Breech Academy
Encyclopedia
Breech Academy was a school operated by Trans World Airlines
between 1969 and 1988 to train flight attendant
s, ticket agents, and even pilots. It was named for TWA executive Ernest R. Breech
.
at 6300 Lamar Ave. to train women to be stewardesses and air hostesses. The academy was so popular that other airlines sent their own flight attendants to the school. Previously TWA had done its training at its TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building
in downtown Kansas City
.
This included intense training the flight attendants on food and beverage service and emergency procedures which included shimmying down a deflated ramp from 30 feet (9.1 m) to the ground from the plane's emergency door hatch. Not to mention the physical inspections which included weekly weigh-ins. There were modern classrooms, air-conditioned and well-lit with oval-type seating for the "book"-type learning.
Each "pod" had a sunken living room with 10 individual dorm-type rooms for two student flight attendants. These "pods" were grouped so that you could easily visit each "pod" while walking a full circle. In the evenings, many of the flight attendants in their "pod" would converge into their sunken living room to mingle with each other.
As flight attendants who graduated from Breech Academy, it was a sense of achievement to have graduated from the "top" flight attendant airline school in the nation. To this day, those who graduated from Breech Academy say that no flight attendant is as well trained as those who had graduated from Trans World Airline's Breech Academy.
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
between 1969 and 1988 to train flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
s, ticket agents, and even pilots. It was named for TWA executive Ernest R. Breech
Ernest R. Breech
Ernest R. Breech was an American corporate executive. Although he is best remembered for his work in revitalizing Ford Motor Company in the years following World War II, he served similar roles at Trans World Airlines and other companies....
.
History
TWA opened the academy on December 3, 1969, on a 25 acres (101,171.5 m²), three-building campus in Overland Park, KansasOverland Park, Kansas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...
at 6300 Lamar Ave. to train women to be stewardesses and air hostesses. The academy was so popular that other airlines sent their own flight attendants to the school. Previously TWA had done its training at its TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building
TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building
The TWA Corporate Headquarters' Building was the corporate headquarters of Trans World Airlines until 1964, when the airline moved its headquarters to New York City; the building is located at 1735 Baltimore Avenue in downtown Kansas City, Missouri....
in downtown Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
Training facilities
It was a "state-of-the-art" training school for flight attendants, surpassing any and all other airline schools in United States at that time. The training included being taught inside actual interiors of airplanes such as 747s, L-1011s, and others.This included intense training the flight attendants on food and beverage service and emergency procedures which included shimmying down a deflated ramp from 30 feet (9.1 m) to the ground from the plane's emergency door hatch. Not to mention the physical inspections which included weekly weigh-ins. There were modern classrooms, air-conditioned and well-lit with oval-type seating for the "book"-type learning.
Rooming facilities
The school was renowned for its flight attendant dormitories which were in "pods" with beautifully decorated themes such as "Africa", "Asia" and others country themes. In the African theme, there were leopard skins, bows and other African type objects on the walls of the living room "pod".Each "pod" had a sunken living room with 10 individual dorm-type rooms for two student flight attendants. These "pods" were grouped so that you could easily visit each "pod" while walking a full circle. In the evenings, many of the flight attendants in their "pod" would converge into their sunken living room to mingle with each other.
Graduation
At graduation for the flight attendants, the parents and visitors were invited to watch the graduation ceremony taking place on the school stage as the flight attendants accepted their "wings".As flight attendants who graduated from Breech Academy, it was a sense of achievement to have graduated from the "top" flight attendant airline school in the nation. To this day, those who graduated from Breech Academy say that no flight attendant is as well trained as those who had graduated from Trans World Airline's Breech Academy.
External links
- We will never forget - A TWA history site, includes photos of breech Academy