Reminiscing

            Some thoughts from History Centre President “Pete” Patzke. Our volunteers tell us one of the great benefits of volunteering at the History Centre is the opportunity to reminisce with some of their peers and of course telling the younger visitors “How things use to be”.

            Recently, one of our young visitors asked me, “What is your earliest recollection or experience with Northwest?” That stumped for a minute but then I recalled an incident in the mid 1930’s when I was about ten years old. That summer I spent a few weeks with an aunt and uncle whose home was on Cross Lake near Pine City, Minnesota. One day, when fishing from their dock, a strange looking airplane landed on the lake and taxied toward me. This was the closest I had ever been to a real airplane, all prior experiences were limited to building models, or seen in the comic books or at an occasional Saturday Matinee at the movies. When the plane drew near the pilot shut down the engines, leaned out the window and asked if we had a telephone. When I indicated that we did, he threw out an anchor and got out and tied the plane to the dock.

            After making the phone call, apparently to the company to let them know where he was, Aunt Kate invited the pilot to have lunch with us. There I learned the plane was a Sikorsky amphibian and he was flying a scheduled Northwest Airlines flight from St. Paul to Duluth, There were no passengers due to fog at Duluth and when he tried, he couldn’t land there. Thus, the stop on our lake to hold until the fog lifted. After lunch I was given the grand tour of the plane. That was something I’ll never forget. Some twenty years later I was telling the story to a couple co-workers who just happened to include Blake Cahill, who was then the company’s Engineering and Test. Pilot. While I didn’t recall the name of the pilot from that unforgettable occasion, Blake informed me that he knew all about it as he was that pilot and over the years had kept in touch with my aunt and uncle. Small world.

            We are often asked what was our most memorable experience working for the airline. To me, there was no single item but rather a period of time, that being the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. This was a period of rapid growth and also rapid change for the company. There were major route expansions. The retirement of DC-3; DC-4; M-202 and B-377 and the introduction of several aircraft types, namely, the DC-6A and B; the 1049 Constellation, (which I consider to be the sleekest and most graceful looking airplane ever built). Then the DC-7C followed up with the entry to the jet engine age with the Electra, the short three-year experiences with the pure jet DC-8 and then the fan-jet 720/320 followed a few short years later with the 727’s and the all jet fleet. It was also a period of labor unrest, sometimes contentious, but still there seemed to be a spirit of cohesiveness.

Does Time Really Change Things?

            This item was gleaned from a newspaper dated, October 26, 1927. – “Price War Spells Good News for Travelers”. – What looks like an airline price war seems to be under way following today’s announcement by leading French carrier Air Union that it is cutting fares on the busy Paris/London route by creating a new, cheaper, “second class” service on its airplanes. Air Union’s move is a response to the introduction this month by Imperial Airways, the leading British carrier, of a second-class service on its own London/Paris flights. Those who cannot afford to fly as first-class passengers, with access to a bar and service by an air steward, now have the opportunity to travel more cheaply. Whatever Imperial’s next move against its competitor will be, the air traveler looks certain to benefit.

            Frequent Flyer Predecessor? - Dateline - January 27, 1938 – “Buy One Ticket and Take Your Wife Free”- An announcement today by United Airlines and TWA indicates they believe interstate flying faces its most serious threat, not from the railroad but from women – more especially, the wives of businessmen who want to use the aircraft as a fast way of getting about the country, but whose anxious spouses fear for their safety. The carriers have brought in a scheme that will give passengers’ wives the chance to fly with them free over certain interstate and coast-to-coast routes. It is hoped the wives will enjoy the experience, be happier about their husbands’ flying and choose the same airlines themselves.