page two
PIEDMONITOR
December. 1974
Long Lines
Since Piedmont’s long lines were one of, if not the
most successful of our modes of communication, we
thought a column by the same name might be a good
way of mentioning some of the small, hut newsy things
of interest that go on around the system. Any con
tributions you might have will he more than welcome.
Address them to the Editor, Piedmonitor, /NT-215.
There have been two favorable feature
stories about Piedmont in recent issues of fi
nancial publications. In the Investment Dealer’s
Digest magazine Piedmont was described as-
“a leader among the eight local service air
lines.” The article, which appeared in the
November 12 issue, included an in-depth look
at Piedmont’s background and a firm forecast
of the Company’s future prospects.
Another story, in Barron’s, notes that Pied
mont after three years of losses between 1968
and 1970, has turned around and earned pro
gressively more in dividends each year. “Little
question about it, Piedmont Aviation, Inc.
has been flying high this year,” Barron’s re
ported. “Piedmont, one of a small squadron of
regionals, is being powered by more funda
mental considerations: solid routes, higher
fares and more efficient equipment.”
TAN says thanks
In the last issue of the Piedmonitor there
was a story about our Training Center and its
world-wide customers. The following is a letter
Piedmont received from one of those obviously
well-pleased clients:
On June 30, 1974, TAN Airlines inaugurat
ed BOEING 737-200 jet service between
Miami and Honduras. Not only did this
flight represent the transition from prop-
jet to pure jet equipment for TAN, but it
was also a landmark for the Republic of
Honduras in that its capital city, Teguci
galpa, was no longer the only capital city
in the hemisphere without jet service.
A large part of the credit for this success
of TAN’s new jet operation goes to Pied
mont Airlines. On relatively short notice
Piedmont training department was able to
put together a complete program of ground
school, simulator training, and flight in
struction tailored to our requirements.
We especially want to thank Captain W. 0.
Tadlock, Vice President of Flight Opera
tions ; Mr. W. D. Hall, Director of Train
ing; Captain Ralph V. Shipton, and Captain
Sam M. Parnell.
We hope we may continue to call on Pied
mont from time to time for support and
assistance.
Enclosed please find our check for full pay
ment of the invoices received to date for
instruction and training.
With best personal regards,
Sincerely,
B. F. Spohrer
Executive Director
TAN Airlines
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Better by the dozen, the latest flight attendant class included, from left, Carolyn Anderson, Maribeth Strother,
Raquel Warsaw, Nancy Law, Mickey Raye, Ann Monti, Debbie Walker, Janice Buckelew, Theresa Paschal, Janice
Hazel, Susan Pittman and Chris Walker.
Dieringer named president
Piedmont’s New York Area Sales Manager
Vincent Dieringer recently became the first
regional carrier representative to be elected
president of the New York Airline Sales Man
agers’ Association. The group is made up of
one sales manager from each of the 87 airlines
represented in New York along with the past
presidents of the association who are lifetime
members. The other officers are shown with
Vince in the picture below. Coggin is vice pres
ident and Brown is secretary-treasurer.
PHF celebrates
Patrick Henry Field celebrated its 25th an
niversary in November.
It was an early Monday morning, November
14, 1949 that six people stepped out of an old
wooden, barracks-like building to board a Pied
mont DC-3 Pacemaker headed for Cincinnati
that marked the beginning of airline service
at Patrick Henry Airport.
Of those original six passengers four re
turned to the airport for ceremonies marking
the anniversary of that very first flight. They
included Dr. L. E. Stubbs, who bought the
first ticket, William Ferguson, Everett Hogge
and Leonard Shield. The men were given com
memorative silver bowls by Piedmont’s Nor
folk Sales Manager Norm Coiner. The presenta
tions were made next to a YS-11, the DC-3’s
replacement.
Now called Patrick Henry International Air
port, the facility has expanded greatly since
its early years. The cities of Newport News and
Hampton are currently served by Piedmont,
National, Allegheny and United through PHF.
McGee elected
Vice President — Sales William G. McGee
has been elected president of the Air Traffic
Conference.
The Air Traffic Conference, a division of the
Air Transport Association, brings together
specialists in all phases of airline passenger
and cargo traffic to develop industry wide
programs for improved service to airline pas
sengers and shippers. The ATC develops
standard procedures on matters ranging from
issuing tickets and handling baggage to devel
oping optimum size containers for air cargo.
Formerly ATC projects were handled through
a variety of specialized committees and sub
committees. In a move to streamline the
organization ATC representatives voted to
abolish most of the specialized units and to
create two major committees — the passenger
committee and the air cargo committee. They
will initiate all programs in their respective
fields.
Other new oflficers of the ATC are first vice
president Louis A. Person of Braniff and sec
ond vice president Lionel Rogers of American.
As president of the group McGee succeeds
Frank Sharpe who is vice president — industry
affairs for Eastern.
McGee, who has been with Piedmont since
1947, currently serves as chairman of the
executive committee of the ATC and is also
on the policy committee. He is a member of
the board of directors of the Discover America
Travel Organization and the North Carolina
Travel Council. He also serves on the Gover
nor’s Travel Advisory Committee for the State
of Virginia.
Grant McLarty of Air Canada recently turned over the symbol of the president's office of the New York Airline
Sales Managers' Association to Vincent Dieringer of Piedmont. On the left is Bob Coggin of Delta. Bob Brown
of Japan Airlines is on the right.
Roanoke mechanic Richard Hunter displays the
tools for the old method of de-icing airplanes
while Andy Camera shows off the newest device
for de-icing the Pacemakers. Roanoke received
their new equipment just in time for winter.