UAHF Board of Directors, UAHF Alliance Member Presidents/Designees, Foundation Volunteer Workers and Guests at SFO Museum, February 21, 2008. Group photo includes Directors Tom Goodyear, Barbara Hanson, Ray Lahr, Georgia Nielsen, Patricia Dudley, Linda Farrow, Maribeth Kuhn, UAHF Alliance Member Presidents/Designees Cicina Norton, President, AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29011 at SFO, Jan Heistermann, President, AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29012 at LAX, Barbara Underhill, Designee for John Kensinger, President, IAM Local Lodge #1781 Retirees Association, Howard Payne, Designee for Mort Wax, President Retired United Airlines Employees Association, Larry Wright, President, Retired United Airlines Pilots Association, and UAHF Volunteers and Guests: Kathy Adams, Treasurer, AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29011 at SFO, Linda Davis, Retired Flight Attendant, UAHF Volunteer at WHQ-ORD, Scott Hull, Member IAM Local Lodge 1781 Retirees Association at SFO, Phyllis Jack, Retired Flight Attendant, UAHF Volunteer at DENTK, Karen Kitt, Vice-President, AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29011 at SFO, Edith Lauterbach, Retired Flight Attendant, Charter Member AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter#29011, Capt. Richard Kuhn (UAL-Retired), Aurelia Spence Luton, President, Clipped Wings, Dan Nielsen, Lana Phillips, Retired Flight Attendant and Charter Member AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29011, Carole Tye, Retired Flight Attendant, UAHF Volunteer at WHQ-ORD, Jerry Underhill, IAM Local Lodge 1781. Click photo for larger image.
The San Francisco Airport Museums hosted the United Airlines Historical Foundation on February 21, 2008. The SFO’s aviation museum and library opened in 2000 as part of the airport’s Master Plan. Located in the International Terminal this unusual museum and library is based on an architectural adaptation of the Airport’s own historic 1930s era passenger check-in and arrival lobby. The museum is dedicated to commercial aviation and the integrated history of United Airlines and the airport dates back to the airport’s early beginnings—a United route was already planned to serve Mills Field before the airport was officially opened in 1927.
The UAHF Board of Directors, Presidents/Designees of the UAHF Alliance, UAHF volunteers and guests numbering twenty-eight were met and greeted by the staff of the Museum. Morning refreshments were served at the main hall followed with a welcome by John L. Martin, Airport Director. Staff introductions and a brief history entitled History of San Francisco Airport Museums was given by John Hill, Curator-in-Charge of Aviation, and the specially designed group tour began.
After a quick preview of the main hall lobby of the museum the UAHF group ascended the wrought iron staircase to view the Aviation Library and Museum/Collections. The library houses over 7,000 volumes and an oral history program is included. Numerous airlines and related industries that have served SFO are represented in the collection as well as general aviation topics. Of special interest to the Retired United Pilots Association, a UAHF affiliate, were bound books of minutes from its organization. United Airlines has a presence throughout the museum but the large sized DC-3 model mounted from the main hall ceiling is one of the museum’s most dramatic displays.
A short, guided walking tour brought the guests to Terminal 1 where the Hats Off!! Exhibition created much interest. The exhibit included hats worn by stewardesses, hostesses and flight attendants from the 1930s to recent times. Displayed in three dimensional glass vertical cases the hats are centered in front of modern digital images that seem reflected on the background. The display includes hats from carriers serving SFO including vintage hats donated by Edith Lauterbach, one of the first career Flight Attendants to retire from United Airlines.
The UAHF guests were introduced to the AirTrain that serves SFO and took the five minute ride to the San Francisco Airport Museums Building. Off limits to the public, the facility houses collection storage and workshops for professional specialists and technicians who register objects, protect and conserve items, and prepare exhibits. Curators, conservators, graphic designers, preparators and librarians all form the teamwork for this unique facility. The UAHF guests were given special instructions on fabric (uniform) preservation and mounting for displays which is valuable for uniform exhibits. Other presentations included maintenance of objects, creation of exhibit materials, moving/transport methods of objects, using computerized aids in planning exhibits, graphic design as part of the projects and questions/answers were taken.
By noon the UAHF entourage was back at the SFO main hall museum where lunch was provided. A power point presentation by John Hill entitled Going Commercial: Increases in Museum Focus on Air Transport History concluded the tour.
UAHF Executive Board, left to right: Ray Lahr, treasurer, Barbara Hanson, executive vice president, Georgia Nielsen, secretary, Tom Goodyear, president and John Hill, curator-in-charge of aviation, San Francisco Airport Museums. (Click photo for larger image)
UAHF Alliance Member Presidents/Designees at SFO Museum, February 21, 2008. Left to right: Larry Wright, President, Retired United Pilots Association, Cicina Norton, President, AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29011--San Francisco, Jan Heistermann, President, AFA-CWA Retired Members’ Chapter #29012--Los Angeles, Barbara Underhill, Designee for John Kensinger, President, IAM Local Lodge #1781 Retirees Association--San Francisco, Howard Payne, Designee for Mort Wax, President, Retired United Airlines Employees Association. (Click photo for larger image)
