Mohawk Airlines DC-3 Lamplight

[P51Mstg]

Things were different back then in the airline industry.

Christmas parties for the employee's families in the hangar in Utica. Which Allegheny used to hold summer picnics at Kennywood Park (an amusement park) in Pittburgh.

My father, Charlie Hrutkay, used to ride motorcycles with Bruce Pike who was also a Mohawk Mechanic. Bruce had daughters my age (about 8 at the time). They would take us along. Well where the motorcycles came from was interesting. They (and a lot of guys at Mohawk) had BSAs. Mostly 650 Lightnings. The exchange rate was favorable at the time and Mohawk was buying new BAC-111s at the time. A lot of those planes that flew over from England had motorcycles loaded in the back of the passenger compartment. They took a few seats out and tied down the motorcycle. I think dad's BSA cost like $300 including freight which was free.

You don't see too many airlines today hauling new MCs into America for employees for free.

I remember our house was heated with oil heat. Specifically we used Jet Fuel, when they would run fuel dump tests on the planes, the fuel that was dumped was put in drums and put behind the hangar and anyone that wanted to take it home could. (Of course what did JET A cost back then (late 1960's)? 5 cents a gallon maybe?

Marshall Henry didn't want to move to Pittsburgh after the merger and opened up "Rome Suzuki" and stayed for a few years. A bunch of Mohawk Mechanics helped him put up the steel building he used as the shop. Eventually Marshall came back to work for Mohawk and moved to Pittsburgh.

My father didn't want to move back home to Pittsburgh (which was was actually home for our family). So for about a year and a half after the merger dad communted from Utica NY to Pittsburgh PA everyday, 5 days a week. He'd catch a flight a few minutes after he got off work in the morning and would fly to NYC. He'd run across the ramp and get on another plane that flew back to Utica. If the connection was late, he'd spend the morning sleeping in the airport in NY City. He'd be home by about 10AM, get some sleep, do some things, then get back to the airport about 8PM to fly back to Pittsburgh for the midnight shift. There were a LOT of empty seats on the jets back in those days.

I remember flying from Utica to Pittsbugh one morning with mom and dad and we were the ONLY people on the plane and we weren't paying. Maybe Mohawk started going down hill since they were flying around a LOT of empty airplanes. (there were a lot of other reasons too)

Most may also remember Bob Peach (the president of Mohawk) comitting suicide when the merger with Allegheny went through.

There was a lot of interesting things that happened with Mohawk and there were a lot of interesting and very skilled people that worked there.

Mark Hrutkay

[N3Njeff]

I met Bill Dahler this year at Sun n Fun, He was admiring my friends Beech 18 and reminiscing with some good old stories of his freight and time building days. He invited us to come over and see the DC-3 that he flew down from New York if we like. Well come to find out that He had been friends with Bob Sussey (IIRC Who also was a Mohawk Mechanic in Utica) the father of one of my good friend and coworkers Gary.

Small World

Steve

LOL which DC-3 did bill bring?? Marylou, pricilla or bones??? I have known bill for yrs. Dad worked the line for Mowhawk for a short time, he still has his coveralls. I will ask him specifically. Bill was line mx here in burlington after mowhawk (utica with the indian). I remember bill and I walking across the ramp one winter when i became a mech and he had retired from usair. it was -4 and the snow was drifting. I was complaining about the weather walking between the 2 hangars. Bill pipes up "Hell kid this is Bac-111 brake change weather!""

[planeoldsteve]

LOL which DC-3 did bill bring?? Marylou, pricilla or bones???

This One !




Steve

[N3Njeff]

LOL which DC-3 did bill bring?? Marylou, pricilla or bones???

This One !

[img]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o280/planeoldsteve/SunNFun07263.jpg[/img

Awwww they took her name off. Thats "Mary Lou", N700CA

[planeoldsteve]

Jeff

When I was talking to Bill he said that he would take the Beech-18 in trade for the DC-3? I thought he was kidding after I saw how nice the DC-3 looked. I just found this in TRADE A PLANE!

Douglas
THREE DC-3's AVAILABLE. Two passenger, one cargo. "Vicki of Vermont", Call Rich, VT/(802) 985-5548.
http://tappix.com/746223

Maybe he wasn't?

Steve.

[N3Njeff]

Too bad he is not the owner....lol. He just flies them. Dont know where they got "mary ann" from. She used to be "Mary lou" after the song from Ricky Nelson. N922CA is Pricilla, she was named after a lady over in Burlington who worked at the ticket counters of a few airlines. She was tickled pink to finally get a ride in "Her" airplane.

N59NA was named bones after a mech that used to work for a company in Burlington that flew 9 C-47's in there ww2 markings. He was killed flyng a DC-3 for Four Star in the islands.
Tho painted as a USAAF. N59NA is a actual Dakota! She never served with the usaaf. Someone may be able to run that information, but I dont remember the particulars. All I know is that I remember all the work I did on it!!!! Lots of UK stuff in it. When we stripped the paint, you could see where the crown was on the side of the fuselage.

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Hi Guys,

I spoke with my Dad and he said that he didn't mind if I posted some of his Mohawk photo's. I had these converted from 35mm slide that were....well, pretty old. I don't think they converted all that badly but let me know what you think anyway. I have others but I picked the best of the bunch I had.























Any thoughts ???

Paul

[N3Njeff]

Great pics........................dad always said that it was a "fun" airline............to bad I will never see that word in my description of the last 13 yrs. Maybe there is hope.

[Aircraft Mech Paul]

Great pics........................dad always said that it was a "fun" airline............to bad I will never see that word in my description of the last 13 yrs. Maybe there is hope.

Jeff,

Yep...I can well understand your feelings. My Dad I think has the same feelings for Mohawk....after the Allegheny merger it just wasn't the same. I went the through the same type of thing in my career also. I started with Republic Airlines (LONG LIVE HERMAN !!) in 1984 and then along came the "merger mania" of the mid to late 1980's and the one single company my father warned me time and time and time again to STAY AWAY from because of how "wonderfully (take THAT with a large grain of sarcasm) they treat their employees bought us out. You guessed it Northworst. As of Aug 19, 2005 that @#%#^#&* company cost me my career of 21 years. I apologize for sounding bitter, but I love aviation and haven't been a happy camper since.

BUT...I still love planes and fixing them. So...all is not lost.

Paul

PS...to all...I apologize for the rant

[tom roberts]

For an interesting view of Mohawk maintenace look at this site
www.kamienski.net/mohawk/about.html

[N3Njeff]

LOL which DC-3 did bill bring?? Marylou, pricilla or bones???

This One !




Steve

Just wanted to post a update. Got a call from my father that N700CA was damaged in a summer storm in Plattsburgh NY last night. She was not tied down and the wind took her and drove her into the airport fence. Guess if she had any chance for Oshkosh, its gone now.

[soko121]

Sad!, do you need any parts? i have flight controls, let me know if i can help you get to OSH, ill be there
Simon