This collection of Ransome Airlines, Pan Am Express (PAE), and Trans World Express (TWE) records documents the three airlines from the initial establishment, through each transition, to the final dissolution. While not a complete company archive, the records provide a representative and detailed view of high-level operations at Ransome Airlines, PAE, and TWE through the activities of various executives. The collection contains the papers of five company presidents, three directors of finance, two directors of public relations, one director of personnel, one director of planning and administration, and one member of the accounting department.

This collection will be of high research value to aviation historians interested in the effects of deregulation, aircraft acquisitions, financial planning, company mergers and transitions, and bankruptcy. It will also interest labor historians involved in collective bargaining research.

The collection does not include materials related to parent companies Pan American World Airways or Trans World Airlines (TWA), aside from some TWA management summaries and operations staff meetings that TWE president Michael G. Robinson was involved in (these papers are in the Office of the President, Colleen Sheridan, Administrative Assistant to the President files).

The collection has been arranged into ten series: Administrative records; John F. Leonard and J. Dawson Ransome, Office of the President, papers; David E. Ferrucci papers; Michael “Mike” J. Mulqueen papers; Public relations files; Joseph “Joe” C. McGhee, Director of Personnel, papers; Rob A. Goldstein, Director of Planning and Administration, papers; Acquisition of Certain Assets, Pan Am Express, Inc.; Office of the President - Colleen Sheridan, Administrative Assistant to the President, files; and Bill Dominick, Accounting Department, files.

PLEASE NOTE: employees who were retained from company to company maintained their files and did not start new file arrangements. To aid researchers, the change in company name from Ransome Airlines to PAE to TWE appears before the original file title.

The Administrative records series is arranged into three subseries: Board of Directors files, Staff files, and John F. Leonard’s insurance files.

The Board of Directors files subseries consists of meeting minutes from Ransome Airlines, PAE, and TWE. It is not a complete run of minutes, but it nearly covers the entirety of the company from Ransome Airlines' planning phase in 1966 through TWE's cessation in 1995. The Staff files subseries includes all staff memoranda and executive staff meeting summaries. The all-staff memoranda comprise Ransome Airlines and Pan Am Express letters to "fellow employees," primarily from president J. Dawson Ransome. A few are from Maryann Ransome; later instances are from presidents John F. Leonard and William R. Lange. Topics include trends in the industry, financial performance, marketing plans, company updates, policies, and recent developments. The executive staff meeting summaries are Ransome Airlines executive staff bimonthly meetings dating from 1982 to January 1985. The summaries include brief updates about corporation objectives, crew base, maintenance, aircraft cleaning, personnel, productivity program/retirement program, finances, additional aircraft acquisition, and marketing. The John F. Leonard's insurance files subseries consists of Ransome Airlines insurance policies, certificates of insurance, and claims maintained by Leonard during his tenure as vice president of finance. The documents date from 1975 to 1982.

The John F. Leonard and J. Dawson Ransome, Office of the President, papers series mainly documents aircraft acquisitions through purchase agreements, bills of sale, change orders, financing and loan papers, certificates of delivery, and acceptance. The series includes the agreement between Allegheny Airlines and Ransome Airlines in 1970 and 1977, Susquehanna Airlines' acquisition and purchase information in 1985, and Pan Am Express' acquisition in 1991. There are some financial statements for both Ransome Airlines and Pan Am Express. There are also materials on Ransome Airlines' promotion program analysis, the employee productivity plan, the stock purchase agreement, and the private placement memorandum (drafts and final version). The papers comprise Leonard's files as vice president of finance and later as company president. Leonard likely inherited J. Dawson Ransome's files upon his succession as company president. The files are arranged chronologically and date from 1966 to 1991; they span from Ransome Airlines to Pan American Express.

The David E. Ferrucci, Executive Vice President, papers series consists primarily of correspondence with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by region regarding inspection, standards, certification, and violations. There is considerable correspondence with aircraft manufacturers' support programs regarding aircraft modifications and maintenance repair. Ferrucci maintained his own copies of the Ransome Airlines hanger project construction at the North Philadelphia Airport from 1979, as well as PAE board of directors meeting meetings from 1987 and 1989. There is correspondence related to Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport and with the U.S. Department of Transportation. The files are arranged alphabetically and date from 1979 to 1991; they span from Ransome Airlines to Pan American Express. The Michael “Mike” J. Mulqueen, Director of Finance & Administration, papers series consists of quarterly financial reports, an analysis of Pan Am Express, and the North Philadephia Airport evaluation; the majority of the papers concern PAE's financial reorganization related to its bankruptcy. The series is arranged chronologically and dates from 1986 to 1991. The Public relations files series consists of marketing and communications materials maintained primarily by Joel Dowshen (1944-), director of public relations at Ransome Airlines from 1972 to 1986, and Henry “Hank” D. Ransome (1947-), son of J. Dawson Ransome, who first joined the family business in 1981. He primarily worked in the marketing department and on several special projects, such as Tariffs Scheduling and the RNAV program. He continued with the new owners, PAE and TWE. In 1990, he became the vice president of marketing and passenger services at PAE. In 1994, Hank Ransome became vice president of marketing and airline planning. Richard Savage was the vice president of marketing and passenger services at PAE from 1987 to 1989, between Dowshen and Hank Ransome. The collection does not include Savages' files.

The series is arranged into four subseries: Promotional materials, Images and related documents, Employee newsletters, and Audio and video recordings.

The Promotional materials subseries consists of printed and published items, such as advertisements, brochures, flyers, press clippings, press kits, and press releases. Of interest are the Aerobatic Club of America Aerobatic World Championship programs, press releases, and photographs from 1970 to 1972 that J. Dawson Ransome competed in as a stunt pilot flying the Pitts Special aircraft. Aitkin-Kynett Co. was an advertising firm that Ransome Airlines contracted with for various newspaper campaigns. The subseries includes bills, reports, and correspondence from the company. There is one Allegheny Airlines annual report from 1969. There are some cabin safety cards from 1984 and 1986. The subseries is arranged in alphabetical order and dates from 1967 to 1995. Although there is material from Ransome Airlines, PAE, and TWE, the majority of the material is from Ransome Airlines.

The Images and related documents subseries consists of events, crew, aircraft, and facilities photographs, along with relevant press releases, programs, and correspondence. There are biographical sketches, speeches, and brief company histories. Notably, the photographs include J. Dawson Ransome, Maryann Ransome, their family members, and Ransome Airlines staff and crew. Many major milestone events are pictured, such as aircraft dedications, anniversaries, number-of-passenger achievements, Ransome Repair Services, North Philadelphia Airport hanger, and Mercer County Airport terminal opening ceremonies. Many photographs in this subseries that date from pre-1977 were collected for use in the tenth-anniversary book, the "Ransome Airlines Story," by Joan Feldman. The collection does not include the book itself; however, there are drafts and proofs. The proof contains images with captions. There are images and documents related to RNAV, MLS, and STOL. Ransome Airlines was the first airline to implement the revolutionary three-dimensional area navigation (RNAV), which was enhanced by the use of Dash 7 STOL (short take-off and landing) capabilities, and the MLS (Microwave Landing System). There are Ransome Airlines, PAE, and TWE images of aircraft and employee events. The subseries is arranged in chronological order and dates from 1967 to 1995. Although there is material from Ransome Airlines, PAE, and TWE, the majority of the material is from Ransome Airlines.

The Employee newsletters subseries includes newsletters, beginning with the first issue of the “Ransome Flyer” in 1975, through 1982. There are no newsletters for the year 1983. In 1984, the weekly newsletter, “Rabbit Ears” begins, which carries over until it becomes “Pan Am Expressions” in April 1986 through 1989; there are a few issues of the “Pan Am Clipper,” from 1988 and 1989; “TWA Skyliner,” from 1992 to 1994; and “TW Express” from 1993 and 1994.

The Audio and video recordings subseries consists primarily of audio recordings of radio spots for Ransome Airlines services from 1982 to 1985. The radio commercials are either 30 or 60 seconds; many advertise services from Philadelphia to Washinton, D.C. The audio recordings typically consist of several versions; many cassettes are not fully labeled. There are a couple of audio recordings of radio spots for PAE and TWE. There are a few promotional video recordings for TWE or the parent company TWA, primarily related to business-class travel.

The Joseph “Joe” C. McGhee, Director of Personnel, papers series contains materials related to labor relations, labor union contracts and agreements, personnel benefits, and labor law. McGhee served in this position from 1986 to 1992, working for Pan Am Express and Trans World Express. Ethel Boyd was McGhee’s predecessor in this position at Ransome Airlines, and McGhee inherited some of Boyd’s files.

The series is arranged into five subseries: Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) files; Independent Union of Flight Attendants (IUFA) files; International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) files; General files; and Grievance and arbitration files [RESTRICTED].

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) files subseries documents the process of collective bargaining or labor contract negotiation. During this process, the union submits a series of proposals on the employees' behalf. An agreement draft is submitted. The labor union and employer correspond concerning the draft, making revisions. Eventually, both sides will sign off on the draft, and a final agreement letter will be composed, signed, and officially published. The agreement letter, or contract, includes sections that cover pay, sick leave, vacation, overtime, benefits, and all policies and procedures. The materials in the subseries include contract drafts, final agreements, correspondence, wage rates, and pay scale analysis. A major issue between ALPA and PAE was compensation and seniority. As the regional carrier, the PAE pilots were paid at a lower rate than their Pan American World Airways counterparts, known as "B-scale." ALPA and PAE negotiated a promotion system that allowed pilots to go from PAE to the parent company, where PAE wouldn't lose too many pilots. Of significant interest among the TWE and ALPA materials are the Union Leave of Absence (ULOA) materials. The subseries is arranged chronologically and dates from 1983 to 1994.

The Independent Union of Flight Attendants (IUFA) files subseries contains primarily PAE agreements. There are some materials related to a Ransome Airlines agreement negotiation on April 1, 1985, and some correspondence between IUFA and TWE during the transition from PAE in 1991. The materials are arranged chronologically and date from 1985 to 1991.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) files subseries documents the collective bargaining or labor contract negotiation process for PAE and TWE. There is a National Mediation collective bargaining case document for Ransome Airlines from 1983. The majority of the materials consists of agreement drafts, drafts with comments, correspondence about contract negotiations, wage and salary negotiation data, and final agreements. The subseries is arranged in chronological order and dates from 1983 to 1993.

The General files subseries consists of materials related to benefits, reference materials, other labor unions, and financial reorganization papers from PAE's downsizing, beginning in 1989 and continuing through its bankruptcy in 1991 and transition to TWE. There are management and labor law bulletins and newsletters, information on travel schools, and PAE and TWE's thrift plan. The subseries is arranged in alphabetical order and dates from 1927 to 1993, with most of the materials dating from 1986 to 1993. The Grievance and arbitration files [RESTRICTED on 50-year time-seal] subseries consists of labor union grievances filed by unions on the employees' behalf, as well as arbitration documents. The grievance files are similar to human resources performance reviews or disciplinary documentation. An employee violated a policy and was cited for it, the employee disagreed with the company's action, and the union sent a grievance letter to the employer. The arbitration documentation often includes testimonies similar to depositions, briefs, exhibit evidence, correspondence, notes, opinions, and award letters. Materials from grievance files are often mixed in with the arbitration files or reused as exhibit evidence. The Systems Board of Adjustments (SBA) is the tribunal established to resolve arbitration disputes. The subseries has been arranged alphabetically by the union; the secondary arrangement is chronological to maintain the original order. The date the restriction ends has been noted in brackets in the file titles. The materials date from 1982 to 1994. There are ALPA grievances, primarily from PAE with a few from TWE. There are four PAE ALPA arbitration cases. There is a sample grievance and fact sheet for IUFA and IBT. One IUFA arbitration case became an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission case; there are two other arbitration cases with their grievances. All IUFA materials are from PAE. There are some PAE and TWE grievances from IBT. Most of the IBT files are from one arbitration case on TWE vacation time. The IBT materials date from 1988 to 1994.

The Rob A. Goldstein, Director of Planning and Administration, papers consists of analytical data and operational procedures, primarily for Trans World Express. Goldstein served in this position from 1992 to 1995 at TWE; prior to that he was the assistant to the president at Pan Am Express from 1989 to 1992, and manager, customer relations from 1982 to 1989 at Ransome Airlines and then at Pan Am Express. Goldstein received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Chicago.

The series is organized into three subseries: Presentation booklets and reports, Manuals, and General files.

The Presentation booklets and reports subseries consists of aircraft manufacturers' program overviews, informational presentations, and feasibility analyses created primarily for Trans World Express. The materials provide information about specific aircraft technical specifications, support programs, revenue enhancement, costs, and route analysis. The subseries is arranged in chronological order and dates from 1989 to 1994.

The Manuals subseries consists of Pan Am Express and Trans World Express manuals, primarily related to accident and emergency response drafts, revisions, meeting minutes, and the final manual. Also included are general operations, personnel benefits, insurance, and security manuals. Additionally, there are newsletter drafts. The materials date from 1990 to 1995.

The General files subseries consints of quantitative statistical data on traffic between cities, domestic passengers, market profiles comparative analysis, Other Air Line (OAL) revenue analysis, traffic data, and ticket survey data. Salomon Brothers, Inc. was a consulting firm that was hired to assist with business strategy. This includes financial and personnel information and draft reports. There are financial reorganization papers related to the 1995 bankruptcy and dissolution of TWE. The subseries is arranged in chronological order, primarily consisting of TWE papers dating from 1989 to 1995.

The Acquisition of Certain Assets, Pan Am Express, Inc. series consists of six volumes and a memorandum to volume one. They document the bankruptcy of Pan Am Express and the transfer of ownership of their assets to Trans World Airlines on December 4, 1991. The volumes contain copies of 166 documents that include notice of bankruptcy hearing, compliance letters to regulatory bodies, aircraft purchase agreements, bills of sale, titles, operating agreements, financing statements, invoices, contracts, leases, and assignment and assumption agreements. Each document has been classified under a heading. The headings have been listed for each volume, such as Consent of the Bankruptcy Court; Regulatory Compliance with the Department of Transportation; Regulatory Compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration; Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act Compliance; Transfer of all Assets; Transfer of all Aircraft Assets; Transfer of the Owned Dash 7's; Transfer of the Leased Dash 7's; Transfer of ATRs; Transfer of the Jetstreams; Personnel Issues; Consents and Certificates Delivered by TWE, TWA, PAE, and Pan Am continued; Liquor License Applications; Environmental Permits (Federal); Environmental Permits (State); Environmental Permits (Local); and Miscellaneous Documents.

The Office of the President - Colleen Sheridan, Administrative Assistant to the President, files series is an alphabetical subject file that Sheridan maintained on the company president's behalf. Sheridan was the administrative assistant to four presidents of Pan Am Express and Trans World Express between May 1988 and February 1996: John F. Leonard, William R. Lange, Jean-Marc Eloy, and Michael G. Robinson. She managed the company president's daily affairs and supported major executive staff functions. The person with whom the materials are associated is noted in the file title. The majority of the records belong to Robinson. There are chronological correspondence files for Lange, Eloy, and Robinson. Of particular interest are materials related to Pan Am Express' financial reorganization in 1991 and Trans World Express' attempts at corporate management and operations improvements in 1993 and 1994. The Bill Dominick, Accounting Department, files series contains performance reports, financial planning, payroll analysis, and financial restructuring. There is a user guide to the TWA mainframe computer. The series is arranged in chronological order and dates from 1986 to 1995.