had already invested a great deal of money on his training and didnât want to see it go to waste.
Balseyâs domineering style and disregard for company politics didnât help his cause. It was only a matter of time before Bill Baileywould find a reason to get rid of the recalcitrant chief pilot. Balsey gave him that reason just four months after having been promoted.
The majority of the flight training in the DC-9s was done at either Columbia, South Carolina or Augusta, Georgia. Both airports had the necessary instrument approaches and were much less congested than the airports in and around New York. The new DC-9 jet drew a lot of attention from the locals. On one training flight in Columbia, South Carolina, several state troopers stopped by to ask a few questions about the plane. The training academy for the state troopers was located on the airfield. Balsey invited the troopers to ride along. He even let them take turns sitting in the jump seat. On another flight, Balsey invited one of the girls from the rental car agency to ride along. It was alleged later, by a pilot who had failed his check-ride, that Balsey had allowed the girl to sit in a pilotâs seat during a training flight. The pilot claimed that Balsey was doing more showing off than training and that was the reason he had failed his check-ride. Word of the incident quickly made its way back to Bill Bailey, who now had the reason he had been looking for to oust Balsey.
Balsey was in Dayton, Ohio when he first got word that his job was in jeopardy. When he returned to New York, he was told that Bill Bailey wanted to see him. What happened next is a matter of some dispute. What is known for certain is that Balsey resigned as chief pilot. He was allowed to stay on as a line captain. *
Balsey was replaced in New York by Ed Veronelli.
6
Ed was a personable young man with an easygoing manner that made him a popular choice among the DC-9 crews. He became one of the few inmanagement who didnât have some connection with Steedman or the former ONA.
Lou Furlong, one of Balseyâs main nemeses, was later replaced as V.P. of Operations by Malcolm Ed Starkloff (Starky), the former chief pilot of the old ONA and Steedmanâs former boss. Starkloff had been working as the chief pilot for Japan Airlines. Lou Furlong quietly went back to the line, flying as a captain on the DC-9 and later the DC-8.
Less than one year after arriving at ONA, and only four months after becoming chief pilot, Balsey was out of management. The move to line captain suited Balsey just fine. He even picked up a small pay raise, going from $1,700 a month to $1,800 a month. Balseyâs problems, however, were far from over. There were more than a few pilots who felt that Balsey should have been fired and would have been if not for Steedman. Other pilots resented the fact that he was given a seniority number based on his date of hire and not on the date he became a line pilot, which was the case with new pilots. All Balsey could do was lie low and hope that things would eventually blow over.
Chapter 6
A
S ALM 980 CRUISED ALONG AT 29,000 FEET, A continuous supply of conditioned air kept the temperature inside the cabin at a comfortable 72 degrees. Outside the story was quite different. Temperatures at that altitude can drop to 50 degrees below zero. Winds can exceed 100 mph. The only thing separating those on board from this inhospitable environment was a thin metal tube and a few inches of insulation. It was a tenuous layer of protection that would soon prove to be no match for the storm-tossed waters of the Caribbean
.
The three cockpit crewmembers aboard ALM 980 had not flown together prior to the May 2 flight. Hugh Hart and Balsey had flown the St. Maarten flight before, but it was the first time for first officer Harry Evans. Harry was also making only his second flight after a three-month absence. The reason for Harryâs absence requires some explanation.
Harry
Balseyâs domineering style and disregard for company politics didnât help his cause. It was only a matter of time before Bill Baileywould find a reason to get rid of the recalcitrant chief pilot. Balsey gave him that reason just four months after having been promoted.
The majority of the flight training in the DC-9s was done at either Columbia, South Carolina or Augusta, Georgia. Both airports had the necessary instrument approaches and were much less congested than the airports in and around New York. The new DC-9 jet drew a lot of attention from the locals. On one training flight in Columbia, South Carolina, several state troopers stopped by to ask a few questions about the plane. The training academy for the state troopers was located on the airfield. Balsey invited the troopers to ride along. He even let them take turns sitting in the jump seat. On another flight, Balsey invited one of the girls from the rental car agency to ride along. It was alleged later, by a pilot who had failed his check-ride, that Balsey had allowed the girl to sit in a pilotâs seat during a training flight. The pilot claimed that Balsey was doing more showing off than training and that was the reason he had failed his check-ride. Word of the incident quickly made its way back to Bill Bailey, who now had the reason he had been looking for to oust Balsey.
Balsey was in Dayton, Ohio when he first got word that his job was in jeopardy. When he returned to New York, he was told that Bill Bailey wanted to see him. What happened next is a matter of some dispute. What is known for certain is that Balsey resigned as chief pilot. He was allowed to stay on as a line captain. *
Balsey was replaced in New York by Ed Veronelli.
6
Ed was a personable young man with an easygoing manner that made him a popular choice among the DC-9 crews. He became one of the few inmanagement who didnât have some connection with Steedman or the former ONA.
Lou Furlong, one of Balseyâs main nemeses, was later replaced as V.P. of Operations by Malcolm Ed Starkloff (Starky), the former chief pilot of the old ONA and Steedmanâs former boss. Starkloff had been working as the chief pilot for Japan Airlines. Lou Furlong quietly went back to the line, flying as a captain on the DC-9 and later the DC-8.
Less than one year after arriving at ONA, and only four months after becoming chief pilot, Balsey was out of management. The move to line captain suited Balsey just fine. He even picked up a small pay raise, going from $1,700 a month to $1,800 a month. Balseyâs problems, however, were far from over. There were more than a few pilots who felt that Balsey should have been fired and would have been if not for Steedman. Other pilots resented the fact that he was given a seniority number based on his date of hire and not on the date he became a line pilot, which was the case with new pilots. All Balsey could do was lie low and hope that things would eventually blow over.
Chapter 6
A
S ALM 980 CRUISED ALONG AT 29,000 FEET, A continuous supply of conditioned air kept the temperature inside the cabin at a comfortable 72 degrees. Outside the story was quite different. Temperatures at that altitude can drop to 50 degrees below zero. Winds can exceed 100 mph. The only thing separating those on board from this inhospitable environment was a thin metal tube and a few inches of insulation. It was a tenuous layer of protection that would soon prove to be no match for the storm-tossed waters of the Caribbean
.
The three cockpit crewmembers aboard ALM 980 had not flown together prior to the May 2 flight. Hugh Hart and Balsey had flown the St. Maarten flight before, but it was the first time for first officer Harry Evans. Harry was also making only his second flight after a three-month absence. The reason for Harryâs absence requires some explanation.
Harry
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