The Up-And-Coming Airline
7
Planes were missing;
But Piedmont people
Made LAX a winner
Putting together a new transcon
tinental inaugural service under
the best of conditions is tough and
demanding. What happened to
Piedmont people the last week of
March was anything but the best of
conditions.
To begin with, less than 72 hours
before the Charlotte and Dayton
inaugural flights, there were a few
things missing. Nothing serious,
mind you, just:
— Two advanced Boeing 727-200
long range aircrcift.
— Galleys for preparing trans
continental meals.
— And one working altimeter.
That’s all.
What became most important
were some things and people that
weren't missing. Most of all, an
attitude that meant Piedmont was
going to get this job done.
Here’s how it came about.
Early in the week before April 1,
Boeing informed us that there were
problems on the modification line.
One aircraft probably wouldn’t be
available. The other, while behind
schedule, was stiU expected to be
here in time for the inaugural.
As the modification problems
worsened, plans were developed for
what to do "just in case.” By mid
week, it was clear that the best we
could hope for was one advanced
B727-200 to outfit for transcon
service.
Da3^on-Lx)S Angeles, as we have
since proved, can be flown nonstop
with the conventional “200.”
Charlotte-Los Angeles can work.
but only under optimum condi
tions. Nevertheless, half a loaf (or
fleet, in this case) seemed better
than nothing, and a B727-200 was
ferried to INT for modification.
First class seats, a bulkhead
between the first class and coach
sections, and new aisle runners
were installed by Friday. That was
the good news. The bad news was
that the second advanced aircraft
was not going to be ready, either.
Purchasing found a truck to
bring the first class seats Boeing
had already installed back to INT
AOCC isolated a second conven
tional "200” and had it brought to
INT. Production planning and
engineering people went to work on
new weight calculations and to
redevelop load charts. (A supple
mental type certificate had already
been obtained on the first of the
conventional “200’s.”)
At 1:30 a.m. Saturday, the truck
from Wichita arrived with the first
class seats, and a dozen or so
mechanics went to work installing
the seats, bulkhead, and carpet
runners.
The galleys could not be replaced.
But Pete Van Duser’s people
weren’t fazed. They were, instead,
working on new menus. It was an
around-the-clock effort to abandon
in-flight, first class service plans
and start over with a service that
could be done in conventional
galleys.
But, what about the altimeter?
As if a week already marked by
the hijacking of a Piedmont jet to
Some of the maintenance employees who
mody'ied the two 727 200s in time for oiir
slartup of LAX service are: [foreground. I to r)
Art Newman, Charlie McCullough. Homer
Vaughn. Bob Jaworskl. Gene Motsinger.
Havana, which diverted a lot of
badly-needed attention from the
transcontinental projects, hadn’t
been enough, another blip occurred
on the B727-200 ferry flight — first
class seats and all — from INT to
Grand Rapids. Everything went
well until, in-flight, one altimeter
failed.
It was already well into the night,
but nobody quit. A new altimeter
was found. By midnight, a general
aviation pilot was located, and the
equipment and technicians were
boarded on a light aircraft bound
for GRR.
Greg Spainhour. Mike Hancock, and Bob
Eggletson: (on steps, bottom to top) Bob
Burke. Jerry Anderson. Vernon Basham.
Roger Webb, and Joe Christenburri/.
The result of all this extra effort?
Two B727-200’s, complete with
first class seats, departed GRR and
GSO on-time Sunday morning for
our hubs in Charlotte and Dayton
where hundreds of guests were
gathering for the transcontinental
sendoffs.
A newspaper in Torrance, Calif,
earlier that week had referred to
Piedmont as "a litUe airline that
can.”
Were they ever right!
^ , , - ''
w*9 it¥ i ^ -
Winston-Salem Mayor Wayne Corpening
(lejtjJoins President Bill Howard in loading
thejinal bags on Flight 1 April 1. Repre
sentativesfrom the news media recorded
the event along with other highlights oj the
day for their evening news programs.
T.H. Davis. Pied
nmnt 's founder who
retired as chairman
of the board and
chief executive officer
last year, was among
the passengers on
Flight I. Upon arrival
at I AX. Davis greets
Bill Kyle, the captain
on the first flight from
CLT