PIEDMONITOR
VOLUME 6 - NO. 1 PUBLISHED AND PRINTED BY PIEDMONT AVIATION, INC. JANUARY 1954
PIEDMONT LAUNCHES "TOP" DRIVE FOR 1954 QUARTER PROFIT
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NEW YEAR MESSAGE FROM
THE PRESIDENT
This is the season for taking stock, and
one of the brightest spots for me during
this Hoi iday Season has been the thought
of the many opportunities that lie ahead
for all of us during the New Year.
It is very true that from a profit and loss
standpoint, we haven't anything to crow
about for 1953. As a matter of fact, if
it hadn't been for the Fixed Base Divis
ion we'd really have our backs against
the wall . They have had an exception
ally fine year. The first three months of
last year were unusual ly rough for the air
line division and in spite of the best ef
forts of all of us we were just getting back
on our feet when winter set in again.
Well, as I see it, that's ail water over
the dam - and in spite of it al 1, we learn
ed a lot and we rendered a lot of good
service to the public. Now it's up to all
of us to take advantage of what we learn
ed - put it to good use - and really make
hay in 1954. We can do it, too.
I don't believe we have ever been geared
up to do a better job than we are right
now. Every department, without except
ion, is staffed with more competent peo
ple than ever before. We know our bus
iness, we're geared up to handle a lot of
it, and we don't expect any big growing
pains this year. All of this adds up to a
big year for Piedmont and for all of us
individually - if each of us simply tries
to do ourjobjust a little better than any
body else can do it.
We're getting off to a good start in the
New Year. Our Company-wide s a I e s
contest offers thousands of possibilities
(top's) for Piedmont and thousands of
prizes (TOP's) for each of us.
(Continued on page 2)
PIEDMONT GETS R.J.R. DC-3
CONVERSION CONTRACT
Our Company has been awarded a con
tract by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.,
makers of Camel cigarettes, to purchase
and overhaul a DC-3, and install an ex
ecutive interior. This will be the tobac
co company's first aircraft. It is to be
used, primarily, by their Sales Depart
ment. Specifications call for a very com
plete radio and instrument installation
and a luxurious cabin to accommodate
fourteen passengers.
H. M. Cartwright, Supt. of Maintenance,
made a tour around the country looking
for the cleanest baste C-47 he could find
and finally bought one formerly used by
TWA in cargo operations. He says it is
one of the best he has seen in a longtime.
Mr. Cartwright says this is going to be
the prettiest and finest executive aircYaft
in the country when his boys get through
with it, so you had better stop in now and
then and take a good look. This big job
comes in good time since only one PA!
ship is due for a major during the next
ten months.
A company-wide program to put "one more
passenger" on each flight while at the
same time economize in every phase of
Piedmont Airlines operations to provide
a profitable first quarter of 1954 was hunch
ed in Winston-Salem December 29.
A large meeting, especially attended by
all station managers, district sales mana
gers and traffic representatives, as well
as all employees able to attend, heard
Mr. Davis and other top PAI executives
stress the importance of putting the air
line back in the profitable black column.
At the same time, as an incentive to the
al 1-employee, all-family drive for t h e
next three months, a "TOURNAMENT OF
PRIZES" was announced by W. G. McGee
who outlined all the possible ways of at
taining valuable and very attractive gifts
through sales promotion.
Mr. Hager launched the meeting, held
in the airline hangar, pointing out that
the airline lost money in the first quarter
of both '52 and '53, while in 1951 a pro
fit of $61,919 was made.
Mr. Fare, Lee Golson, Gordon Brown,
(Continued on page 2)