A Salute to Colonial Airlines

Honor, integrity, pride, fellowship — The rEAL Flight Crew!
The Official Newsletter of The Silver Falcons
Volume 14, Number 3
www.silverfalcons.com
Summer 2010
A Salute to Colonial Airlines
Colonial Airlines is the Company that gave us Canada, the Northern Division, and Bermuda,
as well as a marvelous group of Pilots and Flight Attendants. Spending a couple of winters
flying to Malone, Massena, Saranac Lake, Rutland, Burlington, Wilkes Barre, Glens Falls,
and Syracuse with the old Colonial Captains was the finest training in short field operations,
foul weather flying, snow and ice, ADF approaches, NDB approaches, and VOR approaches
that any young co-Pilot could hope for. After a winter in the Northern Division we were truly
instrument pilots! Thanks, Colonial, for being part of what made Eastern great!
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
1
Ladies and Gentlemen of The Silver Falcons,
“Do you remember?”
P.O. Box 71372
Newnan, GA
30271
Board of Directors
C.R. Shoop, President
Tel: (770) 929-1924
[email protected]
Bill Frank, Director
Tel: (770) 567-3763
[email protected]
Hank Sanak, Vice President
Tel: (770) 487-4255
[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]
Bob Ramsey, Secretary
Tel: (770) 977-5424
[email protected]
Sandy McCulloh, E-Mail Editor
Tel: (770) 491-0727
[email protected]
Joe Zito, Financial Officer
Tel: (770) 252-0761
Fax: (770) 252-0758
Cell: (678) 523-1235
[email protected]
Dave Ingle, Director
Tel: (770) 432-5165
[email protected]
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; 770 474-1953; [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 $25 per year for Charter members and family members. A life membership
may be purchased for $500. 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.
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The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
Recently one of my Air Force classmates
accused me of having some elephant
DNA for recalling so much information
about our times together over fifty years
ago. The same recall was triggered when
the restored EAL DC-7B #836 was
displayed over the Internet. I had managed to bid and hold MIA
in early 1964 and even though it was for Flight Engineer on the
Seven and at the bottom of the list, Judy and I thought we were
back in Vahalla after four years and three prior airlines. This put
me in the cockpit with some of the original Pitcaran Mailwing
pilots when I later flew the B-720 and DC-8 series. How many
of you remember the original lighted airways system? It was still
in operation and could be seen from the “Seven” on many of
our routes especially from ATL to the Northeast area. Recently
one of my sons was on top of Stone Mountain and stated the
yellow markings of a dotted circle, an arrow with 190’, and
ATL showing the way to today’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport was
badly faded but yet visible for now but whose days are surely
numbered. This was for those early pilots flying the airmail
routes that Captain E.R. “Gene” Brown, #1on our seniority list,
first flew in October,1928 from ATL to EWR along the lighted
airways system. One of the guys told me the story of how he was
lost one night ( Or as all pilots insist only slightly misoriented)
when suddenly out of the clouds Stone Mountain appeared and
the Pitcaran bounced off the the top of that granite monster and
back into the air. He regained his composure, started the clock’s
second hand, and set course 190’ now that he had a position
check. I guess they don’t build them like that anymore. No, I
didn’t ask if he changed his underwear after landing. There was
a cartoon in operations showing a Flight Attendant with her
saying “There must be an airport around here somewhere as
there are so many pilots and one can pile it higher than the next”
This means we can start piling it up on September the 29th at
the upcoming convention. Maybe a brown bucket award can be
presented at the banquet for the best story. Lord knows a Real
Eastern pilot can always fill that one up with no trouble.
Fraternally,
C.R. Shoop, President
Mark your
calendar.
The annual
Silver Falcons
Christmas
dinner will be
held at Petit
Auberge
on Friday
evening,
December 17.
Mark your calendar.
The 2010 Silver Falcons
Convention will be held
at the Perimeter Center
Marriott in Atlanta from
Wednesday, Sept. 29
through Saturday Oct. 2.
See pages 4-6.
Check out our web site at:
www.silverfalcons.com.
A new movie every
quarter! Check out the
current newsletter,
back issues, photo
galleries, convention
info... Everything you
need to know.
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
3
2010 SILvER FALConS ConvEnTIon
he Silver Falcons 2010 Convention will be held at the Marriott Perimeter Center in Atlanta from Wednesday,
Sept 29 through Saturday, October 2. The hotel has given us an amazing room rate of $83.00 a night! This is
by far the least expensive room rate we have had in many years! There will be a pay as you go pre-convention
dinner at J. Alexanders restaurant on Wednesday evening prior to the official opening of the convention. The hotel
will provide complimentary van service to and from the restaurant so no one will have to drive. Thursday morning
our golf tournament will be held at The Country Club of Roswell followed by the Welcome Aboard cocktail party
and buffet Thursday evening. Friday will be our annual business meeting and Spousal Luncheon and the Banquet
will be held Friday evening. Checkout will be Saturday morning.
The Golf Tournament will cost $75 all inclusive and your check made out to The Silver Falcons can be sent to Capt. Bill
Frank, P.O. Box 522, Zebulon, GA 30295-7376.
Since the amenities provided by the hotel are dependant upon the number of room nights booked for the convention, it
is requested and encouraged that local attendees register and stay at the hotel.
Perimeter Center is an ideal location for
a convention since it is so convenient to
so many Atlanta attractions. The hotel
is located within walking distance of
Perimeter Mall with it’s many fine stores
including Bloomingdales, Dillards,
Macy’s, Nordstrum, Abercrombie &
Fitch, Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers,
and many others. Local dining
includes J. Alexanders, Maggiano’s,
Cheesecake Factory, McCormick &
Schmick, McKendrick’s Steak House,
Season’s 52, The Wildfire Grill, Fire
Of Brazil, Chequers, P.F. Chang’s, and
Garrison’s.
MARTA has rail service from the
Atlanta Airport and the station at
Perimeter is just a short walk from
the hotel. The hotel has unlimited
free parking and motor homes can be
parked in the lot, but hook ups are not
available.
Some of the Atlanta attractions available within a short drive are the new
Atlanta Aquarium, Six Flags, The Fox theater, Stone Mountain, Grant Park Zoo, and Kennesaw Mountain.
As always the Hospitality Suite will be open 24/7 unless another event is taking place. The Hospitality Suite has always
been the cornerstone of The Silver Falcons Conventions with free beverages and snacks available at all times as well as
our Country Store. The purpose of the convention has always been, and always will be, to give our members the opportunity to socialize and drink and relax with old friends in the Hospitality Suite while everyone tells and listens to lies,
exaggerations, and half truths about what made the job so good (AND IT WAS!) Stories about Connies and Electras, and
720s, and 727s, and Martins, and Airbus, and all the others never grow old and never grow dull – they simply get bigger
and better every year! C’MON TO ATLANTA AND LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL! “THERE I WAS—UPSIDE
DOWN AT 30,000 FEET WITH ONE ENGINE OUT, THE FAA ON THE JUMP SEAT, MY CREW MEAL WAS
COLD, THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT WAS COLDER, AND I COULDN’T GET ANOTHER CUP OF COFFEE!”
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The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
The Atlanta Mariott Perimeter Center
Delight in an exceptional Atlanta Perimeter hotel in Dunwoody that blends a convenient location with
unmatched personal service. Surrounded by fabulous shopping, dining and entertainment, and adjacent to the
Atlanta Perimeter Mall, our Dunwoody hotel is conveniently located just 15 minutes from downtown - and
is easily accessible by MARTA. Featuring 400 comfortable rooms wired for business, our Dunwoody hotel’s
complimentary parking provides a superior value. Perimeter Grille serves traditional cuisine in a casual
atmosphere, while the new and trendy Perimeter Grille Lounge boasts classic cocktails in a sophisticated setting.
Guests may also host parties or business meetings in our 15,000 square feet of newly renovated meeting space
with innovative technological enhancements, as well as contiguous banquet facilities, a kosher kitchen, and the
new Perimeter Ballroom. Discover a favorite amongst Dunwoody, Atlanta hotels at Marriott Perimeter Center.
Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center
246 Perimeter Center Parkway NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30346 USA
Phone: 1-770-394-6500
Fax: 1-770-394-4338
Toll-free: 1-888-858-2451
Sales: 1-770-394-6500 ext. 3710
Sales Fax: 1-770-913-9440
Check-In and Checkout
Check-in: 4:00 PM Check-out: 12:00 PM
Video Review Billing , Video Checkout
Express Checkout
Parking
Complimentary on-site parking
Short Term Comp Parking Daily at Hotel
Pet Policy
Pets allowed; contact hotel for details
Hotel Details
16 floors, 400 rooms
14 meeting rooms, 15,000 sq ft of total meeting space
7 concierge levels
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010 5
2010 SILvER FALConS ConvEnTIon
J. ALExAnDERS RESTAURAnT
J. Alexander’s is a contemporary American restaurant,
known for its wood-fired cuisine. Our core philosophy
is to provide you with the highest possible quality
dining experience. The menu features a wide selection
of American classics including prime rib of beef, steaks,
fresh seafood, sandwiches and entrée salads. The menu
in each restaurant includes a varied and rotating selection
of features like Seafood Czarina, Tuscan Steak, Grilled
Fish with Mango Papaya Salsa and Chicken Milanese.
The restaurant has a full-service bar that includes an
outstanding selection of wines both by the glass and bottle.
We look forward to serving you when you visit. We serve
American style food with a modern twist. We are inspired
by our rich multi-cultural heritage in the development
of our contemporary American menu. our restaurant is
committed to providing our guests with the best quality
food possible. our
seafood represents
the finest, fresh
fish available. We
serve only aged
Certified Angus
Beef. our steaks
are hand-cut in
our restaurants.
Fresh, farm-raised
vegetables are available daily as a compliment to the wide
selection of standard and daily featured entrees.
J. ALExAnDERS REvIEWS
1. J. Alexanders is special. The atmosphere is casually
elegant. Wait staff is friendly and attentive. The food is
wonderful with a wide variety- excellent dinner salads,
sandwiches, grilled meats, fish, and poultry, pasta and
vegetables. The portions are extremely generous. If you
try to finish your entree, you will not have room for the
best part, so plan to share or take the rest home for later
The main reason to come here is for the “Powerful Stuff”
ice cream pie. It is an architectural wonder. How do they
get ice cream and mix-ins to stand that high? Crisp crust,
delicious ice cream, nutty, chewy, yummy treats mixed-in
and drizzled with a delicious caramel sauce. After reading
several reviews about the carrot cake, I may have to try it,
but I am not sure I can go back to J. Alexanders and pass
up the Powerful Stuff.
2. My friends and I celebrated a birthday together and
decided to dine at this establishment. My experience from
walking in to the restaurant and leaving was nothing short
of amazing. This was my first time at J. Alexander’s but
certainly will not be the last.
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The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
our waitress for the evening, Gina, was the epitome of
first class service. She gave me the 3 P’s of service I
always look for: patient, polite, & prompt. I ordered a
side dish that wasn’t as appealing as I thought and Gina
handled my ‘send back’ with grace & humility. If you
decide to dine here, you’ve got to ask for her because
she is the best...hands down (she’s also quite hilarious
but you’ll have to go to find that out for yourself).
Everyone in my party was more than pleased with the service
and attention we received that night. Even though we hardly
touched our meals because we talked & took pictures more
than we ate, what little we sampled was delicious (the best
crab cakes EvER). our meals even re-heated well later
that night. We were not a difficult group by far just a little
picky but our needs were met with a smile and geniune
pleasure. It seemed like they were just pleased that we
decided to join them and it showed through their actions.
Lastly, I received a callback
the very next day from a
hostess asking if my group
enjoyed our experience, if
there was anything they
could have done to make
it better and they hoped
we would join them again
soon. Talk about 5-star
service.
3.The ambiance is very cool - dark and lounge-like. The
food is fantastic! Their dinner salads are massive (and I
recommend eating half and taking half home for lunch the
next day). Dinner itself is always cooked to perfection. I
highly recommend their filet mignon. Their side dish of
mac n’ cheese is very unique... please, please try it! It’s not
your momma’s mac n’ cheese! Finally, their carrot cake
dessert is something to write home about!
4. J. Alexander’s is one of those restaurants where you get
pulled into the atmosphere from the moment you walk in
the door. It’s perfect for a casual dinner, birthdays or work
events. The staff is excellent and the service has always
been great. The menu is large, but not so overwhelming
that the food comes out underwhelming. The dining
room with its multiple levels lends for nice privacy while
dining. The restaurant has an open kitchen, but the noise
doesn’t carry. Personally, their steaks are always good,
their sides are fabulous, and the drinks are always poured
to perfection. This gem of ‘nice-casual’ dining in Atlanta
really stands out from the chain restaurants that would cost
the same and not provide the quality. If you are looking for
desserts, then you must try their infamous Carrot Cake!
you’ll go back just for that. v
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:
Grandbabies
Introducing Miss
Mattie MacDonald,
Granddaughter of
Captain Byron Ellis.
Mattie is posing
proudly with Granddad Byron and her Mom,
Amanda MacDonald.
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. Paul Buehler
9 Spring Brook
Laguna Niguel, CA 9267
[email protected]
(949) 363-1301
Capt. Tim Chase
109 Carols Lane
Locust Grove, GA 30248
[email protected]
(770) 320-8526
Capt. Jack Coleman
209 Lake Drive
Jasper, TX 75951-5829
(409) 383-1969
Capt. Bob Drawdy
762 Tyrone Rd.
Tyrone, GA 30290-9700
(770) 487-4150
Capt. Jerry Fradenburg
3 Fenway Court
Newnan, GA 30265
(770) 502-0451
Capt. Jim Fullerton
16207 Winchmore Hill Drive
Spring, TX 77379-6767
(281) 370-4004
Capt. Waldo Harrington
5495 Smoke Rise Drive
Stone Mountain, GA 30087
(770) 491-6469
Mrs. Pam Hipps
Wife of Capt. Jeff Hipps
481 Fernshire Drive
Palm harbor, FL 34683
[email protected]
(813) 786-6217
Mrs. Pauline Mallary
Wife of Capt. Pete Mallary
221 Magnolia Church Rd.
Statesboro, GA 30461
[email protected]
(912) 587-2376
Mrs. Dee McKinney
Wife of Capt. Clancy McKinney
2860 Roxburgh Drive
Roswell, GA 30076
[email protected]
(770) 475-1129
Lamorah Stephens (F/A)
6785 White Mill Rd.
Fairburn, GA 30213
[email protected]
(770) 964-8174
Capt. Bob Ramsey
3173 Inman Park Court
Marietta, GA 30062
[email protected]
(770) 977-5425
Capt. Curt Whaley
945 Gondolier Blvd.
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563-3017
[email protected]
(850) 932-6649
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
7
The Editorial
Just over one hundred years ago two brothers flew the first manned
flight in a powered, heavier than air, aircraft. From that day aviation
advanced in leaps and bounds as the technology developed and
newer and better aircraft were built. The first airline passengers
were flown in open cockpit aircraft, exposed to the elements, with
no protection against the weather and the cold. Later, although
the pilot still flew from an open cockpit, the passengers (usually
no more than one or two) rode in an enclosed cabin seated on
wicker seats, still with no heating or cooling. Navigation aids were
nonexistent and the planes were unable to fly above the weather.
Flying was a unique and hazardous adventure that only a few brave
souls even dared to try and was also extremely expensive. Pilots
were considered heroes.
The transportation of people for profit by air intrigued a number
of aviation enthusiasts and soon the first airlines were born and
aircraft were designed specifically to transport large numbers of
people for long distances. The planes, for the most part, had either
two or three engines and both a Pilot and a Co-pilot, an enclosed
cabin, wicker chairs with lots of leg room, and a stewardess to
provide service in the cabin. Limited food and beverage service
was introduced and the era of luxury travel had begun. Since there
were no radios or navigational aids, no one flew at night and at
dusk the planes landed and the passengers spent the night in hotels
or rode a train until morning. Transportation by air was strictly
daylight VFR. Pilots were considered daring.
All of this changed just prior to World War Two with the advent
of the Boeing 247 and the Douglas DC-3. Commercial aviation
became comfortable with padded, reclining seats, still with lots
of leg room, hot food, and the ability to fly at night. Three abreast
seating had not yet been invented. Travel by air had become
practical although still pretty much only available for the well-todo. Gentlemen travelled in suits and ladies all wore heels. Everyone
dressed to fly. Pilots were considered dashing.
During and after World War two amazing advances were made in
aviation technology and from this technology the super airliners
were born. The Constellation and the DC-7 ruled the sky.
Pressurization and superchargers had arrived. Airplanes now
had four engines, heating, cooling, pressurization, autopilots,
superchargers, radar, and the ability and range to fly over and
around the weather. To deal with the complexity of the new designs
a third crewmember was introduced to the cockpit to oversee the
systems. The flight engineer had come into existence. In the event
of an emergency the work load was distributed evenly among the
crew for the safest and most practical resolution of the problem.
One pilot flew the aircraft, one pilot communicated and navigated,
and the Flight Engineer devoted all his energy to the emergency.
To fly extended overwater legs an aircraft was required to have four
engines and an extended crew. Safety of flight was of paramount
importance. Pilots were viewed with awe.
All of this was overseen by an agency called The Civil Aeronautics
Board. They determined the frequency of flights, the number of
seats to be supplied to each city, which airlines would fly each
route, how often they would fly, and when. They also required that
service be provided to smaller cities and, if these routes were not
profitable, subsidized the routes. Available seats were determined
by the needs of the community. The airlines, like the railroads,
were luxurious, totally reliable, always on time, and the envy of the
civilized world! Lobster in First Class, steak in Tourist. America
had the best airlines, the best railroads, and the best telephone
service in the entire world! Pilots were considered to be skilled
professionals.
Then one day, in its infinite wisdom, Congress discovered and
implemented Deregulation!!!!! It was decided that this system
that had worked so beautifully for so long was actually flawed
and without merit. Airlines were deregulated, railroads were
deregulated, and the telephone system was dismantled. The skies
were now open to anyone who could afford an airplane and fares
were as low as the airline wanted to make them. Everyone jumped
into the lucrative routes, competition became ridiculous, and fares
and service plummeted as weaker and underfunded airlines began
to fail at an alarming rate. Suddenly large four engine aircraft were
being flown with a crew of two pilots, the flight engineer having
been replaced by Automation!!!! It was determined that engines
were now so totally reliable that routes over water, previously
8
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
EDITORIAL, Continued
flown by four engine aircraft with a flight engineer, could now be
safely flown by twin engine aircraft without a flight engineer. The
buzz word was reliability, but the hidden agenda was Economy!!!!
Somewhere in the process legroom, service, and food disappeared!
It was simply too expensive to fly a four engine aircraft with a flight
engineer when a two engine aircraft with only two pilots could be
substituted for far less money. An industry that had been founded
on safety was now totally controlled by economics. Pilots were
considered to be expensive prima donnas.
Due to their inability to serve secondary markets profitably, the
major airlines simply withdrew service and the markets were
abandoned. This created a new entity called Commuter airlines!!!!
Inexperienced pilots in little airplanes began providing feeder
service from small towns to major hubs. Suddenly, after all the
years of progress and service, passengers were once again flying
in twin engine aircraft with no service, pressurization, leg room,
or cooling. Schedules were haphazard or nonexistent, airlines were
consistently on the brink of bankruptcy, delays were horrendous,
and seventy five years of progress had been eliminated by
legislators who didn’t even know how to fly. Pilots were considered
an overpaid but necessary evil.
The final and most devastating step was to convince the flight
crews that they were paid far too much money, that their working
conditions were too liberal, their duty rigs were unrealistic, and
that they could all be replaced by Automation!!!! Salaries were
cut, retirement destroyed, medical benefits reduced, duty rigs
eliminated, and layovers cut to bare minimums. Senior pilots with
years of experience retired in droves, military pilots remained in
the military, the pilot pool dried up, and qualified people became
more and more difficult to find. Pilots are no longer required to
fly because automation has taken over the responsibility of flight
as well as navigation. New pilots will never learn to fly, but they
can automate the hell out of an airplane! EFIS, FMS, and Dispatch
now have total control of the cockpit. FADEC has taken control of
power away from the crew. The steep turn has become an unusual
attitude! The airplane can now land itself and most airlines require
it. The aircraft is only really controlled by the pilot from the gate to
liftoff and from rollout back to the gate. Everything in between is
now done by Automation!!!! In another ten years knowing how to
fly will no longer be a requirement for a job as pilot and automation
will wear four stripes. My question at this point is “Who the hell is
going to fly the airplane when Captain Automation dies?” Perhaps
by then there will be a First-Automation on board and perhaps
even a Flight Automation. I hope so, because no one in the human
crew, if there is one, will remember how to fly! Pilots have become
unnecessary and obsolete!
RIP, Airline Pilots. You were killed by deregulation, economics,
and automation. Unfortunately safety, skill, and Command
responsibility died with you. It was a rough ride and you died early,
but you will be remembered with love and pride by all of us who
learned piloting from the old timers—the true aviation pioneers!
So long Eastern, TWA, Pan Am, Northwest, Northeast, Capital,
Braniff, Western, and National! RIP!
Please read the Air India memo following this editorial. v
Dick Borrelli
Editor
Pilots Play With Lives by
Flying Manually for “Ultimate Kick”
An Air India Publication
Soaring in the sky, pilots at times switch off the automation
instruments in the cockpit to fly the aircraft manually. Sounds
bizarre! The truth is that they do it to get that ‘ultimate kick’. In the
process, they compromise on passenger safety.
Though ‘raw data flying’ (the technical term for manual flying) is
not prohibited, pilots are not exposed to manual flying, which is
normally carried out only on a simulator.
It is done to train pilots in case the computerised systems in the
cockpit fail. Pilots of various airlines have been found violating the
parameters of standard flying procedures.
While a senior commander of a private airline admitted that pilots
do go for ‘raw data flying’, Air India director (flight safety) has
gone a step ahead and issued a circular cautioning the pilots.
The Air India circular stated that there were cases of ‘parameter
excedence’ and advised pilots to stick to the standard operating
procedures.
There have been more than 40 incidents when flying parameters
were breached, said an official familiar with monitoring flight data
recorders (FDR).
The FDRs, which store flight data including the ways in which the
pilots handle aircraft instruments, are regularly monitored by senior
airline officers to analyse whether pilots have been following flying
rules.
In case a breach is noticed, the pilots are summoned and counselled
to ensure that passenger safety is not compromised.
About two- three years ago, an Indian Airlines aircraft had deviated
from its flight path and moved towards the Rashtrapati Bhawan
prompting the official carrier to issue an alert. The incident
happened because the co-pilot was flying manual.
An Air India pilot admitted that during ‘raw data flying’, parameters
have been violated.
For example, while landing at the IGI airport, the normal rate of
descent of an aircraft should be around 700 ft per minute. But
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
9
Air India continued
it could shoot up to 2000 ft per minute during manual handling,
thereby endangering passenger safety, the pilot stated.
This then sets off a chain reaction putting the pilot under tremendous
psychological pressure.
In the panic-like situation, the pilot might find it difficult to
simultaneously adjust parameters like direction and altitude for a
safe landing, he said.
And then there is the possibility that instead of landing at position
‘A’ the aircraft might land at place ‘B’, or instead of runway 29, at
runway 27, he explained. In case of automated flying, computers
do these jobs for the pilot.
At times, the passengers may never get to know about the violation
and it is the air traffic control which pitches in to guide the pilot
for a safe landing.
An air traffic controller pointed out “there have been instances of
level busts and sudden rates of descent and climb were noticed
which weren’t desirable”. Former DGCA Kanu Gohain said, “Raw
data flying can’t be banned. It is part of the training and if pilots
are violating the parameters, they should be counselled and sent
for corrective training”. Capt A. Ranganathan, an aviation expert,
stated that manual flying should be normally tried on simulators.
“It can be practised once in a while at airports with low air traffic
density but certainly not at busy airports such as Mumbai or Delhi,”
Ranganathan said.
A senior commander of a private airline said ‘raw data flying’
should be done rarely since passenger safety is involved.
“But the pilots should also be comfortable with manual flying,
what if the onboard computers fail,” he said. He also conceded that
manual flying should be tried on simulators as at times things could
really go out of hand.
Aviation experts pointed out that the purpose of complete automation
was to enhance safety features, besides saving the pilot from fatigue
or any other distractions and making the cockpit less crowded.
The automation inside the cockpit includes flight director, auto
thrust and auto pilot, the job of which is to direct flight, control
climb, descent, direction, speed and other aspects.
A senior instructor pilot admitted that younger pilots pester them
for ‘raw data flying’ while some seniors flaunt their skills by
completely switching off automation. v
Letters
Flight Attendant Dedication
Dick:
Thank you so much for dedicating the spring 2010 rEAL Word to
EAL F/As. It brought back many memories of a time and an era
gone by too long ago. There were photographs of friends I hadn’t
thought of in years. I was always proud to have been employed by
Eastern Airlines and will always miss it. We were just the best.
Sharon Buffington
F/A 1968-1991, JFK/ATL
Stewardesses & Flight Attendants
Hi Dick,
What a nice surprise! I am thrilled that the Silver Falcons
are recognizing the Eastern Airlines Stewardesses and Flight
Attendants. As you know, in my day we were called Stewardesses
and during that time the rapport we had with pilots was very
special. Most times we would fly with same crew for months,
getting to know not only the Captain, but 1st Officer and in some
cases a Flight Engineer. I can remember several Valentine Days
the Captain would show up for the trip with a little heart shaped
Valentine box filled with chocolate for the Stews. Something so
small, meant so much. That was just one example of the crew
rapport and closeness.
10
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
I can remember flying with same front end crew for months. Each
time we received the same darn crew meal. The Captain mentioned
to me how sick he was getting of the same meal. When we landed
I went into the catering office and with my best smile I asked if
there was any way that they could change the crew meals as we
were all getting tired of the same thing. Guess that smile worked
because the next trip we had steaks! Very thin, but not the usual
chicken. Also, during those days we used to make the front end
crew chocolate milkshakes in barf bags. It doesn’t sound that great
but they were appreciated—especially after a long day, and actually
tasted pretty good. Did you ever receive one? If so, maybe it was
one of the ones I made.
Those days are long gone, but not forgotten. I am so proud to have
flown during that time and having the honor and privilege to have
gotten to know so many of the wonderful EAL pilots, one of which
I got to share 35 years of my life with.
On behalf of the all the EAL Stewardess’s and Flight Attendances,
we thank you for dedicating the Spring 2010 Newsletter to us. And
it goes without saying how much we all appreciate the work you
and the others do for the Silver Falcons in keeping the memories
alive.
Thank You All.
EAL Stewardess 1965 1968
Carole Cole ( Mrs Don Reynolds) Mrs Don Thompson
Letters continued
Center of Attention
WOW!!!! I made the centerfold! Feel like Marilyn Monroe!
Loved the fact that F/A Mabel Egge and the graduating Class of
1954 with F/A Fred Shimandle were printed. Seeing that picture of
Irv Parker, I recalled his being No. 1 on our Seniority List. Prior to
the merger between EAL and CAI, there was a separate seniority
list for the male Flight Attendants. We negotiated a merged date
for date seniority list and a requirement that there be at least one
stewardess on all 4 engine aircraft.
I took that picture of Norma Frey, when we were picketing the
LGA terminal. Have more pix of picketing with signs. When I
get a round tuit, I’ll send some of those and the Colonial pix. You
might find a use for them in the future sometime.
On behalf of all F/A’s, especially those who have “flown west”,
thank you for this issue. I think you have done a great job of
recognizing the Cabin Crewsers. v
Thank you,
Jeanne Notaro
The Age of the 707
That smoke is from the 1,700 pounds of water
injection the J57s used for take off.
(Note where the airplane is. Go to the overrun
and suck the gear out from under it.)
Those were the good old days. Pilots back then
were men that didn’t want to be women or girly
men. Pilots all knew who Jimmy Doolittle was.
Pilots drank coffee, whiskey, smoked cigars and
didn’t wear digital watches.
Real pilots carried their own suitcases and brain
bags like the real men that they were. Pilots
didn’t bend over into the crash position multiple
times each day in front of the passengers at
security so that some Govt agent could probe
for tweezers or fingernail clippers or too much
toothpaste.
Pilots did not go through the terminal impersonating a caddy pulling a bunch of golf clubs, computers, guitars, and feed bags full of
tofu and granola on a sissy-trailer with no hat and granny glasses
hanging on a pink string around their pencil neck while talking to
their personal trainer on the cell phone!!!
Being an Airline Captain was as good as being the King in a Mel
Brooks movie. All the Stewardesses (aka Flight Attendants) were
young, attractive, single women that were proud to be combatants
in the sexual revolution. They didn’t have to turn sideways, grease
up and suck it in to get through the cockpit door. They would blush
and say thank you when told that they looked good, instead of filing
a sexual harassment claim. Junior Stewardesses shared a room and
talked about men.... with no thoughts of substitution.
Passengers wore nice clothes and were polite; they could speak
AND understand English. They didn’t speak gibberish or listen to
loud gangster rap on their IPods. They bathed and didn’t smell like
a rotting pile of garbage in a jogging suit and flip-flops. Children
didn’t travel alone, commuting between trailer parks.
There were no Mongol hordes asking for a seatbelt extension or
a Scotch and grapefruit juice cocktail with a twist. If the Captain
wanted to throw some offensive, ranting jerk off the airplane, it was
done without any worries of a lawsuit or getting fired.
Axial flow engines crackled with the sound of freedom and left an
impressive black smoke trail like a locomotive burning soft coal.
Jet fuel was cheap and once the throttles were pushed up they were
left there, after all it was the jet age and the idea was to go fast (run
like a lizard on a hardwood floor). Economy cruise was something
in the performance book, but no one knew why or where it was.
When the clacker went off no one got all tight and scared because
Boeing built it out of iron, nothing was going to fall off and that
sound had the same effect on real pilots then as Viagra does now
for those new age guys.
There was very little plastic and no composites on the airplanes or
the Stewardesses’ pectoral regions. Airplanes and women had eye
pleasing symmetrical curves, not a bunch of ugly vortex generators, ventral fins, winglets, flow diverters, tattoos, rings in their
nose, tongues and eyebrows.
Airlines were run by men like Eddie Rickenbacker, C.R. Smith,
Bob Six and Juan Tripp who had built their companies virtually
from scratch, knew most of their employees by name and were
lifetime airline employees themselves...not pseudo financiers and
bean counters who flit from one occupation to another for a few
bucks, a better parachute or a fancier title, while fervently believing that they are a class of beings unto themselves.
And so it was back then.... and never will be again! v
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
11
C
CoLonIAL AIRLInES – A PHoTo RETRoSPECTIvE
olonial Airlines was a Canadian airline from the 1940s and 1950s with
bases in Montreal and at LaGuardia
Airport (LGA) in new york City.
It was formerly known as well as
Canadian Colonial Airways and Colonial Airways
before becoming Colonial Airlines In october
of 1939 Canadian Colonial Airways was taken
over by a group of investors led by Sigmund
Janas. CCA had not been terribly aggressive in
the marketplace and Janas decided to change
this. Accordingly, on 1 May 1942, he changed the
corporate name of the airline to Colonial Airlines
and took steps to expand its route structure. By
1945 the airline had been awarded a route from
Washington to Montreal and in May 1946 one to
Bermuda. Meanwhile the fleet had expanded
from four DC-3s in 1942 to over a dozen by
1948.
By 1956, Colonial’s executive offices were on
Park Avenue in new york City and it was flying DC-3 and DC-4 aircraft in scheduled service, including five daily nonstop DC-4 flights
between LGA and Montreal. It also operated a
nonstop DC-4 flight departing LGA at 11 am EST
to Bermuda, arriving at kindley Field 3:35 pm
AST, with a “full course hot meal” served en
route, its timetables advertised. It also offered
a DC-3 puddle jumper flight from LGA making
an 11:50 am Monday-Friday flag stop at
Poughkeepsie’s Dutchess County Airport
en route to Montreal and ottawa,
ttawa, Canada,
with intermediate stops at Albany, new
york, Rutland, vermont,
ermont, and Burlington,
vermont.
The airline operated until 1956, when it was
acquired by Eastern Air Lines. A few years
following the merger, many of the airline’s
more rural destinations were stopped. v
12
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
13
Colonial Airlines continued
14
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
I
So You WAnt to be an Airline Pilot?
walked into the interview with a great deal of confidence and enthusiasm.
Flying airplanes was my one true passion in this life. This was my big
chance to merge my occupation with my love. I would become an airline
pilot.
“So you want to be an airline pilot?” the interviewer inquired.
“Yes, sir, more than anything else I have ever wanted,” I replied, realizing
I sounded like an anxious adolescent.
“Well, great, welcome aboard,” the airline executive said.
“You mean I’m hired?!” I cheered.
“You bet, we’re glad to have you. Actually, we’ve had trouble finding good
pilots to hire,” the exec explained. If I was surprised, it was overshadowed
by my joy of reaching my dream.
“Let’s just go over a few points before you sign on the dotted line,”
the company man chortled. “We’re going to send you to the world’s
most renowned medical center. They’ll spend two days probing your
body orifices, draining and analyzing your blood, and administering psychological exams.
They’ll literally take you apart and put you back together. If they find any
hint of current or future problems, you’re fired and can find your own ride
home.”
“Gee, I think my health is OK,” I nervously choked out. The manager went
on, “Good, next we’ll evaluate your flying skills in an aircraft you’ve never
been in before. “If we don’t like the way you perform, you’re fired,”
I was confident with my flying, but this guy was making me nervous.
He continued, “Next, if you’re still here, we’ll run you through our training
program. If during any time in the next 10 years you decide to leave the
company, you’ll have to reimburse us $20,000, or we’ll sue you. Also if
you fail to measure up during training, you’re fired.”
The man who had just given me my dream job listed still more hurdles.
“Each time, before we allow you near one of our multimillion dollar aircraft
we’ll X-ray your flight bag and luggage, because we don’t trust you. Also
we’ll ask you to pass through a magnetometer each time. If you fail to do
so, you’ll be arrested and jailed.”
“Every six months, we want you to go back to the medical center for
another exam. If they ever find a hint of a problem, your license to fly will
be revoked and we’ll fire you. Anytime you see a medical person, you must
tell us about it so we can see if you need to be grounded and terminated.
Every six months you will be called in on your days off to play “You Bet
Your Job”. You will be paired with another pilot who has never flown in
the continental United States. The briefing will start at midnight and you
will get in the simulator at 02:00. The simulator will fly like a car with bald
tires on slick ice. The simulator will break several times during you tests
and require the sleepy repairman several hours to fix while you drink stale
coffee from a machine. If you fail any of these tests you will be fired.
Also, we need to examine your driving record, and you must tell us if you
have even any minor infractions so we can remove you from the cockpit
as soon as possible.”
“At any time, without notice, a special branch of the government will send
one of its inspectors to ride in your aircraft. The inspector will demand
to see your papers and license; if your papers are not in order, you’ll be
removed, fined, terminated, and possibly jailed.”
“If at any time you make an error in judgment or an honest human mistake,
you will be terminated, be fined tens of thousands of dollars, and be dragged
through months of court proceedings. The government will make sure you
never fly again for any airline.”
Several times during the year the FAA will come up with some sort of extra
class you have to attend. Security, where we learn to spot guys with diapers
on their heads in pilots uniforms. Winter ops, where we learn to not take off
with two feet of snow on the wings. Crew Resource Management, where we
learn to be sensitive to every one’s feelings. Conflict resolution, where we
learn we can’t throw someone off the plane just because they smell like Bin
Laden after a year in a cave or because they are screaming obscenities.
These classes will all be taken on you days off.
“You will be well out of town most holidays, weekends, and family
events—half our pilots are always on the job at any point in time
Smiling an evil smile now, the airline hirer went on. “Oh, and one last thing
to cover. Occasionally, we in management fail to see a trend and screw up
royally or the country’s economy falls flat on it’s face. If as a result of one
of those events the corporation begins to lose money, you as an employee
will be expected to make up the losses from your paycheck. Of course,
management will not be held to the same standard.
“When you’ve completed your flight, we’ll have you provide a urine sample,
because we don’t trust you to not take drugs. Very soon, we plan to take
a blood sample to look for more drugs. “Also if you ever fly with another
crew member who may have used drugs or alcohol, you must report to us
immediately. If you fail to notice that anyone has used these substances,
you’ll be fired, have your license to fly revoked, and be fined $10,000.”
Oh, and one last thing—if we negotiate pay and work rule concessions
from you in the in exchange for a better pension plan, we probably won’t
fund that pension plan agreement (unlike the management pension plan and
golden parachutes) and will likely have yanked it away from you.”
Our airline flies to many nice cities. Paris, London, Fort Lauderdale, San
Diego. You will never get to layover in any of these places until you have
39 years seniority. You will be spending all you time in Newark, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. If you do get a nice trip, some guy from the training
department will take it from you at the last minute. Then we will stick you
back on reserve and you will be laying over in Newark.
I faked a sudden nosebleed. Holding my head back and pinching my nostrils, I hurried from his office. When I got to the hall, I began to
run. I ran all the way to my car. I figured if I hurried I could still get
to the county vocational school before 5:00 and enroll in the industrial
welding career program!! v
“Now sign here,” he pointed, grinning as he handed me a pen.
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
15
oBITUARy
CAPTAIn WESLEy BARkER HARGRAvES II
Captain Wesley Barker Hargraves II, age 76 of Sautee, Georgia
passed away Tuesday, June 08, 2010 at his residence following an
extended illness.
Funeral services were held at nacoochee United Methodist Church
with the Rev. Chris Shurtz officiating.
Interment followed at the Georgia national Cemetery.
Wes was born in Columbus, ohio on January 18, 1934 to the late
Wesley Barker Hargraves Sr. and Josephine Weaver Hargraves.
He attended Heidelberg University and later joined the United
States Marine Corps where he had a remarkable career as an aviator. Some of the highlights of his military career included being
selected for the Mercury Space Capsule rescue and recovery flight
crew as well as flying carrier helicopter missions off the coast of
vietnam in the early stages of the war. Following his military service Captain Hargraves was a pilot for Eastern Airlines where he
flew a variety of commercial jets for 23 years.
Wes and Carmela have resided in White County since 2000, moving from Hall County where they resided since 1978. Captain
Hargraves was a member of nacoochee United Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his brother, Dr. James Hargraves.
Captain Hargraves is survived by his beloved wife Carmela
Hargraves, Sautee; son and companion, Wes Hargraves III and
kyle Atwood, Roswell; daughter and son in law, Laurie and Chuck
Bengochea , Roswell as well as 7 wonderful grandchildren.
It is requested that in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made
in memory of Wesley Hargraves II to the Semper Fi Fund - benefiting injured Marines at www.semperfifund.org. For information
about The Semper Fi Fund please check the back page of our last
newsletter. v
EASTERn AIR LInES LIvES!
By Bob Brewin 03/04/10 05:42 pm ET
Although Eastern Airlines went bankrupt in 1991, the Federal
Aviation Administration for some reason decided to illustrate the
cover of its 78-page 2010 “Portfolio of Goals” report with a photo
of the venerable DC-9 operated by the long-defunct carrier.
I flew a lot of Eastern shuttles in my life between Washington
and new york, and although the FAA report does not identify the
aircraft on the cover, there is no chance I mis-identified the once
familiar Eastern livery. But to make sure, I compared the FAA
photo with an Eastern Airline DC-9 photo on AirlineFan.com.
I called FAA’s public affairs shop to find out why they decided to
use a photo of a DC-9 operated by a carrier out of existence for 19
years, but have yet to receive a call back.
I imagine they are busy answering queries on why a child was
directing aircraft at John F. kennedy International Airport in new
york last month. v
16
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
86 yEARS yoUnG
on Saturday
May 8th, nearly
eighty people
showed up at
Charlie Brown's
hangar at Seven
Lakes Airport
(near Jackson,
GA) for a
Celebration
and Fly-in for
Silver Falcons
Member and
retired Eastern
Captain Frank
Hancock's 86th
Birthday!
The Fly-in was
not exactly what
we hoped for,
as the forecast
and what actually happened tended to cause many to drive who
might have otherwise flown in, that being a 25-30 mph direct crosswind for our only runway, a north-south one. Still a few hardy
souls were able to make it OK, including a tail-dragger flown by
Jack Smith! Mick Hudson also sailed in, flying his new LSA and
who, on departure, gave us a bit of thrill as he did a Gear Check
over the taxiway leading up to the hangar row. We did have a lot
of airplanes on display, however most were just taxied over from
the hangars.
Pictured is Frank holding a very nice Birthday Poster painted by
Jim Whitlock (noted Eastern Air Lines Artist). It features Frank's
Clip-wing Cub (built many years ago by Frank and close friend
retired Eastern Captain Al Harris). Assisting in holding it is
kitty Drawdy, former Eastern and kiwi Flight Attendant, charter
member of The Silver falcons, and wife of Captain Bob Drawdy,
While it was still pristine when the photo was made by the end of
the party it was covered with signatures.
Frank’s birthday parties have nearly equaled the popularity of the
annual Flight operations Picnic and Fly-in and attract just about as
big a crowd. Congratulations, Frank. We are really looking forward
to next year! v
o
ATLAnTA EAL FLT oPS PICnIC RECAP
nce again we had a very successful
Atlanta EAL Flt ops Picnic at the
home and hangar of Mac and Carolyn
McGaughey!
Sadly the Fly-in part of the annual Event was a bit
of a bust as only two airplanes were able to make
it. These were Grant Fields, a late arrival in his
Cherokee Six and Wendell Haley in his Champion
Citabria. Actually Wendell made a very short
flight in as he took off on runway 18 at Eagles
Landing and circled over to land on runway 31!
The almost total shortage of airplanes was due to
IFR conditions for the early part of the morning
and then a forecast of thunderstorms for noon and
early afternoon. However from about 11:00 AM
on we were blessed with warm sunshine and gentle
breezes while those who would have probably
flown instead of driving stomped the ground and
cursed the forecasters!
Lou Rabbit, Dick Garner, Bill Sandusky, Gene Terrell, John Murphy.
Anyhow we had about 110 buy tickets for the BBQ
lunch with some 10-12 no-shows or cancellations
(for various reasons, including the early weather
and forecast). Some other folks dropped in
unexpectedly so best we could determine we ended
up with 107 attendees. Frank vogtner was a major
player in this Picnic as he bought 16 tickets and had
a vogtner Family Reunion!
As the program started Lew Rabbit gave us a very
moving talk about Bob Bruce, who with his wife,
Marilyn, had hosted our Event for the past 10 or
so years. As most will recall Bob passed away last
fall.
virgil then introduced Carolyn McGaughey
(she was wearing a personalized Eastern Family
nametag we made for her earlier in the morning),
who with her husband, Mac, were hosting our
Picnic. She emotionally spoke of Aubrey Sweezey
(our former host who built the hangar now owned
by Carolyn and Mac) and what the Eastern Family
has meant to her over the years. She assured us that
as long as they own the home and hangar at Eagles
Landing we are welcome to continue to have our
annual Picnic and Fly-in there!
We then enjoyed a fine BBQ Lunch arranged by
Dick Garner. It was prepared by Fredene Wheelis,
who operates out of Hoganville, GA.
In addition to the Door Prizes we had several
aircraft models contributed by Mac and Carolyn
as well as some prints by Jim Whitlock (our own
noted aviation artist!). We gave out probably 20
prizes, several of which were won by the vogtner Family! Jim
also painted one of an Eastern DC-7B just for the Picnic; he had it
framed and gave it to us for the Grand Prize. Many wanted it but
Alex Davis was the lucky winner!
Mac & Caroline McGaughey
Well, that was the Picnic! Those who came had a great time and
maybe next year we will have some good weather so the Fly-in
can be just as great! v
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
17
THE BRIDGES AT Toko-RI: THE REAL SToRy
By CAPT Paul N. Gray, USN, Ret, USNA ‘41, former CO of VF-54
Re-printed with permission from the author and “Shipmate” July-August 1997
In his book entitled “The Bridges at
Toko-Ri, author James Mitchner wrote
an emotionally dramatic account of how
the attack aircraft, after successfully
bombing the bridges of Toko-Ri during
the Korean War, flew out over the Straits
of Japan toward home base, a u.S.
Navy aircraft carrier waiting 100 miles
offshore. Perched on the flag bridge of
the carrier, the Admiral observed the
shot up aircraft emerge one by one out
the grayness of a driving snowstorm and
prepare to be taken aboard. At that point,
the Admiral muttered to himself: “Where
do we find such men?” We still find them
in America!
Recently, some friends saw the movie
“The Bridges at Toko-ri” on late night
Tv. After seeing it, they said, “you
planned and led the raid. Why don’t
you tell us what really happened?” Here
goes.
I hope Mr. Michener will forgive the actual version of the raid. His
fictionalized account certainly makes more exciting reading.
on 12 December 1951 when the raid took place, Air Group 5 was
attached to Essex, the flag ship for Task Force 77. We were flying
daily strikes against the north
koreans and Chinese. God! It
was cold.
The main job was to interdict the
flow of supplies coming south
from Russia and China. The
rules of engagement imposed by
political forces in Washington
would not allow us to bomb the
bridges across the yalu River
where the supplies could easily
have been stopped. We had to
wait until they were dispersed
and hidden in north korea and
then try to stop them.
The Air Group consisted of
two jet fighter squadrons
flying Banshees and Grumman
Panthers plus two prop attack
squadrons flying Corsairs and
Skyraiders. To provide a base
for the squadrons, Essex was
stationed 100 miles off the East
Coast of korea during that bitter
Winter of 1951 and 1952.
18
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
I was Co of vF-54, the Skyraider squadron. vF-54 started with 24
pilots. Seven were killed during the cruise. The reason 30 percent
of our pilots were shot down and lost was due to our mission. The
targets were usually heavily defended railroad bridges. In addition,
we were frequently called in to make low-level runs with rockets
and napalm to provide close support for the troops.
The Bridges continued
Due to the nature of the targets assigned, the attack squadrons
seldom flew above 2000 or 3000 feet; and it was a rare flight when
a plane did not come back without some damage from AA or
ground fire.
The single-engine plane we flew could carry the same bomb load
that a B-17 carried in WWII; and after flying the 100 miles from
the carrier, we could stay on station for 4 hours and strafe, drop
napalm, fire rockets or drop bombs. The Skyraider was the right
plane for this war.
On a gray December morning, I was called to the flag bridge.
Admiral “Black Jack” Perry, the Carrier Division Commander,
told me they had a classified request from UN headquarter to
bomb some critical bridges in the central area of the north korean
peninsula. The bridges were a dispersion point for many of the
supplies coming down from the North and were vital to the flow of
most of the essential supplies. The Admiral asked me to take a look
at the targets and see what we could do about taking them out.
As I left, the staff intelligence officer handed me the pre-strike
photos, the coordinates of the target and said to get on with it.
He didn’t mention that the bridges were defended by 56 radarcontrolled anti-aircraft guns.
That same evening, the Admiral invited the four squadron
commanders to his cabin for dinner. James Michener was there.
After dinner, the Admiral asked each squadron commander to
describe his experiences in flying over North Korea. By this time,
all of us were hardened veterans of the war and had some hairy
stories to tell about life in the fast lane over north korea. When it
came my time, I described how we bombed the railways and strafed
anything else that moved. I described how we had planned for the
next day’s strike against some vital railway bridges near a village
named Toko-ri (The actual village was named Majonne). That the
preparations had been done with extra care because the pre-strike
pictures showed the bridges were surrounded by 56 anti-aircraft
guns and we knew this strike was not going to be a walk in the
park.
All of the pilots scheduled for the raid participated in the planning.
A close study of the aerial photos confirmed the 56 guns. Eleven
radar sites controlled the guns. They were mainly 37 MM with
some five inch heavies. All were positioned to concentrate on the
path we would have to fly to hit the bridges. This was a World War
II air defense system but still very dangerous.
How were we going to silence those batteries long enough to
destroy the bridges? The bridges supported railway tracks about
three feet wide. To achieve the needed accuracy, we would have to
use glide bombing runs. A glide bombing run is longer and slower
than a dive bombing run, and we would be sitting ducks for the AA
batteries. We had to get the guns before we bombed the bridges.
There were four strategies discussed to take out the radar sites.
One was to fly in on the deck and strafe the guns and radars.
This was discarded because the area was too mountainous. The
second was to fly in on the deck and fire rockets into the gun sites.
Discarded because the rockets didn’t have enough killing power.
The third was to come in at a high altitude and drop conventional
bombs on the targets. This is what we would normally do, but it
was discarded in favor of an insidious modification.
The one we thought would work the best was to come in high and
drop bombs fused to explode over the gun and radar sites. To do
this, we decided to take 12 planes; 8 Skyraiders and 4 Corsairs.
Each plane would carry a 2000 pound bomb with a proximity
fuse set to detonate about 50 to 100 feet in the air. We hoped the
shrapnel from these huge, ugly bombs going off in mid air would
be devastating to the exposed gunners and radar operators.
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
19
The Bridges continued
The flight plan was to fly in at
15,000 feet until over the target
area and make a vertical dive
bombing run dropping the
proximity-fused bombs on the
guns and radars. Each pilot had a
specific complex to hit.
As we approached the target we
started to pick up some flak, but
it was high and behind us. At the
initial point, we separated and
rolled into the dive. now the
flak really became heavy. I rolled
in first; and after I released my
bomb, I pulled out south of the
target area and waited for the rest
to join up. one of the Corsairs
reported that he had been hit on
the way down and had to pull out
before dropping his bomb. Three
other planes suffered minor flak
damage but nothing serious.
After the join up, I detached from the group and flew over the area
to see if there was anything still firing. Sure enough there was
heavy 37 MM fire from one site, I got out of there in a hurry and
called in the reserve Skyraider still circling at 15,000 to hit the
remaining gun site. His 2000 pound bomb exploded right over the
target and suddenly things became very quiet. The shrapnel from
those 2000 lbs. bombs must have been deadly for the crews serving
the guns and radars. We never saw another 37 MM burst from any
of the 56 guns.
From that moment on, it was just another day at the office. Only
sporadic machine gun and small arms fire was encountered. We
made repeated glide bombing runs and completely destroyed all the
bridges. We even brought gun camera pictures back to prove the
bridges were destroyed.
After a final check of the target area, we joined up, inspected our
wingmen for damage and headed home. Mr. Michener plus most
of the ship’s crew watched from vulture’s Row as Dog Fannin, the
landing signal officer, brought us back aboard. With all the pilots
returning to the ship safe and on time, the Admiral was seen to be
dancing with joy on the flag Bridge.
From that moment on, the Admiral had a soft spot in his heart for
the attack pilots. I think his fatherly regard for us had a bearing on
what happened in port after the raid on Toko-ri.
the planes flying, and finally we were headed for Yokosuka for ten
days of desperately needed R & R.
As we steamed up the coast of Japan, the Air Group Commander,
CDR Marsh Beebe, called CDR Trum, the Co of the Corsair
squadron, and me to his office. He told us that the prop squadrons
would participate in an exercise dreamed up by the commanding
officer of the ship. It had been named OPERATION PINWHEEL.
The Corsairs and Skyraiders were to be tied down on the port side
of the flight deck; and upon signal from the bridge, all engines were
to be turned up to full power to assist the tugs in pulling the ship
alongside the dock.
CDR Trum and I both said to Beebe, “you realize that those
engines are vital to the survival of all the attack pilots. We fly those
single engine planes 300 to 400 miles from the ship over freezing
water and over very hostile land. Running them up to full power
while the airplanes are not moving and there is limited cooling air
flowing over the engines will overheat and overstress these engines
and is not going to make any of us very happy.” Marsh knew the
danger; but he said, “The captain of the ship, CAPT. Wheelock,
wants this done, so do it!”
As soon as the news of this brilliant scheme hit the ready rooms,
the operation was quickly named oPERATIon PIn HEAD; and
CAPT. Wheelock became known as CAPT. Wheelchock.
The raid on Toko-ri was exciting; but in our minds, it was dwarfed
by the incident that occurred at the end of this tour on the line. The
operation was officially named OPERATION PINWHEEL. The
pilots called it oPERATIon PInHEAD.
on the evening before arriving in port, I talked with CDR Trum and
told him, “I don’t know what you are going to do, but I am telling
my pilots that our lives depend on those engines and do not give
them more than half power; and if that engine temperature even
begins to rise, cut back to idle.” That is what they did.
The third tour had been particularly savage for vF-54. Five of our
pilots had been shot down. Three not recovered. I had been shot
down for the third time. The mechanics and ordnance men had
worked back-breaking hours under medieval conditions to keep
About an hour after the ship had been secured to the dock, the Air
Group Commander screamed over the ships intercom for Gray and
Trum to report to his office. When we walked in and saw the pale
look on Beebe’s face, it was apparent that CAPT. Wheelock, in
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The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
The Bridges continued
conjunction with the ship’s proctologist, had cut a new aperture in
poor old Marsh.
Posters saying, “Thank you Black Jack” went up in the ready
rooms. The long delayed liberty was at hand.
The ship’s CO had gone ballistic when he didn’t get the full power
from the lashed down Corsairs and Skyraiders, and he informed
CDR Beebe that his fitness report would reflect this miserable
performance of duty.
When writing about this cruise, I must pay homage to the talent we
had in the squadrons. LTJG Tom Hayward was a fighter pilot who
went on to become the CNO. LTJG Neil Armstrong another fighter
pilot became the astronaut who took the first step on the moon. My
wingman, Ken Shugart, was an all-American basketball player and
later an admiral. Al Masson, another wingman, became the owner
of one of New Orleans’ most famous French restaurants. All of the
squadrons were manned with the best and brightest young men the
U.S. could produce. The mechanics and ordnance crews who kept
the planes armed and flying deserve as much praise as the pilots for
without the effort they expended, working day and night under cold
and brutal conditions, no flight would have been flown.
The Air Group Commander had flown his share of strikes, and
it was a shame that he became the focus of the wrath of CAPT.
Wheelock for something he had not done.
However, tensions were high; and in the heat of the moment, he
informed CDR Trum and me that he was placing both of us and all
our pilots in hack (confinement to the ship) until further notice. A
very severe sentence after 30 days on the line.
The Carrier Division Commander, Rear Admiral “Black Jack”
Perry a personally considerate man, but his official character would
strike terror into the heart of the most hardened criminal.
He loved to talk to the pilots; and in deference to his drinking days,
Admiral Perry would reserve a table in the bar of the Fujia Hotel
and would sit there drinking Coca cola while buying drinks for any
pilot enjoying R & R in the hotel.
Even though we were not comfortable with this gruff older man, he
was a good listener and everyone enjoyed telling the Admiral about
his latest escape from death. I realize now he was keeping his finger
on the morale of the pilots and how they were standing up to the
terror of daily flights over a very hostile land.
It was a dangerous cruise. I will always consider it an honor to
have been associated with those young men who served with such
bravery and dignity. The officers and men of this air group once
again demonstrated what makes America the most outstanding
country in the world today. To those whose spirits were taken from
them during those grim days and didn’t come back, I will always
remember you.” v
CAPT PAUL N. GRAY, USN, (Ret)
How would you like to fly this
holding pattern?
The Admiral had been in the hotel about three days; and one night,
he said to some of the fighter pilots sitting at his table, “Where are
the attack pilots? I have not seen any of them since we arrived.”
One of them said, “Admiral, I thought you knew. They were all put
in hack by the Air Group Commander and restricted to the ship.”
In a voice that could be heard all over the hotel, the Admiral
bellowed to his aide, “Get that idiot Beebe on the phone in 5
minutes; and I don’t care if you have to use the Shore Patrol, the
Army Military Police or the Japanese Police to find him. I want him
on the telephone NOW!”
The next morning, after three days in hack, the attack pilots had just
finished marching lockstep into the wardroom for breakfast, singing
the prisoners song when the word came over the loud speaker for
Gray and Trum to report to the Air Group Commander’s stateroom
immediately,
When we walked in, there sat Marsh looking like he had had a near
death experience. He was obviously in far worse condition than
when the ships CO got through with him. It was apparent that he
had been worked over by a real pro.
In a trembling voice, his only words were, “The hack is lifted. All
of you are free to go ashore. There will not be any note of this in
your fitness reports. Now get out of here and leave me alone.”
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
21
A MESSAGE To EASTERn AIR LInES, 35 yEARS LATE
June 24, 2009 by Ocean Doctor
Remember Eastern Airlines? I do. And
I’m forever grateful to the long-gone
carrier for transporting me to a new world
exactly 35 years ago, a world that I’ve
never left. on June 24, 1974, I boarded
Eastern Airlines flight 35 in Philadelphia,
sat myself in seat 12A, a window of
course. Scheduled departure was 900am.
The Boeing 727 rumbled down the
runway, and two and half magical hours
later, a 15-year-old teenager from Philly
found himself in Miami, Florida, eager
with anticipation of catching his first
glimpse of the Florida keys, wherever
they were. I didn’t know. Someone had
to draw a map for me on a napkin.
The destination was Seacamp, a marine
science camp on Big Pine key, the
largest of the Lower keys, roughly
35 miles east of key West. As the
chartered bus headed south over the old,
narrow overseas Highway, I marveled
at the turquoise waters below me. I also
marveled at the bus driver’s ability to
keep us alive along the narrow pavement
laid down upon the trestles where the
Flagler Railroad once ran, long destroyed
by a terrible hurricane. The railroad track
now made up the guard rails.
Founded in 1966, Seacamp was among the first marine science
camps and my 15-year-old, Philadelphia-raised perspective was
about to change permanently. For my 15th birthday, my parents
obliged my obsession with the Tv series, “Sea Hunt” (starring
Lloyd Bridges) and granted me my wish: SCUBA lessons. Thanks
to an ad in “Boy’s Life” magazine, I found Seacamp, and in a
day or so would find myself entering that world I’ve never really
left since. nearly 40 feet below the surface, I was sitting in white
sands in those warm, turquoise waters, six miles due south of Big
Big Pine Key coming into view as my
flight returns to Miami from Havana
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The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
Pine key at Looe key, now a national Marine Sanctuary, curious
angelfish eyeing me and drifting across the reef.
So powerful were the experiences I would have in those few weeks
that I returned for three summers as a camper, followed by eight
summers as an instructor, and I’ve never lost touch for long with
the camp’s leaders, Irene Hooper and Grace Upshaw, who are still
changing lives there today. I knew before the end of that incredible
summer in 1974 that I had found a cause worth dedicating myself
to. The oceans were incredibly beautiful, tantalizingly mysterious,
but to my amazement—
even back then—in grave
peril. Like so many others, I
thought the oceans to be too
vast and limitless, and to
my eye, appeared so pristine
that it was hard to imagine
that we were already taking
too many creatures from the
sea and dumping too much
of our waste into it.
A Seacamp flattop teaching vessel at Looe Key
(Photo courtesy of Seacamp Association)
My treasured memories
of Seacamp would fill a
volume, but a few came
to mind this morning as I
35 Years Late continued
realized that it was June 24, the first day of camp for more than a
hundred new campers, settling into their new bunks for the next two
and half weeks. I remember being first to the bottom on a deep dive
to 125 feet and finding a collosal sea turtle asleep just inches from
where I stood. I remember surfacing from a dive to find it hailing
sideways, our boat surrounded by three menacing waterspouts. I
remember peering down into the water from atop the old Bahia
Honda bridge at night to see the slow-moving, eerie sillhouette of
an enormous shark, illuminated by the bioluminescent plankton in
the water. I remember seeing my first tarpon underwater—massive,
prehistoric-looking fish, a group of six swimming past me, their
huge scales gleaming in the morning sunlight like polished silver. I
remember Mel Fisher, discoverer of the Spanish Galleon, Atocha,
proudly slapping a silver ingot he recovered from the wreck onto
a table top, its great report stunning the audience into silence, then
boastfully telling us it was worth 50 thousand dollars! I remember
my surprise at seeing tiny Key Deer quietly yet swiftly swimming
from island to island in the backcountry. And I remember laughing
harder than I’ve ever laughed as two dolphins hijacked the canoe of
two of my students and gave them the ride of their young lives. (I
almost lost my job over that one—a tall tale for another time.)
Today, many Seacamp alumni are my close friends and colleagues.
If you saw the wonderful film, Arctic Tale, it was made by
Seacamp alumnus Adam Ravetch, who’s gone on to become a
major underwater filmmaker. Dr. James A. Bohnsack, who was my
favorite instructor at Seacamp and someone I consider one of the
biggest influences in my life, is the Team Leader for Ecosystems
and Biodiversity Investigations in the Protected Resources Branch
at NOAA’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami. His voice
and leadership have been critical for protecting fish resources.
Dr. James D. Thomas, a good friend and colleague, is a professor
at NOVA Southeastern University and has traveled the world in
search of tiny crustaceans called amphipods and helping to unlock
environmental trends through patterns in their distribution. Jim is
helping us now identify the myriad of amphipods we collected in the
Bering Sea during the Greenpeace-led expedition in 2007. I recently
met fellow Seacamper, Gaelin Rosenwaks, at the Explorer’s Club
in New York and learned of Global Ocean Exploration, a company
she founded to “devoted to bringing cutting-edge expedition
research science to the public through photography, writing, film,
and web-based products.” As I write this, Gaelin is blogging from
aboard a research ship near the Hebrides studying salmon. Not all
Seacampers go on to work in marine science…in fact, most don’t.
Some are accountants, attorneys, software engineers, interpreters,
teachers, etc. But I doubt any can forget their Seacamp experiences,
and most I’ve met since continue to hold a special place in their
heart for the oceans and a greater, enduring awareness of their
fragility.
When I began the Ocean Doctor’s “50 Years – 50 States – 50
Speeches Expedition” earlier this year, my Seacamp experiences
were, predictably, front and center in my mind. Young people have
a natural fascination about the ocean, if only given the chance to
experience it. I wish I could toss all of the nearly 10,000 students
in the 12 states I’ve visited so far into those turquoise waters of
Looe Key. Short of that, I hope that my words, images and videos
can convey a small fraction of the wonder of those waters. From
the heartwarming responses I’m receiving from students all over
the country—even students who have never seen the ocean—I’m
optimistic.
Never could I imagine in 1974 that I would spend a decade of my
career working less than 100 miles south of the Keys on a large
island, sitting at night with a mojito in my hand gazing northward
toward the Keys. As I returned from Havana a couple of weeks
ago and peered out the window (yes, I still prefer the window), the
first land I saw was Big Pine Key, and there was Seacamp, still
occupying that special corner of the island, and that special place
in my heart.
Today I reflect on the experiences many of us Seacampers
shared, like the pungent, organic scent of mangroves standing in
bathtub-warm waters. Like the impossibly beautiful sunsets of
painted oranges and purples, and knowing the next night’s would
probably be even better. Like the earth-shaking roar from above
that triggered our sprint outside to worship the DC3 kissing the
treetops as a gray cloud of mosquitocide billowed from its hold
on top of us. Like the mild sting of a Casseopea jellyfish in your
armpits. Like the sound of the incessant crunching of colorful
parrot fish’s beaks against the coral. Like the constant, steely yet
curious stare of the barracuda. Like the sandpaper feel of a shark’s
skin or the glassy smooth feel of the dome of a Moon Jelly on your
fingertips. Like the sickenly sweet taste of bug juice. Like the light
of the moon dancing on Coupon Bight as the splashes of distant
fish echo in the night. To my fellow Seacampers, I think of you
today—and most days. And to Eastern Airlines: A late but sincere
thanks for the ride…I’ll never forget it. v
Retired Pilot Saved In
Horse-Back Riding Mishap
A wealthy retired Delta Airlines pilot narrowly escaped
serious injury recently when he attempted horse-back
riding with no prior experience.
He mounted the horse, unassisted, and the horse immediately began moving. As it galloped along at a steady
and rhythmic pace, the pilot began slipping sideways
from the saddle.
Although attempting to grab the horse’s mane he could
not get a firm grip. He then threw his arms around the
horse’s neck but continued to slide down the side of the
horse. The horse loped along, seemingly oblivious to its
slipping rider. Finally, losing his grip, he attempted to
leap away from the horse and throw himself to safety.
His foot became entangled in the stirrup, and he was at
the mercy of the horses pounding hooves as his head
and upper body repeatedly struck the ground.
Moments away from unconsciousness and probable
death, to his great fortune a retired Eastern Air Lines
pilot, working as a greeter at Wal-Mart to supplement his meager retirement, observed the situation and
quickly unplugged the horse. v
The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
23
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The rEAL Word | Summer 2010
With pride and ingenuity Capt. John Heilman has made certain
that everyone on the road who sees his motor home will be aware that
Eastern Air Lines still lives. You are the man, John!