PSA-Oldtimers Reunion History
Back on May 6th, 1949, pilots Bud Plosser and Leo Leonard steered a
spluttering DC-3 full of passengers from the front of the terminal building
on the old Coast Highway in San Diego, lifted it into the air and pointed
it north. It was the Inaugural flight of Pacific Southwest Airlines
(PSA) and every employee of the company (all 40 of them) came to see
her off. Following a successful round-trip to Burbank and Oakland,
these employees got together that evening and partied a bit.
This wasn't particularly unusual. Airline founders Kenny and Jean
Friedkin started throwing parties for employees of Friedkin Aeronautics
back in the late 1940's. Not a whole lot of reason was needed for a
get-together. A party was their way of saying "Thanks for
a great job" and they said it a lot. Even when PSA was was new
and everyone was working long hours at jobs, they would pause occasionally
and get together for rest and relaxation. The employees were not
just a part of a growing organisation-- THEY WERE the organisation and
they got along so well they would spend social hours with each other
despite being shoulder to shoulder on the work line every day.
The result was an organisation that turned into a family whose members
still get together for re-unions each year.
The first of these outdoor funfests to start a string of annual get-togethers
by employees began in 1981. These re-unions became even more of a reason
to get together after the airline was sold in 1988.
Now, over 50 years later, the employees that WERE PSA, still gather,
even though this proud company is now a memory in the annals of aviation
history. These re-unions usually have been held in late September on
Mission Bay in San Diego, California and attract former employees from
all over the United States. No official count has been made
of these "Oldtimers" who gather but it runs into the hundreds.
Eating delicious food while swapping stories, laughter and memories
with their, still strong, family bonds.
Finding Us
This
year, for the 26th annual reunion, the picnic will be held in the Pavilion
of Flight at the San Diego Aerospace Museum. For detailed directions,
please follow this link to the San
Diego Aerospace Museum's website.
Bring the dish of your choice which will be shared for the Potluck feast. This is the only food allowed inside the museum. Plates, napkins and utensils will be furnished. This year, soft drinks and water will be provided. Coolers are still allowed, but no alcoholic beverages are permitted in the museum.
Please bring a dish to share if you wish to participate in the potluck.
We welcome any earlier picnic photos you can share for last year or any earlier years albums.
Once again this years registration will be at the first booth when coming onto the museum entrance. Be sure to sign in as this provides an opportunity to place a check mark indicating your attendance and make any changes necessary to your contact information. Wristbands will be issued at that time which also allow entrance to all the museum's exhibits.
Many people have asked to share PSA Memorabilia. This year we will have a few tables for anyone wishing to display or sell PSA Memorabilia only. A percentage of the profit will be donated back to the PSA Reunion fund. Each person will be responsible for their own displays.
The donation this year will be $8.00 per adult. These donations greatly assist us in keeping up with the cost of mailing, printing, city licensing, picnic provisions and other costs. This registration also assists us by providing us with information of those you know about who are not there because they have not kept us current on their whereabouts.
We are looking forward to seeing all of our old friends and memories of a great organization made possible by the people who made it great.