Originally Posted by WHBM

Well mostly hunches and I haven't had a go at them all.

1. Following a week of fun and sun in the LA Basin, your services have been requested in Kingman, Arizona; but first you’ve been asked to join two colleagues for a luncheon meeting at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport. Identify the four airlines that operated nonstop flights between Los Angeles and Phoenix. Should you be so inclined, have a gander at the equipment used as well...

This will be a guess, but I will go for American, TWA, Western and Continental. Aircraft types are going to be a good mixture, probably 707/720s and 727s predominating; did American have any Convairs left operating by this stage ? I would also expect the service provided may not be optimal, because it is just dependent on how longer-distance multi-stop routes manage to get scheduled.

2. Later that afternoon, you’ll need to make a connection to this airline offering nonstop service from Phoenix up to Kingman, Arizona. Identify the airline and the aircraft used on this route.

I think this depends on when in the summer of 1968 you made the trip. Bonanza Airlines was on the route, but in July 1968 they merged into Air West. They used Fairchild F.27s (which are actually Fokker F.27s licence-built by Fairchild

4. Two airlines offer nonstop service between Los Angeles and Fresno. Only one of them offers jet service, though. Identify that airline and the aircraft used.

United and Air West (or predecessor Pacific Airlines). I’d have thought both had jets by this time, 737s and DC9s respectively, so if I have to go for just one I’ll say United.

While both United and Pacific had jets by this time, United was using DC-6s on this route while Pacific offered a single daily 727 service.

5. Southern Pacific’s San Joaquin Daylight delivers you to Oakland, California. Following two days of business meetings across the bay in San Francisco, you head out to SFO for your flight down to Long Beach. Only one airline offers nonstop service on this route, flying it twice a day with the same type of aircraft on both flights. You’ve chosen the evening flight, departing San Francisco at 7:30pm and arriving Long Beach at 8:47pm. Identify the airline and aircraft used.

I’ll go for Western. They were probably changing over from Electras to 737s on the route just at this time, so the clue is probably in the flight time. 1 hour 17 minutes ? That’s still an Electra.

6. Duty calls in Chattanooga, Tennessee. There are no direct flights between LAX and CHA, so you book an overnight flight aboard the only airline offering nonstop service between LAX and Memphis, connecting with the single daily nonstop flight between MEM and Chattanooga. Identify the airlines operating each route.

LAX to Memphis in those days – that has to be American, could be either a 707 or a 727. Memphis to Chattanooga ? Let’s guess at Southern. Aircraft type ? Wilder guess at a Martin 404.

Southern would seem the obvious choice but it was actually United with a 727.

7. Identify the four airlines that operated nonstop service between Memphis and Little Rock, Arkansas. Should you so desire, take a stab at identifying the equipment used by each airline.

Four different ones ? Pure guesses. Delta, Braniff, American, Trans-Texas. Lots of types there, DC-9s, One-Elevens, 727s, Convair 600s, probably many more,

8. Now you’re in New Orleans and have to get up to Kansas City. Only one airline operates a single nonstop on this route. Luncheon is served in both classes. Upon arrival in Kansas City, you’ll enjoy a plate of excellent barbecued ribs at Gates & Sons. Identify the airline and the aircraft used on this route.

Braniff One-Eleven.

9. Your special talents are required in Fairbanks, Alaska. No airline serving Kansas City also serves Fairbanks. You’ll have to make an interline connection in Seattle. Only one airline provides service between Kansas City and Seattle, offering a single daily nonstop in addition to a 2-stop direct flight. You book a seat in First Class on the nonstop to Seattle, but are disappointed to learn that the only airline offering the two nonstop flights from Seattle to Fairbanks operates a single class aircraft on both flights. Name the airlines involved on this itinerary and – if you feel up to it – have a go at identifying the aircraft utilized on each route.

United from Kansas to Seattle, on a 727. United always seemed a bit of a stranger in Kansas City, but managed to get this somewhat thin route. Seattle to Fairbanks nonstop sounds real S2A territory, and I think it’s the old Pan Am operation, and on a 707. It probably carried a lot of freight as well. No first class ? Is that really so much of a problem ?

Though Coach is where you’ll usually find me, First Class always sounds better.

10. After returning to Seattle aboard the Alaska Marine Highway, you’ve decided to fly the 130 miles south to Portland. Seven airlines offer nonstop jet service on this route. Identify each of the seven airlines and, if you like, the jets used.

Well this has to be just about everybody, running tag flights between the two and then heading south/east. OK, lets go. 1 - Air West (or the old West Coast) on F27s and DC9s. 2 – Pan Am on 707s. 3 – United on all sorts, DC8, 720, 727, 737. 4 – Western, 720Bs and 737s. 5 – Northwest, 707s, 720Bs and 727s. 6 – Eastern (headed for St Louis) on 727s. 7 – Braniff, on 727s, headed on to Texas.

All correct except Pan American. Add Continental 720Bs

11. Only one airline provides Eugene, Oregon with jet service. Which airline and what kind of jet is it?

Pan Am 707s, probably the whole lot transited Seattle, then on to London. Pan Am had done this transatlantic route from Portland back in DC7C days.

Pan Am? Didn’t know they ever served Eugene. In this case however, it was West Coast.

12. After laboriously checking page by page, I’ve confirmed that in 1968, only five scheduled airlines served the state of Utah. Name the airlines.

United, Western, Frontier, Air West (or is this still a pre-merger two, West Coast heading northwest and Bonanza heading southwest)

No Air West in the schedules just yet

13. The only service between Milwaukee and Kansas City is limited to one direct (1-stop) flight each afternoon, departing Milwaukee at 4:30pm and arriving Kansas City at 6:05pm. A snack is served in both First Class and Coach. Name the airline and the aircraft used.

United 727 ?

It was an Ozark DC-9

14. In the June 1, 1968 OAG, I’ve identified at least six scheduled U.S. airlines (There may be more) that still operated regularly scheduled DC-3 service. Can you identify them?

Continental and Northeast would be the two major carriers I believe. Then it’s a guess among the regionals – Ozark maybe. Finally the smaller operators. PBA would likely be one. Any more than that and I’d have to be home with my DC3 documentation !

I’ll leave this one out there, though Ozark is correct.

15. This airline operated two almost daily (X6, X7) jet flights from White Plains, New York to Washington National (DCA). Name the airline and the equipment.

Mohawk, with a One-Eleven.