Jim wanted me to go back into Domestic Marketing. He felt that he had made a mistake moving me to the Pacific and Asia area. He should have left me in Domestic. I disagree with his premises. Based on what was available in the area, we had accomplished more than was possible. (Given the time and agency support the area had lost and right aircraft, the area could be had.) These decisions should have been made years before I came along, but were a vision of what was to come.

Because Jim wanted me back into Domestic Marketing, I agreed to the change, a mistake that shall be rued for a long time. I should have done anything but go back to Kim Still's group. First, he wanted my Directors title reduced to Manager and I refused. It was obvious from the start that he did not want me back into the department, and he and his compatriot, Ron Wasikowski, were going to make it a miserable experience. What I could not understand was that Jim Worsham was not aware of the situation that I was going back into and did nothing to get it resolved, so it seemed.

The first thing was to review the area that was handed to me, which was basically what was mine when I left. As a Director, I had two Salesmen assisting me in my area, John Affeltranger and Warren Willet. Both were fine young men with bright futures. Warren had been handling Northwest during my absence and would continue in that area. John handled U.S. Air, which was new to my territory, and Midway out of Chicago. Midway was now being run by David Hinson from West Coast Airline days.

There were some critical items on the agenda which had not been resolved. Hawaiian had become disenchanted with the MD-80 and its associated engine problems. They had signed an agreement with British Aerospace to replace the MD-80s with the BA-146, a four engine aircraft with 135 seats. Northwest Airlines was being romanced by Airbus Industries of France. Joe Lapinski was gone and Don Nyrop was not in the building anymore. Steve Rothmeier was President. Though Don Nyrop brought him into the company, he had no loyalties to Dons preferences.

Midway Airline needed an airplane to operate out of their airport (Midway) in Chicago to the West Coast. The airport had some specific problems restricting the performance of most aircraft. The MD-87 fit the bill and we were pursuing this direction with David.

It was not long after my return to Domestic Marketing that Ansett, the other airline in Australia, TAAs competitor and the airline that politically stopped the MD-80/87 sale, purchased the MD-80 for their leasing company to offer to other airlines. They knew how good the aircraft was and stopped TAA from purchasing the aircraft for use in Australia. Sometimes, I think that this was a peace offering to the Douglas Company, but it was too late to save my position in the Pacific and Asia Group. But soon, I was able to use these aircraft for another airline.