American Airlines is adding new seasonal routes from DFW to Reykjavik-Keflavik, Iceland (KEF). The new service will commence June 7 and run through October 26 of 2018, and be flown on the Boeing 757-200 with 176 seats. Why is American using such a large plane for what are often only connecting flights from Iceland to Europe? Apparently, American’s VP of Network & Schedule Planning Vasu Raja believes Iceland is attracting more tourists, saying, “Reykjavik has become a very popular leisure destination and we look forward to giving our customers the opportunity to experience Iceland’s unique landscape of geysers, volcanos and hot springs with our new direct service next summer,” and added, “The new destination complements our continued growth from Dallas-Fort Worth, including Rome and Amsterdam.”
Ultra-low cost carrier WOW is launching service from DFW to Iceland this summer. It will compete with IcelandAir and American Airlines. Photo: WOW Air
American has impeccable timing. Earlier this year, WOW and Iceland Air announced service to DFW. Both have connecting networks to Europe from Iceland…something American lacks. That means travelers have been able to get cheap flights to Europe by flying through Iceland and picking up a connections on WOW and Iceland Air. They can also stay a day or two in Iceland for free. A win for the consumer and a win for the two airlines, but not so good for American.
It is no surprise then that American is now flying through Iceland. But does this behavior mirror AA’s actions the past? Is the behavior that landed them in court in the 1990s when they took on the now defunct Legend Air?
Legend Air’s Demise at the Hands of American Airlines
Legend Airlines had Dallas Love Field as its hub in the ’90s. It ran routes to New York, Las Vegas, southern California, and Virginia. Legend did not last long, however, since it was forced to file for bankruptcy only five years after it received corporate status. Its initial flights were delayed substantially by court battles with American, who was joined in the fight by the City of Fort Worth.
Legend Airlines Douglas DC-9 at Mojave. Legend offered luxury first class service from Dallas Love but succumb to competition from American after they launched Fokker F100 service. Once Legend was eliminated, American eliminated the service. Photo aeroprints.com [CC BY-SA 3.0)American Airlines sued under the provisions of the Wright Amendment, effectively trying to prevent Legend from flying out of Love Field. Although the fledgling airlines’ right to fly was upheld every time in court, American immediately appealed each decision to a higher court and exhausted Legend’s financial resources. Meantime, American kept introducing more flights at lower prices out of Dallas, creating a price war with Legend that delivered the final blow. For all outward appearances, American was using DFW as a fortress hub in the ’90s and often, when start-up airlines would attempt to fly from DFW, the more established airline would create barriers to entry by flooding the market with cheap seats. Once the competitor was no longer flying out of DFW, American would then cut service or raise prices. Legend is a prime example but American also faced similar accusations from Vanguard Airlines and SunJet in the 1990s.
One cannot help but notice a pattern and even compare American Airlines’ behavior in the 90s to its current plans to launch service to KEF. American is coming into the market with larger planes and lower prices, effectively fighting for elbow room with WOW and Icelandic Air.
First class is typically luxurious. MGM Grand pioneered super-luxurious accommodations in the 1980s. Emirates is now taking luxury to the next level in 2017.
Flying first class has always been the preferred mode of travel for the privileged among us. Celebrities, dignitaries and star athletes fly first class on luxury airlines that offer every amenity and technological convenience imaginable. Today, the totally private first class suite aboard Emirates is the best example. This exclusive suite is the first of its kind in the world. Top shelf amenities and advanced technology make it unique. Let’s take a look at how far technology and creature comforts have come by contrasting today’s most luxurious first class experience on Emirates with the famous MGM Grand, a favorite of celebrities in the 1980s.
The MGM Grand was favored and supported by Ivana Trump, who frequented coast to coast flights. The airline offered charter service along with regular routes between John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Los Angeles International Airport and flew Douglas DC-8 and Boeing 727 aircraft in the most lavish configurations available at the time.
MGM Grand’s pampered guests enjoyed oversized seats, video monitors with enhanced audio and their very own fax machine. Back in the 1980s, business travelers and VIPs could send an important fax while in the air! Luxury travel has come a long way. In comparison, Emirates first class suites have work stations with USB and HDMI ports. But what … no fax machine? And they call it first class?
Technology and comfort to wow the most discerning traveler
In all seriousness, to elite passengers, up to the minute technology was as important then as it is now. But back in the ’80s, most people had never dreamed of free wifi or high definition TVs like those currently being offered by Emirates. And the entertainment system is not the only thing that is technologically advanced. You can rest your weary bones in your private Emirates suite in an uber-comfortable seat designed in part by NASA.
The optimum position for astronauts is zero gravity, which was literally adopted from NASA and placed into the seats. Maybe you are not flying into space but with zero gravity engineering, today your seat in the sky on Emirates is designed to make you feel like you are sleeping in a cloud! The zero gravity construction completely removes pressure from your shoulders, neck and back. Ah, technology.
In 1987 when Kirk Kerkorian started MGM Grand Air, the all first class cabins had huge swiveling barcaloungers, several private compartments, and two-passenger love seats. Memory foam had not been invented yet but the goose down pillows were immensely popular. The bathrooms featured gold-plated wash basins and faucets. There was an on-board chef with full open kitchen and opulent sit down bar.
Emirates, the pace-setter of luxury today
Air Emirates Boeing 777. Photo Krug100, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27352196
Today in Emirate’s first class suite, you can dine on demand on your own private dining table. Enjoy high tea at 40000 feet anytime the mood strikes you. All of the crew are master mixologists and you can enjoy any kind of cocktail imaginable on the cocktail table provided in the suite. Emirates has named cocktails after some of their customers but when we asked who, they would not name-drop (oh well, we tried).
The Emirates bar is available for first and business class customers. Photo: Emirates
Back in the heydey of MGM Grand, the flight crew may not have been cross-trained as professional bartenders but they were all dressed to the nines – in tuxedos, no less. How decadent! In fact, ’80s actress Nell Carter told Robin Leach on the television show, “The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” that MGM Grand Air was better than the Concord…and better dressed, no doubt.
MGM was best in class with VHS tapes and cassettes. Today, no less than 2,500 channels of entertainment will do.
You can have your own kind of film festival in the sky with Emirates’ luxury entertainment system. The system has over 2,500 music and entertainment channels and if that is not enough, passengers can link up with to Netflix account or streaming music service on the free wifi. MGM Grand had a totally luxe set up at the time, as well, so passengers could enjoy their favorite movies on VHS tape or rock out to 80s hair bands (kidding) on cassette tape with noise-canceling headphones.
Even the diets of the rich and famous affect what is served in first class. Back in the day on MGM Grand Air, champagne and caviar were in high demand. Emirates elite flyers can choose from special diets like organic fare or the Paleo diet.
Photo: Emirates
While first class luxury air travel has changed significantly in past decades, much has remained the same. There is still demand for first class from VIPs who expect the highest level of pampering. MGM Grand Air set the standard years ago with its fleet of upgraded DC 68s. Today, Emirates 777 300-ER first class offering has become a model for the epitome of first class air travel. Which begs the question…who will we be comparing Emirates to three decades from now? Only time will tell.
This Interview With an Actual RB-36 “Peacemaker” Pilot Is Living History
RB-36 Peacemaker pilot David J Flaming served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) 28th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW) Guardians of the North at Ellsworth Air Force Base (AFB) located in Rapid City, South Dakota during the 1950s. In this color interview, conducted during 2013 and uploaded to YouTube by airailimages, Flaming describes his experiences during his service flying Convair RB-36 Peacemakers. One interesting side note is that the 28th (as a SRW or Bomb Wing) has called Ellsworth home for more than 60 years, still flying Rockwell Boeing B-1B Lancers from the base.
RB-36s (variants RB-36B, RB-36D, RB-36E, RB-36F, and RB-36H) carried additional crew members who were all dedicated to the reconnaissance mission. RB-36 forward bomb bays were replaced by a pressurized manned compartment equipped with 14 cameras (and could carry up to 23 of them) and a small darkroom where a technician developed the photographic “take.” The second bomb bay carried up to 80 T-86 photoflash bombs. The third bomb bay housed a huge 3,000 gallon drop tank, and the fourth bomb bay contained specialized electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment.
RB-36 in flight. Official US Air Force photograph
How Was the RB-36 Different?
The first RB-36s retained their defensive armament but were still capable of remaining aloft for more than 50 hours and could reach an altitude of 50,000 feet. The ceiling was later increased to 58,000 feet by the Project Featherweight program, which removed the defensive armament except the tail turret. Externally RB-36s differed from their dedicated bomber cousins by the bright aluminum finish of the camera compartment and by the radar domes mounted under the aft fuselage. First flown in December of 1949, RB-36s were flying their risky missions over the Soviet Union by 1951. Nearly half of the B-36 airframes built were strategic reconnaissance RB-36 variants.
The United States Navy is currently operating the aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71, and Nimitz (CVN-68) along with the Japanese Maritime Defense Force helicopter carrier Ise (DDH-182) and two Japanese destroyers in international waters but in close proximity to North Korea.
The multi-national exercises are ongoing and include ships from South Korea as well. This video, uploaded to the U.S. Navy YouTube channel, is just rough footage of the ships and aircraft operating together (without the annoying computer-generated commentary). Watch for the flyovers.
The carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) has Carrier Air Wing FIVE (CVW-5) embarked and is accompanied by the ships of Carrier Strike Croup FIVE (CSG-5). CVW-5 consists of VFA-27 Royal Maces, VFA-115 Eagles, and VFA-195 Dambusters flying the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet, VFA-102 Diamondbacks flying the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet, VAW-115 Liberty Bells flying the Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye 2000, VAQ-141 Shadowhawks flying the Boeing EA-18G Growler, HSC-12 Golden Falcons flying the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk, HSM-51 Warlords and HSM-77 Saberhawks flying the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, and VRC-30 Providers Detachment 5 We Deliver flying the Northrop Grumman C-2A(R) Greyhound.
Official US Navy photograph
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is hosting CVW-17 and is escorted by CSG-9. CVW-17 includes VFA-22 Fighting Redcocks and VFA-94 Shrikes flying the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet, VFA-113 Stingers flying the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet, VMFA-312 Checkerboards flying Boeing F/A-18C Hornet, VAW-116 Sun Kings flying the Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, VAQ-139 Cougars flying the Boeing EA-18G Growler, HSC-6 Indians flying the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk, HSM-73 Battlecats flying the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, and VRC-30 Providers Detachment 4 Pure Horsepower flying the Northrop Grumman C-2A(R) Greyhound.
Official US Navy photograph
USS Nimitz (CVN-69) has CVW-11 aboard and is accompanied by CSG-11. CVW-11 is the VFA-146 Blue Diamonds and VFA-147 Argonauts flying the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet, VFA-154 Black Knights flying the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet, VMFA-323 Death Rattlers flying the Boeing F/A-18C Hornet, VAW-121 Bluetails flying the Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye, VAQ-142 Gray Wolves flying the Boeing EA-18G Growler, HSC-8 Eightballers flying the Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk, HSM-75 Wolfpack flying the Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk, and VRC-30 Providers Detachment 3 Crusaders flying the Northrop Grumman C-2A(R) Greyhound.
Top to bottom Nimitz, Reagan, and Roosevelt. Official US Navy photograph
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Sierra Nevada Corp. free flew an unmanned mini-space shuttle on Saturday under the blue skies of southern California concluding with a pinpoint touchdown upon the dry lake bed of Edwards, AFB.
Forty years following the first free flight tests of NASA’s own space shuttle orbiter, Sierra Nevada is preparing the Dream Chaser for its first spaceflight in 2019. SNC is under contract with NASA to prepare the reusable craft for its first cargo and supply mission flight to the International Space Station.
The SNC Dream Chaser on final approach. Photo: NASA
Saturday’s landing test demonstrated how the delta-winged shuttle would handle the final flight profile during its return from a future spaceflight. The Dream Chaser will only be capable of trips into low Earth orbit and is designed to dock with the orbiting laboratory.
“The flight test helped advance the vehicle under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program space act agreement, as well as helped prepare the vehicle for service under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 program,” NASA spokesperson Leslie Williams stated on Saturday. “The testing will validate the aerodynamic properties, flight software and control system performance of the Dream Chaser.”
Photo: NASA
The flight test involved using a Columbia Helicopters Model 234-UT Chinook to carry the test craft suspended by a huge cable up to an altitude several thousand feet above Edwards. The successful landing now paves the way for a second drop test in early 2018.
SNC vice president and former shuttle commander Steve Lindsay said in August each spacecraft will have a designed minimum life of 15 missions, and will outlive the life of the current space station. “We have designs on flying long past space station, and basically being a permanent presence in low Earth orbit,” Linday stated.
Dream Chaser will become the only commercial lifting-body spacecraft capable of delivering and returning cargo to and from space, and then land with a runway touchdown. Currently, SNC’s competition Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, is launching and returning cargo to and from the space station. It’s Dragon spacecraft splashes down upon its return in the Pacific waters 250 miles off Baja, Mexico.
Dream Chaser will be capable of ferrying a crew of two to seven astronauts and cargo to any orbital location following launch a top a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral. The craft will then return home with a main gear touchdown at the Kennedy Space Center’s three mile long runway.
“The data that SNC gathered from this test campaign will help influence and inform the final design of the cargo Dream Chaser, which will fly at least six cargo delivery missions to and from the space station by 2024,” Williams added.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Hawaii’s second largest airline shut down on November 10th. Island Air flew inter-island routes in Hawaii Island, Maui, Oahu and Kauai for the past 37 years but ceased operations as of midnight Friday. For the past four years, the airline has fallen short of revenue expectations. Island air management says that a dispute with aircraft lessors led to the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in October which culminated in Friday’s shutdown. The carrier had added new Bombardier Q400 turboprops to its lineup in September but the leasing company attempted to repossess three of those planes last month.
Passengers should inquire about refunds from their credit card companies, according to the Island Air website. Island Air President David Uchiyama says, “Island Air has taken every measure possible to avoid this tremendous hardship to its passengers.” Hawaiian Airlines will honor tickets from passengers with existing reservations on a standby basis next week.
IslandAir Shutdown Could Make Interisland Ops Slightly More Attractive For Southwest
The shutdown puts more than 400 people out of work and leaves Hawaiian as the only airline offering inter-island routes…at least for now. The development could potentially mean more fertile ground for Southwest to launch inter-island service. Andrew Watterson, Southwest Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer told Hawaii News Now last month before the shutdown, “On the mainland, we’re known for short flights, quick turn around times. The inter-island market does lend itself to that.”
A new Southwest Airlines 737-8MAX. Photo: Southwest Airlines
At the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, passenger Travis Peters from Hilo told HNN, “Inter-island would be awesome because it’s just another competitor for Hawaiian Airlines.” Low fares from Southwest seem to generally appeal to most Hawaiians who say cheaper airline tickets would mean being able to travel to see friends and family more often.
Southwest started the ball rolling on October 11, when they announced the launch of new service from the mainland to Hawaii. Passengers will be able to buy tickets beginning in 2018. Before the flights actually start, however, the airline has to get FAA approval for Extended Twin Operations (ETOPS) which is a certification that allows flight operations over the ocean between the mainland and Hawaii. ETOPs requires additional equipment and special training for flight crews. It can take more than a year to get approval. ETOPS approval is not the only thing that could slow down Southwest’s planned Hawaii expansion. The mechanics union may rain on the parade.
Southwest’s Mechanics Union, Other Challenges Could Throw Wrench Into Plans For Hawaiian Service
Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association National Director Bret Oestreich says the union is filing legal action. He says, “Southwest Airlines has the lowest ratio of mechanics to aircraft of any major carrier. Now, the carrier wants to expand its service over open waters without accepting direct responsibility for the airworthiness of its aircraft. Not only is this irresponsible, but it is a direct violation of our contract, and we are not going to allow it to happen.” The union is threatening a cease and desist order that will “stop Southwest dead in its tracks.”
A commitment to use Southwest mechanics to perform ETOPS checks within the 48 contiguous states in exchange for the right to use vendors on the island has been submitted. The only problem is that, according to AMFA, they never signed off on the proposal. Oestreich commented, “if Southwest wants to fly safely to Hawaii, it has to operate within the existing contractual limitations. It is time for Southwest to accept greater responsibility for maintaining its own aircraft.”
Southwest will also have to take a long hard look at its fleet. Aloha Airlines used to fly 737-200s until their collapse in 2008. The 737-200s were ideally suited for quick turns without engine cooling. But today, the more modern Next Generation and 737 MAXs are not ideal for quick turns in Hawaii because the engines do not have enough time to cool the core at cruise.
Aloha operated the 737-200 for their interisland operations. They ceased service in 2008. Photo by Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsIn spite of the adversity from the mechanics union and other postential challenges, Southwest is uniquely positioned to launch interisland service. They have a brand awareness and the proven track record of providing short haul service. In the wake of an Island Air shutdown, commencing inter-island flights becomes a slightly more attractive proposition.
Almost every avgeek younger than 40 has played Microsoft Flight Simulator (aka Flight Sim or FSX) on the PC. FlightSim started out as a solitary event. Sim pilots would take off, fly around completely empty skies, and land. As the internet evolved, connected gaming became more common. Today with Steam, there are entire virtual worlds with full-on simulated ATC, multiple sim-pilots, and thousands of possible aircraft.
With any new environment, there’s bound to be a comedian. David, also known as AirForceProud95, is just such a guy. He’s turned social flight simming into a YouTube video series that has over 66 million views. We had the opportunity to catch up with David recently to learn more about him and his schtick.
Our interview with AirForceProud95
1.) Hey David! Great to chat with you. Tell us a little about what makes you an avgeek.
I’ve been fascinated with aviation for as long as I can remember. As a kid, I always loved going to the airport to record planes taking off and landing and then posting the videos on YouTube. I got my first copy of Flight Simulator X when I was 12 years old and started uploading flight sim videos to my channel as well. My interests in flight sim actually led me into real-world flying and I’m now working towards a professional flying career.
2.) You are known for some highly-entertaining flight-sim videos on Youtube under the username AirForceProud95. How did you get started on these videos?
I’ve been making YouTube videos since 2008 but the real juicy ones didn’t come about until late 2014. I mostly recorded “realistic” flight sim videos at first but then I started recording some regular multiplayer sessions with my friends whenever ATC would come online. I focused on humor in these videos rather than realism and I noticed that they started getting a lot of attention so I ran with the concept. And here we are today.
3.) In your videos, you seem like you have some decent flying experience and you sound fairly professional. What’s your street cred?
I am a commercial pilot with a multi-engine rating with just over 200 hours currently. If my flight sim hours were worth anything I’d probably be sitting left seat in a Boeing 777 by now. I guess that’s not how the system works though.
4.) How did you get your username AirForceProud95?
It’s the result of a very complex algorithm that my 12-year old brain developed. My dad was a pilot in the Air Force, I was proud of him, and I was born in 1995. Hence… AirForceProud95.
5.) Your videos are impressively popular. They’ve even been featured on Mashable and other media outlets. Do people now recognize you when you play flight sim?
All the time. It’s cool coming across people who know me from YouTube but it also makes recording new videos more of a challenge. Genuine reactions are always the best but people usually act differently when they know they’re being recorded (it can be pretty obvious). I usually make it work by joining random servers and trying out different accents, some of which I need to work on…
6.) Do you ever feel bad after trolling some people on Flight sim?
Not really. The goal is to have other players laughing and adding to the conversation rather than just getting people triggered. I’ve found a rhythm now where I can make entertaining videos without ruining anyone else’s time by building conversations rather than just slinging insults (Results may vary when squeakers are present).
7.) What’s your favorite all-time video that you’ve made?
My original “Trolling as an Air Traffic Controller in FSX” video is probably my favorite. The dialogue between pilots and ATC in that video is priceless and there was a great sequence of events. If I had to show somebody only one of my videos to convince them to subscribe it would be that one.
8.) Do the videos make enough money from ads to be your primary job?
Yes, but I still approach it as a hobby. That’s what makes it fun. I’m still in college so I have other things to focus on but it’s been awesome watching the channel grow especially considering where it all started.
9.) What’s your favorite plane?
I’ve always loved the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar. It represents the glory days of commercial aviation and is super nostalgic whenever I see it in the old Delta Air Lines widget scheme. I’m also a big fan of the A-90 Orlyonok.
Delta Air Lines Lockheed L-1011-500 Tristar (N754DL/1181)
10.) Thanks for joining us! Anything else that you’d like to say to your fans reading about you on Avgeekery?
My pleasure! I think I’ve blogged enough so far but I’d like to thank anyone out there who watches my videos!
We’ve posted quite a bit of coverage about United Airlines last 747-400 flight. For over 47 years, United has operated the Queen Of The Skies…the double-decker jet.
United really rolled out the stops for passengers on the last flight. It included a meal far better than typical chicken or beef. United provided a champaign toast, a first class menu to all aboard, and left the first class section open as a lounge. It was a throwback to a different era where service was more important than profit.
Both United and Delta are retiring their fleet of Boeing 747-400 in 2017. By the end of 2017, no major US airline will operate the Boeing 747. This will be the first time that a major US airline has not operated a 747 since 1969 when Pan Am launched the type.
The Boeing 747-400 launched in 1989. The upgraded 747 offered upgraded engines, a two-man cockpit, and beautiful winglets the increased efficiency. The upgraded 747 allowed flights that connected far-away places like Chicago to Hong Kong and New York and Shanghai.
Gordon Bethune, the legendary CEO that turned Continental Airlines around when it was teetering on the brink of collapse, is one of the most acclaimed and colorful airline executives in U.S. history. Bethune left his operations executive position at Boeing in February 1994 and joined the troubled airline as Chief Operating Officer in the nick of time: at that point, Continental ranked dead last in on-time arrivals and lost baggage. They did rank #1 in one performance metric, however: customer complaints.
Prior to Bethune coming on board, Continental had ten chief executives over a two year period who all resigned or were outed from their positions. During that time, the airline filed for bankruptcy not once, but twice. Previous management employed a strategy of union busting and paying employees substandard salaries. Management was constantly at odds with workers and a former CEO went so far as to completely void union contracts.
Union Busting and Threats
At one of its lowest points, in January 1981, Texas International Airlines made a bid to acquire Continental. TIA made the offer even though Continental already had plans to merge with Western Airlines. TIA already owned almost 10% of Continental’s shares and threatened to vote its shares against the planned merger with Western. Meantime, the hostile situation with TIA CEO Francisco Anthony “Frank” Lorenzo grew worse. Lorenzo was feared by employees and for good reason.
Lorenzo was the former head of Eastern and was well known for instituting cost cuts, requiring pilots to fly excessively long hours, delaying aircraft repairs and outsourcing maintenance work to cheaper, less experienced outside contractors. Pilots, machinists, and flight attendants were often fired for not adhering to strict and arbitrary absenteeism rules and Lorenzo went so far as to fire some whistle blowers for allegations of insubordination and unsubstantiated claims of drug use.
Gunmen on the Ramp at the Miami Airport and a CEO’s Suicide
Eastern flight attendants and pilots unions went on strike in March 1989 after negotiations failed to produce labor agreements. Meantime, according to Eastern Airlines pilot James L. Caufman, private security forces entered the ramp at the Miami airport with guns and removed machinists from their jobs. Caufman witnessed the illegal lockout from the cockpit of an A-300 he was in at the time, parked on the ramp. Thousands of non-union employees were laid off.
Lorenzo was a known union buster who went head to head with Continental Chairman Alvin L. Feldman who strongly objected to TIA’s acquisition of Continental. An employee group lawyered up in an effort to halt the take-over but financing for the group fell through. Meantime, TIA wound up acquiring 49% of Continental’s shares. As Continental was preparing to publicly announce the acquisition, Feldman committed suicide in his LA office. In November, the legal battles were over and Lorenzo was elected to Continental’s Board of Directors. Even though TIA was the parent company, the merged airlines operated under the Continental brand name.
After the merger, Continental and its mechanics union could not reach a labor agreement after 19 months of negotiations and a strike ensued in August 1983. The airline continued to operate but filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few weeks later and laid off 65% of its workforce. Of course, the bankruptcy filing meant any existing union contracts were null and void. Lorenzo and his management team claimed high labor costs would force Continental to go out of business; while the unions said the bankruptcy was a shady legal maneuver intentionally filed to void union contracts.
In 1984, Continental started to operate profitably once again but bankruptcy protections remained in place until 1986 and agreements had to be worked out with creditors to pay off debt over a decade-long period. At that time, Continental’s pilots received an average salary that was 30% to 50% lower than before the bankruptcy filing.
Continental ‘acquired’ New York Air. Seen is a transitional livery. Photo by Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikipedia)
Continental emerged from bankruptcy on June 30, 1986 and in October of that same year, former American Airlines Senior VP Thomas G. Plaskett became CEO. Shortly afterward in early 1987, Continental merged with Frontier, People Express, New York Air, and several commuter airlines and became the third-largest U.S. airline with hubs in New York, Houston and Denver. The hasty mergers led to a very high number of customer service complaints, however, so Plaskett was removed as CEO and Lorenzo resumed his position as head of the airline.
A Continental 727 in Peoples Express colors. Continental’s fleet was a mishmash of colors and types in the 1980s. By Andrew Thomas from Shrewsbury, UK (CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikipedia)
Lorenzo consolidated the acquired airlines into one system and saddled Continental with mounting debt. By 1990, Continental was filing for bankruptcy once again, blaming its problems on the cost of interest on its debts and jump in fuel prices because of the Gulf War. Continental Airlines was $2.2 billion in the red thanks to Lorenzo’s fast growth now/pay later strategy. Later that year, Frank Lorenzo was forced to retire and sell his controlling stake in Continental Airlines’ to Scandinavian Airlines Systems.
Continental’s Recovery – Going Forward
When Gordon Bethune assumed control in 1994, Continental Airlines had several black eyes and was on the verge of filing for bankruptcy a third time. Bethune had completed an Advanced Management Course at Harvard Business School and laid out a plan before the Board of Directors, but at first, the Board was reluctant to make him Chief. After six months in a high-level operations position, Bethune won them over with a plan developed with Continental consultant Greg Brenneman. The plan outlined complete change instituted by a new leader, not an interim manager or committee. It was called the Go Forward plan and included product, finance, people and marketing changes.
Go Forward was put into action and Bethune opened the door of his executive suite to all employees, as a way to eliminate the “us-versus-them” culture that had developed under previous managers like Lorenzo. Bethune says, “We sent word into the field that henceforth we wanted our employees to use their judgment, not follow some rigid manual. When faced with an atypical situation, employees were instructed to do what was right for the customer and right for the company.”
The newly minted Continental CEO took control of cutting costs, controlling pricing, and implemented new marketing programs. The “Fly to Win” marketing plan focused on achievement and involved apologizing to travel agents for past regressions and offered them fair commission payments so they would start booking passengers on the airline again. Part of the new marketing plan involved dropping unprofitable routes and a general stance against anything that didn’t make money.
Under “Fund the Future,” the new financial plan, Bethune updated the financial system so he was always aware of how much money was being earned or lost daily. He renegotiated leases, postponed payments, improved Continental’s pricing structure and refinanced debt to avoid bankruptcy. He stated, “The first step in making a profit is to stop doing the things that are specifically causing you not to make a profit. Stop doing the things that lose money. To stop losing money, one of the things we had to do was stop flying that 18% of our routes.”
The star CEO also implemented the “Make Reliability a Reality” program aimed at improving service. Basic improvements were implemented, like prompt baggage service and on-time arrivals. Bethune used on-time percentages from the Department of Transportation as measures of reliability.
The Turn Around Plan
On a very basic level, Bethune simply treated people better and was able to overcome in-fighting between employees and departments. Reflecting on his predecessor years later, he said, “to be honest, the deal culture that had started with Frank Lorenzo still existed at Continental. Deal makers look at problems and think deals. To deal makers, the solution is always more deals.” To counter the negativity, the new management team went so far as to open up the company’s books to employees so they could see the truth, including why there may be layoffs and why pay raises might be delayed due to iffy finances. He then offered employees a $65 bonus every time the airline was ranked in the top five for on-time arrivals and performance as measured by the government.
Under the Go Forward Plan, the airline began to turn around. Customer service complaints turned into glowing reviews. All 200 planes in the fleet got a sleek new look and were painted the same way. Prior to that, Continental was flying five different liveries from the merged airlines. The result of the new uniform look for all Continental aircraft was a visual message that said the carrier had become professional and a better operator.
Although the jets weren’t new, a new unified livery brought the visual appearance of a refreshed, forward thinking airline. This Boeing 737-100 is seen in Fort Lauderdale in 1996. Photo by By Torsten Maiwald [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html) or GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia CommonsBethune got rid of 18% of Continental’s routes because they were cash negative and shifted the airline back to a hub system, which means rather than flying from smaller cities to large ones, he placed focus on popular destinations and increased fares. In no time at all, Continental was earning more revenue while flying fewer planes.
A path towards success
The result was a resounding success. By making major changes in the day-to-day operations and corporate culture, Bethune helped Continental turn the corner toward profitability. He tried to make Continental a place where employees would be happy to work, placed real emphasis on customer service, streamlined the carrier’s image, and made hard decisions to cut unprofitable routes. Continental’s stock price rose from $2 to over $50 per share under his leadership. Fortune Magazine named Continental Airlines among the 100 Best Companies to Work for in America for six years in a row.
Gordon Bethune retired from Continental at the end of 2004. Today he is the lead director for Park Corp. Hotels and Resorts, an emeritus board member for New York Academy of Art, and serves on the Board of Directors of Sprint Corporation. Previously, he served on the Board of Directors of Honeywell and Prudential Financial. In May 2010, a merger agreement was reached between Continental and United Airlines. Its stock now trades under the UAL ticker symbol.
When the Air Force’s 1365th Photo Squadron shot and produced the film “ADC Life Support Training School” in 1968, Air Defense Command (ADC) had just been re-named Aerospace Defense Command. The Command’s mission was to provide comprehensive air defense of the Continental United States (CONUS). ADC therefore directly controlled all active measures, and was tasked to coordinate all passive means of air defense. This video, uploaded by YouTuber AIRBOYD, takes a look at ADC’s school designed to train flight crews to survive during and after ejection or bailout.
At this time ADC was equipped primarily with Convair F-106 Delta Dart and F-102 Delta Dagger single-engine jet interceptors. The First, Fourth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Air Forces along with Air Forces Iceland were responsible for a maximum of 25 Air Defense Sectors by up to 23 Air Divisions. Reorganized, consolidated, and restructured several times between ADC’s establishment in March of 1946, its brief deactivation in 1950 and its reestablishment on 1951, ADC became a separate command in 1975. ADC was inactivated in March of 1980 and its mission passed on to Air Force and Air National Guard squadrons.
Official US Air Force Photograph
ADC’s week-long Life Support Training Schools taught many of the same principles as the Air Force’s other survival schools as well as the Navy’s Aircrew survival school at Pensacola. While not specific to ADC training or ejection, the procedures and practice methods are well represented in the film. Landing procedures, harness egress and parachute handling, water landings, personal flotation device procedures, survival raft procedures, parachute dragging, an actual landing after parasailing release, and much more are shown in the film. The training was conducted at Tyndall AFB in the Florida panhandle and at Perrin AFB near Sherman in northern Texas beginning in 1964.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — The final air show of the year for the Blue Angels, the GEICO Skytypers, and a few of the top aerobatic pilots will take place this week as they perform popular demonstrations above the airfield at Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron will conclude their 71st season with their annual Homecoming Air Show at the Cradle of Naval Aviation. Great weather with cool temperatures is forecast for the two-day airshow which will take place at Forrest Sherman Field on Friday and Saturday.
Gates will open both days at 8:00 a.m. EDT, and the first flights will begin 90 minutes later. Tickets remain available online and will also be available at the gate.
In addition to the two daytime shows, a Friday evening air show will illuminate the airfield by the Skytypers, the Shockwave Jet Truck, and a jet-powered Waco bi-plane known as “Screamin’ Sasquatch”.
America’s Pride, the Blue Angels, will wrap Season 71
The Blue Angels six blue and yellow F/A-18 Hornets will take-off around 2:00 p.m. each day to begin their flight demonstrations. The Diamond Team will split into a Delta and two solos minutes later as they perform nearly 30 maneuvers demonstrating the handling characteristics of the Navy’s Hornet aircraft. Stay alert for the solos’ famous sneak pass from behind the crowd.
Photo: Charles A. Atkeison
Homecoming for the Blue Angels will be the last public flight demonstrations with the squadron for three of its pilots. Boss and Angel 1 pilot Cmdr. Ryan Bernacchi is returning to the fleet in a few weeks, and the Blues are welcoming Navy Cmdr. Eric Doyle as their new Boss for 2018-19.
The Blues also selected two new pilots in June to fly the sleek F/A-18 Hornets, Marine Maj. Jeffrey Mullins of Memphis, Tennessee, and Navy LT Andre Webb of Lawton, Oklahoma. Current pilots LT Lance Benson, who has served as Angel 4 for two seasons, and CDR Frank Weisser, who replaced fallen Blue Angel Capt. Jeff Kuss in August 2016, will both return to the fleet this month.
Maj. Mullins will fly in the Angel’s Diamond next season, while LT Webb, an F/A-18 instructor pilot, will serve as the Blue Angels new narrator and advance pilot.
GEICO Skytypers to Perform Three Warbird Demonstrations
The Pensacola airshow will also mark the final performances of 2017 for the world famous GEICO Skytypers. The squadron of six historic Navy SNJ-2 aircraft will demonstrate the same formation flying as the pilots of World War II and Korea, who took to the skies in the same aircraft to practice wartime aerial maneuvers 75 years ago.
Photo: Charles A. Atkeison
“The end of the year show is always bittersweet we are very happy to finish a safe and productive year flying for our fans,” Skytypers Flight Leader Larry Arken remarked on Tuesday. “It is also nice to take a break and start working on so many exciting opportunities that we have for 2018.”
The team will highlight a rare twilight airshow performing in both the diamond with two solos, and the delta formations. “A majority of the team’s pilots are former Naval aviators, so the show is a bit of a homecoming for the Skytypers as well,” Team spokesperson Brenda Little said from Pensacola.
The GEICO Skytypers spend their time at each airshow site visiting local hospitals and education centers with their public outreach program. The team also hosts student groups at the airshow for a candid discussion plane side, and offers them the chance to climb aboard their historic aircraft.
The civilian aviation team, whose history dates back to the 1970’s, is concluding its 11th anniversary season as the GEICO Skytypers.
The John Klatt Air Shows powerful “Screamin’ Sasquatch” jet engine Waco bi-plane will showcase its worth, powered by over 4,000 pounds of thrust. The red aircraft piloted by Jeff Boerboon will take to the Gulf Coast skies performing aerobatic stunts which continues the stun the crowds.
Boerboon explained with a grin that the airshow crowd will hear a powerful jet engine and only see a red bi-plane; and they will continue to look around for another aircraft from where the jet engine sound is coming.
“It’s just a crazy airplane that we call cartoon aerobatics,” Boerboon said. “It’s a beefed up airplane and it’s doing things that bi-planes, or any planes, aren’t suppose to do. How many airplanes have you seen pull up to 1200 feet, stop on a vertical line, pierrot around in a torque roll and then accelerate to 80 m.p.h. going straight up? Never, never!”
Pilot Randy Ball and his popular Vietnam-era MiG-17F jet aircraft will perform over Sherman Field. Ball, who is concluding his 27th year performing in airshows, will maneuver his silver delta winged aircraft at near the speed of sound and pull nearly 8G’s as he follows the tactical performances of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Several static aircraft will be on display on the tarmac and inside the nearby Naval Aviation Museum. A special Kids’ Zone will be open through out the air show providing aviation themed slides and inflatable bounce attractions.
Photo: Charles A. Atkeison
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
When we first heard rumors, we thought it might be an April Fools joke. But a quick check of the calendar proves that today is November 8th and April is way in the past. This seems to be real news!
A recently-formed company called 777 Partners acquired the intellectual property of World Airways Inc. The company plans to launch long-haul 787 service between the US and Asia along with Latin America. According to the press release, they are negotiating with Boeing and intend to acquire 10 Boeing 787 aircraft.
Ed Wegel, Founding CEO of World commented, “World has a rich and storied history dating back to 1947. It was once the world’s largest independent charter airline, and served the US military and other clients with great distinction for many years.
“Today, we are proud to begin preparations to launch scheduled operations from the US to Asia and Latin America. We will be partnering with low cost, short haul carriers in the US and in the regions we serve to provide connecting traffic to and from our initial planned gateways. We plan to announce our new brand look and feel within the next few weeks, under the direction of our Founding CMO, Freddie Laker.”
777 Partners says that World Airways will be the first US-based long haul low-cost carrier. While that is true, the airline is far from the only LCC flying wide-body jets. Airlines like WOW, IcelandAir, Norwegian, and Level have launched international low-cost flights in recent years, mostly between the US and European destinations.
A historic airline is reborn! Read our announcement on the new World Airways page: https://t.co/WalBNENhDK
World Airways has a very storied and unique history. First launched in 1948, the airline always had close ties to the government, winning a number of government contracts to fly military, cargo, and sometimes even clandestine operators to far away destinations. Based in Oakland, World Airways one of the primary carrier to fly troops and cargo into and out of Vietnam during the War. World Airways had a number of unique accomplishments. It was the first airline to operate the hinge-nosed version of the Boeing 747. It also was the last airline out of DaNang. In 1975, World Airways received considerable attention as it was the last western airline to fly out of DaNang as it was falling to the North Vietnamese. It rescued 268 people on a very overloaded Boeing 727.
After the war, World Airways continued to fly government contracted freight and passengers along with a number of civilian charters for schools, sports teams, and tours. In the 1990s, it acquired a fleet of MD-11s to replace tired DC-10s. The airline later added a few 747-400s to the fleet to handle growing demand after 9/11. World was acquired by American Trans Air’s parent company in 2006. It ceased operations in 2014, blaming high fuel prices and the reduction of military contracts in the wake of sequestration and the downsizing of contract airlift requirements in the Middle East after American troops exited Iraq and reduced their presence in Afghanistan.
This new version of World Airways is expected to be headquartered in Miami.
