Our PDF archive of Reflections back issues will be housed here for your reading and research enjoyment.
2024 ISSUES:
- September – Volunteer Carol Hall’s new book about her experiences as a Northwest flight attendant in the 1960s, the conclusion of the 70th-anniversary retrospective of Mesaba and an interview with founder Gordon Newstrom, remembering founding director Bill Marchessault, visit to Kansas City for Airliners International and the TWA Museum.
- June – Part 2 of the 70th-anniversary retrospective of Mesaba, reviewing the Airlink and AirTran years of 1984-1999. Interview with new board member Jayne Stenstad, and volunteer spotlight on Ron Tarvin and Gail Diercks. Behind-the-scenes look at exhibit improvements at the museum, with never-before-shown uniform sets. NWAHC mentions in Propliner and Airways magazines; new elements on the NWAHC website; new-museum development and survey updates; and a rare photo from 1926 of a Curtiss Oriole has been found.
- March – Part 1 of a 70th-anniversary retrospective of Mesaba Airlines, focusing on service from its founding up to the point of becoming a Northwest Airlink partner. Background discussion on the organization’s updated mission and vision statements, museum visits, Capt. Fountain’s interview by KMSP TV, PBS’ American Experience features NWA FA Mary Pat Laffey Inman, (re)introduction to Board member Chuck Huntley, interview with safety-card collector Jason Zessin.
2023 Issues:
- March – A brief retrospective of 747 services to mark Boeing’s conclusion of producing the model, plus route maps showing the variety of points the 747 served. A memoriam to MSP aviation organizer Bill Rosenbloom, discussion of NWAHC social media accounts, introduction to new Board member Bill Flatley, fallout from Amazon’s suspension of charitable donations, MSP Airport wins a service award, discovering a Northwest logo from 1926 prior to passenger service, and our first Pacific Airlines Portfolio recollection about Captain Jimmy Douglass
- June – Update on progress toward a permanent museum at the Flying Cloud Airport, a review of non-rev dress codes over time, notes on Donor Advised Funds as a charitable giving strategy, celebrating with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Aviation Spotting Facebook group, dedication of the Flight 293 memorial in Washington State, introduction to new Board member Kimm Viebrock, and a Pacific Airlines Portfolio recollection with Bill Dellinges
- September – 1972 merger plan with National, introduction to new Board member Tim Haskin, Sustainable Aviation Fuel research in Minnesota, and a Pacific Airlines Portfolio recollection with Jack Ferrer, Jr.
- December – “Paper Airplanes” – aircraft that Northwest was involved at early stages of development that did not come to market or came too late for NWA to fly; recap of the 2023 MSP Aviation Collectibles show, new museum architecture and fundraising update, a Pacific Airlines Portfolio recollection with Dan Veenstra, and a holiday-season gift guide for the NWAHC’s online store, shop.northwestairlineshistory.org
2022 Issues:
- March – 80th anniversary of NWA’s “Northern Division” World War II airway to Alaska, part 2 of the “Imperial Eagle” logo review, discussion about philanthropy and planned giving, sneak peek of merchandise on the Museum’s new e-commerce site
- June – Commemorating 75th anniversary of Northwest’s first passenger flight to Asia, plus new merchandise for the 75th trans-Pacific anniversary; charitable contribution rules for 2022, Museum is featured on KSTP-TV segment, world’s final passenger Convair 580 flight has a Republic connection, 1963 NWA logo review
- September – A 50th anniversary retrospective of DC-10 service with Northwest, visit to Milwaukee’s Mitchell Gallery of Flight, former Duluth maintenance base sold to Cirrus Aircraft, wish list for expanding the NWAHC Board of Directors, thoughts and photo illustrations of what a proposed permanent museum home at Flying Cloud Airport would include
- December – Reviewing the proposed 1972 merger between NWA and Northeast, anniversary screening of the movie “Airport,” balancing taxes and investments to achieve charitable giving goals, recap of the October 2022 MSP Airliner show, West Coast’s brief order for the Fairchild F-228 Regional Jet, and a holiday-season gift guide for the NWAHC’s online store, shop.northwestairlineshistory.org
2021 Issues:
- March – Reviewing the proposed 1952 merger between NWA and Capital, NWA logo history part 2, Lockheed 10A Electra photos from Northwest and Wisconsin Central
- June – Changes in play to our museum’s hotel home, Walter Mondale’s service to aviation and Northwest, Huntsville airport expansion, IAM Local 1833 Retired Members club dissolves, MSP Airport’s new interactive light sculpture, Bonanza’s ill-fated attempt to order the BAC 1-11 jet, rollout of the NW 1948 logo
- September – Reflection of the September 11, 2001 attacks and how NWA responded, NWAHC hires Access Philanthropy for development consulting, E-commerce is on its way, Update on hotel and other construction near the Museum, Photo essay of museum exhibits at the Phoenix airport
- December – Our D.B. Cooper issue! We share how we helped Marvel TV with the first episode of their “LOKI” series, review their visual depictions of the hijacking’s events, and discuss a new scholarly book about the incident where we gave technical advice. Plus, photos of the 2021 MSP Airliner Show, a visit by the Civil Air Patrol, part 1 of the “Imperial Eagle” logo review, and an exciting story about an icy winter landing in Korea by Captain Bill Atkins.
2020 Issues:
- March – Farewell to Tokyo Narita Airport, Anthony Licktieg-Carter video shoot, Flight 2501 “Expedition Unknown” premiere, MBAA Winterfest 2020, Losing Face: The Shame Game, Museum of Aeronautical Sciences at Narita, Martin 202 emergency landing
- June – Ground Stop, 1/400 model of MSP Airport, 50th anniversary of 747 introduction, MSP Gold Concourse construction, Don Gardner interview (DGPilot.com), Gary Tinnes interview (Final Destinations videos)
- September – Presidential campaign charters, Museum reopens, Aircraft Photo Gallery, Final Appeal of the Top Banana
- December – Present Tense – planning NWAHC’s future, Mike Vetter interview, NWA logo history part 1, Wisconsin Central Memories from the Hal N. Carr Collection, Interview – Tim Haskin of Airline Time Machine
2019 Issues:
- March – MSP’s first Transpacific nonstop flights, changes to the former Japan network, 45th anniversary of the Spokane World’s Fair, WorldPlane center spread
- June – The First Modern Merger: Republic Airlines’ 40th birthday, Irwin Jacobs obituary, Eglin / Ft. Walton Beach terminal growth, Convairs replace Metroliners on Southern’s system, “The Roach Coach”
- September – Crossroads: Memphis hub retrospective, Delta’s post-Narita plans, KLM/NWA Alliance DC-10
- December – Bill Atkins’ safety light, remodeling of Sea-Tac gates, NWAHC in focus, Hong Kong tram advertising
2018 Issues:
- March – The Queen of the Skies: 747 personal retrospectives, Delta 747 farewell tour, profiles of Zimmerly, Empire, and West Coast Airlines, Wings for the Stars Part 3
- June – Northwest Airlines on the home front during World War II, Accounts Payable Department, Air West and Howard Hughes profile, Wings for the Stars Part 4
- September – Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, Fashion Runway show, end of Hong Kong service, Atkins’ demonstrator model restoration, Convair 340 center spread
- December – Supersonic Speculation, Ceilometer weather instrumentation
2017 Issues:
- March – Doolittle Raiders, Hotel remodeling scrapbook, Johannes Allert interview, Display planning for new museum, Flight Path Museum in Los Angeles, Underwear Bomber
- June – Wings for the Stars Part 1, Museum planning, Non-rev cargo travel memory, Hans Mueller photography review, 747-400 Airloom Project at the Delta Flight Museum
- September – Opening of the Crowne Plaza Aire museum site, RNPA grant, Chuck Huntley interview
- December – Anne Kerr remembrance, MSP collectibles show review, celebrating the new museum space, Southwest Airways profile, Wings for the Stars Part 2
2016 Issues:
- March – The Convairs, NWAHC Recurrent Training, Don Berg 1952 Japan survey flight photos, Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field, Airline Stockholder Conference Call terms, North Central Convairs fleet list and disposition
- June – The life of Grace Cary Nyrop, Polly Harlan and Lee Viertel, Nyrop memorial sculptures dedicated, C.R. Smith Museum, Bonanza Airlines profile, Glory Lost and Found book review
- September – Founding Fathers: how NWA was created, Chuck Huntley introduction, MSP Delta Block Party, Work of the Museum Continues
- December – NWA Corporate Communications in the 1990s-2000s, MSP Airliner Show photos, December employee publication snippets, Aviation Heritage Center of Wisconsin
2015 Issues:
- March – Chasing Herman: Arthur Na road trip to North Central northern airports, Moving to a new Museum Q&A, Jay Harrington and Joe Callaci tributes, Food in the Air and Space book review, Nothing Stood in Her Way book review
- June – Relocation to Appletree Square museum location photo gallery, Delta Flight Museum, NWA Disaster Relief Mission
- September – Opening of Appletree Square museum location, NWA at Centennial Lakes Park, Anne Kerr at Airliners International 2015, Michigan Maritime Museum (Flight 2501), NWA DC-10 converted to aerial water bomber
- December – The Branding of Northwest Airlines (Compass logo and 2003 redesign), Chris Bidlack interview, MSP Airline Show review, Gunfire and Silence book review
2014 Issues:
- March – The brief presidency of Harold Harris, Delta retires its last DC-9s, Carolinas Aviation Museum, NWA White House press charters (Clinton era), AirSpace Minnesota Go Boldly Challenge, Helen Jacobson Richardson memoriam
- June – “Beach Issue” – Summer reading list, “Lost Twin Cities” video recording, Groups visit the NWAHC, Embedded Marketing at Northwest Airlines
- September – Red and Dorothy Sutter memoir, Anne Kerr Lady Skywriter Q&A, Summer activity photos, Crew Scheduling at Northwest, Arlington National Cemetery
- December – Norm Midthun biography, Fall 2014 activities review, the world of Northwest on Facebook
2013 Issues:
- March – Bryan Moon interview, Anne Kerr retirement, Republic Airlines Story book review, Henry Ford Museum
- June – Casimir Falenczykowski memories, Volunteer operations at the Museum, TWA Museum in Kansas City, Minnesota History Center
- September – Northwest 714 hijacking, interview with Dominic Grima and Jonah Robles, Gail Diercks salute, Ford Tri-Motor Air Travel Experience, Gala opening for COOPER, review of Fatal Crossing (Flight 2501)
- December – Martin 202 retrospective, MSP Airliner Show review, launch of Non-Stop, review of Flight of Gold, Where did the “Orient” go?, Working the Phones in Reservations, Joe Kimm memoriam, National Air & Space Museum
2012 Issues:
- January – Payday 1932, Wayne Snyder interview, Pembina N.D., NW Flight School, San Fukai interview, 1929 Mounds Park (St. Paul) Tri-Motor crash
- March – NWA Military Charter history, Vince Rodriguez interview
- June – David Behncke retrospective, Steve Marks interview, Dave Galbraith interview
- September – Campbell Mithun advertising retrospective, the DC-7 that got away, Bill Rataczak recollection of the D.B. Cooper hijacking
- December – Pete Patzke retrospective, NWAHC 10th anniversary, Jerry Nielsen interview, John Peterson memorial, Carol Cansdale retirement
2011 Issues:
- March – Joyce & Chris Norvald interview, Kevin Sliwinski interview
- June – DC-9-40 Gunnar Viking, Laureen Darling Japan dispatches, Bill Marchessault interview, DC-9 retirement ferry flight
- August – Coffee & Conversation, Al Johnson retrospective
- October – 1942 Mod Center, Harry Chin Mod Center stories, Joe Kimm Pembina snow story, “Style in the Aisle”
2010 Issues:
- March – Fargo overflight, NWA radio operators, Phyllis Curry – Orient Route Pioneer
- June – Nelson, B.C. 1935 crash, Bob Johnson interview, Mal Freeburg Day
- September – “The Thursday Gang”, Pete Patzke interview, Bill Klotz interview, Mal Freeburg
- October– Donald Nyrop retrospective, Fay Kulenkamp interview
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