CONNECTIONS
14
NOVEMBER 2013
•
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
THISMONTH,
we celebrateNational Aviation
HistoryMonth. As one of the oldest domestic
airlines still in operation, United has seen a
lot of changes in the aviation industry since
Walter Varney founded the carrier in 1926.
The airline started as a contract mail car-
rier, flying between Boise, Idaho, and Pasco,
Wash. But bigger planes led to passenger
travelafewshortyearslater,andwithpassen-
ger travel camepassenger service: The airline
hired thefirst flight a endant inaviationhis-
tory, registered nurse Ellen Church, in 1930.
In 1931, the “largest air transport corpora-
tion in the world” advertised its services as
“Speed …Comfort … Interest … These features
one can anticipate when flying with United
Air Lines.” At that time, a trip of nearly 2,500
miles fromNewYork toLosAngeles took 30.5
hours on eight different flights. Not exactly
the 2013 idea of
speed
.
But perhaps that advertisement was sim-
ply ahead of its time—way ahead.
In 1931, a roundtrip ticket from New York
to Los Angeles cost $430, the equivalent of
$6,500 in 2013. That’s a tall price to pay to
spend two days in an airplane, especially
when a nonstop flight between those cities
takes just six hours today.
As for
comfort
and
interest
, in 1931, the
company had the “Latest Type Equipment,”
including radio-telephones—but only for the
use of the flight crew. Customers had li le
more than the clouds and the cabin sur-
roundings to occupy their time while they
sat in fixed wicker seats.
To learn more about the history of
aviation in the United States and how the
industry has contributed to the global
economy, visit
nationalairlinepolicy.com.
—A. AVERYL RE
ASKTHE PILOT
With Captain
Mike Bowers
Q: How often are
aircraft tires changed?
Are they changed
individually or in pairs?
A:
There are many
reasons to replace a
tire. The frequency
depends on factors
such as the number
of landings an aircraft
has executed and the
particular runway
conditions. Generally
speaking, a tire rarely
lasts more than a
month before it is
replaced.
Our maintenance
technicians routinely
inspect tires and
brakes for signs of
wear and for proper
inflation pressure. Our
pilots also check the
tires as part of their
pre-flight inspection of
the aircraft exterior. If
a tire is discovered to
have pressure below
the specifications or
shows wear, both that
tire and the adjacent
tire are replaced.
Do you have a question
for Captain Bowers?
You can write to him at
.
TheGoodNewDays
