Clipper, Vol. 8, No. 11, November 1951

              Save the customer time all the way and he’ll be back again to add to your pay.
VOL. 8 —No. 11
NOVEMBER, 1951
511123
Open Panama-Guatemala-Calif omia Route Dec. 3
Aviation Leaders Pay Tribute To PAA’s 24 Years of Progess
PAA was the “honor guest” at a dinner given by the Dade County Port Authority in Miami in recognition of PAA’s part in the growth of international aviation, not only in Miami, but throughout the world, during the last 24 years.
The vital part PAA has played in the transportation field, both in peace and war, was stressed by the evening s principal speaker, Congressman William Lantaff of Miami.
Wilbur L. Morrison, Vice President in charge of LAD, emphasized the cooperation dxisting between the Port Authority and PAA and expressed his thanks, on behalf of all PAA employes, for “this cordial gesture from our friends and neighbors in Dade County.
Text of Congressman Lantaff’s address:
Lantaff Outlines Growth of Airline
It is a pleasure for me to be with you this evening and have an opportunity to pay tribute to Pan American World Airways as the airline nears the end of its first 24 years of service.
“Civil and military avaition are indivisible in assessing total American air strength. The air transport industry of the United States and the military air arms must fit into a single pattern . . . National security requires a financially sound, operationally efficient and technically modern air transport industry. It envisions a large, civil air fleet operated in foreign and domestic air commerce with safety and certainty. Such an operating air fleet serves peacetime commerce and industry while remaining available for immediate conversion to military use in an emergency.” These are the words of the Congressional Aviation Policy Board originated for the purpose of reviewing our national aviation policy. The truth of their statement has been attested by the contributions of civil aviation during World War II, the Berlin airlift and the action in Korea.
During World War II, the civil airlines proved their defense potential in the magnificent way they stepped into the breach at the time of our greatest need. The airlines placed their skilled manpower, ground facilities and flying equipment at the disposal of the armed forces to meet the sudden transportation demand for vital supplies, ammunition and men.
The airlines flew emergency medical and war materials to Pearl Continued on Page 3
El Presidente Luxury Flights Are Increased
Pan American has stepped up its El Presidente service ' between New York and Rio de Janeiro from three to four round-trip flights weekly.
The new schedule went into effect November 6.
Nye Is Named To New Post In Brazil
To strengthen LAD’s staff in Rio de Janeiro and more efficiently handle the increase of traffic there, George E. Nye has been named to the new post of Ground Operations Representative with headquarters in the Brazilian capital.
Nye now is responsible for PAA service between Belem and Buenos Aires. He also acts as liaison man between PAA and Panair do Brasil and Panagra in connection with services rendered by these two companies under joint facilities agreements.
Nye is continuing to work closely with Capt. Frank N. Briggs, Sector Chief Pilot and Senior Operations Representative in Rio, as well as with the LAD Ground Operations Manager in Miami.
Prior to his new appointment, Nye served in such important posts as Assistant Senior Operations Representative in Rio; Administrative Assistant in Miami and Assistant to the Deputy Operations Man ager in Rio.	„
He also has worked with Aero-vias Nacionales de Colombia (Avi-anca) and PAB since joining Pan American in 1937.
Morrison Stresses Value of Friendship
Text of Mr. Morrison’s talk:
It is indeed an honor to accept, on behalf of the employes, officers and directors of PAA, this inspiring tribute to our company from the Dade County Port Authority.
As a world-wide airline, Pan American has been the recipient, at many times and in many places, of a number of highly cherished honors. But we value this cordial gesture from our friends and neighbors in Dade County—from those who know us best—as highly as any ever paid our company.
It comes at a propitious time, for this month we are celebrating Pan American’s 24th birthday. As you know, we started operations in Key West October 28, 1927, and moved to Miami a few months later.
Here we built Pan American Field—the original portion of Miami International Airport— which actually put both PAA and the Port Authority in the airport business in Dade County.
On January 1,	1946, Pan
American made it possible for the county to acquire the field for two and a half million dollars—less than the cost of the present runway extension. Indicative of our faith in the county and its government, we turned over the property even before the bond issue had been validated.
My friends Hugh Peters and Preston Bird were members of the. Port Authority then, and Mark Wilcox was the attorney. The Port Authority is fortunate in still having the benefit of their ability and experience.
Our long and friendly relations with the Port Authority have been of mutual benefit. Pan American
Continued on Page 2
Wright Is Selected For Engineering Post
Howard R. Wright, Jr., has a new title — Assistant Operations Engineer at Miami.
Wright moves into his new post from that of Aeronautical Engineer. He has been with the company less than a year, having joined LAD in February, 1951, as an Engineer.
The additional luxury “Strato” Clipper flight terminates at the Brazilian capital instead of continuing to Montevideo and Buenos Aires, as do the three other El Presidente flights. It departs from New York on Tuesdays and from Rio on Thursdays.
El Presidente “Strato” Clippers leave New York at 11 a.m. and fly nonstop to Port of Spain, Trinidad, in nine hours. Rio is 10 hours and 45 minutes from Port of Spain.
Northbound flights leave Rio at 11 p.m., arriving in New York at 5 p.m. the next day (local times).
Tigert, Strama and Charles Get Key Maintenance Posts
Three veteran members of PAA’s crack maintenance team Miami have been promoted to key positions in LAD.
John J. Tigert, who has been^ with PAA for 15 years, is the new Aircraft Service Superintendent.
In this post, he is responsible for maintenance work on more than 100 Clippers serviced in Miami and for the technical adequacy of Pan American’s servicing program in Latin America.
Tigert replaces Rahland C.
Zinn, who is leaving Pan American to accept another position in the aviation field.
Succeeding Tigert as Superindent of COB is Stanley W. Strama, a 21-year veteran with PAA.
Strama now directs the mass production maintenance at the Continued on Page 5
MIAMI SIGNS bound for a Korean Airlift base, are readied for loading aboard a PAD Clipper at San Francisco. The signs will bring a “touch of home” to Miamians, many of them LADers, serving with the 437th Troop Carrier Wing in far off Japan. Lewis Perkins, PAD Cargo Loader— please note the ^veater—and Stewardess Ellen Murdock, examine the signs before they go Clippering off to the Far East.
Sales Hit $1,092,617 In Contest
Returns for the first month of the LAD October-November Sales Contest show that 15 of the 27 stations reporting so far are over quota with sales totaling $1,092,-617 against a quota of $931,790 —with Buenos Aires and San Juan returns still not complete.
Exceeding quota by the largest percentage is Forte de France which soared to 294 per cent in the first 30 days. In commenting on Forte de France’s success, LAD efficials pointed out that this is a general agency operated office.
Jim Green, District Traffic and Sales Manager in Kingston, came in for heaps of praise by officials for boosting the Jamaican capital’s sales to 193 per cent of quota.
“In face of what Jamaic has been through as a result of the hurricane there this past summer, it is a wonderful showing for station personnel,” officials said.
Maiquetia, with 112 per cent of quita, is leading the North Coast stations, just as it did in the Venezuelan contest last year.
Another station coming in for special mention is Colon, Panama, where Charles Maher, District Traffic and Sales Manager, has his staff going great guns with the first 30-days’ sales running 153 per cent over quota.
Ratings of the stations in the four groups competing for a pot full of prizes shows that Montevideo is leading Group 1; Kingston on top in Group 2; Colon ahead in Group 3, and Forte de France setting the pace in Group 4.
LAD>sales officials in Miami report that all stations are making excellent use of movies, direct mail and increased solicitations in the drive to make the October-November sales record the best in the Division’s history.
Two-Weekly
Flights
Scheduled
Route Closes Last Gap In PAA’s Global System
The United States Pacific Coast and Central America — the only major geographical areas of the Western Hemisphere not already joined by direct air service—will be linked by PAA Dec. 3.
* A new route between Los Angeles and Guatemala City—a distance of 2,235 miles—will be flown nonstop by fast Constellation-type Clippers. They will continue over PAA’s existing route from Guatemala to Panama nonstop, giving travelers from the U. S. West Coast direct connections at Panama with Pan American flights to all parts of South America.
At present, the 12% hour trip between Los Angeles and Guatemala City requires travel on two airlines, with a plane change in Mexico City. Panama is a flight of nearly six hours from Guatemala.
The Constellations will make the California-Guatemala jump in eight and a half hours and the flight on to Panama in another three and a half hours. The entire Los Angeles-Panama trip will require only 13 hours, with no change of plane, including an hour’s stop in the Guatemalan capital.
Two round-trip Constellation flights will be operated weekly over the route.
Southbound, the Clippers will leave Los Angeles International Airport on Mondays and Fridays at 9 p.m., arrive in Guatemala City at 7:35 o’clock the next morning and reach Tocumen International Airport in Panama at 12:55 p.m. (local times).
Postal officials of three governments have authorized special first flight cachets—prized by philatelists—in honor of the new service. Post offices of Panama, the Canal Zone and Guatemala will accept letters to be carried aboard the first northbound flight.
To obtain one of these historic cachets, philatelists need simply to enclose a self-addressed envelope in another envelope addressed to one of th three post offices, with a note identifying it as a Pan American Airways first flight cover and requesting a cachet. Both envelopes, of course, must bear the necessary postage.
Postal money orders should be enclosed for local stamps for the first flight cover.
Oswald B. Dow’s Death Reported
First Officer Oswald Birnam (Ozzie) Dow, popular member of the PAA Flight group, died unexpectedly in New York late in October.
Dow had been stationed in New York and had been flying in the Atlantic Division for the last three years. He was a popular figure in both Miami and Rio, however, where he also had been based during his more than nine years with the company.