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Trans World Airlines

St. Louis volunteers preserve Trans World Airlines relic

Catherine Saunders-Watson
Catherine Saunders-Watson
Trans World Airlines
Lockheed 12A NC18137 at the 2007 Arlington Fly-In in Arlington, Washington. Built in 1937 for Continental Air Lines, this airplane was transferred in 1940 to Transcontinental & Western Air, who used it as an executive transport and research aircraft. One of its frequent pilots was TWA co-founder Paul E. Richter. His daughter, Ruth Richter Holden, acquired the airplane in 2005 and restored it to its TWA appearance. Photo by Steve Lodefink, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Volunteers are trying to ensure the legacy of Trans World Airlines isn’t forgotten in St. Louis.

KSDK-TV reports that several Trans World retirees are disassembling an old training simulator, one of the last artifacts from the airline’s glory days. The simulator located in St. Louis hasn’t been used since Trans World was acquired by American Airlines in 2001.

The St. Louis Lambert International Airport is donating the relic to the TWA Museum in Kansas City. The simulator was used for decades to help pilots and flight attendants prepare for emergencies.

Retired Trans World mechanic Greg Tyler says it simulates fires and turbulence.

Volunteers hope to have it fully taken apart by the end of July. The relic will then be reassembled in Kansas City to be displayed sometime next month.

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