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VOL. V, NO. 5
APACE WITH THE PACEMAKER
JULY, 1962
New Service In Operation
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"A Momentous Occasion For Piedmont" — Guests gathered tor a luncheon, hosted by Piedmont and celebrating the new service, in the dining room of the Hilton Inn near the
Atlanta airport. Seated at the head table were (left to right): Vice President H. K. Saunders; Arvin Basnight, Assistant Administrator of the Southern Region for the FAA; C. B. Cul
pepper, Chairman of the ATL Chamber of Commerce Aviation Committee; Frank Hulse, President of Southern Airways; James H. Aldredge, Chairman of the Fulton County Com
missioners; John Dregg, Director of Community and Congressional Relations tor the CAB; ATL Mayor Ivan Allen; President T. H. Davls; ATL Mayor emeritus William Hartsfield;
C. E. Woolman, President of Delta Airlines; Samuel Massell, Vice Mayor and President of the ATL Board of Aldermen; Piedmont Director Charles Norfleet;) Jack J. Minter, Director
of the Georgia Dept, of Commerce; and Secretary and Assistant Treasurer M. F. Fare.
Special Inaugural Luncheons Held In ATL, BAL
Baltimore -A Five-Year Trip'
“It took us rather a long time
to get here — five years to be
exact — but we made it and it
is a happy occasion for us, and
we hope for the communities
which will have access to Balti
more for the first time.”
With these words President
T. H. Davis greeted guests as
sembled at Baltimore’s Friend
ship Airport June 25 to mark
the start of Piedmont service
there and in six other communi
ties.
The special luncheon was
hosted by the Greater Baltimore
Committee and the Baltimore As
sociation of Commerce. Using a
Martin 404, Piedmont flew rep
resentatives from Elizabeth City,
Norfolk, Newport News, Rich
mond, Charlottesville, and Har
risonburg-Staunton-Waynesboro
to the gathering.
Piedmont Welcomed
William Boucher, Executive
Director of the Greater Balti
more Committee, began the
luncheon by welcoming Pied
mont representatives and guests
from other cities. “Baltimore
has had, over many years, a com
munity of interest with the cities
represented today,” he said.
“It is important for us to com
municate with them through air
travel to strengthen our political
and economic ties. Our airport
has a fine future which will be
aided by additional airlines.”
Following Boucher, Herbert
Bailey, Executive Vice President
of the Baltimore Association of
Commerce, added his welcome on
behalf of the Association, add
ing, “Having Piedmont here to
provide service is something
we’ve all looked forward to with
a great deal of anticipation. We
have this service now which we
have needed for a long time.”
John O. Colonna, Airport Man
ager and Director of the Balti-
m 0 r e Department of Aviation,
also welcomed Piedmont and
noted how much the new service
will mean to Maryland, North
Carolina, and Virginia.
President Davis was the con
cluding speaker, and after com
menting that the trip to Balti
more “had taken us five years,”
he said, “It’s been a long haul
but we’re sure it’s been worth
it.
liargest Program
“We’ve been fortunate in hav
ing cities on our system which
have been a joy to work with,
and I’m sure the same will be
true of B a 11 i m o r e.” He an-
n o u n c e d that Piedmont has
undertaken the largest single ex
pansion program in local service
airline history, and added, “I’m
confident those who are respon
sible for making the operation
work will do their job well.”
“We will do our best to see
that service is operated on a
well-run basis with reasonably
frequent service. We thank you
for your support and coopera
tion, and we are indebted to all
those who have helped us.”
Following the luncheon, guests
took a brief look around the
Baltimore airport before heading
back to the Martin 404 and home.
Atlanta - Guests Represented 21 Communities
Piedmont representatives and
business and civic leaders from
21 communities were accorded a
warm southern welcome in At
lanta June 22 when a pre-inaug
ural luncheon was held to mark
the start of service on routes
authorized in the Piedmont Area
Case.
Two Martin 404’s and an F-27
flew the guests to the Piedmont-
hosted affair, held at the Hilton
Inn near the airport. They were
joined there by Atlanta interline
and civic representatives.
Following a reception, the
group, assembled for lunch and
thanks was returned by Egbert
L. Davis, Jr., Piedmont Director
and brother of President T. H.
Davis.
Head Table
Seated at the head table were
Vice President H. K. Saunders;
Arvin Basnight, Assistant Ad
ministrator of the Southern Re
gion for the Federal Aviation
Agency; C. B. Culpepper, Chair
man of the Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce Aviation Committee;
Frank Hulse, President of Sou
thern Airways; James H. Al
dredge, Chairman of the Fulton
County Commissioners; Col. John
Dregge, Director of Community
and Congressional Relations for
the Civil Aeronautics Board;
Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen;
President T. H. Davis; Atlanta
Mayor emeritus William Harts
field; C. E. Woolman, President
of Delta Airlines; Samuel Mas
sell, Vice Mayor and President
of the Atlanta Board of Alder
men; Piedmont Director Charles
Norfleet; Jack J. Minter, Director
of the Georgia Department of
Commerce; and Secretary and As
sistant Treasurer M. F. Fare.
Piedmont Grateful
President Davis welcomed the
guests and introduced the 14
mayors present. In his opening
remarks Mr. Davis expressed
thanks on behalf of the company
for the help extended" Piedmont
and said:
“We want to tell you how gen
uinely grateful we at Piedmont
are for the generous hospitality
and encouragement extended us
at Atlanta.
“We are fortunate in becoming
a new citizen at the new com
munities added to our system,
and we feel it is a momentous
occasion for Piedmont.
“Our new service is especially
significant because on June 25
we will inaugurate service on a
system that is 50 per cent larger.
As far as we know this is the
largest single expansion program
ever undertaken by a local serv
ice airline on one day!”
Mr. Davis then introduced Col.
John Dregge, Director of Com
munity and Congressional Rela
tions for the Civil Aeronautics
Board.
Into Partnership
Col. Dregge paid tribute to
Piedmont, and to Atlanta and its
aviation pioneers who helped
the city grow as a transportation
center. Then he directed his re
marks to Piedmont’s new com;
munities saying. “The new cities
have a responsibility as much
as Piedmont to make this service
a success. They must show they
are willing to go into partner
ship with Piedmont and help
make the air service work.”
The final speaker of the day
was the Hon. Ivan Allen, Mayor
of Atlanta, who extended the
city’s official welcome to Pied
mont as one of its new business
citizens.
“The airlines are representa
tives of the Atlanta business
community,” said Mayor Allen,
“and exhibit the vigor which
will carry American business
through.”
“The Atlanta airport is a sym
bol of an alive and alert city,
and rather than seek help we
must stand on our own feet and
be proud of what we have.”
Thriving Center
He described the area as a
thriving transportation center,
saying, “We were spawned by
transportation with the coming
of the railroads; we were de
stroyed by Sherman because we
were a transportation center,
and we rebuilt our city because
we were a transportation com
munity.”
Mayor Allen drew a round of
laughter when he said that At
lanta’s airport has become such
an air service gateway that “re
gardless of whether, a man is
bound for heaven or for hell, he
has to change planes in Atlanta.”
In conclusion he again con
gratulated Piedmont and said,
“We welcome you with all the
hospitality and love of Atlanta
and its business community.”
Following the luncheon, guests
boarded chartered buses for the
short trip back to the airport
and a look at the ATL terminal
and Piedmont operations before
leaving.