Hi,

 

Wow, here is a blast from the past.

 

 

http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/01/30/new-eastern-air-lines-with-familiar-name-to-launch-in-miami/?intcmp=features

It would be really cool if they only flew old aircraft.  I remember they used to fly a 747-100 from Toronto to Miami....that had to cost a few bucks!

This airline brings back great memories for me.  I still remember flying on Eastern as a teenager for a trip to Disneyland in Orlando.   Took a 727 from KPHL to KATL, where I switched to a L-1011 for the short hop to KMCO.   Great airline, that and TWA, I miss those classics with the 727 and L-1011!

http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/30/news/companies/eastern-airlines/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

 

I hope they can pull this off. Like Pan Am, Eastern was a very iconic airline. I flew an L1011 from KLAX to KATL back in 1985, great airline.

It would be great to see Eastern back in the air.  I remember when Pan Am flew after the original company went out of business and it was nice to see their airplanes.  Unfortunately, the later incarnations of Pan Am did not make it.

I used to fly them both to Florida, and the Boston to Laguardia Shuttle. They used to guarantee that you'd get a seat on the shuttle, even if they had to add an extra plane. They flew mainly 727-200's on this route, but in the later years added an A300 or 2. I was boarding a 727 on a late afternoon flight to KLGA when the plane filled up just before I boarded. There were about 4 to 5 others denied boarding. They immediately directed us to board another plane at another gate, which turned out to be the A300. A few more passengers that arived early for the next flight in an hour boarded with us, with a crew already to go, and within 15 minutes we were pushing back. Total passengers were about 15 on the A300. The one thing I never understood though, was why they didn't use the A300 for the first plane, then they wouldn't have had to add it on?

I was a pilot/flight engineer at EAL in the late '60s and early '70s. Although the company clearly had management problems, it was sad to see it go under. It would be great to see that livery flying again.

 

Has anyone else noticed that the airlines from that era that are no longer with us all ordered the L-1011? Pan Am, EAL, TWA... I never flew that airplane but crewmembers did tell me that everything about it seemed better than the DC-10. For example, the 3rd engine was part of the original design, not an afterthought when the airplane didn't meet performance spec; and, as far as I know, it never lost a baggage door in flight. But then, I probably don't know the whole story.

 

There is a group that has fully restored an Eastern DC-7B that occasionally does the airshow circuit. I think it is based in Opa-Locka, FL. (OPF):

 

http://www.conniesurvivors.com/1-n836d_jul10_article.htm

 

When the new Eastern starts flying it would be quite special to see a formation fly-by showing off both liveries with a modern jet and N836D.

 

I am still in contact with friends from those good old days that were our version of the Golden Age of Flight. Happily, FS in its various iterations has given me lots of fun reliving those times. I like round motors and tail draggers so I also get to fly great planes of the past that I never had the chance to get my hands on in the RW.

Unfortunately, the later incarnations of Pan Am did not make it.

The last "incarnation" of PanAm was actually not a "scheduled airline" at all. It operated "charter flights" that essentially went from nowhere to nowhere exciting.

 

Twice weekly flights from Gary, Indiana to Sanford, Florida? How exciting! In the past decade there have been no fewer than three different "airlines" trying to make this simple paradigm work. The last one to try to make this profitable was Allegiant Air.

One reincarnation was as a railway - Pan Am Railways

Ahh, the Pan Am shuttle.   I still remember riding my bike up my street to watch flights on the STAR approach to KEWR in suburban Philadelphia, and I specifically remember the Pan Am 727's flying over on their gentle glide at 18000 ft.  They stood out even with the naked eye because of the bold blue PAN AM titles, very easy to spot. 

 

 

They used to guarantee that you'd get a seat on the shuttle, even if they had to add an extra plane.

 

I flew "second section" on the Eastern shuttle a number of times.

 

 

in the later years added an A300 or 2.

 

Pan Am had them on the shuttle service, too.  I did an NY-Boston round trip on a Pan Am A300 in '89.

 

But I have fonder memories of Eastern.  My first flight was on an Eastern DC-8, JFK-MIA in November 1968.  I think it must have been a -61, though I'm not certain.

 

Much later, when Eastern was coming apart under labor pressure and terrible management, I was researching an article on baggage handling, and the union invited me to go undercover at JFK with Eastern and see how bad the conditions were.  I didn't take them up on it - thought it was too much detail for a more general feature article - did my research with United and Pan Am, but I always remember the invitation as a sign that Eastern was about finished.  A shame.

 

Somewhere in my storage unit is a set of cutlery that my mother pinched from an Eastern flight to West Palm in the 80's.  I'm not sure why, but she did that kind of thing sometimes...

 

Would love to see them back, if only for old time's sake...

My very first trip on an airplane was on an Eastern Airlines Super Constellation from Miami, Florida to San Francisco in 1958. I think we stopped in Kansas City, MO for fuel and to deplane/embark some passengers.

 

My mom and I went First Class for a two month visit with my Aunt and other relatives living there. Adding to the memories of that trip is that my cousin picked mom and I up in his Model T for heaven's sake! :LMAO:

 

The other memorable part of the trip was the wonderful food served on real china, sterling silver tableware, and linen napkins... :Money Eyes:

I think it is a smart move using a former branding like that instead of building a new brand awareness. They don't even have an air plane yet and people are already talking about them, that says something right there.

My very first trip on an airplane was on an Eastern Airlines Super Constellation from Miami, Florida to San Francisco in 1958. I think we stopped in Kansas City, MO for fuel and to deplane/embark some passengers.

 

My mom and I went First Class for a two month visit with my Aunt and other relatives living there. Adding to the memories of that trip is that my cousin picked mom and I up in his Model T for heaven's sake! :LMAO:

 

The other memorable part of the trip was the wonderful food served on real china, sterling silver tableware, and linen napkins... :Money Eyes:

Don't tell the youngsters you're over 21! :(

 

Having said that I well remember watching the fastest 3 engines airliners (as the connies were known in the UK) coming and going at Heathrow.

 

Have you watched the Arthur Godfrey film on youtube?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6VfkKjlhXs

Have you watched the Arthur Godfrey film on youtube?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6VfkKjlhXs

I watched it when it was first run at the local cinema! Well, not really. After all, in 1953 I was only four years old...

 

I did however watch in on our B&W Emerson TV sometime before our first flight. And yes, I've watched it several times since it first appeared on You-Hoo Tube... :Applause: