GOLDEN CONTRAILS MAGAZINE HISTORY
Golden Contrails Magazine was originally begun in the early 1960s as an "in house" monthly publication to keep pilots abreast of current policies and procedures system-wide. Captain Dick Grigsby had been chosen to fill the newly created position of Director of Flying (system chief pilot) and he quickly recognized the need for a line of communication with the pilots.
Since Continental's image was, at that time, centered around - "Golden Jet, Gold Carpet Service, Proud Bird With the Golden Tail," and the like, the name of the magazine Golden Contrails was a natural follow-on as well as an inspiration for the short poem, "Golden Contrails."
Dick prevailed upon Dallas Captain, W. C. (Dub) Ewing to do the art work of the heading, which at that time lacked the present Golden Eagles emblem and the poem. The concept never came to fruition and the project was eventually abandoned but the art work was saved.
In a 1990 business meeting of the Golden Eagles (formed in 1973) President, Captain Jack Alley, and other officers decided to begin publication of an in house pilots and retired pilots communications magazine. Since Continental had abandoned the original idea some years before, the Golden Eagles requested the proprietary rights to the name, Golden Contrails. Publication began on a quarterly schedule. Eventually it became a tri-annual publication which it is today. In all the years of publication by Continental and then the Golden eagles, the year 2013 is the 40th Anniversary of the first publication of the magazine.
Originally, it was a cut and paste, typewriter publication delivered to 125 pilots which over time developed in to a more professional and informational magazine. Today over 800 pilots receive the publication and membership is growing. In the 23 years since the Golden Eagles started publishing the Contrails Magazine its emphasis has been upon the welfare of retired pilots and a need to tell the history of the company. Indeed, the Magazine contains much of the history of Continental Airlines and the pilot group. Captain Grigsby (now deceased) retained a collection of every issue during his lifetime.
As 2008 came to a close Dick Grigsby turned over the responsibility of collating, editing and publishing the magazine to Past President of the Golden Eagles, Shaun Ryan.
Beginning in August 2009, the magazine became available in digital form (Adobe .pdf format) with the membership able to download the magazine from this page of Golden Eagles Web Site.
Beginning in 2021, the printed version will cease, and it will only be available online on the Golden Eagles website.
Beginning in September 2022, the Golden Contrails became a quarterly digital online system
Since Continental's image was, at that time, centered around - "Golden Jet, Gold Carpet Service, Proud Bird With the Golden Tail," and the like, the name of the magazine Golden Contrails was a natural follow-on as well as an inspiration for the short poem, "Golden Contrails."
Dick prevailed upon Dallas Captain, W. C. (Dub) Ewing to do the art work of the heading, which at that time lacked the present Golden Eagles emblem and the poem. The concept never came to fruition and the project was eventually abandoned but the art work was saved.
In a 1990 business meeting of the Golden Eagles (formed in 1973) President, Captain Jack Alley, and other officers decided to begin publication of an in house pilots and retired pilots communications magazine. Since Continental had abandoned the original idea some years before, the Golden Eagles requested the proprietary rights to the name, Golden Contrails. Publication began on a quarterly schedule. Eventually it became a tri-annual publication which it is today. In all the years of publication by Continental and then the Golden eagles, the year 2013 is the 40th Anniversary of the first publication of the magazine.
Originally, it was a cut and paste, typewriter publication delivered to 125 pilots which over time developed in to a more professional and informational magazine. Today over 800 pilots receive the publication and membership is growing. In the 23 years since the Golden Eagles started publishing the Contrails Magazine its emphasis has been upon the welfare of retired pilots and a need to tell the history of the company. Indeed, the Magazine contains much of the history of Continental Airlines and the pilot group. Captain Grigsby (now deceased) retained a collection of every issue during his lifetime.
As 2008 came to a close Dick Grigsby turned over the responsibility of collating, editing and publishing the magazine to Past President of the Golden Eagles, Shaun Ryan.
Beginning in August 2009, the magazine became available in digital form (Adobe .pdf format) with the membership able to download the magazine from this page of Golden Eagles Web Site.
Beginning in 2021, the printed version will cease, and it will only be available online on the Golden Eagles website.
Beginning in September 2022, the Golden Contrails became a quarterly digital online system