HISTORY MATTERS

The Newsletter Publication of NWA History Centre, Inc.
8101 – 34^th Ave., So. – Bloomington, MN 55425
(952) 997-8000 – Ext. 8-6102

  Vol. 2 - No. 4                                                                                       December, 2004

*****  HAPPY HOLIDAYS  *****

MUSEUM ACTIVITIES

          October saw Northwest Airlines begin its 79^th year and the History Centre celebrated the start of its third year of existence. On October 6^th we had a reception at the museum to recognize the efforts of our volunteers and contributors. We were pleased to have former airline Presidents Don Nyrop and Steve Rothmeier join us. All of those present enjoyed a great opportunity to visit with them and reminisce about the past.

            Mr. Rothmeier brought a special item to the reception and has loaned it to the museum for exhibit. The item is best described in the following article, (which we believe, but have been unable to verify) was published in the Boeing Company in house newsletter.

Business Traveler Camouflage

              Seattle – Steve Rothmeier, Northwest Chairman and CEO, once remarked to Boeing Commercial Airplane Co. President Dean Thornton how much he liked the fabric on the seats in his company’s new 747-400s. “That looks nice enough to use for a sport coat.” Rothmeier didn't realize the implications of his statement, or the nature of Thornton’s slightly bent sense of humor.

            Some time later, just this past January in fact, Rothmeier was back in Everett and was relaxing on the speaker’s stage after addressing the 747-400 rollout audience when Thornton called him back to the podium. He held up the sport coat, a nice grey herringbone with a red pinstripe, and related Rothmeier’s comments. The Northwest chairman had a new sport coat that fit rather well, thank you, and is guaranteed to hold up to food spills and repeated vacuumings.

            We believe this coat will be a boon to Rothmeier. Business travelers often express the desire to avoid hassles while en route, and, especially when homeward bound after a long trip, to become invisible, to “disappear into the upholstery.” When Rothmeier starts traveling on his new 747-400s he literally will do so.

CORRECTIONS!!!  

            Once again a correction is in order. In our last newsletter we wrote about acquiring the one of a kind A-330 model for our display. We indicated that the model had been built for Airbus Industries. Steve Rothmeier informed us that such was not the case. The model was actually commissioned by Rolls-Royce to be used as a demo to entice NWA to equip their A-330’s with Rolls-Royce engines and as well to convince Airbus to make necessary modifications to enable the use of those engines.