Popular Post Flagelpater Posted September 11, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted September 11, 2022 (edited) I was the first helicopter pilot to join Bulldog Airlines in 1969. A Bell JetRanger was the first helicopter followed by an additional Bell 212 twin engine Huey. It was the first to be operational. Mack had serial number 3. New York State and South Korea had numbers 1 and 2 but we're not put into operation until about a year later. When we went to the red/white/blue color scheme I had the Bulldogs installed on the nose of the helicopters as "Ice Detectors" for FAA purposes! These two were the first to fly. Both had more that 2,000 hours before being retired. High speed and rain were very rough on the gold plating. Edited September 11, 2022 by Flagelpater 2 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagelpater Posted September 11, 2022 Author Share Posted September 11, 2022 Having trouble sending photos. Sorry Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509120 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagelpater Posted September 11, 2022 Author Share Posted September 11, 2022 1 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509121 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Mack Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Awesome story!! I see Mack X? on the base of the right one?? I didnt know about an airline... Thanks, Jojo Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509123 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Flagelpater Posted September 11, 2022 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 11, 2022 Although Mack was in Allentown PA it was able to work like a Manhattan NY corporation. International customers could be in the headquarters within an hour of landing at JFK, LGA or EWR. About 95% of our passengers were customers of Mack. We were not a Royal Barge but a very efficient corporate tool. All aircraft were sold above purchase price because they maintain their value so well. 2 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509128 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted September 11, 2022 Share Posted September 11, 2022 Thats an amazing story and pieces of history to go with it, thank you for sharing I know there is probably lots of questions I should ask but I know nothing at all about planes or helicopters Paul Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509131 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagelpater Posted September 11, 2022 Author Share Posted September 11, 2022 It was not a commercial Airline! Just what Mack called its flight department. We were the first to fly instruments with helicopters. The military had been doing it for years but the FAA was very slow to allow it. Mack had its own Helicopter Only airway route structure between Boston and Washington DC with a separate structure connecting New York City with Allentown PA. Most military helicopter pilots were qualified to fly in weather, IFR. 1 Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509143 Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBWhite Posted September 19, 2022 Share Posted September 19, 2022 Question: why did Mack have such an extensive flight division? I mean back in the day every farm and medium size business had there own plane but helicopters were sort of a rarity for even large businesses back then. You said that it was mainly customers so was it like a guided tour thing? How many people went up per day for them too need dedicated pilots? Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-509861 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagelpater Posted September 26, 2022 Author Share Posted September 26, 2022 No, not sightseeing. Business. Moving customers rapidly from Manhattan NY and surrounding airports to Allentown. Prior to Allentown Mack was located very close to NYC. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-510382 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flagelpater Posted September 26, 2022 Author Share Posted September 26, 2022 The headquarters was moved to Allentown by Hansen. He used Aviation to continue the relationship of NYC proximity for business as he wanted to be closer to the operation of manufacturing trucks in Allentown PA. Obviously this was a very successful decision because the company was on a rapid path to bankruptcy at the time. That is why Z. Hansen was brought on board! He turned it around and very soon after his retirement Mack returned towards Bankruptcy. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-510383 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickfarms Posted September 26, 2022 Share Posted September 26, 2022 It’s amazing how one person’s leadership can change the course of a company Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-510388 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmackpaul Posted September 26, 2022 Share Posted September 26, 2022 29 minutes ago, Quickfarms said: It’s amazing how one person’s leadership can change the course of a company Not really that amazing, my Dad always said, "if it is crook, it's crook from the top down" Another example is "lead by example" I was a dairy farmer for many years, we weren't left a family farm and had no experience beem a dairy farmer They (the dept of agg) had farm walks on local farms and the farmers took turn hosting these The farm walks were called "Target Ten", get 10% more profitable for 10 10 years in a row I had little to no experience been a dairy farmer but I made some observations very early on that I still use today I observed that we (dairy farmers as whole) had all pretty much the same thing, we had cows, land, pasture, a dairy to milk our cows, irrigation water and so on However some farmers really appeared to make it work and others always had the ass out of their pants It was all in the detail, the small stuff, the way it's done and not what you have And the recipey used last month, last year to make it work is very different than the one that might be used next month, next season It wasn't just finding a formula that works and sticking with it, it's in the detail and constantly fine tuning it Obviously this Hansen had a very good eye for the little details that made a huge difference Or that other saying, "watch the penny's and the pounds will watch them selves" Paul Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/70420-bulldog-airlines/#findComment-510392 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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