From: mtc@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (Mark Cousins)
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.misc
Subject: More _Legend_and_Legacy_
Date: 9 Oct 92 08:42:00 GMT
Organization: HP General Systems Division

Okay, now it's my turn to post my favorite parts of _Lengend_and_Legacy_, the
book about Boeing that Geoff Peck reviewed a while back.

I have two:

"Frye ordered six Stratoliners for TWA, and Pan Am signed for four; the only
other potential 'launch' customer was the Netherlands' KLM, which expressed
enough serious interest to send a technical delegation to Seattle for
evaluation.  Lindbergh, too, arrived at Boeing as a technical consultant for
Pan Am, and secretarial hearts fluttered enough to generate a strong breeze.
As was his custom, he went through the charade of using a fictitious name, a
transparent device because he was easier to recognize than any movie star; at
Boeing he was knwn either as 'Mr. Charles' or 'Mr. Morrow.'

"He showed up ahead of schedule for a meeting one day, found Marge Blair
rearranging some chairs, and offered to help.  While they were lifting a chair
together, his hand accidentally brushed hers.  Lindbergh's face turned beet
red, he mumbled an apology, and fled the room.

"'Talk about being bashful and shy,' Marge laughed.  'You would have thought
he tried to assault me.  Most of the time he looked like a young farmer lost
in the big city.'"

=====

To be sure, I don't have that effect on secretarial hearts, and he flew better
than I, but the story struck a resonance in me.  I'm pretty bashful also and
probably would react similarly (smile) .  .  .

=====

This next one is, so far, my favorite of them all.

"Another early 707 was involved in an incident that might be termed the Great
Boeing Air Raid.  This was Pan Am's second airplane off the line, being flown
by Boeing's Lew Wallick and Water Haldeman, an FAA check pilot.  They were
doing some tests around the Los Angeles area and just before heading back to
Edwards Air Force Base for refueling, Wallick remembered that the DC-8 was to
make its first flight that day.

"They were about 20 miles from Long Beach where the maiden flight was
scheduled to take place later that morning, and Wallick asked the Long Beach
control tower for permission to fly over the airport.  He requested a modest
5,000 feet but the tower turned out to be more cooperative than requested.

"'What is your identification number?'

"'Seven-oh-seven Peter Alpha.'

"'Are you a Boeing 707?'

"'Affirmative.'

"'Well, you're cleared to cross the airport at one thousand.'

"About one mile out the tower controller, apparently a Boeing fan, changed his
mind.

"'You're cleared to cross the airport as low as you want,' he decreed.

"At this particular moment, the airport coffee shop was jammed with media
people having breakfast before covering the long-anticipated first flight of
the DC-8.  Wallick came screaming over the field at 500 feet, rattling the
coffee shop windows.  Everyone rushed outside in time to see a four-engine
jetliner clawing skyward, four black plumes streaming in its wake.  Reporters
did the natural thing; they phoned their offices to report that the DC-8 had
just taken off on its maiden flight.

"Once that news was broadcast, Douglas employees planning to attend the
first-flight ceremonies stayed away by the droves.  Donald Douglas was livid;
Wallick heard later that he called Bill Allen, raised hell, and when he found
out that Wallick's copilot was an FAA employee, tried to get Haldeman fired."

=====

Enjoy!

Mark
-- 
Mark Cousins                Hewlett-Packard Co.        mtc@hpsemc.cup.hp.com
HP-UX VAB programs    19055 Pruneridge Ave., MS 46T5
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