tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133703253863123050.post7672425702427891818..comments2024-02-21T03:48:52.674-05:00Comments on Flying Lessons: When Airlines Were On Top of the WorldChristine Negronihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15190247339367487575noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133703253863123050.post-39633950755206102011-09-27T16:59:39.942-04:002011-09-27T16:59:39.942-04:00Along with the glossy opening episode of ABC’s Pan...Along with the glossy opening episode of ABC’s Pan Am TV series Sunday was a somewhat related article in the Seattle Times soliciting money. This warmed my heart.<br />Believe me, rarely does anything asking for money warm my heart, but this article did. The article started with “A Kirkland-based nonprofit wants to recover the Honolulu Clipper, Pan American World Airways' "flying boat" which sank in the South Pacific in 1945.”<br />Now I know Bob Bogash, the retired Boeing engineer mentioned in the article, and he has a pretty darn good record of getting large historic airplanes to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. The underwater recovery firm, Underwater Admiralty Sciences, has an excellent record of recovering lost aviation treasures. This nonprofit is no fly-by-night operation (sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.) <br />The 1938 photo below shows a Boeing 314 in Lake Washington, near Seattle. Boeing only made 12 of the “boats”, and none of them have survived. The Honolulu Clipper was sunk in 18,000 feet of water in the South Pacific. (There is another one sunk in the Atlantic, but that’s a whole other story.) <br />It’s hard to imagine an airplane that evokes more romance and nostalgia than the 314 Clipper, especially the Clipper that flew from between San Francisco Bay and in Honolulu.<br />One reason the “boats” stir my emotions is because my late dad began his Pan Am career as a junior flight engineer on the 314’s. He logged over 2400 hours in these airplanes, including on the Honolulu Clipper. <br />Recovering this iconic airplane would be recovering a remarkable piece of aviation history, and I guess a piece of my personal history. Heck yea, I contribute some money to this non-profit!<br /><br /> <br /><br />Kevin A. DarcyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133703253863123050.post-24064669952110500212011-09-26T11:29:57.016-04:002011-09-26T11:29:57.016-04:00Christine, It was neat to read about Mike Vogel...Christine, It was neat to read about Mike Vogel's affinity for aircraft and the Willow Grove Naval Air Station. I grew up about 2 miles off the approach end of runway 33 at Willow Grove. My friend in the next office was Squadron Commander for one of the P-3 squadrons based there. The airport closed a few months ago, which is a shame. I did get to put the identifier, NXX in my logbook though, as we always worked the “Sounds of Freedom” airshow there. The trick wasn’t telling the difference between the A-4’s and P-3’s, it was between the P-3’s and C-130’s. Same engines, but the 130’s just seemed a bit deeper. There was a lot of history at that airfield. I watched an A-4 crash right in front of me in 1990.<br /> <br />Cool to think that a fellow NXX airplane geek got to be an actor! Keep up the good stuff!<br /> <br />Ed WandallEd Wandallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756518541133930638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133703253863123050.post-76073982496672842442011-09-24T08:00:03.804-04:002011-09-24T08:00:03.804-04:00Very good blog indeed.
Thank you for sharingVery good blog indeed.<br />Thank you for sharingJulio Afonsohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09081270383647431931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133703253863123050.post-16184224104369464502011-09-24T01:27:53.542-04:002011-09-24T01:27:53.542-04:00I love this, and looking forward to the show.
La...I love this, and looking forward to the show. <br /><br />Last month one of my Flight Attendants told me she use to be a Pan Am Flight Attendant, and still had her uniform in her closet.<br /><br />We chatted about our grandkids, hers teenagers, and then I said, "Wait. They're going to watch that show and know what Grandma was up to." <br /><br />She got a huge grin on her face, her eyes flashed to another place and time, and she said, "yeah." <br /><br />Thanks for a great post. <br /><br />Remember..."These" are the good old days.Karlene Petitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17910702587514001827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133703253863123050.post-37499156332593463322011-09-23T08:45:29.346-04:002011-09-23T08:45:29.346-04:00Brilliant blog, as usual. Thanks so much.Brilliant blog, as usual. Thanks so much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com