The Piedmonitor
February 1, 1952
Page Z.
of 1950 some 6,320 passengers boarded our flights, while during January of 1949 the total
figure was about 3,460 - and we find a fairly steady rate of increase. The load factor
during January is at a tentative 40.73%
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Although the Piedmonitor is a trifle belated in sending New Year’s greetings it really should
be a happy and successful 1952 for Piedmont Aviation, Inc. At any rate we are off to a good
start - with a successful and profitable year behind us - the announcement of the establishment
of a Profit-Sharing Retirement Plan for Piedmont employees - PLUS a 40 hour work week for
all ground personnel - its a fact that 1951 eiided well and 1952 looks good from here. In spite
of these advantages which management has seen fit to place into effect the New Year will be
exactly what we make it, and under existing conditions it seems impossible that each of us will
do other than bend every effort toward making the best year yet for ourselves, our fellow-
workers, and the industry as a whole!
CAMP LEJEUNE AND FORT BRAGG
L. W. Golson
Don EDMONDSON transferred from ROA to Camp Lejeune on December 18 to open an airline
ticket office, sponsored at the present time by Eastern Air Lines, National Airlines, and
Piedmont Airlines. All three airlines are expecting a considerable amount of additional re
venue as a result of the establishment of this office. It is located in the Transportation Building,
at the hub of the Base, and is jointly occupied by a bus and railroad ticket office. Since that
day in December when Don moved down from ROA things have progressed to the extent that
a separate ticket office has been established for the prime purpose of serving the transporta
tion requirements of personnel enroute from boot training at Paris Island to military schools
throughout the United States. Approximately 2,335 soldiers moved through Camp Lejeune
between the 14th of January and 1st of February, and this particular traffic is expected to con
tinue at the rate of approximately 150 per day. The net result of all this activity is the temp-
orary transfer of Harold WARNER from RIC and the addition of Mary Margaret EAST to
assist Don in the mighty fine job being done for the airlines and the military at Camp Lejeune.
On December 17 Joe GURGANUS arrived at Fort Bragg for a little temporary duty. He is still
there as a result of the excellent job being done at that point in serving the military. We can
point with pride to the fact that Joe is still representing us in the Post Transportation Office,
and also to the fact that we are averaging $700.00 daily total ticket sales during what is con
sidered a slow period of travel for the area. Business is expected to pick up around the 1st
of February!
- TWO NEW AIRCRAFT -
Piedmont recently purchased two DC 3’s from Scandanavian Airlines System. T. H. Davis
says that after looking at many DC-3’s he is confident that they are the cleanest in the country,
and they both have very low total time. One of them has the interior arrangement and doors
practically standard to our fleet, and it should be on the line within four to five weeks. The
second one will require complete interior re-finishing, and you may expect to see it on the
line in about 8 weeks. Both aircraft will require complete radio and instrument panal instal
lation, however they have many miscellaneous accessories, fittings, etcetera, which are
already standard to our fleet. This purchase brings the number of DC-3’s owned and operat
ed by Piedmont to a total of twelve. Quite a fleet of Pacemakers!