ANY (former) TWA GUYS OUT THERE?
06-19-2006, 05:54 PM
#1
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Joined APC: Jun 2006
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ANY (former) TWA GUYS OUT THERE?
My Dad was a pilot back in the "glory days" of flying....flew for TWA, retired in 1981.
His last ten years based at LAX flying seven-fours to Heathrow.
I still have fond childhood memories of going on trips with the old man, sitting in first class, being doted on by the FAs who fixed me Sangria (my age at the time of my trips...13-16), walking up the spiral staircase, hanging out in da lounge, knocking on the cockpit door, walking into the cockpit (this was the 70s), sitting in the ACM seat during approach, watching the old man grease the 747 at Heathrow...
He was bigger than life on those trips. Pilots were gods back then.
Those were the days, huh?
His last ten years based at LAX flying seven-fours to Heathrow.
I still have fond childhood memories of going on trips with the old man, sitting in first class, being doted on by the FAs who fixed me Sangria (my age at the time of my trips...13-16), walking up the spiral staircase, hanging out in da lounge, knocking on the cockpit door, walking into the cockpit (this was the 70s), sitting in the ACM seat during approach, watching the old man grease the 747 at Heathrow...
He was bigger than life on those trips. Pilots were gods back then.
Those were the days, huh?
06-19-2006, 06:24 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 123
There are ALOT of TWA pilots at American Eagle right now .......they are a GREAT bunch of pilots to fly with!!! I would fly with a TWA pilot ANYDAY!!
There is a little crying from AE pilots who dont like the whole agreement..... and i agree its not the greatest for anyone involved....however.....all that aside ......they are a great bunch of pilots......I would have loved to have worked there!
There is a little crying from AE pilots who dont like the whole agreement..... and i agree its not the greatest for anyone involved....however.....all that aside ......they are a great bunch of pilots......I would have loved to have worked there!
06-20-2006, 10:51 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Position: Retired
Posts: 157
Knew a old Connie Captain from TWA and in retirement at the age of 79 he would do a arobatic shows and one of his stunts was to do a inverted ribbon cut about 15 to 20 feet of the deck in his Decathlon.
Great guy, great pilot and great friend.
Held the poles for him at a show and he insisted on getting my autograph on his show program so he would remember how help in his shows.
Hard to find the likes of that type of pilot anymore.
He was also instrumental in getting my son hired at TWA along with my father his grandfather who retired in 1983.
Great guy, great pilot and great friend.
Held the poles for him at a show and he insisted on getting my autograph on his show program so he would remember how help in his shows.
Hard to find the likes of that type of pilot anymore.
He was also instrumental in getting my son hired at TWA along with my father his grandfather who retired in 1983.
06-20-2006, 12:17 PM
#6
SDQ Base Chief
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: 320 CA
Posts: 5,588
We have a lot of them at Eagle because AA bought TWA and stapled most of the TWA guys to the bottom of the seniority list. Then AA furloughed after 9/11 and those guys who got the axe were mostly TWA. They chose the option to flowback to eagle and be captains on the ERJs here. We have about 400 AA/TWA guys here flying as captains at Eagle currently. The TWA guys have been great to fly with and always have some worthy advice/stories from flying in the past.
06-20-2006, 07:34 PM
#7
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Joined APC: May 2006
Position: Capt/(D/O)
Posts: 15
Jetprop,
You saw your father as all of us new Hires in the 80's saw him (The Captain) as a Sky God. When I was a kid I dreamed of being a pilot for TWA and after being a teenage Flight Instructor, Embry Riddle, Commuter Airlines, etc I finally realized that dream. It was a great ride with some great aviators. I was able to fly with these great men to the Middle East, All of Europe, and every Ozark town in the US. After a decade + my seniority allowed me to Upgrade to captain. It was like joining the knights of the round table. I believe it to be the most difficult program in modern aviation. It did not just consist of sim then 4 stripes and 25 hours of IOE. They did it the old way so that when you were done the buck stopped with you. IOE was broken down to months of ungraded and graded time with line checks after that. It was an adventure that lasted many months beyond the normal programs. It was a long and difficult program.
It was a tradition at TWA that the Vice President of Flying would take the new captains out to a country club dinner. TWA's Vice President of flying and current Admiral raised his glass to us and said "Gentlemen Welcome to management"! It was truly an honor to join such a class. It was a dream to fly with pilots like your Dad.
Furloughed! Mach8Forest
You saw your father as all of us new Hires in the 80's saw him (The Captain) as a Sky God. When I was a kid I dreamed of being a pilot for TWA and after being a teenage Flight Instructor, Embry Riddle, Commuter Airlines, etc I finally realized that dream. It was a great ride with some great aviators. I was able to fly with these great men to the Middle East, All of Europe, and every Ozark town in the US. After a decade + my seniority allowed me to Upgrade to captain. It was like joining the knights of the round table. I believe it to be the most difficult program in modern aviation. It did not just consist of sim then 4 stripes and 25 hours of IOE. They did it the old way so that when you were done the buck stopped with you. IOE was broken down to months of ungraded and graded time with line checks after that. It was an adventure that lasted many months beyond the normal programs. It was a long and difficult program.
It was a tradition at TWA that the Vice President of Flying would take the new captains out to a country club dinner. TWA's Vice President of flying and current Admiral raised his glass to us and said "Gentlemen Welcome to management"! It was truly an honor to join such a class. It was a dream to fly with pilots like your Dad.
Furloughed! Mach8Forest
Last edited by Mach8Forest; 06-20-2006 at 07:49 PM.
06-21-2006, 04:08 PM
#8
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Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 61
Originally Posted by Mach8Forest
Jetprop,
You saw your father as all of us new Hires in the 80's saw him (The Captain) as a Sky God. When I was a kid I dreamed of being a pilot for TWA and after being a teenage Flight Instructor, Embry Riddle, Commuter Airlines, etc I finally realized that dream. It was a great ride with some great aviators. I was able to fly with these great men to the Middle East, All of Europe, and every Ozark town in the US. After a decade + my seniority allowed me to Upgrade to captain. It was like joining the knights of the round table. I believe it to be the most difficult program in modern aviation. It did not just consist of sim then 4 stripes and 25 hours of IOE. They did it the old way so that when you were done the buck stopped with you. IOE was broken down to months of ungraded and graded time with line checks after that. It was an adventure that lasted many months beyond the normal programs. It was a long and difficult program.
It was a tradition at TWA that the Vice President of Flying would take the new captains out to a country club dinner. TWA's Vice President of flying and current Admiral raised his glass to us and said "Gentlemen Welcome to management"! It was truly an honor to join such a class. It was a dream to fly with pilots like your Dad.
Furloughed! Mach8Forest
You saw your father as all of us new Hires in the 80's saw him (The Captain) as a Sky God. When I was a kid I dreamed of being a pilot for TWA and after being a teenage Flight Instructor, Embry Riddle, Commuter Airlines, etc I finally realized that dream. It was a great ride with some great aviators. I was able to fly with these great men to the Middle East, All of Europe, and every Ozark town in the US. After a decade + my seniority allowed me to Upgrade to captain. It was like joining the knights of the round table. I believe it to be the most difficult program in modern aviation. It did not just consist of sim then 4 stripes and 25 hours of IOE. They did it the old way so that when you were done the buck stopped with you. IOE was broken down to months of ungraded and graded time with line checks after that. It was an adventure that lasted many months beyond the normal programs. It was a long and difficult program.
It was a tradition at TWA that the Vice President of Flying would take the new captains out to a country club dinner. TWA's Vice President of flying and current Admiral raised his glass to us and said "Gentlemen Welcome to management"! It was truly an honor to join such a class. It was a dream to fly with pilots like your Dad.
Furloughed! Mach8Forest
Thanks for the great post.
06-21-2006, 07:45 PM
#9
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2005
Position: Retired
Posts: 2,934
Mach8,
As a guy who works ramp at STL and sees how different that airport and the land around it have become in the last few years, I hope all works out well for all you former TWA guys. I grew up right under the LDA 30L, just before the turn inbound and close enough to hear the RB-211s on the lockheeds hum at night. I had never been on an airplane before my first lesson but spent hours on the roads around Lambert watching 747s, 767s, and my favorite, the L1011 coming and going. The cops changed the signs on McDonnell from "No Parking" to "No tresspassing" because of me. You guys are the reason I became facinated with aviation, and I still am. Quite a few of my instructors at Parks were former TWA guys and I looked forward to their classes for the stories as much as the material.
As a guy who works ramp at STL and sees how different that airport and the land around it have become in the last few years, I hope all works out well for all you former TWA guys. I grew up right under the LDA 30L, just before the turn inbound and close enough to hear the RB-211s on the lockheeds hum at night. I had never been on an airplane before my first lesson but spent hours on the roads around Lambert watching 747s, 767s, and my favorite, the L1011 coming and going. The cops changed the signs on McDonnell from "No Parking" to "No tresspassing" because of me. You guys are the reason I became facinated with aviation, and I still am. Quite a few of my instructors at Parks were former TWA guys and I looked forward to their classes for the stories as much as the material.
06-21-2006, 10:09 PM
#10
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Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: 747 Cap
Posts: 96
Originally Posted by Mach8Forest
Jetprop,
After a decade + my seniority allowed me to Upgrade to captain. It was like joining the knights of the round table. I believe it to be the most difficult program in modern aviation. It did not just consist of sim then 4 stripes and 25 hours of IOE. They did it the old way so that when you were done the buck stopped with you. IOE was broken down to months of ungraded and graded time with line checks after that. It was an adventure that lasted many months beyond the normal programs. It was a long and difficult program.
It was a tradition at TWA that the Vice President of Flying would take the new captains out to a country club dinner.
Furloughed! Mach8Forest
After a decade + my seniority allowed me to Upgrade to captain. It was like joining the knights of the round table. I believe it to be the most difficult program in modern aviation. It did not just consist of sim then 4 stripes and 25 hours of IOE. They did it the old way so that when you were done the buck stopped with you. IOE was broken down to months of ungraded and graded time with line checks after that. It was an adventure that lasted many months beyond the normal programs. It was a long and difficult program.
It was a tradition at TWA that the Vice President of Flying would take the new captains out to a country club dinner.
Furloughed! Mach8Forest
Great post!! Not only that, but the gold TWA Captain Wings the company provided with your name engraved on the back, once you completed upgrading. Mine have an honored place at home with some other treasured wings. The "stick" wings went in the trash a long time ago - where they belong.
I/S
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