The airline was established by Continental and
other regional shareholders in the former
U.S. Trust Territory and started operations on May 16, 1968,as
Air Micronesia, hence the nickname and call sign "Air Mike". Service was
started with a Boeing 727-100,
Ship
# 475, which was nicknamed "Ju-Ju," and a
Douglas DC-6.
It also operated two Grumman SA-16/HU-16
Albatross amphibians
to fly from Chuuk
(Truk) to
Pohnpei (Ponape), until an airfield could be built that could accommodate
the 727. The 727's underside was coated with
teflon, due to it having to operate oncoral runways.
Additionally, the plane had to carry spare parts and a
mechanic, as well as open-water survival gear and (beginning in 1975)
onboard doppler radar, then a rarity. The
airline also operated Boeing 727-100
Combi aircraft models which were capable of transporting freight pallets on
the main deck of the jetliner just aft of
the cockpit in addition to passengers seated in the rear compartment. By
1983 Continental Micronesia was operating all passenger Boeing 727-100 and
727-200 aircraft in addition to mixed passenger/freight 727-100 Combi
aircraft from its Guam hub.
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The First Hostess'es
"Graduation Day"
May 1968
"The Originals"
(Back row first right) Pearl Kelly
(Front row second left) Elaine Tomlinson
May 1968
"Graduation Dinner"
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"The First Crew To Fly"
"Paul Ekol" "Tiger Matthews" "Dave
Streit" "Pearl Kelly"
"Terry Togawa" "Joan Rikimesch" "Ray Brown"
1968
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"Elaine Tomlinson"
1968
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"Open water ditching training"
April 1968
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"Here comes Ju - Ju"
This is the first Boeing 727-100 to fly
Continental Micronesia nicknamed " Ju-Ju"
N 2475
This was the first jet to land on Truk
It was the biggest event since World War 11
1968
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DC-6 on Palau
1968
"Locals taking a tour of the aircraft"
"Customs and Immigration"
SA-16 on Truk
1968
"Tiger Matthews"
"Elaine Tomlinson" " Terry Togawa"
"Pearl Kelly" "Tiger Matthews"
"Pearl Kelly"
"Jane Walter"
"Jane Walter"
1973
1975
"Jane Walter" "Kathy Johnson Kernaghanin"
Narita, Japan 1981
"Jane Walter" (L)
Guam based crew
"Jane"
"Jane Walter" "Al Roberts"
Truk
1973
Jane with the locals
A busy day on Ponape
1974
Landing on Truk
1973
Alaska Airlines in Guam
"Jane Walter" "Rafaela
(Ruffles) Kazuo
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"Jack Painter"
"Steve Grimes"
747 Cockpit 1973
"Steve Grimes" "George
Diolake"
"Steve Grimes"
Saipan
"Majuro Runway"
Steve Grimes with Majuro Station Manager
Passenger boarding in Truk
Boarding area in Yap with the remains of N18479 in foreground
"Jimmy Hatcher Caught with the door open"
"Marilee Krinitt" "Lynda Hilbert" "Suzanne
Hendricks"
"Marilee Krinitt"
"Lydia Hilbert"
"H.H.Harvey" "Ed Brown" "Tiger Matthews"
"George Childers"
with the Chief of Yap
"Tiger Matthews" "Dominick Renda"
"Phil Yates"
Ribbon cutting first flight Honolulu to
Guam
1967
Captain "Lennie Sorrenson" - First Officer "Dorothy Clegg" -
Flight Engineer "Karlene Cipriano"
The first ever all female flight crew on a widebody DC-10
August 27 1987
"Tiger Matthews'
With aircraft feuler, Yap
1968
"Judy Wilmore" "Tiger Matthews" "Joyce
McCulley"
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"Tiger Gets Married"
July 4th 1967
"Sandi Gibson" "Tiger" "Sid Conrad"
"Elain Williams"
"George and Tiger"
Cargo Bay DC-6
"The Happy Couple"
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