Piedmont orders TCAS-lls
Operational merger
set for early '89
USAir Group has established a target of
early January, 1989, for the operational
merger of Piedmont and USAir. Chairman
Ed Colodny made the announcement at a
USAir employee meeting on November 12.
In addition, Colodny said that PSA, which
was acquired earlier by USAir Group, will
be merged into USAir in March or April
of 1988.
Senior officers of Piedmont and USAir are
holding an ongoing series of meetings to es
tablish an orderly plan for the implementa
tion of the operational merger. Discussions
are aimed at determining an agenda for the
planning process, which will cover all as
pects of the merger, including fleet plan
ning, operational procedures, and personnel
issues. Details will be released regarding
these plans as they are finalized.
Piedmont has become the first airline in the
world to announce the purchase of and plans for
the fleet-wide installation of an airborne com
puter system that will warn pilots of possible
midair collisions.
Piedmont will purchase the first 81 TCAS-11
(TVaffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System)
units from Bendix/King Air Tt'ansport Avionics
Division, with options for sufficient additional
systems for the remainder of our aircraft at an
initial cost of several million. Installation will
begin mid-1989. Chairman Bill McGee made the
announcement at a press conference November 19
in Washington, D.C.
"Our experience with the world's only certifi
cated operational TCAS system, installed on a
Piedmont Boeing 727 for the past seven months,
has clearly indicated that it is now time to move
from the evaluation phase into full operational
use of collision avoidance systems,” McGee said.
"Retrofit installation of the systems will begin
on our 737-300 aircraft as quickly as Bendix can
move into full production status and effect deliv
ery to us, in about mid-1989. All of the first 81
units will be flying on our 767-200s, 737-300s
and 737-400s by 1991."
Captain Fred Womack, director flight opera
tions and flying safety who participated in the
press conference, has been involved in the de
velopment of TCAS with the FAA and manufac
turers of the equipment since 1979.
"Piedmont has been involved from the begin
ning," Womack pointed out. "Since 1970, we
have been a major contributor to the development
of a collision avoidance system not only in flying
but in making major decisions as to how it would
operate. A midair collision between a Piedmont
727 and a Cessna in 1967 showed us the need.
"We pride ourself on being flrst among the air
lines to evaluate new technologies and concepts
that may enhance our safety records. We also feel
a collision avoidance system must become an es
sential part of airspace in the near future."
Our pilots agree with Womack. In a survey con
ducted a few years ago. Piedmont pilots were
asked what they thought would most likely
cause a major accident. The overwhelming re
sponse was a midair collision.
Piedmont has been conducting airborne tests
of a TCAS system since last March. The purchase
of the TCAS-II units will enable us to initially
equip about 45 percent of our existing fleet with
the safety devices, the latest state-of-the-art
equipment resulting from a development pro
gram that has cost over $40 million to date.
"I feel the success of this program has
stemmed on us," Womack said. "Our line pilots
have played a major part in choosing this equip
ment because they are the ones who have evalu
ated it during the past several months, and they
are the ones who are contributing to the safety of
the industry."
continued on page 4
volume 38, number 10 November 1987
Piedmont expands
transcon, Florida services
Piedmont will add two major
western cities and another popular
Florida destination to our flights
from BWI in early 1988, providing
new widebody service to Los An
geles and starting daily nonstop,
round-trip flights to Phoenix and
Fort Myers, FL.
Fort Myers will also be served
nonstop daily from our Charlotte
hub. In addition. Piedmont will
begin operating a 767-200 ?
on the morning flight from CUT
to LAX and on the afternoon
flight from LAX to CLT, giving
us two nonstop, round-trip flights
with 767-200 aircraft in this market.
BWI growth
Our new service from BWI to Los
Angeles and Fort Myers will be the
only nonstop flights by any carrier
in those markets. In addition, Los
Angeles and Phoenix will be the
second and third markets west of
the Mississippi served nonstop by
Piedmont from BWI. We already
provide nonstop service to Houston
from BWI.
Daily nonstop service between
BWI and PHX will start January 6,
using a 737-300. The new flight
will leave BWI at 9:07 a.m. (EST),
arriving at 12:10 p.m. (MST). The
return trip will leave PHX at
1:45 p.m., arriving at BWI at
8:02 p.m.
New daily nonstop service be
tween BWI and Fort Myers (RSW)
will begin February 5. The flight
will leave BWI at 11:22 a.m. and
arrive at RSW at 1:52 p.m. The
return trip will leave RSW at
11:50 a.m., arriving at BWI at
2:17 p.m.
Fort Myers will be the seventh
Florida destination that Piedmont
operates nonstop flights to from
BWI.
Nonstop service between BWI
and LAX will begin March 1, using
our new 767-200 widebody air
craft. The flight will depart daily at
9 a.m. (EST) and arrive at LAX at
11:30 a.m. (PST). The return trip
will depart LAX at 12:10 p.m.,
arriving at BWI at 7:52 p.m. In ad
dition, round-trip connections
through BWI will be available for
travelers in 30 northeastern cities.
new CLT service
New daily nonstop service be
tween CLT and RSW will also begin
February 5. The flight will depart
CLT daily at 8:14 a.m. and arrive at
RSW at 9:59 a.m. The return flight
will depart at 3 p.m., arriving at
CLT at 4:44 p.m. Fort Myers will be
the seventh Florida destination
served nonstop from Charlotte, and
the 13th Florida destination served
by Piedmont.