THE HISTORY OF PAN AM AIRWAYS

 

  I remember this famous airline,

PAN AM.  I used to ride this airplane, Boeing 747

with    for one way

from Los Angeles International Airport, California to

Honolulu International Airport, Hawaii on my first time,

April 1988.

Let me share this history….,  I took Christmas Break ‘90

from National Technical Institute for the Deaf in a campus

of the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

when I took the Amtrak Train when a group of deaf college

students were residents of New York City and I rode together.

Amtrak ran from Rochester Station to many city stations via

Albany Amtrak Station to final destination, famous Grand

Terminal Station, Manhattan, New York City, NY. 

  Our Amtrak Train arrived there after I told

and asked deaf Puerto Rican-American for an assistance so I

was scared to see strange world.  He smiled and guided me with

him when we wait for his white hearing girlfriend to come and

meet us in few minutes.  Then, she arrived at us, he told her

about me.  She understood me and asked us to walk with her

to the MTA Window Booth where we stop and got free map of

the subway.  She explained me about how to get my Youth

Hostel International from the Grand Terminal Station.  I felt

confidence and get ready to get a train from the Grand Terminal

Station to my hostel.   See this photo:  I did not know about

the PAN AM Building is behind the Grand Terminal Station.

 

I arrived my hostel from the 103rd Subway safely.  I checked in

and got a room for one night.  

Until morning rain was here, I

checked out of the hostel and got back to the Subway via the

Yellow Cab to the La Guardia Airport where I got in the USAir

Terminal.  I flew with USAir airplane to Miami International

Airport, Florida and checked in the Youth International Hostel

in Miami Beach, Florida for one night.  Until Early Morning,  I

checked out of the hostel and rode in the taxi back to the

Miami International Airport again.  I arrived the USAir Terminal

before I took the USAir jet aircraft to Key West Airport, Florida.

See 2 photos:

 Miami International Airport

 Key West International Airport

On Beautiful Sunny Day,  I enjoyed viewing the beautiful island

of Key West on my first time.  USAir airplane was flying down

and touched on the runaway safely.  I walked out of the airplane

beautiful outside and entered the gate and baggage area where

picked up my luggage.  I asked the taxi driver to take me to

the Key West Hostel.

I walked outside the hostel and enjoyed looking around the

on Duval Street in Downtown.  I found a historic sign and place.

See a photo:

See and read this links:

http://www.keywestinternationalairport.com/history.html

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_American_World_Airways

 

My First Time with Braniff International

 

  I am telling my story to you all.

I remembered about Braniff International Airways service in

America.  I was 7 years old.  My 3rd Grade Teacher took me

and my classmates to the Kansas City International Airport,

Missouri from Kansas School for the Deaf, Olathe, Kansas

during Fall 1974.   We visited to the Braniff International

Terminal when I begun to see and learn on airplane including

inside the cabin, cockpit, galley and restroom.  Pilot gave

some small toy paper aircraft to me and my classmates while

we stand with him in front of the airplane door inside the

walkway.  I did not fly this airplane yet.

Later until Summer 1979, 

I was 13 with my Mother and Grandma inside the gate of

Mid-Continent Airport, Wichita, Kansas.  We saw nice design of

the Braniff airplane following the photo.  It arrived to our gate.

My Mother was not going with me and my Grandma, we hugged,

kissed and left her.  Grandma and I walked together inside the

walkway and arrived to the airplane.  Grandma presented our

tickets to Stewdress before entered the airplane.  We greeted

at crew friendly.  Pilot asked us if I want to see inside the

cockpit.   Grandma and I looked around it when I saw my

Mother in front of the window gate from cockpit window.

I started to wave over her when she begun to see me before

wave her hand to me and Grandma. I never forget this action.

 

Few minutes later,  we belted our seats together.  I sat on

window seat next to Grandma sat on center seat. Our airplane

started to run from the gate to the runaway while we saw

Stewdress to instruct the Safety issue to us and passengers.

Stewdresses checked on us and passengers to use our belts and

their belts safely before they walked back to galley seat. 

Our airplane started to get high speed and run, run, run,… I felt

very nervous when my hands tight on the handle while Grandma

hold my hand easily and I witnessed on window and finally ran

off the runway.  I was very thrilled to see beautiful white clouds

in air and full of green land.

Inside our cabin, I saw some Stewdresses carried the beverage

tray to passengers and us.  I took a Orange Juice and Grandma

took same drink.  We enjoyed viewing over the clouds.  Grandma

and Passengers heard the speaker, I was unable to hear it and

enjoyed drinking.  Grandma told me about our airplane will fly

down to the runaway of Kansas City International Airport,

Missouri least 1 hour.

Few minutes, we finished drinking our drinks before Stewdress

collected our empty drinks away before we belted together.  

I saw near the green land, my hands tight on handle again.

Our airplane touched on the runaway safely.  It run down to low

speed well.   I saw some different airplanes (United Airlines

Delta Airlines) terminal.    Passengers, Grandma and I got up

and walked together to exit the airplane when we thanked our

crew friendly.

Grandma and I carried our 2 small bags with us and walked out

of front terminal and wait for airport bus to other terminal where

we took a different airline, North Central Airlines under the

Republic Airlines.

 

We arrived at the North Central Airlines Ticket Counter.

Grandma gave our tickets to agent before waited for our

beautiful historical airplane on the ground while we were

in the front window gate.  Few minutes until boarding time,

we walked downstairs out of the gate and inside the airplane

on my first time.  I saw inside the cabin describing big cozy

seat and large window like time of the 1940’s.   Grandma sat

on window seat and my aisle seat.   The airplane door closed

before the fan started to speed up and ran to the runaway.

It got higher speed and ran up to air, I enjoyed viewing the

large window.  Grandma and I enjoyed talking together before

Steward carried a beverage tray to us,  we took our Coke drinks.

Our airplane kept flew for 1 hour until down to Sioux City Airport,

Iowa.   We finished our drinks when Steward took them away.

Near to Airport,  our airplane was coming to touch and bounced

on the runaway.   I felt different between North Central Airlines

and Braniff International Airways.  We got up from our seats and

walked downstairs out of the airplane to the ground.  Grandma

asked me to see and wave my Aunt Ruth and Uncle Art Books

(Grandma’s Sister and Brother-in-Law) at front large window

airport.  We entered the door where we hugged Aunt and Uncle

on beautiful sunny day.

Dedication

to

Rosemary Reding Peterson

On September 12, 2010, Grandma, 85 passed away in Wichita, Kansas.

She born in Sioux City, Iowa. 

She was a Teacher at McLean’s Elementary School under the Wichita Public Schools before retired in 1990.

She departed her beloved husband, Leonard, deceased son, James, 2 survivor daughters, Janet and Lorry,

3 grandchildren, Brent Hisel, Kent Barnes, Lyndsay Stauble

and 7 grand, grandchildren. 

 

 

 

Amtrak Train Trip Cheaper Than Driving

 

 

Kansas City-St. Louis

248 miles; $51.75 driving; $28 on Amtrak

The state of Missouri is a big Amtrak booster, heavily supporting the two trains a day that cross the state's midsection. That has paid off; according to the Missouri Department of Transportation, ridership has been steadily growing.

There's one downside, though: the Missouri River Runner line takes more than 5½ hours to run down the I-70 corridor, more than an hour longer than the average driving time. As with the New York-Montreal run, Amtrak doesn't own these tracks, and freight trains often take precedence. If the Missouri River Runner actually chugged along at the 79 miles per hour that Amtrak trains are capable of, it would cross the state in under 3½ hours.

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/index.cfm?group=651&p=9#ixzz1WuUMs878

In Fall 1992, I lived in Kansas City Downtown, Missouri while I was a Solo Traveler.  I bought a Round Trip Ticket for St. Louis Weekend.   My Group and I rode in our Amtrak Train between Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri.   I enjoyed visiting and sighting some interest of places include the Arch, Old Union Station and Downtown in St. Louis.

Inside the Amtrak Train,  I sat relaxing and saw the window across the rural during daytime depart Kansas City and evening time depart St. Louis.  Passengers and I walked to the Food Café and carried our small box including beverage and meal back to our seats or sit in some tables after paid to Clerk on the counter.

In Fall 1976,  Kansas State School for the Deaf, Emery Hall Elementary School, some classmates and I rode in our first way Amtrak Train from Kansas City to La Plata Station, Missouri during daytime.  We enjoyed eating our lunch bags and played in the park and rode in our one way school bus to Kansas State School for the Deaf, Olathe, Kansas from La Plata, Missouri.  What a long trip!  I never forget about my Childhood and School Trip well.

Last February 2010,  I videotaped over the rural from Newton, Kansas (my hometown, Wichita, KS, 30 miles) to Kansas City, Missouri.  I enjoyed watching my favorite traditional sunrise time. 

Coming to Kansas City Union Station, I finally videotaped there before end time.

Closing time, I saw my favorite Union Station since my Childhood time before the years changed around there.