Was a Ramp Rat out of Charlie South in the 80s. Loved it!! I wish that airline was still here. I miss seeing Monongahela, Tampa Bay, Grand Rapids, Dixie, Savannah River, Blue Bonnet, Triad, Research Triangle.....Hell, there's TOO MANY of them, I can't name 'em all!! I miss all the Pacemakers.
I almost cried. Native of RIC. Undergrad ECU first "realjob" in corp/gov trvl DCA I heard a drawl recently here at PDX damn if it wasnt a VERY senior crew member from CLT. i have never met her previously but itwas like a family reunion. Also all those whisperjets were fun to see as well. KUDOS
I have very fond memories of Piedmont as well. Whenever I flew out of North Carolina on Piedmont and transferred to another plane, the return trip once I finally connected back to Piedmont made me feel like I was already back home in NC once I got on the Piedmont plane, in whatever state that may have been. Those were the good days of airline travel.
First flew on Piedmont in 1967 - it was a Martin 404 between Norfolk, VA (KORF) and the Covington, KY (KCVG) - aka Cincinnati Intl. This was while in the Army stationed at Ft Story, VA. My first business trip was while working for a department store in Cincinnati and myself and a manager flew from KCVG to KCLT in 1972. The purpose of the trip was to see how Belk Stores handled some parts of their credit card processing. My first time on a Piedmont aircraft was at KCVG in 1960?. My brothers and I had ridden our bicycles out to the airport to do some plane watching - it was about a 7 mile ride each way. We used to do this a couple of times during the summer. On time while we were up on the observation deck, a crew preparing a Piedmont DC-3 asked if we would like to see the inside of the plane. In a flash we were downstairs and at the door. He even let us sit in the pilot's seats. Wow! In 1993 I finally earned my pilot's license!
My father was a pilot for 40 years with piedmont, He loved this airline and his job. His memory will forever remain in my heart. Capt James F. Holder. (2-20-24---11/14/2011) Capt Frank as he was known never had a late flight or a mis-hap. Started with the DC-3 and retired in the 727-200 last flight March 1st 1984.
Piedmont will forever hold a special place in my heart. Flew them to RIC FROM LGA, with my father, in 1979. They were great. It was a travesty that they were bought out by US AIR.
My employee # was 7678. When I hired on as a pilot in '66 there were about 250 of us. When I retired 4 years early at the end of '93 due to despising the USAir culture there were well over 4000 of us. Tom Davis set things up so he could retire and maximize the value of his stock options by doing two things, selling the railroad (Norfolk Southern) 22.8% of the shares and by keeping the equity in the F-28s bought from Garuda and refurbished on premises instead of selling them to a leasing company and leasing them from that company. After Bob Claytor of the railroad decided to retire, and six days later his replacement as CEO announced they were selling the Piedmont stock, those two acts provided Colody of USAir and his cohorts about half the equity needed to buy the 22.8% from the railroad and take control of Piedmont. Thanks for posting the video. I had forgotten how intelligent the advertising was back in those days. I had not forgotten the slogan or whatever - The Up-and-Coming Airline. A phallic symbol described as up and coming headed upward was subliminally potent.
Thanks for your write up on the business end of the merger that I did not know.. It seemed that US Air just had to have the CLT hub. A quick 15 years later, all of their own juice and energy was gone and they folded into AA. To you and the entire Piedmont aviation team, ground and air, thanks for the great service and memories.
Began my airline career with PI in the early 80s. Our airline had a great reputation for fine service and friendly ground and in flight personnel, and I took great personal pride in being an employee out of BOS. Survived the merger with USAir in 89 and retired in the 90s. I still plan and attend the PI/USAir BOS Employees Reunion every July.
My first flight from SFO to GSO in 1976 was on Piedmont Airlines, and then was my airline of choice as I flew back and forth after I moved here to my family visits in CA until USAir took over. I loved Piedmont Airlines. They had low fares, nice employees and good service from an airport just 20 minutes from my home in Stokesdale. That sure beat leaving three or four hours early and trying to battle for a place to park at SFO while visiting my family! Boy have I been spoiled. With all the mergers, added runways and roads, limited service and increasing rates it's a toss up as to whether flying from PTI - RDU - CLT is a better choice on any given day. Making choices as to connection city based on the weather, airline based on cost and delay history, and flight based on which ticked me off the last time I flew is basically the way I roll. It's not like the olden days of being loyal because an airline treats the customer right anymore. I sure appreciate all the Piedmont employees who treated us customers right back then, we noticed, and we were sorry when we were all sold out. We miss you all.
THANK YOU for this. I still live in Greensboro and fondly remember the Piedmont "Whisperjets". They WERE quiet, the service exceptional, the pilots caring and kind, for a kid's first airplane trips, I couldn't have asked for better. I truly MISS miss this airline
Great job. Piedmont Employee number 19580 speaking. I was with this great organization from May 21, 1981 till merger. Didn't take too much USAIR crap to make me leave. Regardless...SDF-ORD-CVG-SFO-DAY-LEX in my years with the company. Great company, great leadership, great people.
Me too. Piedmont is supposedly back, more like a regional airline. All I've seen are ERJ 145s ,but none with the Speedbird on them. They're all flying for other airlines. I've seen them with American airlines colors. They're all Corporate style, not the Family style attitudes, like original Piedmont had. Oh, I was stationed in CHS. Helluva lot of fun back then.
As a. commercial traveler in the 1980s, I really loved flying Piedmont. I knew they'd be ruined after USAIR bought them and I was right and that horrible service continued after America West bought US Airways and later still the merger with AA.
Awesome....Only got to work there 2 years before the merger but was the best two years in my aviation career....absolutely the BEST airline ever!!!! USAirways ruined them!!!!
I agree 150%. Working in CHS at the time, and the moment I heard about the merger I KNEW it would be a mistake. Damn, I really wish Piedmont was still here.
I've been tasked with a project to make a video about my company's history; and by reading the responses below, I've gained a greater appreciation for all the fine folks that I get to meet every day. Who do I work for? Piedmont Advantage Credit Union formally Piedmont Aviation Credit Union.
You know I see this video they were locking down hubs a lot of other airlines were scared that's when the money came out to buy them out they should never had sold out they should have thought about the employee and the welfare of the airline that was the up-and-coming airline right there the way it was run they were going places and they were making money somebody made some bad financial decisions I don't care what you say that's like my dad's Airline that he work for all us life National they screwed up to just wanted to put that out there
I love PI but we did lose a couple in that era. Not the least was a 727 full of camp kids out of AVL. A friend was working gates. But I love and loved PI.
![All about runway markings [atc for you]](/img/n.gif)
Was a Ramp Rat out of Charlie South in the 80s. Loved it!! I wish that airline was still here. I miss seeing Monongahela, Tampa Bay, Grand Rapids, Dixie, Savannah River, Blue Bonnet, Triad, Research Triangle.....Hell, there's TOO MANY of them, I can't name 'em all!! I miss all the Pacemakers.
Thanks for the memories! I grew up with Piedmont, dad was 00050, mine was 33570. What a great family PI was...and still is.
I almost cried. Native of RIC. Undergrad ECU first "realjob" in corp/gov trvl DCA I heard a drawl recently here at PDX damn if it wasnt a VERY senior crew member from CLT. i have never met her previously but itwas like a family reunion. Also all those whisperjets were fun to see as well. KUDOS
I have very fond memories of Piedmont as well. Whenever I flew out of North Carolina on Piedmont and transferred to another plane, the return trip once I finally connected back to Piedmont made me feel like I was already back home in NC once I got on the Piedmont plane, in whatever state that may have been. Those were the good days of airline travel.
First flew on Piedmont in 1967 - it was a Martin 404 between Norfolk, VA (KORF) and the Covington, KY (KCVG) - aka Cincinnati Intl. This was while in the Army stationed at Ft Story, VA.
My first business trip was while working for a department store in Cincinnati and myself and a manager flew from KCVG to KCLT in 1972. The purpose of the trip was to see how Belk Stores handled some parts of their credit card processing.
My first time on a Piedmont aircraft was at KCVG in 1960?. My brothers and I had ridden our bicycles out to the airport to do some plane watching - it was about a 7 mile ride each way. We used to do this a couple of times during the summer. On time while we were up on the observation deck, a crew preparing a Piedmont DC-3 asked if we would like to see the inside of the plane. In a flash we were downstairs and at the door. He even let us sit in the pilot's seats. Wow!
In 1993 I finally earned my pilot's license!
My father was a pilot for 40 years with piedmont, He loved this airline and his job. His memory will forever remain in my heart. Capt James F. Holder. (2-20-24---11/14/2011) Capt Frank as he was known never had a late flight or a mis-hap. Started with the DC-3 and retired in the 727-200 last flight March 1st 1984.
I still miss Piedmont and it's 2017! The best airline ever!
Piedmont will forever hold a special place in my heart. Flew them to RIC FROM LGA, with my father, in 1979. They were great.
It was a travesty that they were bought out by US AIR.
MDT (Harrisburg)/BWI/Ft Lauderdale....great vacation connection ..3 times a year for 6 years.. Always glitch free and on time.
My employee # was 7678. When I hired on as a pilot in '66 there were about 250 of us. When I retired 4 years early at the end of '93 due to despising the USAir culture there were well over 4000 of us. Tom Davis set things up so he could retire and maximize the value of his stock options by doing two things, selling the railroad (Norfolk Southern) 22.8% of the shares and by keeping the equity in the F-28s bought from Garuda and refurbished on premises instead of selling them to a leasing company and leasing them from that company. After Bob Claytor of the railroad decided to retire, and six days later his replacement as CEO announced they were selling the Piedmont stock, those two acts provided Colody of USAir and his cohorts about half the equity needed to buy the 22.8% from the railroad and take control of Piedmont. Thanks for posting the video. I had forgotten how intelligent the advertising was back in those days. I had not forgotten the slogan or whatever - The Up-and-Coming Airline. A phallic symbol described as up and coming headed upward was subliminally potent.
Thanks for your write up on the business end of the merger that I did not know.. It seemed that US Air just had to have the CLT hub. A quick 15 years later, all of their own juice and energy was gone and they folded into AA. To you and the entire Piedmont aviation team, ground and air, thanks for the great service and memories.
Began my airline career with PI in the early 80s. Our airline had a great reputation for fine service and friendly ground and in flight personnel, and I took great personal pride in being an employee out of BOS. Survived the merger with USAir in 89 and retired in the 90s. I still plan and attend the PI/USAir BOS Employees Reunion every July.
The greatest airline ever!
My first flight from SFO to GSO in 1976 was on Piedmont Airlines, and then was my airline of choice as I flew back and forth after I moved here to my family visits in CA until USAir took over. I loved Piedmont Airlines. They had low fares, nice employees and good service from an airport just 20 minutes from my home in Stokesdale. That sure beat leaving three or four hours early and trying to battle for a place to park at SFO while visiting my family! Boy have I been spoiled. With all the mergers, added runways and roads, limited service and increasing rates it's a toss up as to whether flying from PTI - RDU - CLT is a better choice on any given day. Making choices as to connection city based on the weather, airline based on cost and delay history, and flight based on which ticked me off the last time I flew is basically the way I roll. It's not like the olden days of being loyal because an airline treats the customer right anymore. I sure appreciate all the Piedmont employees who treated us customers right back then, we noticed, and we were sorry when we were all sold out. We miss you all.
THANK YOU for this. I still live in Greensboro and fondly remember the Piedmont "Whisperjets". They WERE quiet, the service exceptional, the pilots caring and kind, for a kid's first airplane trips, I couldn't have asked for better. I truly MISS miss this airline
Great job. Piedmont Employee number 19580 speaking. I was with this great organization from May 21, 1981 till merger. Didn't take too much USAIR crap to make me leave. Regardless...SDF-ORD-CVG-SFO-DAY-LEX in my years with the company. Great company, great leadership, great people.
Awesome airline!!!! I remember the F28 with 4 FC seats, 2 on each side!
Awesome video. Was some of the early footage taken at CLT? I remember the observation deck there in the 70's. Great times. Nice work!
I was based in ORF. Best damn airline around. Enjoyed my time there, it was a pleasure to go work........... Unheard of these days !! Bill W.
I wished they would bring back Piedmont Airlines.....
Me too. Piedmont is supposedly back, more like a regional airline. All I've seen are ERJ 145s ,but none with the Speedbird on them. They're all flying for other airlines. I've seen them with American airlines colors. They're all Corporate style, not the Family style attitudes, like original Piedmont had. Oh, I was stationed in CHS. Helluva lot of fun back then.
@@donnyrodenbergerjr4757 True
I rode on a few of Piedmonts Turbo props in the early 70's
Good old Piedmont! Usairways sucked and still does! The day I quit was the happiest day of my life!!!
The Greatest Airline Ever!
Ditto!
As a. commercial traveler in the 1980s, I really loved flying Piedmont. I knew they'd be ruined after USAIR bought them and I was right and that horrible service continued after America West bought US Airways and later still the merger with AA.
Awesome....Only got to work there 2 years before the merger but was the best two years in my aviation career....absolutely the BEST airline ever!!!! USAirways ruined them!!!!
Gee thanks UsAir.
Good video.
They never should've never have gotten sold to USAir back in the late 80s.
I agree 150%. Working in CHS at the time, and the moment I heard about the merger I KNEW it would be a mistake. Damn, I really wish Piedmont was still here.
Nice job, great memories!
I sure miss it....... Matthew Townsend - Employee # 37333
They are American airlines now
Asheville?
I've been tasked with a project to make a video about my company's history; and by reading the responses below, I've gained a greater appreciation for all the fine folks that I get to meet every day. Who do I work for? Piedmont Advantage Credit Union formally Piedmont Aviation Credit Union.
You know I see this video they were locking down hubs a lot of other airlines were scared that's when the money came out to buy them out they should never had sold out they should have thought about the employee and the welfare of the airline that was the up-and-coming airline right there the way it was run they were going places and they were making money somebody made some bad financial decisions I don't care what you say that's like my dad's Airline that he work for all us life National they screwed up to just wanted to put that out there
No fatalities from 1968-1988 when bought out by their arch enemy US-scare. Also always dolphin safe, and gluten free!
I love PI but we did lose a couple in that era. Not the least was a 727 full of camp kids out of AVL. A friend was working gates. But I love and loved PI.
Employee number 50877