THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-KANSAS CITY K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records [TWA Museum Archives] 1929-2002 286 cubic feet + oversize Records and publications of Trans World Airlines including information about flight incidents, personnel, and aircraft. DONOR INFORMATION The records were donated by the TWA Museum on October 11, 2005 (Accession No. KA1410). An addition was made on January 7, 2009 (Accession No. KA1684). An addition was made on March 31, 2010, by Barbara Star (Accession No. KA1790). Additions were made on May 17, 2010, by Louis Barr (Accession No. KA1796), Jerry Cosley (Accession No. KA1799), and George Sellery (Accession No. KA1801). An addition was made on November 12, 2010, by Robin Wilson (Accession No. KA1888). Additions were made on January 31, 2011, by Denis Neuman (Accession No. KA1901) and Andrew Ryder (Accession No. KA1902). An addition ws made on May 17, 2011, by Gilbert Buvens (Accession No. KA1945). COPYRIGHT AND RESTRICTIONS The Donor has given and assigned to the University all rights of copyright, which the Donor has in the Materials and in such of the Donor’s works as may be found among any collections of Materials received by the University from others. In as much as some information contained within select series of the TWA records may be sensitive or present security risks, the Associate Director of WHMC-KC shall after consultation with experts and knowledgeable persons, establish policies and procedures to restrict such information and permit its use for appropriate purposes and circumstances. Until those policies and procedures are approved and in place, the select series, such as Crew Training Manuals and Incident Files (post 1970) shall be closed to any use. SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 2 ORGANIZATIONAL SKETCH TWA’s history dates to 1925, when United States Postal Service began to give airlines contracts to carry mail. Founded by Harris Hanshue on July 13, 1925, Western Air Express (WAE) was awarded the 650-mile long Contract Air Mail Route from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, which first flew in April 1926. A month later, WAE began the first regularly scheduled commercial passenger airline service in U.S. history with Ben F. Redman, president of the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, and J.A. Tomlinson seated on mail bags, and flown by pilot C.N. "Jimmy" James on his regular eight-hour mail delivery to Los Angeles. The company reincorporated in 1928 as Western Air Express Corp. In the spring of 1928, four men (Clement M. Keys, Chester W. Cuthell, Paul Henderson, and Charles Lindbergh) met at New York’s prestigious Engineers Club to form Transcontinental Air Transport (TAT), combining airplane and train routes to span the continent in 48 hours. By 1929, William Atterbury and the Pennsylvania Railroad and William Benson Storey, President of the Santa Fe Railroad with its close ties to the Fred Harvey restaurant chain, were firmly committed to the air-rail experiment. On November 16, 1929, Transcontinental Air Transport merged with Maddux Air Lines. Maddux Air Lines was founded in 1927 by Jack L. Maddux, an owner of a Los Angeles Ford and Lincoln car dealership, became the new airline’s western head. Maddux Air Lines carried passengers primarily in California and the Southwest, competing on some routes with Western Air Express. When combined, the resulting TAT-Maddux Air Lines carried 40,000 passengers in 1929. With the 1930 merger of Western Air Express with Transcontinental Air Transport-Maddux, the new company became Transcontinental and Western Air (T&WA). Howard Hughes became the principal stockholder of T&WA in 1939, and expanded the airline significantly under CEO Jack Frye leadership. Challenging Pan American World Airways’ dominance as the United States’ sole international carrier, T&WA began trans-Atlantic service in 1946 using the new Lockheed Constellation aircraft, and changed its name to The Trans World Airline. TWA also effectively eliminated a competitive threat from American Overseas Airways (American Airlines), leaving TWA and Pan Am the only U.S. airlines serving Europe until the 1970s. TWA played a major role in the formation of Saudi Arabian Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, and a revived Lufthansa. TWA for many years trained pilots from around the world and established the Breech Academy, the first dedicated facility for training flight attendants or airhostesses, as TWA called their flight attendants. In 1950, the airline added an “s” to change its name to Trans World Airlines. During the 1950s and 1960s, it established routes from Europe to Asia flying as far east as Hong Kong. In 1961, TWA flew their last piston-powered flight in the SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 3 Lockheed 1649 Starliner from Rome to New York and became the first international all-jet airline. Later that year, they showed the first in-flight movies. TWA leadership sought Howard Hughes removal as chairman in 1961. Under new corporate management, the Trans World Corporation (TWA’s holding company) purchased the Hilton Hotels overseas operations. The TWA Flight Center, the landmark Terminal 5 at New York City’s JFK Airport designed by Eero Saarinen, was completed in 1962. On April 7, 1967, TWA became the world’s first all-jet airline with the retirement of their last Lockheed 749 Constellation aircraft. That morning throughout the TWA system, aircraft ground service personnel placed a booklet on every passenger seat titled “Props Are for Boats.” By 1969, TWA had surpassed Pan American World Airways as the dominant Atlantic carrier, and in the Transpacific Route Case of 1969, TWA received authority to extend its routes to Hawaii, Japan, and Taiwan. Beginning August 1, 1969, TWA inaugurated “Around the World Service” wherein a passenger could travel from Los Angeles to Asia, Africa, Europe, and return to New York on one plane. The airline aggressively expanded European operations through the 1980s and by 1987 could brag of an intercontinental network stretching from Los Angeles to Bombay, including virtually every major European city, with gateways from 10 major cities in the United States. For the first and only time in the summer of 1988, TWA carried more than 50 percent of all trans-Atlantic passengers. Fed by a small domestic operation moving U.S. passengers to New York or other gateway cities, Boeing 747, Lockheed L-1011, and Boeing 767 aircraft departed to more than 30 European cities. A similar European operation shuttled passengers to TWA’s European gateways for travel to the United States. Soon competition from other U.S. carriers, such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines’ aggressive European expansion plans ended TWA’s transcontinental supremacy. Charles Tillinghast (TWA CEO, 1961-1976), abandoned the trans-Pacific market and the dedicated air cargo market saying, “There’s no money in the Pacific and there’s no money in cargo. We’re gonna’ shrink this airline ‘til it’s profitable.” Deregulation also proved a problem because TWA had ignored domestic expansion at a time when the newly deregulated market was rapidly growing. When Trans World Corporation, starved for capital, spun off the airline, it briefly considered selling itself to corporate raider Frank Lorenzo in the 1980s. Instead it was purchased by another raider, Carl Icahn, in 1985, a move that some feel was the beginning of the end for TWA. Under his direction, many of its most profitable assets were sold to competitors. The airline was forced into bankruptcy in 1992 and Icahn was ousted in 1993. Unscathed by the adventure, Carl Icahn had arranged for himself “The Karabu Deal,” the right to purchase TWA tickets at a 45 percent discount for flights anywhere they flew, except those starting or ending in St. Louis. Icahn, using SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 4 Karabu, could buy and sell most of the airline’s available seats, leaving TWA to pay its cost from the sale of any remaining tickets. In other words, TWA was flying customers who were paying someone else. TWA lost an estimated $150 million a year to “The Karabu Deal.” Though tragic events had occurred throughout its history, timing and public attention to TWA Flight 800 exploding near Long Island on July 17, 1996, killing all aboard, only further damaged the reputation and financial position of the airline. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded the most likely cause of the disaster was an exposed wiring in a center fuel tank that sparked the explosion. However, debate continues about the cause, ranging from the fact that TWA’s fleet was among the oldest in service, to the theory that a missile took down the plane. Regardless, the legal, and resulting financial impact, on TWA’s future was significant. Faced with a declining market and challenging completion, by 1998, TWA had again reorganized to become primarily a domestic carrier, with routes though hubs at St. Louis and New York. The airline then announced a major fleet renewal and ordered 125 new aircraft, but growing financial problems instead resulted in its third bankruptcy and American Airlines acquiring TWA’s airline assets in April 2001. Trans World Airlines flew its last flight on December 1, 2001. The ceremonial last flight was Flight 220 from Kansas City, Missouri, to St. Louis, with CEO Captain William Compton at the controls. Employees removed all TWA signs and placards from airports around the country, replacing them with American Airlines signs and at midnight, all TWA flights officially became listed as American Airlines flights. SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The Records were collected by the TWA Museum and break generally into three parts: Boxes 1-131 and 259-260 [inventoried to box level only] contain training and operations manuals for the various aircraft flown by TWA. These files were part of the publication department and include master copies with various dates’ changes. Also in this series are other publication related materials and a small amount of public relations items. Boxes 133-223 [inventoried to folder or case file level] contain Incident files and other safety related materials including reports and data issued by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), and its successor, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Also included is some records relating to Ozarks Airline, which was acquired by TWA in 1986. The Incident files are documentation of accidents or incidents (i.e. air turbulence, mechanical failure, etc.) that occurred during a flight and may or may not have resulted in injury or death. The data for each incident varies, ranging from a report form to detailed studies with correspondence, depositions, SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 5 analytical/technical data, photographs, audio recordings and/or videos, NTSB hearing documents, and media reports. Some of the accident files may be as large as several boxes. (Audiovisual materials related to some of the Incident files are in boxes 257 and 258.) Boxes 223-270 [inventoried to folder level] contain various other materials including books about TWA, publications, menus, tickets, timetables, and other ephemeral items, photographs, slides and negatives relating to crew training, public relations audio and video, correspondence and reports, and manuals and other documents relating to aircraft. Additional items not yet inventoried and included here is a run of the Skyliner, the airline company newspaper, a large body of photographic negatives, and other publication and public relations items. PREFERRED CITATION Specific item; folder number; Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records (K0453); The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City [after first mention may be abbreviated to SHSMO-KC]. CONTACT The State Historical Society of Missouri Research Center-Kansas City 302 Newcomb Hall, University of Missouri-Kansas City 5123 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO 64110-2499 (816) 235-1543 [email protected] http://shsmo.org/about/kansascity/ INVENTORY Training manual and related materials Box 1. 727 handbooks Box 2-7. 727 flight handbooks: archives flight handbook; 727 planning and performance; 727 flight handbook working copies; extra fight handbooks. Box 7-12. L1011 flight handbooks: archives flight handbook; L1011 planning and performance; L1011 flight handbook working copies; extra fight handbooks. Box 13-21. 747 flight handbooks: archives flight handbook; 747 planning and performance; 747 flight handbook working copies; extra fight handbooks. Box 22-25, 27. DC9 flight handbooks: archives flight handbook; DC9 planning and performance; DC9 flight handbook working copies; extra fight handbooks. SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 6 Box 25-26, 28. 767 flight handbooks: archives flight handbook; 767 planning and performance; 767 flight handbook working copies; extra fight handbooks. Box 28-36. 707 flight handbooks: archives flight handbook; 707 planning and performance; 707 flight handbook working copies; extra fight handbooks. Box 37. FAA Test Charts (Climb Charts) Box 38-39. Flight Operations Training Manuals, 1975-1987 Flight Instructor Handbooks 1975; FAR (federal Air Regulations) 1976-1985; Recurrent Training Bulletins; Flight Operations Procedures Manuals Line Standards Guide; Conver 880 Misc.; Takeoff Charts All Aircraft. Box 39-40. Flight Instructor Handbooks; Emergency Procedures Handbook; Flight Operations Handbook; Line Training Requirements Box 41-44. Federal Air Regulations 1969-1970 (B727); Timetable Schedules; Take Off Charts Box 44-45. Convar 880 planning performance; flight instructor handbooks Box 46. MD80 flight hand book, aircraft panel chart; CD of art and graphics used in all flight handbooks (all aircraft) Box 47. DC9 safety instructions; 757 quick reference guide; 767 flight handbook; 767 flight instructor handbook; fuel conservation; drug and alcohol policy; aviation instructors handbook; new hire pilot study guide Box 48. Civil Aeronautics Board regulations; airport codes; 727 flight engineer binder; L1011 flight engineer training; 717 quick reference handbook; 717 flight handbook; Box 49-50. All aircraft checklists Box 51-52. Flight operations policy manual Box 52-53. Flight operations policy archives Box 53. Flight operation policy manual/crew operations policy Box 54-55. flight instructor’s handbook (masters and archive) Box 55-56. Ozark to TWA pilot course Box 57-60. Continuing qualification bulletin (CQB)/Recurrent training bulletin (RTB) masters Box 61-64. Emergency procedures handbook masters; emergency procedures bulletin; flight attendant safety bulletins; emergency procedures handbook revisions; SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 7 Box 64. 717 emergency procedures and equipment locations; DC9 emergency procedures and equipment locations; flight operation policy masters archives; federal air regulation masters archives Box 65-66. Flight operation policy masters archives; federal air regulation masters archives; special airport procedures Box 66-67. Aircraft accident/incident procedures manual (AAIPM) Box 67-71. Flight operations training manual (FOTM) Box 71. Accident/incident manuals Box 72. flight operations planning and performance; retirement plan; trust plan; trust annuity plan; aviation instructors handbook; drug and alcohol policy, misc. FAA flight proficiency and standards; overseas stations flight operations; how to debrief; flight fact winter operations; Box 72-75. 757/767 flight handbook archives Box 76-77. 717 flight handbook archives Box 77-82. DC9/MD80 flight handbook archives Box 83-84. Single visit training masters Box 84-85. Miscellaneous masters Box 86-87. Gulf Air masters Box 88-90. Federal air regulation transmittals, all aircraft Box 90-91. 757/767 flight handbook masters; Box 91. MD80 flight handbook masters; Box 92-93. Flight operations training bulletin (FOTB) masters (all aircraft) Box 93-94. DC9/MD80 flight handbook; 717 flight handbook Box 94-96. B727 flight handbook Box 96-98. L1011 flight handbook Box 98-99. 747 flight handbook Box 100. 757/767 flight handbook; FAA approval masters (FAA integration bulletin); flight management quick reference guide; MD80 flight handbook; CAMS user’s manual Box 101. CAMS manual; Box 102. Quick reference handbook (all aircraft) Box 103. Check list masters; data management guide; flight instructor handbook MD80 H loft supplement; weights and balance manual; Box 104. Japanese civil aviation law; domestic and airport qualification record; St Louis procedures; international procedures study guide; SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 8 727 flight control diagram; L1011 bulletin; ANA training guide; cockpit foldout (all aircraft); 727 flight engineer recalls Box 105-114. Checklist masters Box 115. Award of excellence; pilot uniform wings and emblems; smoking regulations; old operations specifications; obsolete operation specification; Box 116. Obsolete operation specification; seniority lists; Box 117. Pilot’s seniority lists; organization charts; Box 118. L1011 brochure; super-80 flight attendants study guide; video log- airport; Training Center (St. Louis) photographs; antique airplane association books; photos-American Airlines; misc. loose files Box 119. Photos and art work Box 120. old operations specifications; FAA; strike operation manual; L1011; operations specifications correspondence; TARPA Topics; TWA timetables; TWA Flite Facts; a history of TWA aircraft; 707- 131 history; system timetable; pilots zero time program; Box 121-122. Personnel and general office, 1990s Box 122. Skyliners Box 123. Simulator rental agreements; operations specifications; airport authorized for scheduled operations Box 124-125. Operations specifications; Box 126. Newspaper clippings, 1990s Box 127-128. Videos, slides, Box 129-131 Correspondence for publications department Box 132 Items removed to Box 130. INCIDENT FILES Box 133 Folder Accidents – 1929 Folder Accident – March 31, 1931 Bazaar, KS – Plane #116 AC-11 Folder Accident – December 19, 1931 Oklahoma City, OK – Plane #701 AC-38 Folder Accident – March 21, 1932 Steubenville, OH – Plane #6 AC-50 Folder Accident – December 14, 1932 #1 Amarillo, TX – Plane #610 AC-70 SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 9 Folder Accident – December 14, 1932 #2 Amarillo, TX – Plane #610 AC-70 Folder Accident – February 10, 1933 #1 Bakersfield, CA – Plane #617 AC-77 [S-CD] Folder Accident – February 10, 1933 #1 Bakersfield, CA – Plane #617 AC-77 [S-CD] Folder Accident – July 28, 1933 #1 Kansas City, MO – Plane #256 AC-102 Folder Accident – July 28, 1933 #2 Kansas City, MO – Plane #256 AC-102 Folder Accident – July 28, 1933 #3 Kansas City, MO – Plane #256 AC-102 Folder Accident – August 29, 1933 #1 Quay, NM – Plane #607 AC-104 Folder Accident – August 29, 1933 #2 Quay, NM – Plane #607 AC-104 Folder Accident – August 29, 1933 #3 Quay, NM – Plane #607 AC-104 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #1 Pittsburgh, PA – Plane #54 AC-146 Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Preferred File Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Data for Hearing February 15, 1936 Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Papers from Harvey Bolton’s case Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Federal Communications Commission Box 134 Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – TWA Pilot’s Association Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Communication to US Senate Committee on Commerce (Col. Hartney) Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Weather Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – A.L.P.A. SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED K0453 Trans World Airlines (TWA) Records Page 10 Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – D-16 US Senate Committee on Commerce. Col. Harold Hartney Folder Accident – May 6, 1935 Kirksville, MO – Radio Direction Finding Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #1 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #2 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #3 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #4 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #5 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #6 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #7 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #8 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #9 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #10 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #11 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #12 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – January 26, 1935 #13 Kirksville, MO – Plane #323 AC-158 Folder Accident – April 7, 1936 #1 Uniontown, PA – Plane #311 AC-188 Folder Accident – April 7, 1936 #2 Uniontown, PA – Plane #311 AC-188 Folder Accident – April 7, 1936 #3 Uniontown, PA – Plane #311 AC-188 SHSMO-KC August 11, 2014 REVISED