Seat 2A

6) At Christmas time in 1989, there were two airlines competing between Long Beach (LGB) and San Jose (SJC). Both flew jets on the route. From LGB to SJC, one airline operated three flights a day and the other air carrier flew one flight a day. Identify both airlines and the respective aircraft types operated on the route.

I'm thinking American would have been one of them. As to the other, I'm drawing a blank. Alaska, perhaps? As to aircraft, let's go with MD-80s.

22) At this time, what airline was operating nonstop Boeing 747SP (74L) service between Buenos Aires (EZE) and Miami (MIA)?

I believe jrl22 has already chipped in with Aerolineas Argentinas - a good guess - but if not AR, then how about United operating an ex-Pan Am aircraft on an ex-Pan Am route.

jlemon

Well, I was a bit confused with regard to the latest answers from jrl22 but here's what I think he was guessing...

15) Delta 727-200 or DC-9-30 between MKE and ORD.....however, it was not Delta so please guess again!

25) CO B737-300 from GJT to COS......nope, it was not Continental and the aircraft type was not a B737-300 so it's time for another guess!

jlemon

6) American and Alaska Air are correct! And AS was indeed operating the MD-80 on the route with one daily roundtrip. As for AA, they were operating three roundtrips per day but with a somewhat surprising aircraft type: the Boeing 737-200 which had been added to the fleet when AA acquired AirCal.

22) Yep, it was good old UA back when the airline of the Friendly Skies was operating a small Latin American hub in Miami.....

jlemon

And please note.....

The "major airline" reference only concerned quiz item 15) and the ORD-MKE route.

The "major airline" reference did not necessarily pertain to quiz item 25) and the GJT to COS route. In fact, nowhere did I state "major airline" with regard to 25).....so there's a hint for you!

FATFlyer

I'm guessing it is AirCal, the aircraft would then be one of their 737s (the MDs and 146s joined their fleet later). That's before I relocated to Fresno but it seems to be the one that makes the most sense.

That service was operated by Fresno-based Air 21 using F-28s leased from USAir. The aircraft routing in Spring 1996 was LAX-FAT-LAS-GJT-COS and return. But by Summer 1996 they had dropped COS ending the GJT-COS leg.

jrl767

OC was also operating a handful of BAe 146s that went to AA in the merger; I flew on N697A in Oct of that year


wrt trying to do cut-and-paste on iPhone is way too challenging ...



ok, majors on ORD-MKE in summer 1983: we already have RC, and we have already ruled out DL, NW, and UA


how about Eastern? they were running DC9-10/-30, 727-100/-200, and L-1011 ... I think L10 would have already been mentioned somewhere upthread in the context of short wide-body flights, so I'll just toss out a random shot with 727-100

jlemon

Two correct answers from our man in Fresno! BTW, I have driven through Fresno many, many times on SR 41 on my way between the San Luis Obispo area (actually Shell Beach where I lived for many years) and either Yosemite or Sequoia/Kings national parks. There use to be an excellent brewpub with great food in Fresno but, of course, the name of the joint escapes me now.....

9) Correct, although technically Air California (before the name change to AirCal) operating a B737-200.

25) Air 21 with the iconic, Dutch-manufactured Fokker F28 Fellowship twin jet is correct as is your routing. Flight #34 departed LAX daily except Sundays and then became a daily operation as it headed east from FAT. Air 21 was not long for this world as a business entity.....and yours truly flew on the F28 many times via Horizon Air (SEA-BOI and PDX-BOI), and also several times on Piedmont as well (MIA-EYW).....

jlemon

15) Well, it was not Eastern, either......so please guess again!

Seat 2A

I believe you're referencing the Butterfield Brewery, located on Olive Avenue down in the Tower District. I used to go there often when I'd come down out of Sequoia/Kings Canyon to restock for yet another foray up the Bubbs Creek trail, the Rae Lakes Loop, the Sphinx and Avalanche Pass, Vidette Meadow... what a wonderful place! And the Tower District - Fresno's hidden gem. I believe the Butterfield Brewery may now be called the Sequoia Brewing Co.

FATFlyer

I lived on the Central Coast before a job move inland several decades ago. Still have several friends in the SLO area. But have enjoyed the access from here to the National Parks for camping.

Seat 2A is probably correct that it was the former Butterfields now Sequoia Brewing in the Tower District. There is now a second location in north Fresno about a mile or two off 41. Neither Full Circle Brewing nor Tioga-Sequoia were around years ago and don't have food.

That's right, the name change was a year later in 1981.

Problem for Air 21 was they started short on money. They took to the air in late 1995 with only $4 million hoping to attract passengers and more investment once they were operating. ValuJet 592 happened in May 1996 and startup airlines were out of favor with both passengers and investors. I flew several flights on and knew several people at Air 21, nice little operation that didn't get a real chance to develop.

A little trivia back for you. One of the Air 21 aircraft (N498US) ended up at Horizon Air and was operated with the name "Great City of Fresno" (Horizon named F28 aircraft for its cities). Fitting name for the former Air 21 aircraft.

jlemon

That's it! The Butterfield Brewery in the "hip" Tower district of Fresno! I enjoyed a number of great lunches there along with their great microbrews over the years.

Besides lots of camping, backpacking and ascents to the tops of various peaks in the magnificent Sierra Nevada range, I also had business in the past in Yosemite as I oversaw the National Park Service search and rescue helicopter contract in the park for several years......

jlemon

Excellent commentary and much appreciated.....

And it's also interesting to note that another new start-up (which I believe was initially based in Fresno but is now based in the Las Vegas area) did not share the same fate as Air 21 but instead became a successful air carrier......

I'm referring to Allegiant Air, of course, which recently made the cover of Aviation Week & Space Technology as an example of a successful airline company, although they are actually more of a travel company and not just an air carrier.....

jlemon

The above question remains at large and looking for an answer.....

cs57

21) Air Service (1993) Miami/Stockholm.
Aeroflot, using IL6 (MON only) via a stop in Shannon.

us2

I can pick off two of these I believe.

3) In the spring of 1966, this airline was operating scheduled service from Washington National (DCA) to Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP) with yet another classic milk run routing. Seven (7) intermediate stops were made en route. Name the airline, the equipment flown and all seven intermediate stops.

Northwest, with an Electra, DCA-PIT-CLE-DTW-MKE-ORD-MSN-RST-MSP

12) In the summer of 1982, this air carrier was operating nonstop jet service from Washington D.C. (DCA) to Little Rock (LIT) six days a week. Name the airline and the equipment flown on the route.

Continental with a DC-9-10