Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Holds Their First International Group Meeting at The 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant of Miami

A splendid view from within the dining area of the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant of a British Airways Boeing 747-400 upon its arrival onto runway "9 Right " at Miami International Airport
The inner setting within the Miami 94th Aero Squadron restaurant
The restaurant conveys a vintage and rural setting of a European county farm house. The interior walls are superbly decorates with artifact's and images of early military aviation, mostly World War I
The Miami 94th Aero Squadron restaurant locate adjacent to the Miami airport Southern perimeter road along side Runway "9 Right"
With the fine German precision, Lufthansa B747-400 arrives on schedule into Miami International Airport as observed from the inner dinning are of the restaurant. The table at 94th Aero Squadron restaurant are equipped with audio headsets that allows you to listen into Miami Air Traffic Control

Miami, Florida 22nd August 2009: On Saturday 22nd August 2009, the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group held their 15th consecutive 2009 group meeting as well as their first "International" meeting with the presence of their Support Representative Member (SRM) from the U.K. Mr. Nick Bavington at the famous Miami 94th Aero Squadron restaurant which is situated alone side the South side of Miami International Airport runway 9-Right.

There was no better place and / or venue than the "94th" as its affectionately become known through out the many years by their dedicate and loyal patrons.

The restaurant dinning area has huge side windows that clearly faces (MIA) runway 9-Right. The dining tables are equipped with audio headsets which allows audio monitoring of the local Air Traffic Control communication will you enjoy your meal and drinks. The service at the "94th" is one of super client service. The food at the "94th" is a mix of menu ordered items and / or buffet style at a great value with expectational portions served.

Being that The Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group is a Miami grown group and embraces all that is "Miami" the group plans to have their future weekend meetings at the "94th" and utilize their dinning halls for future gatherings and events. So come out to the "94th" on any given Saturday and enjoy a delightful meal, enjoy the sights of commercial aircraft landing at Miami International Airport and have a chance to meet the Eastern Airline Flight 401 Tribute Group members whose experience on the night of 29th December 1972 made air travel that much safer for all us today, 37 years later.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Group Honors Their U.K. Representative Mr. Nick Bavington With The First Ever N310EA Print Signed By The Survivors

As a sign of the group appreciation, honorary group member Benny Benitez (right) presents Nick with an original digital rendering of N310EA produced by Catherine Smallwood, the Chief Aviation Artist for The Digital Aircraft Factory. The original art work was signed by three of the survivors from Eastern Airlines Flight 401, thus being Ron Infantino, surviving passenger and Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz, surviving flight 401 attendants not present was flight attendant Patty McQuinn of notable mention Nick Bavington the recipient of the first ever produced digital rendering of N310EA signed by survivors of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 is shown with the creator of the masterful art work, Catherine Smallwood. The art work measures 16 x20 printed on a canvas panel
Accompany with Katie, Nick smiles as he poses with the group of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 survivors and his wonderful art print of which he stated that once he gets back home to the U.K., he shall frame this one of a kind print and proudly display it within his home office back in England
Joined by the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 survivors Ron Infantino, Beverly Rasposa and Mercy Ruiz and the artist of the print Catherine Smallwood. Nick proudly displays his much appreciated gift from the group
Nick is joined by the survivors from Eastern Airlines Flight 401 who all proudly signed their names to the art print thus making it a special one of kind historical commercial aviation collectible

Miami, Florida 22nd August 2009: In showing their appreciation, the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group presented their Support Representative Member (SRM) from the U.K., Mr. Nick Bavington with a special one of a kind gift. Straight from the production studios of the Digital Aircraft Factory (DAF) a subsidiary of the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group under the creative leadership of Catherine Smallwood, the Chief Aviation Artist for the (DAF) digitally brought back Eastern Airlines L-1011 N310EA.

The digital creation of N310EA will soon become the flagship of the group advertisement and being fully digital, thus created via the Hollywood grade special effect program called LIGHTWAVE, N310EA will be fully animated in flight and will soon visually grace the skies of Miami while flying.

The first official rendering was printed on a 16 x 20 canvas panel and signed by the survivors and given to Nick as a sincere sign of appreciation for his effort toward the cause. In the latter back of the 4th quarter of 2009, posters production of the L-1011 rendering with the signatures of the Eastern Flight 4o1 Tribute Group survivors shall be made available for sale to the public, so as to support the group memorial project.

Nick was delighted and honored to be considered for this one of kind gift. Nick stated that he will proudly display his special gift upon his return to the U.K.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Meets With Mr. Todd Nyman Board of Director Memeber for The Airboat Association of Florida

Airboat Association of Florida Board of Director member, Mr. Todd Nyman (left) speaks about the current condition of the crash site out within the Everglades, as Al Naranjo from the Miami based Architectural Firm Brockhouse who will design the memorial for Eastern Airlines Flight 401. Al annotates the informative information shared by Todd for consideration as Brockhouse prepares preliminary plans for the memorial
Todd explains areas of possible interest as the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group plans an expedition back out to crash site to survey, locate and identify various known aircraft wreckage from their aircraft N310EA which is still out there according to Todd
Al (second from the left) explains about a possible design consideration based on Todd advisement that the South Florida Water Management District along with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers plan to do away with the dike which is located close to the site and of which on the night of 29th December 1972 was instrumental in facilitating rescue of the survivors by ground vehicles such as the police and fire department, as they drove out the site to render assistance
Surviving flight attendant Beverly Raposa explains to Todd her crew station position seating within the aircraft moment's before the crash as Mercy Ruiz looks on. This meeting marks the start of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 and the Airboat Association of Florida working together toward the goal of establishing the memorial and establishing possible tours to the site

Miami, Florida 22nd August 2009: As if one personal and professional pleasure was not enough during the first International meeting of the Eastern Flight 401 Tribute Group, the group was graced with the presence of yet a other individual who brings a worth of assistance from himself and his organization. Mr. Todd Nyman a Board of Director member of the Airboat Association of Florida was present at the group first "International" meeting. Todd and his group are an invaluable asset to the group, as the folks who make up the Airboat Association of Florida are an important part of the history of Eastern Airlines Flight 401. As recalled it is was an airboat which was manned by the late Mr. Robert "Bud" Marquis, "The Angel of the Everglades" that came to the rescue of the survivors in the early moments of the post crash. Todd and his group has generously offered to facilitate airboat transportation for the group to go out and survey the crash site, as Todd has advised that there is still a great deal of wreckage still out there related to N310EA. The Airboat Association of Florida will be an important part of the group effort to establishing the memorial. Thanks to Todd and the Airboat Association of Florida, the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute group continues to expand.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group U.K. Representative Mr. Nick Bavington Visits Miami For The Group First International Meeting

Surviving Flight 401 passenger and the group leader Ron "Commander" Infantino briefs Nick Bavington Eastern Flight 401 Tribute Group United Kingdom representative about the crash during Nicks first visit to Miami

Nick Bavington pays detail attention as Todd Nyman from the Airboat Association of Florida shows Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz, both surviving 401 flight attendants as to the location of currently known and identified Eastern Flight 401 post crash wreckage still out there within the Everglades
Ron Infantino, flights 401 surviving passenger, shows Nick and Katie the Eastern Flight 401 Tribute Group informative brief folder, which contains a large and concentrated amount of post crash information, photographs and newspaper articles of the period Visiting Miami for the first time and attending the 15th continuous group meeting this year is Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group official representative from the United Kingdom, Mr. Nick Bavington and Katie. This meeting marks a high lite within the group, as its officially the first "International" meeting with Nicks and Katie presences. Nick is the Group first official and appointed representative

Miami, Florida 22nd August 2009: Despite the schedule daily rain fall of South Florida, the day turned out to be bright for the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group, as they hosted and met for the first time their Support Representative Member (SRM) Nick Bavington from the United Kingdom.

Nick and Katie visited Miami for the first time as they arrived from Orlando where they were on Holiday. Nick visits allowed the entire group to meet him for the first time since being appointed as the group actual first international (SRM).

Since coming on board with the group back in March 2009, Nick has been instrumental in linking up the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group with the sole military L-1011 operator, the Royal Air Force 216th Squadron based at RAF Station Brize Norton, home of the 216th.

Nick effort also resulted in liaising with Rolls Royce Engine Corporation, this is a key attribute as the famed Rolls Royce RB211-22B powered N310EA. Nick takes the cause across the pond so to speak and will hopefully lead the path for the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group to lecture within the European realm of aviation enthusiast, historians and airlines concerning Crew Recourse Management (CRM) and the experience of the survivors. The whole group was delighted to have met Nick and Katie and thank him for his dedication which is much appreciated! "Jolly Good"

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Hits The Radio Waves On The Chris Wolfe Show The "BIZ 880 AM"

Ron Infantino (Surviving Passenger) of Eastern Flight 401 sits prepared to proceed with the radio talk show and answer the expected volley of questions from the listening public
Mercy Ruiz (Surviving Flight Attendant) of Eastern Flight 401 with Benny Benitez, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group honorary group member and supporter with talk show host Wanda Miles
The Eastern Airlines Fight 401 Tribute Group with radio talk show host Chris Wolfe. Shown left to right are Mercy Ruiz (Surviving Flight Attendant), Chris Wolfe, Benny Benitez, Beverly Raposa (Surviving Flight Attendant) and Ron Infantino (Surviving Passenger)
Radio talk show host Chris Wolfe of the Chris Wolfe radio show "BIZ 880 AM" whose motto is "Meeting Miami's Most Interesting People"

Chris Wolfe speaks with Beverly Raposa about her experience of being part of a major airline crash and being there at night in the middle of the Everglades
Mercy Ruiz speaks about her experience concerning the crash, as many questions from the public arrived concerning as to her and Beverly courage in keeping the many surviving passenger out there on that fateful night as calm as possible, which included the singing of Christmas songs
Ron and Beverly team up to answer a callers question about being "out there" and as to how they each dealt with the situation and their feeling about the crash many years later

Coral Gables, Florida 5th August 2009: In keeping with their public roll-out momentum, which was achieved at and since the Airliners International 2009 event held in Orlando, Florida back on July 23-25th, members of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group took to the radio airwaves of Miami on WZAB 880AM.

Marking their 2nd visit onto the radio station since the inception of the group, radio talk show host Chris Wolfe of the Chris Wolfe "BIZ 880AM" extended a return invite for the group to speak as interest has greatly been generated within Miami since the recent article written by Miami Herald reporter Luisa Yanez, dated Monday 13th July, 2009 has once again sparked a renew interest within the public.

Present at the live broadcast from the studios at WZAB located in Coral Gables were surviving passenger Ron Infantino, who is affectionately known within the group as "The Commander" Beverly Raposa and Mercy Ruiz, both surviving flight attendants, flight 401 cabin crew and honorary member and renowned aviation consultant from the 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group and post crash site surveyor, formerly in the service of Lloyd's of London, Benny F. Benitez.

Those not present that day at the studio as a result of scheduling, but worthy of honorable mentioned were Jan (Minguzzi) Coviello, surviving passenger and the 2nd and currently the only other honorary member Catherine Smallwood of the Digital Aircraft Factory.

As soon as Chris Wolfe opened the call in lines, the phone calls poured in as far West as San Diego, Califorina.

The calls of interest from the public ranged from the personal feeling of each of the survivors to specific technical questions about the aircraft and its flight crew. Not to be stymied by distance and not being able to be physically present, honorary member Catherine Smallwood called in from St. Augustine, Florida to elaborate in great detail about the aircraft pitch hold and autopilot for the benefit of the listing public.

The group was able to convey to the listening public the goal of establishing a memorial / tribute to those lives that were lost and those that were touched by the lost of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 on that dark night within the Everglades back on 29th December 1972, the night in which fail safe failed.