Braniff International Airways

[EZYA319]

Hi folks

I'm doing some research for an article i'm writing regarding the iconic Braniff International!

Any information people could give me would be greatly appreciated, anything at all!

Cheers

[evansb]

Really ? Try Braniff International Airways, History - braniffpages.com Celebrating 13 Years on the Web (http://www.braniffpages.com)

[WHBM]

There are multiple tribute websites which can be easily found, mostly run by former employees.

Don't confuse Braniff International (the main airline, which went bankrupt in 1982), with Braniff Inc, the renaissance which operated some of the former operation from 1984 to 1989. The regular reference in the current South Park TV programme is to the latter company.

Harding Lawrence has died, but Mary Wells Lawrence, who did the colourful livery, styling and advertising, is I believe still living in Switzerland. Actually I find the aircraft livery a bit simplistic. What Court Line did with the idea a couple of years later was much more stylish.

If you can narrow down for us what is a very wide-ranging (geographically and in time) subject, maybe we can give some more detailed pointers.

[JW411]

I had a mate of mine who flew for Braniff 1, Braniff 2 and Braniff 3 but I doubt he would want to talk to you. In fact, I KNOW he wouldn't.

[OwnNav]

Link to a nice photo of a "Braniff" Concorde

braniff concorde - Google Search (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=braniff+concorde&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=RP-GT9aBL4_R8QO1kuTjBw&sqi=2&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=745)

[stepwilk]

The late aviation writer Len Morgan was a Braniff captain--as was his son. Morgan used to write for Flying Magazine when I was the executive editor, and he's also done books. Do a search for "Len Morgan" and you should come up with lots of stuff.

[treadigraph]

During the years that I was a regular reader of Flying, Len Morgan was one of the very best contributors amongst some very good writers indeed! As Stephan says, do seek his work out.

Braniff, ah a welcome sight when "Big Orange" used to ply the Gatwick route.

[pigboat]

Another vote for Len Morgan. The first thing I always read in the magazine was Len's article.

[EZYA319]

Thanks for your help folks! Really appreciate it!

[stepwilk]

Be sure to do a search for Mary Wells. She had a lot to do with Braniff's operations during its heyday--a lot more than the paint job, as I remember.

[con-pilot]

The day Braniff shut down I had just landed at my home base, OKC. As we were on final final I noticed a Braniff 727 sitting on a reverse turn off taxiway on the east parallel runway, didn't really think much about it.

There is a hotel on the airport that sits between the two runway. Most of the local pilots would drop by the hotel to have 'post-flight meetings' in the bar. So after we had our aircraft put into the hangar I drove over to the hotel to see if any other pilots were in the bar. As I drove up to the hotel I saw the Braniff 727 was still sitting on the taxiway with the engines running. That I thought was rather curious.

When I walked into the bar I ran into two other crews that had landed just before I had. I asked them if they had noticed the Braniff 727. Neither of the other pilots had so we started taking about other matters. About an hour later a Braniff crew, pilots and flight attendants, still dressed in their uniforms came into the bar, sat down at a table and ordered drinks.

This got our undivided attention. Then we noticed that two of the FAs were crying and the rest of the crew looked decidedly unhappy. Very soon we found out the reason why, Braniff was out of business, no warning, no nothing. They were getting ready to takeoff when they received a message to halt all operations. So they had pulled off of the runway and sat there waiting to be told what the reason was for stopping operations. After finding out they were out of business, they taxied back to the terminal, let the passengers off, shut down the aircraft and went to the hotel.

That was a sad night.