Last week I received the following text message from Brother Hogan:
"Got a phone call from Las Vegas last night. On a shot in the dark I asked a guy if he might have a set of Mall Airways wings. . . My very first employer, and the only set missing from the ensemble. . . A $40 PayPal transaction and I should have them by Friday. A thirty year search is now over!"
It's time to reminisce. . .
In October 1982, just as I was finishing my CFII training at FIT Aviation in Melbourne, Florida, Brother Hogan was a new hire Piper Navajo First Officer at Mall Airways in Albany, New York. Starting pay: $150 per week, plus one half share of a $25 per diem for each layover. Hotel rooms were shared. (Female pilots had to buy their own room if they wanted privacy.) Uniforms were rented; International Commuter Brown, 100% polyester. It's true what they say: "Nothing breathes like plastic." Mark was excited to have the job. He was building multi-engine time; about 100 hours a month, sometimes more. (This was before the FAA capped flight time limits at 1200 hours per year for Part 135 operations.)
Three months later I was a part time flight instructor/part time charter pilot at Thurston Aviation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thurston was the surviving FBO at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. As a benefit, all employees were offered free use of a Cessna 172 for flight training purposes. In January 1983 there were no flight instructors on staff. My deal with Thurston went something like this: Thurston would pay me $25 a week, as a retainer for insurance purposes, to be the flight instructor. Employees would contract directly with me; I could charge whatever I wanted. Since I did not have a multi-engine rating, Thurston would provide training in a Cessna 310. After I passed my check ride they would hire me as a part time charter pilot at $25 per hour. When my part time pay reached $200 per week they would put me on full time. The charge for the multi-engine rating would be $1000, which I could payroll deduct, later, after I was making money. Just like Brother Hogan, I was excited to have the job. I was building multi-engine time, but at a much slower pace---maybe 40 hours per month. We were both putting in the same amount of duty time, but whereas he was always flying, I was usually sitting in some out of the way FBO, waiting on passengers.
I suspect that first winter at Mall Airways was an eye-opener for Brother Hogan---trying to learn his craft in the wind, rain, snow, sleet, ice, and fog (sometimes all on one leg) in upstate New York---all from the right seat of a Piper Navajo, and then later in a Beech(craft) 99. I get the cold shakes just thinking about it. Here's what Mark had to say: "Wind rain and snow . . . too bad we didn't fly the mail. That would've been an added saga. Speaking of wind rain and snow. Went into BDL in a 99 one day. 200 and 1/4, wind 050 at 60 gusting 75, RVR 1800. Longest ILS I ever shot. Shortest roll out though. Didn't even need reverse. When we asked to deviate around weather, ATC said: Do what you want, there's no one else up there."
After Mark sent the picture of the wings he never got to wear (they were not issued until six months after he jumped ship---for higher pay at Brockway Air) I asked if he had any pictures of the International Commuter Brown, 100% polyester, rental uniform. He replied: "Looked for one; doesn't exist," and maybe it doesn't. Either way, I understand. My Navy Blue and Corporate Gray, 100% polyester, Thurston Aviation charter pilot uniform was ugly too.
"On the job only a few months."
After the door closed on uniform pictures I asked Mark if he had any airplane pictures from his time at Mall Airways. With this request he was more than willing: "This was my flight. On the job only a few months."
The caption reads: "Sheriff's deputy holds gun on Gene B. Katz of White Plains, at Albany County Airport, while another deputy frisks him and a third enters plane. Police said Katz attempted to hijack a Mall Airways commuter plane Tuesday to get to Portland, Maine---in a hurry." And maybe that is how it all went down---but at first glance, it kind of looks like Brother Hogan's captain is trying to grab his half of the per diem split. Either way, I understand.
It's time to reminisce. . .
In October 1982, just as I was finishing my CFII training at FIT Aviation in Melbourne, Florida, Brother Hogan was a new hire Piper Navajo First Officer at Mall Airways in Albany, New York. Starting pay: $150 per week, plus one half share of a $25 per diem for each layover. Hotel rooms were shared. (Female pilots had to buy their own room if they wanted privacy.) Uniforms were rented; International Commuter Brown, 100% polyester. It's true what they say: "Nothing breathes like plastic." Mark was excited to have the job. He was building multi-engine time; about 100 hours a month, sometimes more. (This was before the FAA capped flight time limits at 1200 hours per year for Part 135 operations.)
Three months later I was a part time flight instructor/part time charter pilot at Thurston Aviation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Thurston was the surviving FBO at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. As a benefit, all employees were offered free use of a Cessna 172 for flight training purposes. In January 1983 there were no flight instructors on staff. My deal with Thurston went something like this: Thurston would pay me $25 a week, as a retainer for insurance purposes, to be the flight instructor. Employees would contract directly with me; I could charge whatever I wanted. Since I did not have a multi-engine rating, Thurston would provide training in a Cessna 310. After I passed my check ride they would hire me as a part time charter pilot at $25 per hour. When my part time pay reached $200 per week they would put me on full time. The charge for the multi-engine rating would be $1000, which I could payroll deduct, later, after I was making money. Just like Brother Hogan, I was excited to have the job. I was building multi-engine time, but at a much slower pace---maybe 40 hours per month. We were both putting in the same amount of duty time, but whereas he was always flying, I was usually sitting in some out of the way FBO, waiting on passengers.
I suspect that first winter at Mall Airways was an eye-opener for Brother Hogan---trying to learn his craft in the wind, rain, snow, sleet, ice, and fog (sometimes all on one leg) in upstate New York---all from the right seat of a Piper Navajo, and then later in a Beech(craft) 99. I get the cold shakes just thinking about it. Here's what Mark had to say: "Wind rain and snow . . . too bad we didn't fly the mail. That would've been an added saga. Speaking of wind rain and snow. Went into BDL in a 99 one day. 200 and 1/4, wind 050 at 60 gusting 75, RVR 1800. Longest ILS I ever shot. Shortest roll out though. Didn't even need reverse. When we asked to deviate around weather, ATC said: Do what you want, there's no one else up there."
After Mark sent the picture of the wings he never got to wear (they were not issued until six months after he jumped ship---for higher pay at Brockway Air) I asked if he had any pictures of the International Commuter Brown, 100% polyester, rental uniform. He replied: "Looked for one; doesn't exist," and maybe it doesn't. Either way, I understand. My Navy Blue and Corporate Gray, 100% polyester, Thurston Aviation charter pilot uniform was ugly too.
"On the job only a few months."
After the door closed on uniform pictures I asked Mark if he had any airplane pictures from his time at Mall Airways. With this request he was more than willing: "This was my flight. On the job only a few months."
The caption reads: "Sheriff's deputy holds gun on Gene B. Katz of White Plains, at Albany County Airport, while another deputy frisks him and a third enters plane. Police said Katz attempted to hijack a Mall Airways commuter plane Tuesday to get to Portland, Maine---in a hurry." And maybe that is how it all went down---but at first glance, it kind of looks like Brother Hogan's captain is trying to grab his half of the per diem split. Either way, I understand.
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| Mark Hogan, San Antonio, Texas, December 2009 |
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