PIPER, TEX. A&M TEAM UP
PRODUCE NEW DUSTER
Piper and Texas A&M University have put
their respective heads together to design
and produce a radically improved sprayer-
duster designated as the PA-18-A. Power
ed by a 150 hp Lycoming engine, this air
plane gives spectacular performance, par
ticularly on pull-out close to obstructions.
With aerial crop protection becoming more
and more widespread, the new PA-18-A
will have a tremendous market potential .
Look for lots of sales for this airplane.
NEW BUILDING PROGRESSES
Piedmont's new office building is showing
plenty of signs of progress. Last week's
Spring weather brought the steel erecting
crews on the job, and now the building is
rising out of the ground.
Meanwhile work continues on the hangar.
Most, if not all of the concrete footings
have been poured, and that portion of the
construction area looks like a forest of re
inforcing steel. Next month's Piedmonitor
will probably carry the first photos of our
new home. Be on the watch for them.
OLD - TIMER LEAVES
ABDICATES IN FAVOR OF STORK
Mary Irvin Reavis, one of Piedmont's sen
ior secretaries, has gone on an indefinite
Leave of Absence beginning April 22,tak
ing time out to be a Mama. Universally
liked, Mary Irvin's friendly smile will be
sorely missed around here. Her place as
Mr. Saunders secretary is being capably
filled by Mrs. Frances Hand, a very att
ractive addition to the Operations Staff.
Good luck and best wishes to both of you.
STATION WAGON
Something a city fellow who moves to
the country buys so the country people
will know he is from the city.
* * * *
INDUSTRY NOTES
UNITED AIRLINES has ordered an addi
tional $42,5million in new aircraft,bring
ing their airplanes on order to a total of
$64.8 million. Additional order is for 15
DC-7's and 11 DC-6B's. Aircraft will be
delivered in 1957. . . TRANS CANADA
has ordered another Super Connie,as Pres
ident Gordon McGregor said additional
Super Connies and Viscounts will be or
dered "Shortly". . . NATIONAL has
applied to CAB for an extension of its
Route 39 (Miami-New Orleans) beyond
New Orleans to Mexico City, also asked
for non-stop authority between each point
on Route 39 and the Mexican capitol . . .
EASTERN announced preliminary passen
ger figures for first quarter of 1955,show
ing 1.67 million passengers. April 1 was
biggest day in EALhistory, with 24,349
passengers boarding the Great Silver Fleet
. ..HANDLEY PAGE "HERALD"(See Feb.
Piedmonitor) prototype is well underway,
with fuselage complete and wing mount
ing due next month. . . PACIFIC NOR
THERN is showing considerable interest
in Convoir turbo-prop airplane, is also
considering Viscount. Convair seems to
have the edge due to its greater range.
PNA's purchase plans admittedly hinge
on CAB action in the highly controversi
al States-Alaska case, but meanwhile has
leased three 749 Connies from Delta C&S
to augment its DC-4 fleet. . . CAB will
hear oral arguments in the Large Irregu
lar Air Carrier Investigation on July 7.
. . CAPITAL AIRLINES target dote for
inauguration of Viscount service is cur
rently set for July 1, but the first aircraft
will be in Washington well before that.
An elaborate "courtesy flight" program is
scheduled prior to inauguration. . .TWA
PRES. RALPH DAMON is convinced that
their decision to plug the air-tourist mar
ket was wise. First-class traffic for 1954
maintained the same level, and the in
crease of 43% in available air-tourist
seat miles resulted in a 34% increase in
passenger miles. . . FAIRCHILD AIR
CRAFT Fokker F-27 program is gaining
steam from progress of permanent certifi
cation bi II . The DC-3 replacement is
scheduled to fly in Holland this summer,
and prototype is to come to U.S. after
original flight tests. CAA has been asked
to begin studies of the F-27 to determine
whether there will be any difficulty in
certificating it for U.S. use.
* *
SERVICE AWARDS
Overlooked in October; John Rehder-
INT, (5 yrs.)
JANUARY: Mary Reavis, INT, (5 yrs.);
Ernest Hurt, INT, (5 yrs.); L.J. Lambert-
INT, (10 yrs.); Palmer Alexander, INT,
(5 yrs.); Marvin Stokely,ORF, (5 yrs.);
James Butner, INT, (5 yrs.); Elizabeth
Ramey, INT, (5 yrs.); George Lovrinc,
ORF, (5 yrs.); Clarence Hester, INT,
(6 yrs. 7 mos.- returned from Mil. Ser.)
FEBRUARY: Don Johnson, INT, (5 yrs.);
Julian Riggs, INT, (5 yrs.); Bennie Wal
ker, IMN, (5 yrs.); Joseph Gibson, IMN,
(5 yrs.); Chester Hughes,ORF, (5 yrs.);
Arthur Chandler, Sr., INT, (10 yrs.);
Paul Lyons, INT, (5 yrs.); Marvin Bau-
gess, INT,(10 yrs.).
MARCH: Robert Hawkins, INT,(5 yrs.);
Grant Jeffries, IMN, (5 yrs.); Floyd
Stickney, ORF, (5 yrs.); Sam Murchison,
AVL, (5 yrs.); Joseph Gurganus, CLN,
(5 yrs.); Hop Hee Dunn, INT, (5 yrs.).
APRIL: Charles Wiesener, INT,(5 yrs.);
William Robbins, INT, (10 yrs.); Doro
thy Church, ORF, (5 yrs.); Ralph Dam-
pier, INT, (5 yrs.); Clyde Vaughan, LYH,
(5 yrs.); Charles West, INT, (5 yrs.);
Wilbur Blackmon, INT, (5 yrs.); Donald
Mac pherson, RIC,(5yrs.).
STORK CLUB
Howard Cartwright, INT Maintenance, a
son, Lee West, born March 22.
Bob Lakey, INT Engine Shop, a son,
Roland Winfrey II, born January 19.
Jack Brandon, INT Ticket Counter, a
son, Robert Michael, born April 7.
Bill Mathis, Maintenance, a daughter,
Patricia Ann, born April 12.
INT NEWCOMERS
Mrs. Lorene Mitchell - Switchboard
Mrs. Essie Hill Cox - Communications
Mrs. Frances Hand-Sec.Capt.Saunders