA
01/09/1989
American Trans Air
N334EA
25/07/1991
Delta Airlines
N788DL
01/12/1997
Tradewinds Airlines
N826CR
Remark
Leased
Broken up at Greensboro 03/2004
2012 Silver Falcons: Christmas Dinner Coverage
O
2012 Silver Falcons Christmas Dinner
nce again our Christmas dinner has come and gone
and a good time was had by all. If you missed it
and could have come—it’s your loss! As usual Petit
Auberge prepared a wonderful meal and, with five entrees
to choose from, everyone got the meal of his or her choice.
Sandy and Leah did a magnificent job with the preparations
and organization. They have been doing this voluntarily
for a number of years now and deserve everyone’s thanks!
The cocktail hour was just long enough to put everyone in
Paul & Duane Fischer
the Christmas spirit before we sat down and ate. Although
we had an excellent turnout, the room is large and we can
accommodate up to 100 guests. Let’s plan to make 2013
our largest turnout ever. We are slowly (?) aging and travel
to and from the restaurant can be a problem, but as we
grow more mature we need to make an even greater effort
to attend and share the Holidays with those friends that we
have shared so much with over the past years. Folks, we
won’t have that many more opportunities to party together!
John & Adeline Wolbert
Eileen & Joe Zito
Carrie & Jim Holder
21
Mary Lou Stone, Mary Kilman, Janice Harrington
Marlene & Don Teel
Darlene & Hank Sanak
Claire Newcomer, Pete & Joy McGue
22
Cecil & Ethel Sales
Anette & Luis Vallecillo
Dick & Jane Borrelli
Mary & Phil Hutchinson
Charlie & Claire Newcomer
Joe Wolbert & Don Teel
23
Ken & Rachel Andersen
Dave Laskey & Barbara Goddard
Don Teel, Joe Wolbert
Mary Hutchinson, Jan Lane, Anette Vallecillo
24
Becky Seamans, Jay Madala
Make sure your
smiling face is in
next years’ issue!
We miss you when
you aren’t here
celebrating with us!
Kathryn & Collins Bomar
Mary Hutchinson, Jan Lane
Bob & Becky Seamans
25
Confessions of a Regional Jet Pilot
by George Hobica
In our continuing series interviewing airline personnel Airfarewatchdog.com
asked a regional jet pilot about his work. The answers may surprise—and perhaps disturb—you.
Is it true that you get paid less than some flight attendants?
How do you survive on such a small salary?
Yes, but it depends on the airline. Most of us are doing this because
we have a passion for aviation and plan to move up in the industry.
We do not plan to fly 50-seat regional jets all of our life. While the
hefty salaries of experienced pilots may not stay as high as they once
were, we are not doing this for the pay. We earn experience by flying
regional jets and that experience will help us fly for larger airlines
with mainline aircraft where the pay is higher.
For one thing, we are like flight attendants, and we have crash pads in
our bases. These are apartments, houses, or sometimes even trailers
that we all share as pilots. We are never all there at once meaning we
all pay a portion of the rent, and then we use the beds a few nights
a month. It is a lot cheaper than a hotel or paying for an apartment.
Secondly, almost all of my friends have a second job. They are real
estate agents, temporary workers, part-time coaches, or even eBay
pros. We do what we have to do to survive, but our lifestyle is not
glamorous. It is all fueled by the hope to grow our career while
building our skills as a pilot.
How do you earn the hours needed to qualify to be an airline pilot?
Many of us begin very early taking flight lessons and earning our
hours. Others come through the military and earn their hours flying
during their training or in school. They are the lucky ones because
their training is paid for; school is the biggest expense for non-military
pilots. It is a double whammy to have loans to pay for school and
survive on such little
pay. But, we love what
we do so much that we
deal with it.
Do you get paid more
if you trained with the
military versus at a
flight school?
No, we all start at the
same pay at my airline
although it depends if
you’re hired as a first
officer or captain.
Do you ever find
yourself being treated
differently by more
experienced
pilots
because you are so
young?
On the flight deck, it
depends. Most pilots
respect each other and
their decisions although occasionally advice and recommendations
for how to do things are shared. However, there are a few more
senior pilots that were furloughed from major airlines that now find
themselves flying regional jets. They feel like they are superior to
those who are just starting out and often seem a bit condescending. It
is all part of the learning experience though. Being a pilot is just as
much about learning to work with various personalities as it is about
actually flying the airplane.
26
Is it true that you sometimes sleep in the airport?
There have been times when crew scheduling has us operate flights
into cities that arrive after midnight and depart around 4-5 am. In these
instances, it makes
little sense for us to
take a shuttle to a hotel,
check in, sleep for only
a few hours, and then
have a wake-up call an
hour and a half before
departure. What ends
up happening is that
we have “quiet rooms”
in some terminals
with La-Z-Boy style
loungers, pitch-black
surroundings,
and
absolute quiet. We get
more rest knowing that
we are at the airport,
but it never qualifies
as sound sleep. The
media likes to make
it seem that we slurp
coffee in the airport bar
all night, but we do
have a place to sleep. It
is not entirely restful,
and our schedule only
allows for one of these on a multi-day trip, but it does happen. This
is becoming rare, but it happens. We will have more extended rest
periods built into the trip later down the line.
Explain the parking lot trailer park at LAX.
It’s true. Some crewmembers based in the LAX area don’t even
bother looking for crash pads in town. Instead, they pay rent to sleep
in one of a series of trailers in a parking lot under the approach path
at LAX. These are popular with pilots on reserve who need to be
within close proximity to the airport and those who don’t want to
deal with the city traffic.
Why would you even accept this job if the schedule is so intense?
This is a stepping stone for almost all of us. The major airlines
typically hire from the regional carriers so this is a great avenue for
growth. Sadly, there are also a lot of pilots who have been furloughed
from their jobs flying the big jets at the majors who accept jobs flying
for regional carriers because that is their only option. Could you
accept a pay cut from $90,000 to $30,000 in a year? Most people
could not, but we pilots are an enterprising bunch.
Why do pilots have to go through the same security checks that
passengers do? Isn’t that counter-intuitive?
That’s exactly what we think! If we have the controls of the aircraft
anyway, it makes more sense to ease the lines by clearing pilots in
advance. Some airports have a test program and waive us through
(Baltimore has this in some terminals for example), but others are
still struggling to implement it. For now, we must go through the
same charades as passengers except it really is pointless for us.
Do you ever hear qualms from passengers about your young
age?
Occasionally, we will hear people commenting that we look like
kids. But, it’s really all relative and a matter of perspective. What we
hear most often is people exclaiming how small the plane is or their
reference to it as a puddle jumper. This, too, is relative and most often
heard by infrequent flyers. Seasoned travelers know that as many as
half of domestic flights today (if not more) are operated by regional
jets. The flight decks on these aircraft are just as modern as mainline
aircraft. In fact, most regional jets are fairly new from the past decade
or so, and they can fly distances of more than 1,000 miles easily. That
is a pretty large puddle!
The airplane has a legacy carrier logo name on it; is that who
you work for?
No. While regional jets often bear the branding of a major legacy
carrier, we are often a smaller independent airline that operates under
the banner of the larger carrier to provide flight connections and
additional frequencies to their system of flights. These smaller airlines
operate as subcontractors and have different safety procedures,
training departments, and management teams than the larger airlines
although, all of this is governed by the FAA to insure everything is
up to par.
Anette and Luis Vallecillo
with a photo collage
created by Luis, an
extremely talented
photographer, to help
celebrate and advertise our
Chattanooga Convention.
27
How Flight Attendants Deal With Unruly Passengers
The photo of a flier taped to his seat on an Icelandair flight last week went
viral, and prompted questions of how flight attendants deal with unruly
passengers at 39,000 feet.
It’s a picture that launched thousands of Facebook shares, tweets and
online comments: An air traveler who was allegedly so out of control that
he had to be taped to his seat is also sparking curiosity about how flight
crews deal with unruly passengers.
Icelandair will file charges with Icelandic police against a man who was
hitting, screaming and spitting at other fliers while yelling profanities on
a flight from Reykjavik to New York on Thursday, airline spokesman
Michael Raucheisen told NBC News.
The man was restrained and after the plane landed at JFK International, a
photo of a male passenger with tape around his chest and mouth quickly
went viral when it appeared on a blog run by New Yorker Andy Ellwood,
who said he received the picture from an acquaintance who witnessed
the incident.
The startling image prompted many questions from air travelers who
wondered whether such creative use of tape would ever be sanctioned
on a U.S. airline.
First, you should know flight attendants on U.S. carriers do have the
ability and the tools to tie up an unruly passenger when necessary, but
they would not attach the troublemaker to the seat, said Veda Shook,
international president of the Association of Flight Attendants.
“If we have to physically restrain someone,
sure, we’re trained to do that, but not in
this manner,” Shook told NBC News, adding
that she’s seen prisoners being transported in
handcuffs but never cuffed to any part of the
plane for their safety.
“If there were an emergency, how would he get
out of there?”
It is standard to find to find flex cuffs -or plastic ties – on board flights in case a
passenger needs to be retrained, Shook said.
It’s also not uncommon to find tape on a plane,
although it’s meant for more routine uses, like
hanging up passengers’ drink orders or fixing
a broken suitcase handle, said veteran flight
attendant Heather Poole, author of “Cruising
Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and
Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet.”
No tape? No problem. There are many other alternatives on board if an
impromptu restraint were to be needed.
“Flight attendants are pretty clever. If we don’t have tape, we’ll find
something else to use: men’s ties, shoe laces, seat belts,” Poole said.
All of the flight attendants who spoke with NBC News noted that unruly
passengers are rare and that they’ve never come close to having to
28
restrain a flier. Still, the government deals with dozens of out-of-control
air travelers each year.
There were 131 cases of unruly passengers on U.S. airlines in 2011, the
last full year for which statistics are available, according to the Federal
Aviation Administration. That’s down from a peak of 330 cases in 2004.
FAA regulations do not require that airlines carry items such as plastic
ties. “Flight attendant security training is conducted according to FAA
and TSA standards, which we do not discuss,” the agency said in a
statement.
While federal air marshals fly under cover on some routes to protect
passengers from terrorists, airlines have their own protocols on how
to deal with travelers who may have had too much to drink or are
behaving badly. Dealing with unruly passengers is not a function of the
Transportation Security Administration, said agency spokesman David
Castelveter.
For all of their training, flight crews can’t always anticipate how
passengers will act, so they often have to rely on their best judgment,
said veteran flight attendant Rene Foss, author of “Around the World in
a Bad Mood!”
“When you’re flying at 39,000 feet, you can’t just call 911, so you have
to figure it out,” Foss said.
Part of the strategy is knowing who you can enlist to help. Foss and
Shook said they routinely size up passengers
during boarding to mentally note who might be
able to assist in an emergency.
“If you know that the Green Bay Packers are
traveling in the main cabin and there’s some
trouble up in front, you might want to get one of
those big boys to come up and help you,” Foss
said. “It’s just situational awareness.”
Flight attendants also try to de-escalate and
diffuse tense situations to avoid getting
anywhere near the point where someone has to
be restrained, Shook noted.
When passengers do act out, alcohol is often
the culprit, she added. The unruly Icelandair
passenger “drank all of his duty free liquor
on the flight,” Ellwood wrote in the blog post
accompanying the infamous photo.
Poole recalled a traveler who was on his fourth beer less than an hour into
a flight and who told her he could drink many more. The flier backed off
when she balked at his request for more booze, but others aren’t so calm
when they don’t get what they want, Poole noted.
“That’s when we might accidentally on purpose forget to serve them a
drink, or tell them we’ve run out, or we might even start mixing way more
Coke and a lot less (alcohol) until we’re only serving a tiny drop of liquor
in the glass,” she said.

Winter 2013 - The Silver Falcons

Transcription

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