A look back at Piedmont

[Dont call me Shirley]

At least PI had the foresight to bring the F28's in under the mainline banner. Flown by mainline, mainline mechs, mainline station personnel.

And FWIW, those F28's were all refurbished by Fokker before coming to PI, and they were very reliable.

very very good points indeed. PI also got the reconditioned -1000's for a very good price.

Not to mention the F-28s not being flown PHL-DFW.

They flew the Florida Shuttle and went no further than CLT-MEM.

Of course, after "Cool Nothern Effciency" took over, the F-28s were making LGA-Florida trips.
(Still beats the ERJ-145 on the DCA-JAX run that Express was doing for a while.)

The F-28 was good plane at the time and enabled PI Mainline jet service on routes that night otherwise have been commuter service. This was when commuter flights were mostly 19 or 30 seaters. (Remember the Skypig, anyone?)


This thread has taken a bit of a negative turn on so me posts. Much to my surprise and dismay. OK maybe not surprise. To help lighten things up a bit, what are some of people's favorite PI memories? (something like this was discussed a while back, but can it hurt to do it again).

How about:
F-Class chocolates with the Speedbird logo.
Goody's Headache Powder.

 

[700UW]

Actually one of the PI F28s from the shuttle flew JAX-LGA.

 

[robbedagain]

i flew on an F-28-4000 from BWI to ORF nice quiet aircraft when flying on it

 

[Dog Wonder]

This thread has taken a bit of a negative turn on so me posts. Much to my surprise and dismay. OK maybe not surprise. To help lighten things up a bit, what are some of people's favorite PI memories? (something like this was discussed a while back, but can it hurt to do it again).

How about:
F-Class chocolates with the Speedbird logo.
Goody's Headache Powder.

A cash bonus at Christmas.

Even part-timers got them.

 

[700UW]

Dont forget the turkeys at thanksgiving too.

 

[jimcfs]

i flew on an F-28-4000 from BWI to ORF nice quiet aircraft when flying on it

I rode on F-28's many times ROA-CLT and also CLT-CAK.

That's one aircraft I'd have to say was more comfortable in Y than in F (the one row of it).

 

[NCFL]

I rode on F-28's many times ROA-CLT and also CLT-CAK.

That's one aircraft I'd have to say was more comfortable in Y than in F (the one row of it).

I always thought of F on the F28 as the "penalty box."

 

[urpius pilot]

I have scoured the internet but haven't been able to come up with anything on a particular Florida Shuttle TV commercial. It started airing just before the Challenger disaster and was taken off the air out of respect. It showed the interior of an F-28 with a full load of passengers seated and ready for take-off. Then the cabin loaded with passengers rotates 90 degrees into the vertical position. With a roar the cabin view exits out the top of the TV screen, emulating the space shuttle lifting off of the launch pad. Then there was a graphic and voice over about the Florida Shuttle. It was a great commercial. I would love to see a clip of it if anyone has one.

 

[Travelpro72]

Other airlines reading this must laugh. The rest of the industry is crumbling and about to merge around us and we're still regaling on times of southern punch and cool northern efficiency. The F28 stunk, the DC9 stunk, the 146 stunk and NEITHER airline was a world class carrier or global leader. GET OVER IT. Look around.....My goodness. US had the "PIT-PHL" breakfast (in case you haven't heard of it) and Piedmont flew a hokie pokie flight to London on the majestic 767. WHY do you people STILL debate this crap? A steel mill airline merged with a hee haw airline to create one big mumbo jumbo airline NOW cut in half. Who cares today. It's one thing to take pride in your heritage but at this stage of the game the my airline was better than YOUR airline is a bit redundant doncha think?

 

[Travelpro72]

Other airlines reading this must laugh. The rest of the industry is crumbling and about to merge around us and we're still regaling on times of southern punch and cool northern efficiency. The F28 stunk, the DC9 stunk, the 146 stunk and NEITHER airline was a world class carrier or global leader. GET OVER IT. Look around.....My goodness. US had the "PIT-PHL" breakfast (in case you haven't heard of it) and Piedmont flew a hokie pokie flight to London on the majestic 767. WHY do you people STILL debate this crap? A steel mill airline merged with a hee haw airline to create one big mumbo jumbo airline NOW cut in half. Who cares today. It's one thing to take pride in your heritage but at this stage of the game the my airline was better than YOUR airline is a bit redundant doncha think?

 

[Dog Wonder]

Can't we remember the days when when we had crappy airplanes and could still enjoy our jobs?

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> Especially miss Paulson, Krenn and DVE!!!!

For those that miss it, DVE rocks on the web.

<SNIP> It's one thing to take pride in your heritage but at this stage of the game the my airline was better than YOUR airline is a bit redundant doncha think?

Well, it was fun to rehash the 80’s for a moment but, yeah, I keep hearing about some merger stuff.

 

[StewGuy86]

Other airlines reading this must laugh. The rest of the industry is crumbling and about to merge around us and we're still regaling on times of southern punch and cool northern efficiency. The F28 stunk, the DC9 stunk, the 146 stunk and NEITHER airline was a world class carrier or global leader. GET OVER IT. Look around.....My goodness. US had the "PIT-PHL" breakfast (in case you haven't heard of it) and Piedmont flew a hokie pokie flight to London on the majestic 767. WHY do you people STILL debate this crap? A steel mill airline merged with a hee haw airline to create one big mumbo jumbo airline NOW cut in half. Who cares today. It's one thing to take pride in your heritage but at this stage of the game the my airline was better than YOUR airline is a bit redundant doncha think?

Ya know, maybe because things suck so badly for the industry in general and this company in particular these days, people like to reminisce about the good times - or at least what they perceive as good times by comparison. Simple as that, and why is it a problem? There've been plenty of threads from time to time on these boards about the "good old days" and people don't seem to have an issue with that. It only seems to become a problem when it's a former PI employee that has the "audacity" to reminisce about an airline that they were proud of and enjoyed working for. Invariably someone has to start throwing insults at both PI and its employees. I've never gotten that and I WILL continue to defend the airline that I CHOSE to go work for 22 years ago when it's maligned. Period. It has always struck me as a bit of a double standard that former PSA employees are allowed to chew the fat over the good times they had at their former airline, the smiles on their planes and how they liked their jobs and their company before the US merger. But good God, don't let a former "Piedmonster" say any such thing because they're promptly accused of starting the Civil War all over again!

If we're going to completely ban anything that can be perceived as the "my airline was better than your airline" thing, then let's agree that no US West employee should ever say an unkind word about US East and its history/heritage/mentality/culture/etc. And the same goes for US East employees where the former America West is concerned.

 

[john john]

There was definitely a good old boy network and routine a Piedmont from softball to neighbors to church to clubs/organizations to you got by back I got yours
Southern Man" Southern man better keep your head Don't forget what your good book said ...
Sweet home Alabama
There is also a semi-hidden vocal line in the second verse after the "Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her" line (at approximately 0:50). In the left channel, you can hear the phrase "Southern Man" being sung lightly. This was producer Al Kooper doing a Neil Young impression and was just another incident of the band members messing around in the studio while being recorded. "where the skies are so blue" with "and the governor's true." 'Boo! Boo! Boo!'
YEP! I’m a long hair country boy

 

[EyeInTheSky]

It has always struck me as a bit of a double standard that former PSA employees are allowed to chew the fat over the good times they had at their former airline, the smiles on their planes and how they liked their jobs and their company before the US merger.

StewGuy86,

Here's the truth: PSA employees are a lot cooler to work with than you guys. Still are. Funny thing is, they got the shaft-o big time with the merger with every one of their bases being closed. Despite that worst-case-scenerio most have moved on and don't look back so much because they are smart enough to know it's really a complete waste of time. They handled it with class, and I admire them for that.

Hey, it's one thing to be proud of where you came from, it's a whole other animal to let something that occurred two decades ago to still perpetuate morale problems. There are bigger fish to fry right now if you catch my drift. Peace!

Later,
Eye