Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group U.K. Representative Mr. Nick Bavington Travled to London and Visited a British Airways L-1011 Simulator

The offical Lockheed logo for the Tri-Star L-1011 aircraft
Shown in all its detail is the Flight Engineers Panel of an L-1011 cockpit. This was the crew station in which Flight Engineer Don Repo manned and operated on the night of the crash
A clear detailed view of the First Officer control column and instrumentation. On the left side you could see the landing gear control panel with the gear lever and indicator lights

A total front view of the British Airways L-1011 "G-BBGQ" simulator which shows the center pedestal, throttle controls and both control columns, which were the subject for N310EA autopilot "Altitude Hold" being knock out when the pilot column was bumped by Captain Loft

London, England 2nd January 2010: Have taken an hour drive on the motorway from his home, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group U.K. Representative, Mr. Nick Bavington traveled to London to visit the Royal Air Force Museum. Nick is an instrumental and valued asset and member to the group, as he has helped forge links and communication with another Lockheed L-1011 group within the United Kingdom, as we refer to the Royal Air Force 216th Squadron who operate the L-1011 in an in-flight fuel tanker role.

The above pictures were provided by Nick when he visited the RAF Museum and had a chance to view the former British Airways L-1011 flight simulator.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Is Advised of Their Aircraft N310EA Flight Engineers "Engine Bleed" Contorl Panel Located In Germany

Shown is an exect close up of the identification of the flight engineers panel which shows N310EA serial number clearly shown is "1011" with an Oct 30th 1972 Lockheed inspection sticker

Shown is a complete L-1011 Flight Engineers Control Panel from a British Airways L-1011 Simulator from aircraft "G-BBGQ". The yellow arrow shows the proper location inwhich the "Engine Bleed Control" off N310EA would be located within the overall Flight Engineers Panel layout
Shown is an identification tag on the back of the Engine Bleed control panel with the serial number from aircraft N310EA "aircraft serial number 1011". Also present is a yellowish-orange circular sticker which shows an inspection date of 30th October 1972, two month before the ill fated flight of 401 on 29th December 1972

"CLICK ON PHOTO FOR ENLARGED VIEWING"

An aviation treasure to the folks at the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group. Shown is the Flight Engineers "Engine Bleed Control Panel" that was original to N310EA, salvage from the crash and found its way onto N318EA, which in 1996 was scrapped in Northern Germany and saved by Mr. Peter Trapkowski

Miami, Florida 25th January 2010: We at the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute wish to thank Mr. Peter Trapkowski from Germany for sending these wonderful photographs and to learn that a piece of N310EA cockpit has survived after all these years. The Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Trapkowski at the recent Miami Airliner Collectibles Show, which was held on Saturday 16th January 2010.

That is where the Eastern Airline Flight 401 Tribute Group learned of Peter extraordinary piece of history from their aircraft.

Peter advised that the above panel which was salvaged from N310EA was installed and placed onto aircraft N318EA for Eastern Airlines fleet use. Peter as an avid admirer of the Lockheed L-1011 was able to save this amazing piece of history off aircraft N318EA when the aircraft in 1996 was parted out in Northern Germany.

Royal Marine Insurance Group of Miami, Florida Assist The Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group To Reach Out Onto The African Continent

Shown is Catherine Smallwood support member and aviation artist for the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group with Mr. Jose Bello of Royal Marine Insurance Group a major aviation and marine insurance provider in South Florida
Mr. Jose Bello is shown holding a digital rendering of aircraft N310EA which contains the signatures of the surviving members that make up the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group and of which is being hand delivered by Mr. Bello to Mr. Mamadou Jaye, who was a former Eastern Airlines flight crew member and the Chief Executive Officer of Ceiba Intercontinental S.A., an ATR-72 operator based in Equatorial Guinea in Africa

Doral, Florida 18th January 2010: In a first ever for the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute, their presence is being personally hand carrier onto the African Continent, particularly into the African nation of Equatorial Guinea. This amazing feat and the assistance to accomplish it is being done by our friends at Royal Marine Insurance Group (RMIG) of Miami, Florida. Headed up by Mrs. Kareen Miller, herself a former Eastern Airline employee, RIMG is a power house aviation and marine insurance company which commands a large market share within South Florida and holds a Global footprint within the industry.

Mr. Jose Bello the Aviation Insurance expert at (RMIG) also a former Eastern Airlines employee is scheduled to travel to Equatorial Guinea on business. He is scheduled to meet with Mr. Mamadou Jaye the Chief Executive Officer of Cebia Intercontinental, S.A., the national airline of Equatorial Guinea. Mr. Jaye, also happens to be a former Eastern Airlines flight crew member and we at the Eastern Flight 401 Tribute Group understands that Mr. Jaye still holds a special place within his heart for Eastern Airlines. Through the gracious efforts of (RMIG) and Jose Bello, the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group, hopes to reach out to Mr. Jaye and Cebia Intercontinental, S.A. an ATR-72 operator for possible support and sponsorship.

The one of a kind survivor signed art print in which Mr. Jaye at Ceiba Intercontinental shall receive will place Mr. Jaye within the ranks with other top aviation professionals who have been honored by the group for their help through the rendering of N310EA, one such recipient is Captain Al Haynes from United Airlines Flight 232 Sioux City, Iowa 1989 crash, the ultimate in Crew Resource Management. This marks the continued global growth of awareness toward the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group. We looked forward to Jose report and photographs from Equatorial Guinea when he meets with Ceiba Intercontinental, S.A.

Eastern Flight 401 Tribute Group Attends and Speaks at The 2010 Miami Airliner Collectible Show and Conference

Visitors to the Eastern Airline Flight 401 Tribute Group are grabbed and riveted by the story being told. Shown is a well known and respected world aviation consultant, former Cathay Pacific B747-400 / B777 line pilot and Chairman of InterFlight Consultant Group (IFG) (center) Mr. Oscar Gracia. Oscar is accompany by his Son and Wife who runs and operate a successful Miami based aviation art gallery

Surviving Flight Attendant Beverly Raposa shares her story with the new generation of aviation enthusiast and very well a future airline / aviation professional. The Eastern Airline Flight 401 story is one that has not age boundary for their audience of interest, both young and old

Catherine Smallwood engages in conversation with Mr. Robert Christensen of AIRLINERS Magazine who like the Eastern Flight 401 is also Miami based. AIRLINERS Magazine interest in the history of the crash of Eastern 401 could possibility lead to a series of informative articles within the industry established publication
Support group member Catherine Smallwood speaks with Kevin Doran and briefs Kevin the December 29th 2009 "NBC Today Show" news airing of the Flight 401 Story.

Miami, Florida 16th January 2010: Despite the cold snap that besieged Miami since the start of the New Year, finally warmer weather prevailed and made for a great day for enthusiast, historians and fans of commercial aviation, airliners and aircraft's to come out and enjoy the 2010 Miami Airliner Collectibles Show and Conference presented and organized by Air72.

This event adds to the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group second speaking /presentation engagement so far this year. To date, this event marks a milestone in the group effort, as it marks the group fifth public event in reaching out to the aviation community, so as to be known for the effort that is being put forth, so as to establish a memorial to the lost of Eastern Flight 401.

The group as always made a profound presence and impact to those who met with them at their presentation table, as well as to the rows of the seated audience at their main presentation later that night. As always, the attending public, both young and old, seasoned aviation profession or enthusiast are captured by the story of Flight 401.

As the story is told by the surviving members of the Eastern Flight 401 Tribute Group and the myths and stories that have wrapped this event in commercial aviation are dismissed and the facts are brought forth, the public is both amazed and touched by the power that is the human spirit. The Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group would like to extend a special thanks and recognition to Mr and Mrs Chuck Padolsky of Naples, Florida for the generous contribution.

Benefits From Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Crash Resonates Through Out The Industry 37 Years Later As Evident With American Airlines Flight 331 Crash

The remaining hulk of what was once aircraft N977AN s/n 29550, as it rest inside a hangar in Jamaica awaiting final scrap disposition by Underwriters The difference of a mere few more yard who have resulted in the aircraft going into the surf and possibility resulting in death, as then passenger would have had to deal with the crash, darkness and water entry
The forward section of aircraft N977AN rest on a transport lorry, the plane classified a total lost by Aviation Insurance Underwriters

Notice the cured poor measure in which Kingston airport had employed from keeping an aircraft from skidding into the surf at the end of the runway, as evident by the yellow barriers, similar to the D-Day beach obstacle planned by Rommel. The above barrier would result in slicing up a passing fuselage.

Miami, Florida 11th January 2010: 6 days to the date of the 37 anniversary of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crash into the dark Everglades on 29th December 1972, passenger onboard American Airlines Flight 331 from Miami, Florida to Kingston, Jamaica crashed on a rain soaked runway during the night of 23rd December 2009.

As evident from the above photographs the aircraft a Boeing 737-800, bearing U.S. Registration N977AN, with manufacture serial number 29550, delivered to American Airlines 8 years ago broke up upon crash landing with 140 souls onboard.

But unlike Eastern Airlines Flight 401 the American Airline Cabin crew had one attribute that aided in all souls getting out alive! American 331 flight attendants had cabin flashlights to aid in guiding and seeking the passengers a luxury not afforded to Eastern Airline Flight 401 cabin crew members like Beverly Raposa, Mercy Ruiz and Patty McQuigg on that fateful night.

Aside from establishing Crew Resource Management "CRM" within the industry, the crash of Eastern Airlines 401 also gave and put forth cabin crew emergency flashlights into the passenger cabins.

So next time you fly on a commercial flight anywhere in the world and you glance over at the cabin crew seating stations and see the wall mounted flashlights thank all of those who died and those survived as your chances to survive an evacuation of a dark cabin was in part to Eastern Airlines Flight 401.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Presents Captain Richard Kenin USCG & Captain Al Haynes With N310EA Survivor Signed Prints

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Ron Infantino makes a few remarks and comments as he speaks about the significant of the special art work rendered to both Captain Kenin and Captain Haynes

Shown with Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Florida Commanding Office, Captain Richard Kenin are Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Support Members Benny Benitez and Catherine Smallwood, who presented Captain Kenin with a survivor signed 16 X 20 digital print of Eastern L-1011, N310EA created by Catherine Smallwood and the Digital Aircraft Factory
Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group Support Member Catherine Smallwood presents here creation of Eastern Airlines L-1011 N310EA to Captain Al Haynes in appreciation for the "Ultimate" application of CRM
The start CRM started with the crash of EAL L-1011, N310EA and the Ultimate in CRM with UAL Flt 232 DC-10, N1819U is the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group shown with Captain Al Haynes of United Airlines Flight 232 accompany by an official of the local Civil Air Patrol

Miami, Florida 5th January 2010: In appreciation for their consideration and time, the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute Group presented both Captain Richard Kenin, Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Air Station Miami and Captain Al Haynes of United Airlines Flight 232 with survivor signed prints of Flight 401 aircraft, Eastern L-1011, N310EA.

The art work was digitally created by the Digital Aircraft Factory a subsidiary of the Miami based 94th AeroClaims-Aviation Consultant Group. Under the technical and creative leadership of Digital Aircraft Factory Chief Aviation Artist Catherine Smallwood, N310EA was created down to its last detail utilizing Hollywood grade special effect software commonly seen in today movies to create the impossible.

Both Captain Kenin and Captain Haynes were pleased with such a special gift that commemorated the event.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401 The Start of CRM, United Airlines Flight 232 The Ultimate In CRM

The survivors of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 shown from left to right: Ron Infantino (surviving passenger), Patty McQuigg, Mercy Ruiz and Beverly Raposa (surviving flight attendants) with Captain Al Haynes of United Airlines Flight 232

Eastern Airlines Flight 401, L-1011, N310EA crashed on 29th December 1972, the crash that established Crew Resourse Management (CRM) and established an industry standard
United Airlines Flight 232, DC-10, N1819U crashed on 19th July 1989, the ultimate application In Crew Resource Management (CRM) that resulted in 185 surviving the crash from a total passenger and crew compliment of 296 souls

Miami, Florida 5th January 2010: The ability of the Eastern Airlines Flight 401 Tribute to have spoken about their experience to the air and ground crews at the 2010 Coast Guard Air Station Miami Safety Stand Up was owed to the consideration and kindness of Captain Richard Kenin Commanding Officer of U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami.

This opportunity gave the Eastern Airline Flight 401 Tribute Group the chance to meet an aviation professional who benefited from the lost of Eastern 401. On 19th July 1989 while acting as pilot in command of United Airlines DC-10, N1819U as flight 232 Captain Al Haynes and his crew were able to have 111 passengers from 296 onboard when the stricken aircraft crashed into Sioux City Iowa after sustaining a catastrophic number uncontained engine failure.

As the motto invokes, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 The Heritage of CRM, Captain Al Haynes on 19th July 1989, while pilot in command of N1819U on Flight 232 became the ultimate in applying what was started by the lost of Eastern Flight 401, Crew Resource Management.

Ironically, these two aviation lost established what could be called the commencement of CRM in the lost of Eastern 401 and the ultimate in CRM with United 232.