Thanks LS. You raise some valid points.
The Presidential Task Force was pivotal because it formalised the 2 crew option. However, its findings were farcical it that they were dictated and predetermined by the commercial reality that Airbus was going 2 crew.
As for United’s 76s, the Boeing web site to which you refer says the first 30 aircraft were built 3 crew. Quote, “By September 1981, Boeing had developed the necessary plans to retrofit airplanes already produced with the three-crew flight deck and to incorporate the new design into the production line, beginning with the 31st airplane.”
Despite the promise of reduced crew costs, United initially demanded a conventional 3 crew cockpit. Again as Boeing has it, “United Airlines was the first to order the 767 (July 14, 1978). After lengthy deliberation, the airline decided that a three-person crew would reduce the introductory risk associated with being the first to put the 767 into revenue service.”
Following the Presidential task force determination, United opted to retrofit its 3 man aircraft to 2 man. United was the first airline to put the 76 into service so I think it is safe to assume some of the first 30 built were United’s.
Ansett stayed 3 crew largely due to the personal guarantee of Abeles to his FEs. The first of the original 5 Ansett 76s, RMG, to be converted to 2 crew, went into the hangar on 28th Jan. 1998 and returned to service on 10th Feb. It involved the installation of new looms to the overhead panel and took more like 2 weeks rather than the 2 hours you imply.
Interestingly, the 76s on which the first Ansett crews did their endorsement at Boeing, had analogue engine instruments on the pilots’ centre panel. The CRTs came later.
I do not know of the 737 dispute to which you refer. That is not to say it did not happen. However, in 1967 TAA had all its DC9s grounded in a dispute with the AFAP for 39 days during which time it is rumoured to have lost about $1 million. Ansett kept its aircraft operating by carrying a third pilot in the jump seat. The dispute was typical of the argy-bargy that was part of the dynamic associated with the introduction of a new aircraft and goes back to the DC6 when TAA’s LAMEs won over TAA the right to sit in its 3rd seat. More on that next time.
And yes, Abeles founded Alltrans which merged with TNT, and was subsequently headed by himself.