Pan American Airways (Pan Am) Training Films

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of approximately 0.74 cubic feet of Pan American Airways (Pan Am) training and promotional films. Formats include large and small U-matic cassettes and VHS tapes. Titles include, "On the Town: Flight #1 Around the World from LAX;" "World On Parade;" "Roses for Routine;" "The Jet Age: 25th Anniversary of Pan Am Commercial Jet Flight;" "World Destinations;" "Pan America Airlines: Tradition of Excellence;" "50 Years of Transatlantic Service;" "Intercultural Communication;" "Welcome Home to America" (current events briefing for troops returning home from Operation Desert Storm); "Pan Am's World;" "Pan Am: Final Salute, December 12, 1991;" and "Pan Am and American Express." There are additional tapes including flight briefings and music themes, a resource tape, a tape of flight attendants modeling new uniform items, and passenger cabin announcements for US Airways (USAir).

Biographical / Historical

Pan American World Airways was active in the airline industry from 1927, when it established a regular scheduled international service, to its bankruptcy in late 1991. Pan American was the first American airline to operate a permanent international air service. From its first route between Key West and Havana, Pan Am extended its routes into the rest of the Caribbean, Central America and South America. In 1936, Pan Am inaugurated passenger service in the Pacific, and began service in the Atlantic in 1939. Pan Am started around-the-world commercial air service in 1947. Besides setting many "firsts" with routes, Pan Am also established "firsts" in the aircraft technology they chose, such as being the first to use Boeing 747s in regular scheduled services. Mary Mullany joined Pan Am as part of their acquisition of National Airlines in 1980 and was with the company until their bankruptcy. Mullany held various positions within Pan Am and was Director of Inflight Training & Development when the airline ceased operations in late 1991.