The EAL Radio Show

Neal is the Founder and Producer of the EAL Radio Show and Website from the mid 2010s to where it has grown, since it came online January 2011 to the present.

The broadcast began with a single member (Neal) until today's membership of listeners from zero to an average of nearly 1000 per Episode. His Radio Show members come from over 40 countries around the world.  Neal has written nearly all of the 344 scripts and programs and feels more comfortable writing than behind the microphone. Neal loved Eastern immensely and to that extent donates his free time to carrying the legacy to our future generation by broadcasting and hour Monday evening program and on Thursday afternoons, an half-hour program.

Neal was employed as an Eastern Pilot and began his tenure February 11, 1963 and retired March, 1989.  He flew the aircrafts: CV440, L188, B727, B757, A300, L1011 and had extensive airline experience and a great passion for flying. He was also the former Editor of the REPAtee magazine for the Retired Eastern Pilots Association for many years.

Neal holds a Mechanic Certificate and a Flight Instructor Certificate as well as the Airline Transport Pilot Certificate. Neal also owns and operate his own Real Estate business, St Johns Realty Group, Inc from his office in Ponte Vedra, Florida.  He is also the author of "Wings of Man (y)".

George was a member of the Eastern Employee Involvement Committee, and as mentioned above, their ALPA Committees.  He is an Author who had his first novel published in December, 2012, entitled "Flying Too Close to the Sun." Second, nonfiction book entitled "Final Destination: Disaster. What Really Happened to Eastern Airlines" was published on October 1st, 2014.

Additionally, George has worked as an Aviation Expert Witness for a number of law firms.

George joined Neal's Team of Hosts, and has been with him for over 6 years.

Charles "Chuck" Allbright served between 1963-1967 as a U.S.A.F. Mechanic and in 1979 until 2005 he was in the Reserves as a Mechanic and an Aircraft Ground Controller.  Pan American Airlines hired Chuck in 1968 as an A & P mechanic until 1973.

Chuck began his career with Eastern Airlines as an Overhaul Mechanic on the following aircraft: DC-9, B727, B757, L-1011 as well as the Airbus A300. He moved up to Tech Service Supervisor and then the RB-211 jet engine Overhaul Manager. 

Chuck worked on the L-1011 for over 10 years at Eastern. He was one of twelve (12) mechanics out of 4000 in MIA to qualified to test run and ground taxi all of the L-1011 in EAL's inventory coming out of the overhaul section in MIA.

Chuck received in 1976, his BS degree in Management at F. I. U. in Miami, FL. He served as a Federal Service Munitions Inspector from 1989 until 2005 .  He retired in 2005 and lives in the Villages, FL.

Chuck joined Neal's Team of Hosts, and has been with him for over 5 years.

Jim's other passion (as he hung up his small airplane goggles a few years ago) is hunting. Since 1971, Jim has belonged to the Eastern Pilots Hunt Club, near Atlanta, Georgia, where he and some other retired Eastern Pilots still smoke cigars around the camp fire and soberly tell the same old lies and stories over and over.

Jim later became active in REPA and The Silver Falcons servings both organizations in many offices, including multiple times as the President.  Since 2003 he has been the Editor of the REPArtee magazine for the Retired Eastern Pilots Association. Jim does a great job as Editor and we are fortunate to have him as one of our Guest Hosts, who brings his vast airline and life experiences to our team of permanent Hosts.

He still resides near Atlanta with his loving wife, "The Fair Miss Carrie Sue".

Michael D. (Mike) Scott

Michael D. (Mike) Scott is an "Eastern Brat" and proud to be the son of an Eastern  Captain,  B. Dale Scott who was employed at Eastern from Aug 1941 until Eastern closed its doors. Captain Dale Scott is well known to the Eastern Family.

Mike Scott was employed with Eastern Airline from 1968 -1979.  Mike was a 631 Eastern  Mechanic working at JFK and promoted to Maintenance Supervisor. He was also an Eastern Mechanic Lead , Maintenance Foreman. and left Eastern in 1979 to pursue his love of flying as the opportunity at Eastern at that time didn't arise and Mike's goal was  to become a Pilot. 

He then went to be Chief of Maintenance in Kuwait and worked as a Mechanic at Grumman Aircraft before he became a co-pilot on the B-737, then as a Flight Engineer, then a Co-Captain and followed by his goal to be Captain and Chief Pilot on the B-727.

Mike flew primary 90% of the time on International flights. He worked at JFK, LGA and EWR. Mike also flew the Gulfstream II , IV and HS-125 and retired  at age 75 on August of  2016. Mike is happy to say he is the proud owner of a 1933 Waco UBF Biplane based on Long Island.

Mark Porter is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at PA Coastal Airways Route Planners and Travel Company.

Mark has a wide background in the airline industry, and has been a Route Consultant since March 16, 1993 to present time. He studied at Flagler College and lives in Deltona, FL.

Mark is an avid Eastern Airlines enthusiast and loves being in the airline industry and has great respect for the former Eastern Airlines as well as encouraging the new Eastern Airlines in their goal to succeed carrying the Eastern Airlines name and logo.

Mark has graciously accepted to be our Eastern Airlines Reporter or as we call him our "Go To Guy" for keeping us updated on our Monday evening program with news of Eastern Airlines. As you may or may not know, the new Eastern Airline bought and carries the certificate of the name of our beloved Eastern Airlines as well as the logo.

Mark being the CEO of PA Coastal Airways Route Planners, takes great pride in providing airliners with unique routes since 2001. They work with some of the finest airliners in the world as well as Travel Agents around the country. Their company does an outstanding job of planning routes for Airlines as well as providing service to underdeveloped airports.

You may reach mark at this hyperlink:  PA Coastal Airways Route Planners.

Harry Lindquist

Eastern Airlines Pilot Crew Scheduler

February 1973 to August 1976

Harry Lindquist served honorably in the United States Air Force in May 1969. His position led him to working in a high-altitude photo reconnaissance lab, stationed at Yokota AB, Japan, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.

Harry’s tenure began at Eastern Airlines as a Ramp/Counter Agent in October 1966. He was promoted as an Eastern Airlines Pilot Crew Scheduler with a tenure from February 1973 until leaving in August 1976 to returning to college to pursue his education and receive his degree.

Harry followed college with 30-year career in the flooring industry. He worked for several major U. S. Hardwood flooring corporations until retirement. Harry then pursued another level in his career as an entrepreneur, opening an Independent Sales Agency around 2000. This position gave him the opportunity for extensive travelling mainly in the Southeast and Midwest United States, selling hardwood flooring to major flooring distributors. During those years, Harry was in and out of airports 2-3 times a month, keeping up with the aviation industry.

Harry has a wide background that touched living in a few states, such as Atlanta for 10 years, Chicago for 13 years as well as living in Murfreesboro, TN from 1994-2018. He and his wife were highly active members of their church during that time and volunteered their time in various efforts and activities there. Harry presently resides in Maryland with his wife since 2018, enjoying the closeness of his daughter and her family.

We welcome Harry to our EAL Radio Team of Hosts and to enjoying another member of our Eastern Family as Harry shares his memories of Eastern.

Dorothy C. Gagnon was a resident of Massachusetts where she began her 15-year career as a Credit Investigator and Loan Processor and then joined a high technology company also working a rewarding 15-year career in Human Resources. Dorothy accepted a position as Office Manager/Administrator for an entrepreneurial company in Boston, MA, where she worked with Principals and Prominent Governors of foreign countries, which broadened her business experience.

She relocated to Florida and met and married her husband, a Rhode Island man, a retired Systems Control Planner who enjoyed a thirty-year career with Eastern Airlines, and five years with another airline.

Dorothy then worked with a prominent new home sales training company where she brought her broad background in office management and client services. Her professional expertise with computer skills of graphic presentations and publishing manuals excels, along with the highest standards of perfection. She not only "Talks the Talk" but she "Walks the Walk."

She became a gourmet cook and used her expertise to create, write and format a wonderful cookbook that she self-published; “Dorothy’s Treasures and Hidden Secrets to Perfect Recipes”, along with another second cookbook due to be published soon.

Dorothy joined Neal as a Host in 2014. In addition, she was the former Editor of Keeping In Touch newspaper for the Eastern Airlines Retirees Association. She also managed, along with Neal, to hold the successful Annual 2016 EAL Radio Show Pioneers Reunion. 

Dorothy in 2015, was requested by Captain Neal to be the EAL Radio Show Webmaster for the EAL Radio Show Website along with the distribution of the Weekly E-Blast for all our Upcoming Programs. 

Dorothy was honored with this request and served at Webmaster, Host and Administrative Manager from 2014-2020.

James "Jim" Hart joined Eastern in 1957 at Hartford-Springfield (BDL) as Field Ticket Counter Agent with Hip Lloyd, Station Manager. He was promoted in 1958 by District Manager, Fred Blackwell to Outside Sales Representative serving the northern points to the Vermont Border and the Western New York Border.

Jim was promoted In 1959/60 by Vice President New England, Mr. Al Tirell, to City Sales Manager, New Haven, Ct. Jim was promoted in 1961 by Vice President, Marvin Byrd to Commercial Sales Manager, Washington D. C. (DCA).  Jim was promoted in 1963 to the New York Home Office by Vice President, Bill Morrisette to the position of Manager of Hotel and Convention Sales. He was promoted to the position of Manager of Interline Sales Programming, in 1964.

In 1965 he was promoted to System Manager of Passenger Relations where he stayed until his resignation in 1968 to join his family financial management firm associated with the Robert W. Baird Investment bankers in Milwaukee.

Jim is the President of the Palm Beach County EARA Chapter and has been a Host with Neal since the beginning of the EAL Radio Show.

Normajean Borger

Everyone has a dream and once I saw that huge red lettered sign "FLY EASTERN AIRLINES" at Miami Airport on 36th Street, mine was working for Eastern. I had to make that a reality not a dream…though reality didn't happen overnight. I began as a Secretary at Pan Am Airlines and was there 2½ years before fulfilling that dream and finally able to tell the world on August 31, 1964…I work for Eastern Airlines.

I was assigned to the Engineering Analysis Division of Engineering & Maintenance where 20-22 Project Engineers worked in our small group on several priority projects going all at the same time, i.e., one high priority of testing for the reliability of the JT8D Engines on B-727s to gain FAA approval, as well as the SST, and while working on a project for fabrics for interior seats, and other demanding projects. Our work was intense with these priority projects and every day we all were in and out of the Engineering Library, Building 22 where our other important group was housed, and time was of the essence.

Then in 1968 I was transferred to Sales and Services in Building 16, the In-Flight Department, working for Vice Presidents, Frank  Sharpe and Frank Williams, and with many other great people, such as Winnie Gilbert and Helen Bowen. Personnel at Eastern were always uppermost in their thinking and very aware of burnout, so they kept most of us rotated after 2-4 years in one area, giving us promotions, too. I then was interviewed as Senior Secretary to the Director, J. Robert "Bobby" O’Neill, who reported to Dr. Mort Ehrlich, VP Planning and Scheduling, and worked there from 1970-1977. They were a mighty force of 85 incredibly brilliant group of people who worked together. Then EAL moved the entire group to Miami where all of them loved coming to work in January…in shirt sleeves!

I had a 14 year career in Miami before life changes caused me to transfer to MCO field, where I met and married my husband, a Line Maintenance Mechanic of 16 years, though EAL frowned on us having the same Supervisor. So when Juanita, a dear friend from Tampa called telling me to apply for a new opening at TPA, I then became the newest TPA employee working at the Tampa airport which I loved. Everything was easy and don’t we all need "easy"…until July 2 1989 and my last day after 25 years with Eastern…tears flowed for weeks.

We are grateful our family persevered after Eastern closed as we moved to N. Georgia and a new passion and career began as a Master Gardener enjoying varied types of gardening. Once my husband retired we returned "home " to Florida, signed up for the Florida Master Gardener course and onto a 22-year career. I, too, am an 8 year volunteer at our local hospital and treasure the friendships and camaraderie there that truly enriched my life.

I have 2 amazing, responsible children, a married son and daughter, with values and integrity that led them to owning really nice homes, and giving me five wonderful, educated, talented grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Normajean has been one of our Hosts for many years and a great addition to our team.

Ken met and married his wife and they relocated in 1997 to Farmington, NM where he earned Commuter Captain while starting a family. During this time, in 1999, Ken lost his dad after a decade long battle with Alzheimer’s. He then worked a year flying for Alaska Airlines in Seattle, WA before his career was cut short due to spinal surgery and loss of his First Class medical.

Ken, while rehabilitating decided to pursue a career in nursing and earned his LPN degree, realizing his calling was serving America’s senior citizens. Ken’s mission was especially seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s and other types of neurodegenerative disorders. He worked nearly a decade as a Memory Unit Nurse Supervisor with expertise in behavioral modification and interactive care giving.

Ken is also an author and published his book “Remembering What I Forgot,” resigned his position in July 2017, and resides in southwest Florida with his wife, teenage son, and his mentally-challenged brother-in-law. Coming soon is a second publication, “Best Friends”.

Ken joined Neal's Team of Hosts in 2017.

Shea Oakley

Shea Oakley has been a commercial aviation enthusiast from childhood. He first joined the  World Airline Historical Society (WAHS) in 1983 at age 15 and in 1987 was co-founder of the Tri-State Airline Historical Society.

The following year Shea began the first airline collectibles show held in the New York area, “Airliners Northeast,” at Newark Airport. He has written feature articles on U.S. airline history for Airliners Magazine and is Book Review Editor for the Captain’s Log, the quarterly journal of the WAHS.

Shea joined the staff of the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of NJ in 2001 and since 2006 he has been the museum’s Executive Director of the museum from 2006-2018. His latest project is The Commercial Aviation History Consultancy, devoted to fact-checking and research for commercial aviation projects in every form of media.  Shea is  currently Managing Editor for the Captain's Log.

In the meantime you might enjoy an article Shea wrote a couple of weeks
ago: Go to: http://www.nycaviation.com/2018/05/the-wings-of-man-at-walt-disneyworld/43546.

Jeff Lewis

Jeff Lewis lives near Mulino, OR, and where he grew up in the 1960’s.

Jeff's Dad worked at Boeing, as an Ahen the SST project was de-funded, and he then found work as a senior engineer with Air Asia.[1] We lived in Taiwan for one year, then in Annandale, VA. Eventually, Air Asia was closed down, and my family settled in McMinnville, OR. Three years later, while my best friends headed off to Oregon State University, I went to Tulane. New Orleans was a great experience, but my favorite part was seeing the rural South, on orienteering trips to places like Mississippi and Arkansas. The flat swamps and sticky air of Louisiana made me appreciate the forests and hills of the Pacific Northwest all the more. I left Tulane early, took some time off from college, then came back to Oregon and finished a Geology degree at OSU.

After college, I worked for one year processing building permits at the City of Portland. I met many exasperated citizens, and I had a supremely lazy supervisor who said ‘hey, it’s not a problem unless you make it one.’ This was not the kind of civil service I wanted to do, so I quit. I hired on with the FAA later that year, and proudly began a career as an air traffic controller. Three years into this career, and just a month after I had married, I spoke up about an incident in which my coworker was watching a TV in the tower cab and nearly caused a midair collision. My doing so threatened FAA management, and I thus became a target for retaliation. The full history of that retaliation is a much larger story.

My marriage lasted fourteen years. My FAA career lasted 22-years. At this point in my life, a principal focus is to ensure that my three children will outlive me in a world that is healthy and good. I will do my best…

Jeff has a website and talks about Air Reform. You can see more of his website at http://aireform.com/.