TINK THIESE 1948 - 1986 AIRCRAFT MECHANIC, LEAD AIRCRAFT MECHANIC ABQ ELP SLC Tink started with Challenger Airlines in 1948, and was with FAL till the end. He was one of our great aircraft mechanics. I remember seeing him in ELP, ABQ, and SLC. He spends his time now fishing, hunting and playing golf. -Al Kendell (10/15/03) Hobart Thiese DOH and aircraft mechanic seniority date of 4/10/48 on the 7/1/52 FL/IAM seniority list. -Jake Lamkins (8/31/07) Back in the late 1950s and early '60s, TWA's Station Manager was also the ABQ Airport Manager so they did as they pleased and the other carriers did as they could. But for some reason TWA chose to leave their Connie on the ramp at gate 1 overnight and let us overnight our newly acquired Convair 340 in their hanger. Each morning the TWA mechs did their pre-flight checks and run-ups at the gate. At the same time, we had to push our CV-340 outside the hanger and do the same thing while the plane was being fueled. Now, the TWA mechs were old heads that probably knew Orville and Wilbur and had worked together for so long they could just about read each other's minds. Normally, their routine was flawless. One would work the cockpit while the other did the ground chores. But one morning their routine was a tad off. The mech in the cockpit started all four engines as usual, but for some reason left the cockpit to attend to something in the passage way behind the pilots' seats without realizing he had not set the brakes properly. The ground mech pulled the front wheel chocks as usual without checking with his partner in the cockpit. Of course, the plane began to creep forward..... very slowly at first, then a little faster and a little faster. The ground mech had no choice. He had to run straight forward ahead of the nose wheel for there was no way he could escape the props if he turned to either side. The Connie was rapidly gaining on him and heading directly towards our CV where mech, Tink Thiese, was doing his thing in the cockpit and agent, Bill Schulte, was sitting on the wing fueling. Both of them saw the approaching Connie at the same time. Thiese rolled out of the cockpit window and dropped to the ground. Schulte leapt straight off the wing and both fled the scene in great haste. There was just one small low spot in the entire ramp area and the Connie's nose wheel caught a piece of it causing the plane to dip ever so slightly. However, it was enough to catch the attention of the inside mech who jumped back into the cockpit and hit the brakes. The old Connie squatted, then rocked back and forth a few times as its odd-ball "walking gear" was wont to do. Some said the Connie stopped 30 feet from our plane's wing. Some said it was closer to 20 feet, some said even less, but who cares. It did stop. -Mac McElhaney (8/4/08) I met a couple times with Hobart Thiese (Tink) and Angelo George, and talked with Tink this AM. He is doing pretty good and says that Angelo has moved to somewhere in Calif and is living in a rest home enviroment and likes it. -Gary Horne (2/3/09) FL Aircraft Mech - Tink Thiese Jake - Do you have any info on FL aircraft mech...Tink (probably a nick-name) Thiese? Was in ABQ then ELP (maybe other way around) then settled in SLC. Family friend -- encouraged me to seek employment with FL. Did so in 1967....interviewed and hired as sales rep in PHX by Paul Benscoter. -John Pappas (7/12/18) I haven't heard anything from Tink since his newsletter subscription expired in Jul 2014. His son Brent had helped out with that so I have cc'd him to this email. Maybe Brent could let us know how his dad is doing. Tink would be about 93 years old now if he hasn't flown west. I did a web search and could not find an obituary for him. -Jake Lamkins 7/12/18) Hello Jake and John Pappas. Hope that all is well with both of you. I am Brent Thiese and I am Tink's middle son. I live in Folsom, CA. I am retired from law enforcement. Dad still lives in the family home in SLC. He will turn 94 next month. He is in reasonably good health but does suffer from dementia. So, his short term memory and cognitive abilities are poor. Long term memory is better and I know he does remember his coworker Bill Guthrie. Mom passed some years ago and dad currently has a daily helper. I am flying in tomorrow for a 4 day visit. I will ask him if he remembers either of you. I am sure that he will remember John though although I had to think who JP was. Your family friend history brought it back. Jake, thanks for all your hard work on the FAL newsletter. John, my younger brother Mark lives in southern CA. Older brother Steve is still in SLC. Mark and I take care of all matters relating to dad. -Brent Thiese (7/12/18) Thanks for the update, Brent. I'll let all Tink's friends know how he's doing. Happy 94th birthday to him. Here's a Jun 1971 item about him. -Jake Lamkins (7/13/18) Hi Brent, Just a note to let you know I got your check and your dad's summer issue of the newsletter will be in tomorrow's mail. -Jake Lamkins (8/9/18) H M THIESE ABQ aircraft mechanic per the Nov 1955 Frontier Roster. H M THIESE ABQ lead aircraft mechanic DOB 8/8/24 DOH 12/9/48 per the Feb 1960 Frontier Roster. -Jake Lamkins (8/9/18) FLacebook - FL Club Tink Thiese Just got a note from ABQ SLC aircraft mechanic Tink Thiese's son who told me that he turned 94 years old yesterday and was renewing his newsletter subscription. Tink still lives at his home in SLC but isn't online. -Jake Lamkins (8/9/18) Send my best to Tink. We had a great team in SLC -Marlene Francis (8/10/18) Bill Guthrie One of closest friends. Fine man. Every time we fixed a very difficult problem he would say "once again science and technology has overcome ignorance and superstition." (8/10/18) “Tink” Thiese, SLC mechanic died Sept 6th. His full name was Hobart Martin Thiese. Obit in today’s Salt Lake City Tribune. -Paul Farris (9/20/20) Thanks, Paul; Just when I thought FLights West were going to slow down. -Jake Lamkins (9/20/20) FLacebook - FL Club FLight West: Tink Thiese TINK THIESE 1948 - 1986 AIRCRAFT MECHANIC ABQ SLC DEN https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/salt-lake-city-ut/hobart-thiese-9352001 -Jake Lamkins (9/20/20) Pam Coffman Ellis Prayers for his loved ones Pam Frank Corvelli My sincere condolences to family and friends. Bill Guthrie So sad to read this. I loved him like an older brother. He was proud of his sons. You have my deepest sympathy. Jake Lamkins When I got the news from Paul a little bit ago, I thought of you. I recall you telling me how close you two were. My condolences. Bill Guthrie Thanks Jake. One thing burned in my memory,when we completed a really hard job on an airplane he always said “once again,skill and engineering has overcome ignorance and superstition”. Ron Blosch My heart is sad!!! He was one of the great ones and I really appreciated all the time I spent with Tink and all the conversations we had. I know this world is minus a great person!!!! Ron Abfalter Really good guy. Cherylann Morgan Prayers for his family. Fred Watson Knew Tink when I was in SLC. Very good man. Sandie Gibbons RIP Mary Dipper Prayers for his family! (9/20/20) Stan Covington Knew Tink in SLC fun to be around (9/21/20) Bonnie Dahl Will miss you Tink! You were one of the good guys! (9/22/20) H M THIESE Emp# 08393, SLC MH DOB 8/8/24 DOH 12/9/48 Per the Dec 1970 Frontier Employees Roster. H M THIESE Emp# 08393, SLC MH Address in Salt Lake City, UT Per the Nov 1984 Frontier Employees Roster. H M THIESE Aircraft mechanic seniority date of 11/18/51 Per the May 1986 FL/IAM Seniority List. Do not know why Tink has so many differest DOH and seniority dates. I'll use the Jul 1952 FL/IAM seniority list date of 4/10/48. -Jake Lamkins (9/24/20) The youngest mechanic in the crew was Tink Thiese. He was several years older than I, but we hit it off well. He drove a blue 1939 LaSalle coupe which was in mint condition. We did some fishing, hiking, camping and played pool together. Tink seemed to enjoy the out-of-doors and was a fun guy to be around. He later was named director of maintenance for Frontier Airlines in Salt Lake City. Excerpt from Riding for the Brand By Lawrence H. Lee "Riding for the Brand" is the personal history of Lawrence H. "Larry" Lee, who started with Western Airlines in 1943 as a baggage handler, and worked his way up to Chairman of the Board. -https://www.scribd.com/book/370355393/Riding-for-the-Brand (9/25/20) FLacebook - FL Club Frontier Memorial Webpage Posted TINK THIESE 1948 - 1986 AIRCRAFT MECHANIC ABQ ELP SLC http://FAL-1.tripod.com/Tink_Thiese.html He was one of our pioneering mechanics from 1948 - 1986. Need some good pix of him in his Frontier days. -Jake Lamkins (9/27/20)