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Vol. 25 No. 23		Thursday May 7, 2026

When Most Of Pan Am Became United

Vince Costanzo, Tony Lima, Kenny Ippolito, Danny Radovan, James Brooks, Kevin Malanaphy, Tim Peirce, Geoffrey Arend, Andy Roman

     41 years ago, on April 22, 1985 we were gathered upstairs in the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport situate for a prayer meeting at our North Beach Club (NBC) overlooking the main runways just next to our Air Cargo News offices in Room 1219.
     Charter members of the NBC Club are pictured here with artist James Brooks. From left to right, Vince Costanzo-Butler Aviation; Tony Lima-Queens Lighthouse For Visually Impaired; Kenny Ippolito-Ippolito Enterprises; Danny Radovan-Marriott Hotels; Artist James Brooks; Kevin Malanaphy-United Airlines; Tim Peirce-LaGuardia Airport (LGA) General Manager (22 years); Geoffrey Arend and Andy Roman-Delta Air Lines.
     James Brooks was the artist, who from 1940 until 1942, painted the largest Mural of the Roosevelt era WPA Federal Arts Program on the upper walls of The Marine Air Terminal, LaGuardia Airport.
     In 1952 during the McCarthy era red scare, his mural "Flight' was covered with drab gray wallpaint, but was restored in 1980 as NBC hosted and honored Jim at a grand sit down luncheon under his art in the MAT Lobby with all the NYC preservation, museum, and arts community bigwigs in attendance.
     At about 1800 hours on April 22, 1985 into NBC strode Richard Ferris, UA CEO.
     Mr. Ferris had spent his day inside the Pan American World Airways Building at 200 Park Avenue concluding the purchase of Pan Am's Pacific Division for USD$750 million.
     Recall that Ferris was rather matter of fact about the sale which, at that point was the biggest takeover in airline history.
     The moment was especially poignant, sitting in the MAT, where in 1940, Pan Am had invented an international pioneering air service for the greatest city in the world—scheduled overseas flights via its B314 Clippers.
     The news was so spectacular, the thrill of it eclipsed anything else that early Spring evening four decades ago.
     I asked Pan Am Shuttle Station Manager Frank Signor about the sale and he just shook his head in disbelief saying, "they just sold the division that made money."
GDA

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