Notes from this episode:

Paula Williams:  Well, welcome to this week’s episode of Contrails and Cocktails. Today, I know, Mark you met Annamarie at our Book Club. Is that right? How did you guys meet?

Mark Parry: Yeah, through one of your book clubs.

Paula:  Okay.

Annamarie Buonocore: Yes, it was through you, definitely.

Paula:  Okay, then you guys ended up doing some advertising projects together and things like that?

Mark: That’s been wonderful.

Paula:  Fantastic. All right. Typically, what we do in these is just talk about what we all have in common which is a passion for Aviation. Annamarie, I know you just started flight training, so if you want to go first, if you have any fabulous stories you would like to share about your experience with Aviation. It’s always fun to hear somebody just getting started.

Annamarie: Sure. Yes. I just started my flight training and really I haven’t had too many problems or horror stories. Sometimes, I feel like certain flight schools will keep you on the simulator for too long and it’s very difficult to learn things like landing patterns or anything with dimension in a simulator or really a flight training device because very few devices are branded as simulators are actually simulators, they’re like training devices. I personally found it a little difficult to learn certain landing patterns and whatnot.

Most of the horror stories that I’ve read or heard about or not my own personal ones, but I have a writer who used to write for us and sometimes still writes for us and he was drinking a beverage while flying, and he finished the beverage, and then, he had to go to the bathroom very badly and ended up using the container of the beverage to relieve himself and then forgot that he had done just that and a few nautical miles later consumed the contents of the container. That would probably be one of the funniest Aviation stories I’ve heard in my career as an aviation editor of a publication. That’s funny and if he’s listening he’ll know who he is, but I’m not going to name any names.

Paula:  Well, that’s fantastic. I would be so tempted to drop a hint but that is cool. That is a horrible story. I will tell you that I once landed at a strange airport just so I could go to the bathroom. I was doing my cross-countries and stuff. Everybody was telling you, you got to stay hydrated, you got to do this, you got to do that so that you’ll stay alert because your brain function and all that stuff. So I ended up landing in Wendover, Utah, which is way out in the middle of freaking nowhere. I called their approach and said, “I’d like to come in land to park and use your facilities.” And she just laughed and simply said, “You need any guests today, hon?” and I said, “No, thank you.” and she just hung up on me, and I didn’t hear from her again. If we weren’t buying gas, you didn’t want to spend any time with us, but that’s cool. There’s general aviation in some of the really smaller ports there, manned by part-timers and you get what you get.

Annamarie: As my colleague, Ed Downs says, “Sometimes it’s just a farmer with a tractor making a runway and that’s an airport.” That’s the beauty of American Aviation is that we have the freedom to do that kind of thing.

Paula:  Absolutely. I can’t say too much to recommend the restroom facilities at the Wendover Airport but it was, they did have a restroom facility. That was the win for me that day. Mark, how about you?

Mark: When I was a lead tech the Bombardier, they sent me out to Long Beach, they were closing down a maintenance facility at Long Beach, and then, Bombardier bought Learjet. They were closing the facility in Long Beach, California, and then, everything is going to go to Tucson. They sent me out there for a week or two to help finish up, and oversee whatever maintenance has leftover. Anyway, a couple of the guys that I met invited me to go flying on the weekend. One gentleman, had a Cessna, 310 twin-engine and we’re going to go to Catalina Island for buffalo burgers.

Paula:  Oh, fun.

Mark: Yeah. Anyway, we get up in the air and I’m not a pilot. So I have flown and I have a little bit of stick time but we’re up in the air and we took off at LAX like behind DC-10s and these big heavy aircraft. We got up into the smog and fog over LA and one of the guys saw something and we had to take a nosedive to get away from that aircraft. That got me a little bit nervous. Then, we’re flying over Catalina Island when you look down it looks like an aircraft carrier. We know that it did not look like a big airport or runway in the middle of the O’Neal. Well taught in the ocean not too far from I think it’s 20 or 30 miles from LA. Anyway, long story short, we’re coming in and there’s, you have to do go around, you have to go off a cliff. We run away, it’s a cliff on both sides of that runway. If you come in short, you go into the mountain or if you go off the end, you go down in the water.

Paula:  Had gone into the water, right?

Mark: Again, I saw that, I don’t know. I wish I could [inaudible]. Anyway, we’re landing and I’m like, “Wow! We’re coming in really hot.” And we’re coming down, coming down. We finally start to touch down and we’re going up this big hill. I’m like, “If that’s the end of the runway, I’m assuming that that’s the end of the runway.” Then we need to go around because you didn’t land soon enough.” Finally, we’re coming up to the top of the hill, and I was sitting in the right seat, and I said to the pilot, “Hey, I think we should do a go-around.” Right then, we picked the top of the hill, and then it went down, and there were tons of runways.

Paula:  Oh jeez.

Mark: So there it is. I think they were playing with me.

Paula:  Oh man. Well, that could have been, some of those runways are so slanted, there’s only one way to land on them. You can only land there when the wind is in your favor.

Mark: Such one runway and you need to land and the wind got to be right. Anyway, the trick of that runway is it’s really short. It’s actually plenty long enough but has a big hill in the middle so how about the runway. I thought we were at it again.

Paula:  All gonna die.

Mark: Yeah. I was like, “Oh boy, you’re going over.” Well, I haven’t given up hope. They weren’t panicking and they knew but anyway, they got me. It was fun.

Paula:  Annamarie, where do you fly out of, what airport?

Annamarie: I usually fly out of the Hayward Airport here in San Francisco Bay Area.

Paula:  I’ve landed a lot at San Francisco, SFO, and San Jose, but the SFO airport is fun to land at. Just as a passenger, I’ve never landed there as the pilot but you come out of the clouds and it just looks like you’re going to land on the water and you’re just certain you are going to get wet. It’s a fun airport as well.

Annamarie: That is Chicago Midway because it’s on the lake.

Paula:  Right, and they also have a lot of fogs. You come out of the fog and all you see is water, the particular place you are.

Annamarie: Right.

Paula:  Another thing you guys have in common is Annamarie, you’ve got Sophocles and Pericles?

Annamarie: Yes. Those are my dogs.

Paula:  How did you come up with those names? I was reading that in your biography, that is the coolest thing. I remember reading, Sophocles, and Pericles, and has been since college since I’ve had that experience.

Annamarie: Well, I’m half Greek. My mother’s side of the family is Greek and our first dog was Aris after Aristotle. When he passed away, we got another dog and I wanted something that sounded like his name because it looked a lot like Aris, so Pericles sounded like that. And then, we got a second dog about a year later and wanted it to sound like that dog, so we got Pericles and Sophocles.

Paula:  Oh, that’s cool. And Mark, you just got Lily recently?

Mark: Yes, just about two weeks ago, three weeks ago.

Paula:  Oh, wow. So we’ll have to show doggy pictures in this episode. Irrelevant but always cool. My dog’s name was Bo but that’s because my son named him and he was just barely speaking at the time, and they just bonded like nobody’s business so he was whatever this kid called him and he was just barely speaking. So his name was Bo forever and he’s a Doberman mix for a long time.

Mark: So I just want to clarify that they were going to dedicate this episode to Trans World Airlines, TWA and then you have the original logo sticker. Just the brief history of that Airline is, that they started in 1930, and they were taking all the bought out by Howard Hughes in 1939. And then, they own it until the 60s, and then deregulation in the 70s, finish that off and ran until probably 80s. Deregulation finished it off. That’s just a brief thing on TWA.

Paula:  Trans World Airlines. Annamarie, did you ever fly Transworld?

Annamarie: I have not. No.

Mark: I did.

Paula:  Did you?

Mark: Yeah. When I was hired by Lockheed, my first got out of aircraft school. My Buddy, Joe, and I sold everything we had, we were just 19 years, 20 years old and we pooled our money together and we went on a TWA flight to DC-10, nonstop from Boston to LA. That was it and I might have when I was younger as a kid also.

Paula:  That’s a long flight on a DC-10.

Mark: Well, it’s a big airplane. You could get up and walk around and I think we have a layover in Chicago. We had a two-hour layover in Chicago. So kind of broke it up.

Paula:  Yeah, I never had the pleasure of playing TWA because I’ve always lived in the west and so it’s always been Southwest and Delta and Southwest and Delta.

Mark: Yeah, and they’ve been gone for 30, 40 years.

Paula:  Yeah. That’s true.

Mark: Don’t worry about to worry about any copyright issues.

Paula:  There is that, that’s true. All right. Well, Annamarie. Tell us about what you do and tell us about in-flight.

Annamarie: Yes. I have two Publications for the aviation community the in-flight USA is a monthly general aviation news magazine. We cover all things news related to the general aviation industry. We have a calendar of events of upcoming air shows and we have a classified section for aircraft for sale. We have great advertising rates and wonderful editorial opportunities, lots of opportunities to write your aviation stories like the one that I talked about in the beginning. That’s in-flight. And then, on a quarterly basis, we publish Biz ABjets[?] USA which is a business Jet publication. It covers all things business jet and the lifestyle thereof. This isn’t for people who are-, it could be pilots, but it could also be people who own aircraft and pay pilots to fly for them. That’s the difference between the two and it’s just a great and exciting business. We look forward to doing more advertising and getting your stories.

Mark: Well, I have free advertising annoying or not free advertising but free travel. I wish I had free advertising in New England. I pretty much get anywhere within an hour or two from Boston to New York. I was I just went down to Teterboro to evaluate a king here about two weeks ago. It was about a three-hour ride, but I know shortcuts. I had to go over the George Washington Bridge and you go down the Berlin Turnpike. Route 15, it’s actually one of the first original highways for trucks. From this area, you learn how to get around. Rohit school in Boston. Anyway, get anywhere doing the quick. Certified aircraft appraisals, and then also on with the organization of flying aircraft adjusters for any insurance claim. I’m working on the wall of 48th state certification out of Florida as an adjuster should be by the end of the month. Expert witness. I just actually got the copy of the order for the trial that I did about a year ago. Most of my appraisals or legal cases, don’t go to trial, they almost always 99% of them settle. This one case that I did go to trial for five hours is on the stand, while they went through everything line by line but the judge took it in. So I went and got a cop. I have copied it, took the order just finally came out. I do that also and also I oversee pre-buy inspections on business jets when needed

Paula:  Just out of curiosity on that case that went to court, did your guy win?

Mark: Yes. I’ve submitted 48 files. It’s complicated I don’t want to waste too much time on it but I had to do a cost analysis and report and then, two separate pros to twin-engine aircraft. Two appraisals with two separate cost analyses. Well, 20 plus page documents and they went the closing costs. We’ll just go through everything including my certifications and try to get them thrown out. And the judge said, “Nope, we’re taking them in.”

Paula:  Okay, you did a good job.

Mark: The client one they used to do with the PAO training that we get. It’s very thorough. When when we get hired, it’s a no-brainer.

Paula:  Yeah. Cool. All right, speaking of cocktails. I think, you know, my neighbors are a little alarmed because I live in Utah where alcohol is a weird thing but I happen to enjoy cocktails every once in a while and that’s one of the reasons I think this podcast is such a cool idea because we get to talk about something that has a historical background and a connection to aviation and everything. Annamarie, do you have a favorite cocktail?

Annamarie: Sure. Yeah, I do. I like rum and coke, that’s really my favorite drink to get and I also enjoy Margaritas in the summertime.

Paula:  Nice. I love Captain Morgan and Coke. I’m right there with you. Cool. Mark, if you want to take it home with your cocktail at the end of this week?

Mark: Our last episode, we did the Yankee Clipper which is a little bit complicated. Today we’re going to just do a beer, a simple beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon. It’s been around a hundred and fifty-seven years. The logo goes back to probably around the 1930s. It has not changed. If you like Budweiser, it’s just as good and I actually like it better than Budweiser if you can fight it and draft. Now, it’s made a big comeback because a few years ago if you were drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon you were really looking people thought you were like an old man from the 50s or 60s and that may seem a stereotype. But anyway, it’s about Blue Ribbon and again, the logo has not changed, as you can see so it ties in with TWA. I’m sure the mechanics and the pilots during the 30s and the 40s will definitely go to Pabst Blue Ribbon. So you just crack the top. Borden to your trustee favorite mug.

Paula:  Do your freezer mugs or do you just use them, room temperature?

Mark: Yeah, I like to freeze them.

Paula:  Okay.

Mark: No. I did a horrible pour.

Paula:  Fantastic, you were telling me and this is I think really interesting about the Pabst Blue Ribbon that it is really popular with reenactors from World War II.

Mark: Yeah. Yeah, that’s rum. I do. I’m a member of the 26th Yankee division, World War II history group. That’s where I found out that PBR perhaps the room was historically significant and change the labels.

Paula:  So at all of those gatherings if everybody is in uniform, they’re drinking something that the label hasn’t changed in 30 years and they fit right in.

Mark: Yeah, if you want to bring beer to one of those, you have to bring PVR or you have worked into a PVR can or antique PVR bottle.

Paula:  That’s fantastic.

Mark: Excommunicated. Whatever, you might want to cut that word

Paula:  No, that’s okay. I just think it’s cool that people are so detailed and disciplined about their re-enacting and things. That’s cool, something story.

Mark: Yeah, I got really bored and got into that two years ago and a great group of guys comes from all different walks of life from fan ladies, two wives get involved and we go together Lana care show in Reading, Pennsylvania. It’s like the Oshkosh of World War Two military aircraft.

Paula:  Wow, it’s just brilliant. That’s my favorite.

Annamarie: What time of year is that?

Mark: It’s coming up the first week of June.

Annamarie: Okay? Yeah, that would be a great one for our publication. Yeah, you should check that out Annamarie because it’s huge and it’s all World War II for four days. All were works at aircraft everywhere World War II equipment, there’s British, there’s everything, it’s a blast.

Annamarie: That’s amazing. Wow.

Mark: Yeah, you will enjoy it. Check it out. Yeah, maybe you could do that and your in-flight magazine.

Annamarie: Yeah, get some pictures for us or something. That would be great.

Mark: Yeah, I’ll send you a link or just Google “Mid-Atlantic Air Show”.

Annamarie: Sure.

Paula:  Great! Annamarie, do you have any famous last words or anything else you’d like to add?

Annamarie: Just thank you for being here today and for letting me be here today was great. This is a wonderful podcast.

Mark: Thank you, Annamarie. Please subscribe to Contrails & Cocktails.

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