This is another installment in a series of classic (or at least old) trip reports, it’s been a while since
I have posted one and should have a few more coming soon.
The data is from my trip logs and is what I recorded at the time and dim recollections and the pictures are scanned from slides and quality varies.

Background:
This trip was for one reason only: Fly one last time on an Electra.
While EA had not announced any retirement date, we knew it would not be long. As it turned out I managed one more Electra flight in 1973 on
Pacific Western from YVR to SEA (via YYJ), but that is for another report.
For this trip I took my brother along as he was also interested in the Electra trip and had never flown one to my knowledge (or has since).

The routing for the day:
MIA-VRB-TPA: EASTERN Lockheed L-188 Electra
TPA-MIA: NATIONAL: Boeing 727-235

April 29, 1972
Miami (MIA) TO Vero Beach (VRB)
Airline: EASTERN
Flight: 640
Aircraft type: L-188A
Aircraft Registration: N5524 S/N 1036 (Delivered to EA 2/26/59)
Still in service as of 2011 in Ft McMurray Alberta (probably scrapped by now).
Seating Configuration: 89Y Load: 25 SEAT: Y
Scheduled Departure: 12:25 Actual Departure:12:26
Departure Gate: 60 (in long ago demolished D concourse).
Takeoff Time: 12:38 Takeoff Runway: 9L (10,500’)
Cruise Altitude: 11,000 ft.
Landing Time: 13:08 Landing Runway: 11 (7,180’)
Flight Time: 30 min
Scheduled Arrival:13:05 Actual Arrival: 13:09
Arrival Gate: 1
Captain: Gorman
Routing: V3-PBI-V159-PLUTO-V51E-VRB


Here is the aircraft arriving at Gate 60 in 1971


Background and notes:
Boarding was naturally at ground level, and the engines were started at the gate for powered taxi away with no pushback required. Since there was nobody in the cockpit as we boarded I grabbed a quick picture , and later after the crew was there and we were ready to go (try that today!!). The crew was great, gave us the routing and information on the flight after we told them we were going just for the ride.
Takeoff was very fast, with an immediate left turn to north over the PAN AM hangars well before the end of 9L.
FLL was passed at 1243 and we were level at 11000 ft. at 1248.
We cruised up the coast inland passing all the airports on the way, dodging a few buildups from time to time and after only a few minutes we started down into VRB AT 12:57.
VRB was uncontrolled at the time and there was heavy VFR light aircraft traffic at the airport, for this reason we came overhead at 5,000 and made a right spiral down to approach join the patter and landing on 11 (which is now 12L). Arrival at the small 1 gate terminal was very quick as it was right were we turned off.

Photos from MIA-VER leg of the trip:

N5524 before departure from MIA at Gate 60:

[Cockpit pictures, both empty and with the crew.


Turning on to 9L at MIA


Takeoff 9L, Turning sharp left to the north, note the NEW National Hangar under construction (this is now part of the AA Base).

Passing abeam POMPANO BEACH AIRPARK

PBI in the distance??


Cruising to VRB (Love those Allison Engines).



Overhead VRB at about 5,000’


Diving into the pattern for 11!

Parked at the VRB terminal





Vero Beach (VRB) to Tampa (TPA)
April 29, 1972
Airline: EASTERN
Flight: 640
Aircraft type: L-188A
Aircraft Registration: N5524
Seating Configuration: 89 Load: 35
Scheduled Departure: 1330 Actual Departure: 1330
Departure Gate: 1
Takeoff Time: 13:32 Takeoff Runway:11
Cruise Altitude: 14,000
Landing Time: 14:02 Landing Runway: 18L
Flight Time: 30 min
Arrival Gate: 21 (no Jetway)
Scheduled Arrival:1412 Actual Arrival: 14:04
Routing:VRB-V295-Bairn-DIRECT LAL-DIR-TPA

Background and notes:
After a naturally quick turn at VRB, we taxied up 11 and did a 180 for and quick takeoff into
a stiff breeze. It was choppy to light turbulence through several layers of broken clouds
until we broke out on top at about 10,000’. This cruise at 14,000 was only a few minutes again
before descent was started at 149p, for a tight base and approach to 18L.

Photos from this leg of the trip (VRB-TPA):
Ready to re-board in VRB (no problem going on the ramp during the stop):

I think this is Bartow airport (but can’t be sure).



Lakeland Airport (again not sure):

On Final to 18L at TPA:

Taxi to gate at TPA (NA Satellite in the distance):

N5524 at gate at TPA ready to return to VRB and MIA:

NW and I think DL satellite terminal, with 707s and DL DC-8-61.




April 29, 1972
Airline: NATIONAL
Flight: 439
Aircraft type: 727-235
Aircraft Registration: N4744 (S/N 19464) Ditched (not on purpose) in PNS bay in 1978.
Seating Configuration: 22/110 Load: 6/37
Scheduled Departure: 1620 Actual Departure: 1622
Departure Gate: 66
Takeoff Time: 1635 Takeoff Runway:36L
Cruise Altitude: 21,000
Landing Time: 17:12 Landing Runway: 9R
Flight Time: 37min
Arrival Gate: 26
Scheduled Arrival:1412 Actual Arrival: 14:04
Routing:VRB-V295-Bairn-DIRECT LAL-DIR-TPA

Background and notes:
The first question is..why didn’t we just go back to MIA on the Electra? No idea really other
than we wanted to go on the 727 (how pedestrian).
In any case, after hanging around TPA for a couple of hours and touring the various satellites, it
was time to catch NA 439 back to MIA. It was scheduled as a 727-100, but was subbed to
a -200, certainly not for load out of TPA, but it was fine with us.

Photos from TPA-MIA flight:

NA 439 landing on 18R from JFK:

N4744-From above (a new concept in terminals then, now very common worldwide):

Taxi out to 18L for takeoff, this is looking down 9 I think, ½ the way there, we turned around and wend to take off on 36R. Looks like AC DC-8.:



TPA after takeoff left turn out to west:

PIE on climb out (yes move to the other side of the aircraft for this shot):

General sogginess with building storms on climb out, we were solid IFR until 10 min from landing.

MacDill AFB

Break out below clouds on descent into MIA (Probably better we did not take the Electra in those storms)

Spoilers up!!

Short Final to 9R (a lot more built up these days at MIA!!)

Crossing 30 after landing:

At the gate at MIA

Bonus shot #1: PA 707-321B in 1972 arriving MIA.

Bonus Shot #2 PA 707-320 probably N701PA that was scrapped in MIA in 1976, but looks like
it never few after 1972 and was stored at MIA.


That’s all for now, questions and comments are welcome.

Here are the links to the previous reports:
https://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/262840/
https://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/264357/
https://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/264359/
https://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/265789/
https://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/266478/
https://www.airliners.net/aviation-forum ... in/268097/

Great report, just like your others. Keep posting these "golden age" reports as often as you can.

Really enjoy seeing your reports of flights on types that are now no longer typically seen operating RPT routes. The props on the Electra sure look angular compared to those on current turboprops. I like how you mention travelling on the 727 was "pedestrian". Today, some aviation enthusiasts would go out of their way to fly on one. Great shot of the 707 in Pan Am colours. First 707 I ever saw was early 1960s, flying for Lufthansa and years later it is parked as a museum piece at Hamburg Airport.

Thanks for sharing.

Classic indeed, really enjoyed this

wingsofman72 wrote:

Boarding was naturally at ground level

Does that mean there were no air/jetbridges? Do you know when these started appearing?

Excellent report. Keep them coming!

Awesome report- love those classic birds! Your TPA photo with the DL DC-8-61 in the background brings back memories. One of my first airline flights was aboard a DL -61.

Thanks for posting!

KruegerFlaps wrote:

Really enjoy seeing your reports of flights on types that are now no longer typically seen operating RPT routes. The props on the Electra sure look angular compared to those on current turboprops. I like how you mention travelling on the 727 was "pedestrian". Today, some aviation enthusiasts would go out of their way to fly on one. Great shot of the 707 in Pan Am colours. First 707 I ever saw was early 1960s, flying for Lufthansa and years later it is parked as a museum piece at Hamburg Airport.

Thanks for sharing.

Yes agree, the 727 then was no big deal as they were everywhere, about 8 years ago picked a flight just because it was a 727 (from GYE to UIO ) on TAME.
The agent could not understand why I wanted the 727 instead of the new A320! That was my last 727 flight and sure was memorable flying into the old
UIO airport on that plane.

PieterBoth wrote:

Classic indeed, really enjoyed this

wingsofman72 wrote:

Boarding was naturally at ground level

Does that mean there were no air/jetbridges? Do you know when these started appearing?

\
Actually there were jetbridges everywhere but it would have been difficult to bring one to the door of the Electra (although it's done today on some props).

I think gate 60 MIAMI at that time was just not equipped with a jetbridge, naturally VRB did not have them, and TPA probably had one, but we did not use it.

Thanks again for this classic TR - really enjoy looking at these.

wingsofman72 wrote:

I think this is Bartow airport (but can’t be sure).

Actually, that looks like the Lake Wales Municipal Airport - exact outline and the cloverleaf highway intersections of SR 60 and SR 27 still exist today.

wingsofman72 wrote:

Lakeland Airport (again not sure):

Could be Plant City Municipal airport - the highway in the foreground would be Interstate 4, and the highway curve begins after the end of runway 27.

wingsofman72 wrote:

Taxi to gate at TPA (NA Satellite in the distance):

That's former Airside C, which NA would not have operated out of at the time. Your return flight on NA would have left from the former Airside E. Here's a link to the OAG map from 1971 - this will help with the other TPA pictures:

OAG TPA 1971

wingsofman72 wrote:

N4744-From above (a new concept in terminals then, now very common worldwide):

Awesome Awesome Awesome - former Airside E was a great place to spot planes as a 90's kid. Boarding via escalators, or awaiting arriving passengers from the escalators also had a different feel.

I love your trip reports. I miss National Airlines. I wonder if they would have survived on their own if Pan Am never bought them. Also, 727's are my favorite type of jet.

Great shots of TPA back in the day. Thanks for posting!!

Thanks so much for this trip report, which reminds me of what TPA once was like!

ATLTPA

ATLTPA wrote:

Thanks so much for this trip report, which reminds me of what TPA once was like!

ATLTPA

Thanks..have another TPA report in the works from 1969 that was before the new terminal opened. Hope to have that up soon.

Oh WOW....you were on DONNA?

This thread brings up a lot of memories about TPA in the 70s. Looks like the NA flight was from gate 66, way before Pan Am altered it slightly (I always hated that)

Yes, was gate 66 for sure. Poor Donna, rode on that bird 3 times (PHL-MIA, JAX-MCO-MIA, and this TPA-MIA flight), before she took her final bath in Pensacola bay in 1978.

It's been too long since your last one! Wow. As a kid the Electra was my favorite and I flew EA from ATL to GSP on them several times. Everything about it...from the integral stairs, to the lounge in the back (not sure if EA had a lounge on theirs, but AA and others sure did), to those Allison engines combined to make it unforgettable. And then, to top it off, you ride on an NA 727!. I wanted to fly on one of those so badly that I went to DCA and flew one to BWI! National had one of my favorite color schemes. Thanks so much for these reports. They are awesome.

AMAZING!!! These were indeed the good old days. Thank you for posting!

Wow you need to share your story with the sunshine Skies page on Facebook I'm sure they would be interested in it

I love these reports of yours! I didn't realize how involved Marriott was with airline catering!

doulasc wrote:

Wow you need to share your story with the sunshine Skies page on Facebook I'm sure they would be interested in it

Thanks,
I will send them a message and see if they would like any of my reports and/or pictures. I have other flights and trip reports around Florida in the 60s-70s that they might be interested in.

why aren't the pictures showing what happened

I can't see the pictures. Loved the Electra. They were so comfortable but I think it was not a successful aircraft. Used to often fly on the KLM Electra quite often.

Sorry folks, seems Photobucket now wants to charge for hosting these pictures. I wouldn't mind paying for this if it was reasonable, but the cost is much too high monthly/yearly for my budget. I've switched to another provider (that hopefully will not do this), and my move these over there when I get time. Not sure if I can edit this to fix or will just need to re-post. I have a bunch of trip reports with PB and will not have time to get them all fixed I suspect. Thanks for reading just the same. If you want to see these you can go directly to PB under this URL:
http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/wings ... t=9&page=2