Eulegy For Ilm
- Thread starter diogenes
- Start date
I haven't been to ILM in years, but I remember it as a great station that could get things done. It was also the most senior crew base on the PI system.
I recently flew a trip into MYR and it sounds like the same is happening to those loyal, effective employees as is happening to ILM. I arrived MYR late (due to weather) with an almost-full A319. Our block in was 2 minutes AFTER our scheduled block-out back to CLT. I assured my F/O that MYR would get us out vey quickly. 23 minutes later we were on our way back to CLT with our A319 again almost full. When I called back to thank the station for the incredible turn around, they mentioned they were losing thier jobs in a few weeks. I was speechless and stunned. Here we have the epitome of professional workers and they are being given the boot. I doubt even SWA could have turned that airplane in 23 minutes, and I will wager that the outsourced workers will never be able to accomplish a similar feat.
I recently flew a trip into MYR and it sounds like the same is happening to those loyal, effective employees as is happening to ILM. I arrived MYR late (due to weather) with an almost-full A319. Our block in was 2 minutes AFTER our scheduled block-out back to CLT. I assured my F/O that MYR would get us out vey quickly. 23 minutes later we were on our way back to CLT with our A319 again almost full. When I called back to thank the station for the incredible turn around, they mentioned they were losing thier jobs in a few weeks. I was speechless and stunned. Here we have the epitome of professional workers and they are being given the boot. I doubt even SWA could have turned that airplane in 23 minutes, and I will wager that the outsourced workers will never be able to accomplish a similar feat.
JAMAKE1
Veteran
Diogenes:
What a beautiful ode to ILM (if I can call it that). Your post brings me back to the year 1991 when I was working for USAir and the company announced the closure of the CCR station (Concord, CA). CCR was such a unique station in that PSA (Pacific Southwest) had brought the first-ever commercial airline jet service to the airport in 1986.
PSA operated 4 BAe-146 jets a day to LAX and was the ONLY airline to service the airport. Having spent a large part of my childhood growing up there, my twin sister and I, as kids, would fantasize about PSA jets landing in CCR whenever we drove past the airport in our family stationwagon.
In 1985, when PSA announced proposed service to CCR, my twin and I became ecstatic that our childhood fantasy was about to come true. We were about 18 years old at the time and went to EVERY county board of supervisors meeting regarding the proposed jet service. The surrounding communities around CCR were concerned about large jets landing over their homes, so PSA flew in a BAe-146 and conducted noise tests. We ran out to the airport and were allowed on one of the noise-test flights. A FREE 45 minute flight over Mt. Diablo crewed with PSA flight attendants who even served us drinks! After lenghty red-tape, the first PSA jetliner landed at CCR on May 1, 1986. My sister and I, of course, were there with all of the media and welcoming festivities. We had booked tickets on the inaugural flight and flew to LAX and on to SAN for a long weekend.
I went to work for PSA at CCR on May 1, 1987 and felt as if I were living a dream-come-true. Most of the employees at CCR were long-time PSA employees who had devoted twenty plus years to the airline. The employees who worked at CCR loved working for PSA and the community loved having a very convenient alternative to having to drive to OAK.
In March of 1991, when the former PSA westcoast network was dismantled, USAir replaced its mainline service in CCR with a very short-lived USAir Express operation. Today, the former PSA terminal is an office for Budget Rent-a-Car and the airport has been left without commercial airline service ever since.
Still, all of these years later, while I am sleeping at night, I continue to have very vivid dreams of my first airline job at CCR and of bright orange smilinging 146's touching down at my beloved hometown airport.
When the dust settles from this current industry shakeout, my hope is that I will... along with my fellow legacy airline breathen...be able to transcend our collective anger and create magnificent lives for ourselves, and feel peace in our hearts as we reflect upon the warm memories of our beloved early airline days.
Thanks for a wonderful post. Best of luck to all of my former USAir (ways) colleagues.
Fondly,
Jamake
What a beautiful ode to ILM (if I can call it that). Your post brings me back to the year 1991 when I was working for USAir and the company announced the closure of the CCR station (Concord, CA). CCR was such a unique station in that PSA (Pacific Southwest) had brought the first-ever commercial airline jet service to the airport in 1986.
PSA operated 4 BAe-146 jets a day to LAX and was the ONLY airline to service the airport. Having spent a large part of my childhood growing up there, my twin sister and I, as kids, would fantasize about PSA jets landing in CCR whenever we drove past the airport in our family stationwagon.
In 1985, when PSA announced proposed service to CCR, my twin and I became ecstatic that our childhood fantasy was about to come true. We were about 18 years old at the time and went to EVERY county board of supervisors meeting regarding the proposed jet service. The surrounding communities around CCR were concerned about large jets landing over their homes, so PSA flew in a BAe-146 and conducted noise tests. We ran out to the airport and were allowed on one of the noise-test flights. A FREE 45 minute flight over Mt. Diablo crewed with PSA flight attendants who even served us drinks! After lenghty red-tape, the first PSA jetliner landed at CCR on May 1, 1986. My sister and I, of course, were there with all of the media and welcoming festivities. We had booked tickets on the inaugural flight and flew to LAX and on to SAN for a long weekend.
I went to work for PSA at CCR on May 1, 1987 and felt as if I were living a dream-come-true. Most of the employees at CCR were long-time PSA employees who had devoted twenty plus years to the airline. The employees who worked at CCR loved working for PSA and the community loved having a very convenient alternative to having to drive to OAK.
In March of 1991, when the former PSA westcoast network was dismantled, USAir replaced its mainline service in CCR with a very short-lived USAir Express operation. Today, the former PSA terminal is an office for Budget Rent-a-Car and the airport has been left without commercial airline service ever since.
Still, all of these years later, while I am sleeping at night, I continue to have very vivid dreams of my first airline job at CCR and of bright orange smilinging 146's touching down at my beloved hometown airport.
When the dust settles from this current industry shakeout, my hope is that I will... along with my fellow legacy airline breathen...be able to transcend our collective anger and create magnificent lives for ourselves, and feel peace in our hearts as we reflect upon the warm memories of our beloved early airline days.
Thanks for a wonderful post. Best of luck to all of my former USAir (ways) colleagues.
Fondly,
Jamake
Jamake, I remember flying into CCR and thinking that the 146 looked like a 747 compared to all the Cessnas. I started that day by flying SAN-LAX on a PI 72S (that service was short lived) and then connected on to the CCR flight thinking how easy it would be for me to get into Walnut Creek that afternoon...
JAMAKE1
Veteran
PSALUS:
I too remember thinking how large the BAe-146 looked being parked next to the terminal...a double wide trailor.
I too remember thinking how large the BAe-146 looked being parked next to the terminal...a double wide trailor.
