Volume 19 Number 3 (Journal 678) March, 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

President’s Message Page 3

Vice President’s Message Page 3

About the Cover Page 4

Local Reports Page 6-18

Articles Page 18-38

Letters Page 39-49

In Memoriam Page 49-504

Calendar Page 52

Sec/Treas: Leon Scarbrough………………………………………707-938-7324…………………………….. [email protected]om

Membership Larry Whyman………………………………………707-996-9312………………………….. [email protected]m

Cruise Coordinator……………………………… Rich Bouska ............... [email protected]

RUPANEWS Manager/Editor………………….. Cleve Spring ..................... [email protected]m

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to R UPA NEW S, P.O. Box 400, Vineburg, CA 95487-0400

health of our association. In perusing the February issue of RUPANEWS, it was nice to read of the

outstanding attendance and reports from our nationwide lunch groups. This is the glue that binds us together

$600 or more imputed income in a calendar year. I hope this helps explain why some are getting W-9 and

others are not.

unveiling. It appears popular with our membership for sharing articles, videos and timely information. If

social media is appealing to you, we invite you to check it out. It is listed as "Retired United Pilots

Association" on Facebook.

We have also redesigned our web page by hiring a new webmaster. Overseeing the web page is our own

Website Guardian, past RUPA president, Captain Jon Rowbottom, who has stepped up to volunteer for the

position. We are also exploring separating the position of secretary and treasurer. Leon would like some

help, so PLEASE if you have any interest contact Leon or myself for details.

Until the April RUPANEW S, all the best. Regards, Cort

Photographer”, in the 1980's, very famous for his photo work.

This particular picture was taken in April 1985 when Concorde G-BOAG was flying at Mach 2 - 1,350 mph

- over the Irish Sea. Meredith took it from a RAF Tornado, he had a time-frame of four minutes as the

Tornado was rapidly running out of fuel and struggling to keep up with Concorde. The statement says this is

the only picture ever taken of Concorde in cruise at Mach 2.

Lots of great stuff to read in the February issue of the RUPA NEW S! Great job by our trusty editor, Cleve

many as you would expect for this time of year, and were happy to see John Pinter and Bob Langevin from

the Stuart group came by. Lots of good stories kept everyone entertained.

There were loads of great letters from many of our members. The one that really got my attention was from

Tom Sheeran. He wrote about one of the MIA group's favorites, the late Captain Ed Petrovich. After a

severe injury to his hand, Ed had the passion to fly and the perseverance to prove to others that, even with

the injury, he could fly. When I got my first bid to MIA, in late 1979, Ed was a flight manager and the first

to welcome me to Miami. He not only had a great career with United, but his two sons, Dan and Brian, are

now captains at UAL. Ed was one of the kindest people you'd want to know, and we all miss him. Reading

Tom's letter brought back lots of memories.

Tom wrote that Ed's instructor at Opa Locka Airport was one Don Chalmers. Years later, I also met up with

'Valentines' we relocate away from Shrimper's and hold our Luncheon in a more upscale location. This

month, we happened to return to Spoto's where we have been before and always been satisfied in every way.

had 4 surprise Guests show up who we didn't know about or expect. However.......we were sure GLAD that

st

of April at Pineapples Restaurant in Hilo. If you want

a month which is actually the Sheraton Hotel Parking Garage on Century Blvd / Vicksburg. You can then

Crawford’s parked their car at home and used LYFT to take them to the airport. Worked well too.

monthly on-time and customer satisfaction goals. The combined monthly and annual 2015 bonuses, paid to

Fuchs, United’s VP of Atlantic and Pacific sales, says in a statement. “This long-awaited service has been

made possible by the newest version of our customer-pleasing Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and will offer unique

“Customers arriving to San Francisco will have dozens of options to connect to other cities across the

Americas.”

Kong International Airport, which is only some four hours away from Changi, as an Asian gateway for

their connections within Asia and services direct to the US.

Changi's euphoria over United's decision is understandable, since connections are key to hub operations.

With a non-stop link between Singapore and San Francisco, it will mean more regional traffic feeding into

Changi to take advantage of the trans-Pacific connection and the support of United's extensive network

within the US. United's vice-president of Atlantic and Pacific sales

Marcel Fuchs said: "Those arriving in San Francisco will have

dozens of options to connect to other cities across the Americas."

Changi Airport Group senior vice-president (SVP) for market

development Lim Ching Kiat echoed the same sentiment, adding

2016 and arriving in Montreal, Canada September 3rd. After Boston the first port of call is Portland Maine,

then on to Saint John (Bay of Fundy) New Brunswick, Halifax Nova Scotia, Sydney Nova Scotia,

Charlottetown Prince Edward Island, Gaspe Quebec, Cruise the gulf of St. Lawrence, Saguenay Quebec and

Fundy. It has the world's highest vertical tidal effect, 50ft every 6+ hours, so with a stop here we should be

able to witness the river flowing backward some time during the day. There are other key port highlights on

this cruise. Halifax: Known for its craggy coastlines, fabled Peggy's Cove, and the striking German village

of Lunenburg, so meticulously restored it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nova Scotia

is home to over 160 historic lighthouses and these majestic beacons can be found throughout the province.

One of Nova Scotia's most well-known lighthouse and maybe the most photographed in Canada is Peggy's

"Champs-Elysees", buttery croissants, the lilt of French, and a grand chateau on the river. Is this Canada or

France? It is both - a bastion of French culture in North America and where impassioned Quebecois hold

dear their history, and language.

Suite SA $5,549pp Suite SB $5,324pp Cat A Verandah $3,649pp

Cat B Verandah $3,499pp Cat E Outside $1,859pp Cat L Inside $1,599pp

Other categories are available. Taxes and port charges are $314.72pp subject to change.

The prices now include at two cocktail parties and a bottle of sparkling wine in your cabin.

A deposit of $600pp is required to hold the cabin of your choice and is fully refundable until 75 days prior to

departure. If you have made a future cruise deposit, your deposit requirements for this cruise have already

For more details on this cruise, go to the Holland America website; Under Plan a Cruise, select Canada/New

& NE discovery Cruise aboard the MS Rotterdam. There definitely is an advantage to booking early as you

We are working once again with Jerry Poulin at Jerry's Travel Service. If you have any questions, please call

him at 1-800-309-2023 access code 33, or [email protected].

One reason we selected this cruise is it does not require a long overseas flight to or from the departure or

arrival points.

on five events during the past 10 days.

1.United’s Jan. 21 earnings call was one of the most extraordinary earnings calls I have been on since

happy to be there. It was the latest chapter in a fast-moving inspirational soap opera. In September Munoz

returned to work. It is far too early to say that Munoz is a Stephen Wolf-or-Alan Mulally-type executive who

remakes a company. (When Wolf arrived, United did not have a single European route). But so far, Munoz

seems to have made a big difference in addressing labor and consumer problems that have been piling up for

at least a decade.

2.In a corollary to the Munoz story, on Jan. 22 United pilots ratified a two-year contract extension with a

79% approval. In July, 65% of Delta pilots rejected a tentative contract agreement: the parties only recently

3.United operations are improving dramatically. In December, for example, United had its best mishandled

caused by last week’s blizzard reduced January completions to around 96%. It’s about time United

competing at the same time as it is merging American and US Airways operations.

4.United is building its San Francisco hub as the primary U.S. gateway to Asia. On Jan. 28, United said it

will add Singapore as the 11th Asia destination and the third destination, along with Chengdu and Xi’an,

overstatement: nevertheless, United’s SFO buildup is clearly one of the U.S. airline industry’s most dramatic

hub transitions in three decades, recalling Continental’s buildup of Newark as a trans-Atlantic hub and

Delta’s bankruptcy buildup of Atlanta as an international hub and not just a place to connect to Florida.

5. On Jan. 26, United reported that Boston-based PAR Capital Management increased its stake in the carrier

to 8.9 million shares or 2.4% of the airline. A key step in the 2005 emergence from bankruptcy of US

Airways, where I worked at the time, was an investment by a couple of firms including PAR as part of a deal

that brought in the America West management team headed by Doug Parker. In the book “American

By Guy Gratton/The Conversation

th

century. Its

international travel within reach of middle-class vacationers rather than just the privileged few. However, the

venerable Boeing 747 may be nearing the end of its production life -- its manufacturing rate is to be halved

aircraft. But more than this, the company was throwing its resources into creating the world's largest, widest

and (bar the much smaller Concorde) most technically advanced airliner, and doing so in a complex market.

Boeing's competitors were also developing slightly smaller wide-body aircraft -- defined as having two aisles

or a cabin wider than 200 inches -- that launched within two years of the 747's 1969 debut. Also, much of the

world expected the future of air transport to be supersonic. Even Boeing hedged its bets by deliberately

designing the 747 to be adapted as a freighter in case supersonic passenger travel became the norm.

A shift toward newer and more efficient aircraft that can land at smaller (and so more) airports and a

tendency to use former passenger planes for freight has reduced Boeing's remaining 747 order book to just

20, after building more than 1,500 since 1969.

Today, the industry has moved toward twin-engine planes such as the Boeing 777 and the Airbus A330, with

certain distance from an airport in case of engine failure. This allowed the 747 to achieve shorter journey

more reliable engines have also been bigger and more efficient.

Of course, the slowdown in 747 production doesn't mean the original jumbo jet will disappear from the skies

just yet. The latest models are much longer, bigger and operate with more modern engines and instruments

than the earlier 747-100s -- no longer do the crew have to take sextant readings through the cockpit roof --

and the newer aircraft are likely to stay in service for at least another 20 years. The size and flexibility of the

design also mean the 747 provides some specialist functions. For example, a joint U.S./German project has

another as part of its Star Wars program and has successfully used it in tests to shoot down ballistic missiles.

However, the 747 has probably been improved as much as it can be. The four-engine wide-body aircraft may

not be dead yet, but the 747's nearest competitor, the Airbus A380, has also suffered from the shift to smaller

and more flexible aircraft and took no new orders last year. Boeing itself has moved on to other models,

747-400's, spare parts would not be available in overseas stations. He stated that we could

not run a reliable 747 operation without parts from other carriers and it would be too costly

to have spare parts in all our overseas stations. Sad to see the Queen of the skies go.

“I am pleased that with this new global agreement, Sodexo will contribute to an improved quality of life for

United customers through a next-generation lounge experience at locations across the globe,” added Michel

Landel, Sodexo Group CEO.

aggressive response to a spate of serious safety incidents more than a year ago and

“Its effectiveness has eroded in the face of many pressures” since its inception, he said, adding that airline

However, the inspector general's report says that while the FAA reports improvement in its management of

report said.

By Captain William M. Meyer/RUPA Member

The aircraft was built in 1940 at the Dornier facility in Altenrhein,

Switzerland, S/N 47. It was the last airplane built in Switzerland

under the contract production agreement with Bucker Flugzeugewerk

(aircraft factory in Berlin), although 2 were built years later, probably

not via the agreement by then. It was first used as a trainer in the

Swiss Airforce. Later, Albert Reusch, who was an aerobatic icon in

from February 1943 until the end of the war in Erich Hartmann's squadron JG-52 on the Eastern Front. He

had 137 victories ranking him 43rd amongst Luftwaffe aces. I had the privilege of meeting him at Oshkosh

chief judge for the German team. At the time, he mentioned actually having approximately 40 more

I found it in Burlington, NC in 1979, and flew it out to California sans any nav/comm. Between weather,

Some years ago I wrote a piece for the RUPANEW S about a different machine up in Santa Paula. I’ve been

Hughes, Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post as they explored aviation’s outer limits.

story because I want to use it as a segue to another “Wrong Way” story.

flying jobs were scarce – at least those at which one could make a living. An airline job was the pen-

would not be back in the classroom the following fall. I cleaned out my desk and set about to seek

had a little “hedge” time. Most of the flying jobs that were available were of the “airport bum” variety. The

change it was going to be now. I tendered my resignation and joined the ranks of the unemployed. The

of Aviation at the Campus Student Center. He offered that while I met all the qualifications for that position

“he had no openings at the present time.” He did however, tell me that Purdue University was starting a four

better and called his counterpart at Purdue and set up an interview for me. I looked forward going to Purdue.

When the day for the appointment arrived, I flew

(a Piper Colt, 5480Z that was owned by me and

intention. After a short flight through western

Ohio and eastern Indiana I landed at South Bend

and taxied to the fixed base parking area. I tied

Purdue University. The gentleman sitting behind

the desk looked at me quizzically and said – “You

mean Notre Dame don’t you?”

The gentleman stood up and gestured with his finger out of the window to a point beyond the airport and

said, “See that building with a gold dome on top? That building is on the Campus of Notre Dame.” If you

those fuel tanks, you might need the extra fuel if you happen to miss Lafayette and end up in Evansville.”

“Wise guy”, I muttered to myself. I instructed the line boy to fuel up my airplane. I fired up the Colt and

headed south. Navigation was never the problem – knowing the destination was.

I landed at the University airport, which was adjacent to the Purdue campus. By this time, I was about an

hour late for the interview. The interviewer, who then was Purdue’s Chief Flight Instructor, putting me at

ease, said, “Time to spare, go by air, eh?” I nervously acknowledged the truth of his utterance hoping he

would not pursue the subject any further. The interview went well and later that day I was offered a position

of Faculty Instructor in the Department of Aviation Technology. I would alternately teach flying one

semester and classroom subjects the other in a newly established four-year baccalaureate program. While

nothing to write home about) I managed to coax a few hundred more dollars from the head of the department

before accepting the position. Aviation education was a growing area and opportunities for advancement in

the field were promising. Asked when I could begin, I informed the University that I would be available

Michigan University in Kalamazoo. The position came with a

hefty increase in salary. By the fall of the following year we were

on our way to Kalamazoo. Coincidentally, the route from W.

Lafayette to Kalamazoo went directly through South Bend. Only

this time I didn’t stop.

Wrong-Way Karaiskos

Last year, when an oncologist advised that Betty Chin might benefit from

palliative care, her son Kevin balked. Mrs. Chin, a retired nurse’s aide who

lives in Manhattan’s Chinatown, was undergoing treatment for a recurrence

Palliative care, which focuses on relieving the discomfort and distress of serious illness, might have helped.

But Mr. Chin, 50, his mother’s primary caregiver, initially resisted the suggestion. “The word ‘palliative,’ I

that possibility. I didn’t think it was time yet.”

In the ensuing months, however, two more physicians recommended palliative care, so the Chins agreed to

see the team at Mount Sinai Hospital. They have become converts. “It was quite a relief,” Mr. Chin said.

“Our doctor listened to everything: the pain, the catheter, the vomiting, the tiredness. You can’t bring up

issues like this with an oncologist.” Multiple prescriptions have made his mother more comfortable. A social

worker helps the family grapple with home care schedules and insurance. Mr. Chin, who frequently

translates for his Cantonese-speaking mother, can call nurses with questions at any hour. Challenges remain

the Center to Advance Palliative Care, which advocates better access to these services. Dr. Meier said she

expects that number to climb as the Affordable Care Act and Medicare continue to shift health care

payments away from the fee-for-service model.

Because most people with serious illnesses are older, seniors and caregivers should understand that palliative

many will “graduate” as they recover — without forgoing curative treatment. Like hospice, however,

palliative care focuses on quality of life, providing emotional and spiritual support for patients and families,

along with drugs and other remedies to ease symptoms. Its practitioners help patients explore the complex

medical decisions they often face, then document their preferences.

It pays off for patients and families. In 2010, a randomized trial of 151 patients with metastatic lung cancer

at Massachusetts General Hospital found that those who received early palliative care scored significantly

seek palliative care early. A new study conducted at the cancer center at the University of California, San

Francisco, found that of 922 patients who had died, most in their 60s and 70s, those who had received

palliative care for 90 days or more were less likely to have late-life hospitalizations and to visit intensive care

units or emergency rooms than those who sought care later.

The reduced hospital use also saved thousands of dollars per patient, a bonus other studies have documented.

Meier pointed out.

Yet palliative care remains underused. Even at the well-established U.C.S.F. cancer center, which began

hear this all the time: ‘They’re not ready for palliative care,’ as if it’s a stage people have to accept, as

opposed to something that should be a routine part of care,” said Dr. Eric Widera, who practices the specialty

at the university. In fact, the cancer center at U.C.S.F. adopted a euphemistic name for its palliative team:

service and senior author of the new study.

Although 40 percent of their palliative care patients can expect to be cured, “there clearly still are both

patients and oncologists who have an inappropriate association in their minds,” he said. “They still associate

oncologist at the San Francisco V.A. Medical Center — the Department of Veterans Affairs has been a

leader in this specialty — referred him to the palliative care service last fall when Mr. Storey said he didn’t

intend to pursue chemotherapy. “They wanted me to reconsider,” Mr. Storey said, “but I don’t want to get

through his options. The suggested chemo might extend his life by several months, she explained. It would

complete his advance directives, will arrange for home or inpatient hospice care when he needs it. Until then,

she sees him monthly. She has gently suggested that he take his trip a bit earlier; he has declined. “I feel

great,” he told me.

So this is also life with palliative care: Mr. Storey and a companion have rented an apartment near the Place

des Vosges. A Parisian friend will throw a dinner party for him, as usual. And he’ll eat at that little Alsatian

restaurant where they always remember him.

Medical articles are published for informational purposes only. You are advised to consult your personal

By Allie Shah/Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

watch our weight and track how many miles we run. We obsess about the

stats that keep us fit, but we are clueless about the kinds of numbers that

reveal how healthy - or unhealthy - we truly are. Most of us don't know the

difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure numbers, nor could

we rattle off our body mass index. "These are simple things for us to look

at," said Dr. David Delaney Eisner, a family physician at the HealthEast

Roseville, MN Clinic. "Being aware of these things sooner rather than later

can be very helpful for preventing long-term problems."

In these digital times, checking your blood pressure and body mass index has never been easier. You can

find blood pressure apps, and home monitors that you can hook up to your Smartphone are available. Online

hose," said Tasha Gastony, a physician's assistant at the Park Nicollet Clinic in Eagan, MN. "The higher the

pressure, the more risk there is for damage to that blood vessel and damage to the organs that those vessels

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL: less than 200 mg/dL.

(LDL) and other fats in your blood.

Why it's important: If there's too much cholesterol in your blood, it keeps circulating - and that bad

cholesterol can eventually enter the blood vessel walls. A buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries can block

blood flow.

What it is: Tells you what the sugar content is in your blood.

BMI: less than 25.

height (in meters squared). It helps determine if you're at a normal weight, underweight, overweight or

Why it's important: People who are overweight or obese are at a much higher risk for health pr oblems

such as high blood pressure, coronary vascular disease, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea and arthritis. A

WAIST SIZE: less than 35 inches (women); less than 40 inches (men).

What it is: The circumference ar ound your belly - the area above your hip-bone and below your rib cage.

the virus, it remains in the nerves permanently. When the virus reactivates, shingles occur. It is not yet fully

understood what causes this occurrence, but as we age, the risk of shingles becomes higher. This is probably

the result of an aging immune system.

or sharp pain usually precede the rash. The rash might be accompanied by fever, cough, abdominal pain and

fatigue. In rare instances, shingles can result in pneumonia, deafness, blindness, brain inflammation

occurred. Anyone between 50 and 60 who has had either one should consider getting the vaccine.

A vaccinated person cannot infect others with the virus. It is safe to be around children, pregnant women and

immune-deficient patients after injection.

varies. I would strongly encourage you to call your insurance provider to find out. And talk to your doctor.

Rome to Ft Lauderdale. It looks like a beautiful

moved to a retirement facility in Redmond, WA.

ming pool. I go to a “work out with weights” class

ready living here and it’s easy to meet new ones.

so we felt it was the right thing to do.

PA Directory. How then could you not list Fred in

did you miss?

Enclosed is my 2016 dues. Sincerely, John

(Hi John, I guess that’s what you get from the cheap

labor! All kidding aside, it was an oversight on my

part. Ed)

RUSS HACKETT—Inverness, FL

After 23 years in retirement, I still enjoy and look

ic job that you do.

Ingie enjoys working half time doing special events

and updates from retirees.

Ciao, tutti, Rol

DOUG HORNE—Santa Rosa Beach, FL

sons. First, I don't want an asterisk by my name on

gone. Second, two of my new hire classmates are

officials of RUPA: Cort, "Too Tall", de Peyster and

Leon, "The Enforcer", Scarborough. And, lastly, a

horror, discovered that I was a registered Democrat,

from New York, and had been a loyal, dues paying

Tom A. Hudgens, would be just as active if he were

thing all the time.

Thanks for keeping me in touch with all the United

RICK HUSTED, JR.—McHenry, IL

Hi Cleve --- No problem but I got a kick out of the

fact that the obits at the end of the new RUPA direc-

tory shows me deceased. HA HA to that. Anyway

the actual deceased person was my father Richard

pilots in RUPA would remember me at this late

lences. That will be interesting, HA HA.

As a side note, I happened to be visiting my father

back on May11 at his retirement home when during

a conversation with him, his mind as clear as could

be, he decided it was time. At 97 he was filling me

in on his future plans when without warning he got

a blank look on his face, leaned back on his couch

DAVE JONES—New Bern, NC

Hello Cleve, Another year has passed and Betty and

I have survived. Last December 25 I celebrated my

88th birthday. On December 27 Betty celebrated

her birthday. On December we celebrated our 66th

wedding anniversary. This happens every year and

it is a favorite time for our kids come for a visit.

This year was no exception.

We moved to a Senior Retirement Home in Febru-

lots of help from the kids, some of whom flew here

from long distances such as Denver and Kansas

City. We are happy in our new digs but miss our

house which we sold in November.

We are both in reasonably fair to good health with

ful thoughts and comments and prayers flow in an

our hearts.

times in the ER. Emergency pacemaker installed.

Vision very quickly bad. No strength. No appetite.

Cannot walk very far without gasping for breath.

And still no pain of any kind. Bad face and eyelid

droop but no signs of stroke (and they have checked

me every way from Sunday.) Still no known cause.

for the best.

of you. Keep ‘em coming. At the moment we think

they are working!!!!

Randy, [email protected]

publication!

Mallorca’s almond blossoms are at their peak now,

and started two weeks ago. The envy of family

"back east"!! Probably the same around Vacaville,

as the wx types are the same.

With appreciation and best regards, Cliff

nd

Barry advanced his flying career when he joined

and LAX where he flew his last flight as a DC10

Capt.

PanAm/UAL Flight Attendant, and, from a previous

marriage, Shirley, Lisa and Carter.

Barry was a great friend of the two of us. Bob was

in his new hire class in the RCAF and ended up

with him with UAL in SFO. Don knew him from

Winnipeg where they were both ewlyweds. He was

also a pilot with UAL.

He will be remembered by us most for his cheeky

sense of humour - a fun guy to be around - and his

stories and jokes which in there telling were always

superb. Long live Favishem!

ANDREW M. “Max” FRIEBEL

and flight instructor. He came to the

Max is survived by his wife, Corinne, a son and a

founder and lifetime member, he was an active sup-

porter of their Youth Education Program.

PETER C MOYER

tember 12, 2015, from Pancreatic

Cancer at his home in Gilbert,

Arizona. Peter was born on Sep-

in Beamsville on his family’s

farm, Cherry Avenue Farms.

The Moyers have owned and farmed there for over

200 years. Peter went to Maple Grove public

school, Beamsville High School and attended On-

tario Agricultural College. He joined the Royal Ca-

Marie (Zauzig) Popelars; two daughters, and seven

grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that a donation be

made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, a hospital for

children with cancer. cancer. www.stjude.org

KENNETH A. SCHROEDER, JR.

on February 2, 2016 at his home in Billings, Mon-

tana of complications from a total bypass surgery of

his right leg.

lege through May 1960. Ken graduated from San

Diego State University receiving his Bachelor’s De-

In 1960 Ken was accepted into the U.S. Naval Avia-

tion Cadet (NAVCAD) program and was commis-

career began as a test pilot for Hughes Aircraft then

Ken married Lois Jane (Barker) Schroeder at Mount

Billings, MT in 2015 due to health reasons.

Ken was a passionate advocate for South Dakota

hunting and fishing sportsmen as a District 3 Direc-

especially pheasant and duck.

Kenneth A. Schroeder, Jr. Feb. 02, 2016

*Charles M. Walther, Jr. Feb. 05, 2016

Of sun-split clouds—and done a hundred things

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Tuesday, 11:00 AM)—Harry’s Hofbrau, Redwood City, CA—650-349-6590

Wednesday)—Petaluma Sheraton