PLANE SPEAKING
For airline industry executives, the gift of a model aircraft says, ‘Thanks for your business’
NEW YORK — In America, businessmen shake hands. In Japan, they bow. But all over the world airline executives engage in a greeting that is all their own — the exchange of model airplanes.
When airlines start flying to new cities, make deals with other carriers or finance new jets, these high-qual- ity models — typically one to two feet long — provide the perfect photo backdrop, can help break the ice or serve as a cherished “thank you.”
While a business card might be quickly stuffed away in some desk drawer, models remain prominently displayed on the desk of politicians and industry power brokers. Puerto
“It’s one of these gifts that people get and don’t put in the closet.”
— Jeff Knittel, who oversees aircraft leasing for financier CIT
Rico’s governor, Alejandro García-Padilla, has models from JetBlue, Lufthansa, Avianca and local airline Seaborne in his office. Each has established or expanded service to the island since his 2013 inauguration.
“It’s one of these gifts that people get and don’t put in the closet,” says Jeff Knittel, who oversees aircraft leasing for financier CIT.
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus took in 1,456 passenger plane orders from 67 airlines around the world last year. It also placed 30,000 of its own orders — for model Airbus jets.
Multimillion-dollarplane purchases are decided on the fuel efficiency of a jet, its maintenance costs, how much cargo it holds and how far it can fly. However, desktop models help start the conversation, says Chris Jones, vice president of North American sales for Airbus.
“Putting a model on the table won’t sway a deal but it might get their attention,” Jones says. After the sales pitch, the model is left behind for the most senior person. “It’s a little bit of a teaser.” Mark Jung shows off some of his model airplanes at Mitchell Field in Milwaukee. He says he has spent $45,000 buying model planes over the past 45 years.
The tradition of exthem in wind tunnels. changing model planes has Then in 1946, two workbeen around for decades. ers from the Douglas Walk through the headAircraft started Pacific quarters of any airline and Miniatures with the enrows of models — including couragement of the aircraft those of competitors — can manufacturer. It was right be spotted. after World War II and
Gerry Laderman, senior Douglas faced a major chalvice president of finance lenge in getting nervous and procurement at United travelers to fly. Airlines has collected his “They were tasked with fair share after 30 years promoting the romance in the business. There’s no and luxury of air travel,” room left in his Chicago ofsays Fred Ouweleen Jr., fice, so new acquisitions are current owner of the comdisplayed on the hallway pany affectionately known windowsill. as PacMin.
“I stopped counting after The company, based in 100,” Laderman says. “My Fullerton, created large wife doesn’t let me bring cutaway models that home models anymore.” showed aircraft interiors to
Model planes have their a public that had — for the roots with aerospace enmost part — never set foot gineers, who used them in on a plane. Those models an age before computers to would become a mainstay design planes and then test of travel agencies for de- cades.
Soon there was demand for smaller models that could fit on people’s desks and bookshelves. Today it is those models, scaled to one-hundredth of the size of a jet, that PacMin is best known for. The company focuses on the details — tiny instruments are used to apply decals by hand to each model.
“In the case of a fire, I think those would be the first things grabbed and taken out of the building,” Ouweleen says.
PacMin produces the planes for more than 4,000 customers around the world with the typical order just being a handful of planes. “A large order for us is 100,” Ouweleen says. Still, more than 15,000 models are sold a year ranging in price from $130 to $1,500 each, depending on the size, speed and difficulty of the order. Privately held PacMin employs 165 people and sees $10 million in annual sales.
Members of the public generally can’t buy PacMin models, although plenty end up on eBay, with sellers generally asking $200 to $400.
Mark Jung estimates he has spent $45,000 buying model planes over the past 45 years. He now has more than 1,000. A few are PacMins but many are more- affordable models made by competitor Gemini.
Jung, a former airline worker, now processes badges at Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s main airport. Every employee — those who work in stores, restaurants or for the airlines — must pass through his office to get their credentials.
During his 10 years there, many airlines have thanked him with amodel. There are now more than 100 in the office; others are displayed at the airport’s museum. (As a public employee, Jung can’t accept gifts; he just holds onto the models on behalf of the airport.)
Airline executives sit in his office, see the row of planes and ask: “Where’s ours?” A model arrives shortly after.
“It’s a really great icebreaker,” Jung says, adding that he tries to avoid making the badging process feel like a trip to the department of motor vehicles.
Even those in charge of a fleet of real jets like to collect the models.
JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes has 15 models in his office and dozens more on nearby shelves. They include an Airbus A330 that a sales representative for the aircraft maker once gave him. That particular jet isn’t in JetBlue’s fleet — yet — but the model remains in his office.