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Southwest Trivia

blusk
Aviator C
The Dallas Morning News recently started an aviation blog (welcome to the blogosphere), and I thought you might be interested in reading this recent post.  In addition to the 727s mentioned, we also flew a single 727 in 1978 that was leased from Braniff as part of a law suit settlement.  The lease period was to have been two years, but we returned the aircraft early.  The Airways Classics that I did on Southwest last year has an interview with Captain Mark Clayton who flew our 727s. The Morning News post also mentions the Lockheed Electras that Air Southwest (our original name) intended to operate, and here is the proposed livery:   blog-electra.jpg
27 Comments
drew
Adventurer B
Here's an idea: if N271LV has not already been repainted to the current Southwest livery, perhaps it can be painted like the proposed Air Southwest livery! Kind of like the US Airways heritage planes...
pthompson
Explorer A
I found history of 6 different 727s with Southwest! N551PE also flew with PanAm & Braniff N561PE also flew with Continental & Braniff N563PE also flew with Braniff & Continental N564PE also flew with Braniff, Greyhound Air & Purolator Courier (Canada) N566PE also flew with Braniff, PeopleExpress & Continental among others N406BN also flew with Braniff, Dominicana, Pride Air & Arriva Air
Matthew_Skok
Explorer A
I saw the title and got excited- I was hoping I'd have chance to finally win one of those coveted "Blog Games" prizes.
Jim13
Adventurer C
Just what I need - another airline blog to keep track of. Between this one (my favorite), USA Today's "In The Sky" and FlyerTalk I think I'm covered - but I'll be checking out the Dallas Morning News' - maybe I'll become a regular there too. I never knew about the Airways Classics book you wrote. i followed the link and I now owe Amex another $10.10, but I can't wait to read it. As to the proposed livery of the Lockheed Electras that Air Southwest intended to operate, take the name off the plane, remove the gold sun from the tail, and it screams "Delta".
blusk
Aviator C
Drew I think the Air Southwest livery on the Electra is pretty hideous. Since it never flew, I don't think it qualifies as a "heritage" paint scheme. We will keep three 737s in the original colors and those will be our heritage. Jim, It looks more like Air Florida than Delta to me. Sorry about the damage to your Amex, but I hope you enjoy the book. Matthew, Sorry to have got your hopes up. Paul, N460BN is the 727 we got from Braniff in 1978 and it had a funky paint scheme with the Southwest is script black letters. The other ones were the ones acquired in the 1980s. Blog Boy
drew
Adventurer B
Now that you mention it Brian, the Air Southwest livery looks disturbingly like the current US Airways livery (navy belly and lettering, red cheat line, etc.), so I will agree that is hideous. 😄
Jim13
Adventurer C
LOL - that's one of the smallest damages my Amex card has ever seen.
pthompson
Explorer A
Blog Boy, My Dad, (a retired Ops & Cargo Sup at HOU) remembers calling that 1978 727 "Salvage One" because Braniff gave Southwest the lousiest 727 they could find as part of that settlement mentioned in the article. I remember flying a couple of those Southwest 727s as a non-rev on occasion in my early years!
Eric2
Explorer C
If NW picked up the Lockheed Electra in the late 60s, they'd be sitting on the DTW tarmac next to the DC-9s - ready for their next flight 🙂
pcerda
Adventurer B
Okay, since I'm new to this whole roaming around the country thingamajig, why on earth is a planes paint scheme called a "livery"? It sounds (If I say phonetically in MY mind) like somewhere where they process liver and onions. A baffled, befuddled, and bewildered Jedi Blog Master
blusk
Aviator C
Jedi Blog Master, "Livery" originated primarily as a British term, and according to my dictionary, it started as "destinctive clothing." Then it evolved to "an identifying design (as on a vehicle) that designates ownership." Since the British were leaders in aviation literature (all of my early aviation books--especially those about commercial aviation were, and many still are written/published by the Brits), the term came to mean an aircraft color scheme, and the term jumped the Atlantic into widespread use over here. Livery says the same thing in one word that color scheme, paint scheme, or paint job say in several words. Check out this web site for more info. Blog Boy
Petmon
Explorer C
SouthWest has made a resounding impact that is being referenced even at heart of Africa - Nigeria.
Petmon
Explorer C
I have always disagreed with the early 80s industrial giants who kept telling us that " Profit is the Bottom-line" .......In this age? I grew up to conclude that : " People (external & Internal) are the Bottom-Line" I place so much emphasis on People that I have none else to place on some other factors. When a company treats her Employees "like People & not machines", it will impact on their profits. It is a chain - cycle. A 22nd century corporation has no business interfacing with whoever is their customer(external). If you agree with me that no soldier shoots a bullet he doesn't have, then you would have no choise than buy my idea that WHATEVER A FIRM GIVES TO HER EMPLOYEES IS WHAT IT GETS FROM HER CUSTOMERS IN THE LONG-RUN. Life is governed by laws and I cannot fight what I can't control. I would rather allign my life with laws and phenomenons that are naturally law-driven. The color of Customer service is rapidly being modified by South West. And just before you begin to brag about that Profit is you own business' bottom-line, check out the focu of South-West and what their balance sheet looks like vis-a-vis your organisation. Once you remove your focus from people, it is just a matter of time & your business will come crumbling down, especially in this age Info & Idea.
FriendofBlogBoy
Frequent Flyer B
Brian, This is a great blog! You know how much I've enjoyed studying (and living through) years of Southwest trivia. I can remember flying somewhere during June of 1996 as the twenty-fifth anniversary was being celebrated. The Flight Attendants held an onboard trivia contest, with one of them reading the question over the cabin PA system and then awarding prizes to the first person to push their attendant call button. After about the first four questions, they nicely told me that I was disqualified from participating anymore because they wanted the other pax to have a chance! Matt, If you want a trivia question that isn't about airplanes and liveries (hey Jedi Blog Master -- you're obviously too young to remember TV westerns or you'd know that a livery is the stable where you keep your horses and carriages, and behind which your father helped reinforce the pragmatism of following his rules 🙂 ), then I've got a great one for you. In fact, I don't think this one has been in any of the printed histories about Southwest Airlines. Are you ready? "What was the original snack served on Southwest planes before they switched to peanuts?" Of course, the answer is "Candy Corn"... LOL Kim External Blog Boy 🙂
pcerda
Adventurer B
LOL! DEFINITELY before my time! Somehow, I didn't see any references to Candy Corn in the Nuts! book.....Maybe I should re-read it. Jedi Blog Master
FriendofBlogBoy
Frequent Flyer B
Hey Paco/JBM -- You'd better re-check your book. It is clearly explained in Chapter 24 on page 397. Kim/EBB 🙂
pcerda
Adventurer B
It IS? I'll check as soon as I get home!!! Jedi Blog Master
blusk
Aviator C
Hey Paco, Did you ever find Chapter 24 or page 397???? Blog Boy
pcerda
Adventurer B
Brian, I haven't quite gotten there yet. I'll take it on my trip back to BWI on Thursday! Jedi Blog Master
pcerda
Adventurer B
Brian, Hah. Hah HAH hah. Jedi Blog Master
blusk
Aviator C
Hey Jedi The joke started with External Blog Boy Kim Blog Boy
pcerda
Adventurer B
Brian, Oh yeah.... Kim, Hah. Hah HAH hah. Jedi Blog Master
jim
Adventurer C
I believe EBB got confused. Although "Nuts" only has 362 pages, the FAA rules and regulations have thousands and thousands of pages. Section 397, subsection 24, states: "Under no circumstances may any aircraft serve candy corn to any passengers at any time for any reason - that stuff is awful. Violation of this directive can and shall result in a suspension of an aircraft's operating license." Back to the original subject; the issue of Airways Classics that Brian wrote. My copy arrived today, and I've only had time to skim, but I am looking forward to 4:00 when I can sit down and read it cover to cover. Fascinating photos abound throughout and I'm guessing the article titled "Creating Southwest's Specialty Liveries" is going to be my favorite. Or maybe the article about the next generation aircraft, or the article about Colleen, or Herb, or Gary, or the article about Southwest's other Boeings, or maybe the article about - oh who am I kidding, I'm going to start reading this at lunch. (I would start now, but I have a project due in 30 minutes and I need at least an hour to finish it.) Great magazine Brian, thanks for bringing it to my attention.
FriendofBlogBoy
Frequent Flyer B
Paco, You cheapskate -- what did you do, buy the abridged version? I have the full, uncut Director's Version, which has 38 chapters, which include the ones that were left on the cutting room floor. There are chapters on such diverse topics as Blogging on Company Time, Playing Volleyball on a Concrete Parking Lot and Etiquette for Eating Candy Corn in Polite Company. There are others, but I'm not going to give them all away. These are just teasers to get you to buy the deluxe edition of the book. It is available for only $598.00, plus shipping and handling, and can be ordered with a personal check made out to Brian Lusk AND Kim Seale, sent to Brian via inter-company mail. We look forward to receiving your order. EBB 🙂
Art_Cook
Explorer C
I used to be able to go to this page and get my boarding pass. (My southwest.com) .Now that capability seems to be missing. I have to go to travel tools to do that now. Why the change? The old way was very user friendly. Now I have to remember my code and then go to travel tools. This is a regression from a much more user friendly system.
David_Wong_Chin
Explorer C
Your little asian women in the elevator commercial is very racial and degrading. Asians are not rude. How the hell did this advertising get pass thru your marketing board of directors? If the radio announcer got fired due to black racial comments. Southwest puts an ad on TV, it's embarrassing for a major corporation to promote that asian women are rude. This comment will be forward to the San Francisco Asian Chambers of Commerce. I believe that Southwest will do business in SFO. Good luck in the Asian market.
Bill2
Explorer C
Well, since this blog was about aircraft and liveries, etc, I thought I'd put my 2 cents worth in. I remember flying the 727 on Southwest Airlines, and the 727 always did have a fond place in my heart. I don't find the livery on the Electra hideous at all, though I will agree it looks very "Delta-ish". Speaking of planes, is Southwest still considering adding either the Embraer E170 or E190 jet to it's fleet?