Acknowledgments

Many individuals, associations, airlines, libraries, and aircraft manufacturers were contacted or visited in the process of assembling this encyclopedia, work on which began over a decade ago at approximately the same time as my The Airline Bibliography: The Salem College Guide to Sources in English. Indeed, citations, press releases, and photographs for both works were initially obtained simultaneously. Following completion of the publications guide, this project has occupied much of the author’s time ever since.

Almost everyone contacted over the years has responded in a gracious manner. For example, over two hundred airlines (several, such as Aeromech Airlines and the first Pan American World Airways, being no longer extant) provided information and photographs—many of them several times. All of the major fixed - and rotary-wing trade associations have also contributed facts and figures, while aircraft manufacturers have offered technical insight and photographs.

The growth in corporate information provided via the World Wide Web since 1995 has been, as noted, of immeasurable value. The development of e-mail has made correspondence regarding this project much simpler than has been the case for any of my other 66 books; a message to and from England, for example, which used to take weeks, now takes hours.

For their advice, assistance, or encouragement in the formulation, research, and completion of this endeavor, the following individuals and libraries are particularly and gratefully, if not alphabetically, acknowledged. Those organizations (extant or not) that provided photographs are acknowledged in the picture captions. This recognition of contributors does not, of course, necessarily translate into their endorsement, as any errors (and it is not possible for there not to be a few in a solo work as large as this one) remain the responsibility of the author alone.

If not specifically renamed below, I have recalled all of those people acknowledged in TAB, as well as in the four editions of my Passenger Airliners of the United States. This includes a huge cast of airline PR folks consulted earlier during this work’s formative years, but who have now retired or moved on.

Mr. John Wegg, editor-in-chief, Airways Magazine Mr. Nicholas A. Veronico, former managing editor, Airliners Magazine Mr. Graham Warwick, North American editor, Flight International Dr. R. E. G. Davies, curator of air transport for the Aeronautics Department, National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D. C.

Mr. Ian Harbison, editor, Regional Airline World Magazine Ms. Kathleen Kocks and Mr. John Persinos, editors, Rotor & Wing International

Mr. Geoffrey Arend, La Guardia Airport, Flushing, New York Mr. Bob Balay, reference books editor, Choice Magazine Mr. Stan Cohen, Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Missoula, Montana

Mr. Robert B. Lane, director, Air University Library, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

Mr. John Hanlin, director, Tri-State Regional Airport, Blountville, Tennessee

Mr. Scott Niswonger, chairman/CEO, LandAir Corp., Greeneville, Tennessee

Mr. Michael A. Roberts, senior vice president, Forward Air, Greene-ville, Tennessee

Mr. Lewis Kunkel and Mr. Joe Tirone, VPs, Forward Air, Greeneville, Tennessee

Ms. Laurie Lincoln, Air Canada, Montreal, Canada

Mr. John M. Jones Sr., The Greeneville Sun, Greeneville, Tennessee

Mr. S. Wylie Milligan, Greeneville, Tennessee

Mr. Roy Thompson, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Mr. Larus Atlason, Civil Aviation Authority, Iceland

Mr. David J. Hodder, Brymon Airways

Mr. Joe G. Walker, Kent, Washington

Mr. Walter S. Coleman, president, Regional Airline Association Mr. Malcolm Ginsberg, Air and Business Travel News Mr. Martin Brennan, Air Commerce Journal Mr. Jay Selman, writer

Hon. Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.), U. S. Congress, and his staff Cobham, plc

David Charlton, Airbus Industries of North America Robert Takis, American Airlines Library of Auburn University, Montgomery, Alabama Library of Chattanooga State Technological Community College, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Library of East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee Library of Salem-Teikyo University, Salem, West Virginia Library of the International Civil Aviation Organization, Montreal, Canada

Library of the National Air & Space Museum, Washington, D. C. Library of Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Library of Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania Library of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee Library of the U. S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D. C. Library of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia

Special appreciation is reserved for Ms. Lisa Henderson Ray, research and statistics editor, and Mr. James P. Woolsey, recently retired senior editor and associate publisher, Air Transport World. Their long-standing support and assistance has been invaluable to the compilation of this, as well as earlier works.

I am also grateful to Mr. Jon Proctor, editor-in-chief of Airliners, who has provided many key insights and much data.

Dr. Norman Horrocks of Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, formerly editorial VP of Scarecrow Press, was instrumental in launching this project and has been a tower of aid and support. His successor at Scarecrow, Ms. Shirley Lambert, and her staff have given every assistance and encouragement. Their collective patience with the growth of this project should be the stuff of publishing legends. The assistance, support, and encouragement brought to the conclusion of this project by production editor Kellie Hagan and copyeditor Bethany Easter has been a priceless joy.

Mr. Charles Tunstall, assistant professor of library science and public services at Tate Library, Tusculum College, provided interlibrary loan service.

Finally, a wave from the cockpit to Dr. Bill Leary, History Department, University of Georgia, for his splendid foreword.