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Spirit
Restaurant – Miami, Florida (Now Closed)
It’s not everyday you spot a restaurant with a cockpit bolted to
it. In this case, this former DC-9 simulator is a sure sign you landed
at the Spirit Restaurant in Miami, Florida. The Spirit was founded by
former Eastern Airlines flight attendant Denise Noe in 1992 to honor Eastern
and it’s people. At the airline’s demise in 1991, Denise purchased
a vast collection of memorabilia including models, posters, seats, china,
glasses, seemingly everything that wasn’t an actual plane itself.
This vast collection, not just limited to the restaurant, was possibly
the largest collection of Eastern memorabilia anywhere. The upstairs bar
was dedicated to the memory of National and Pan Am. Ex-Eastern and Pan
Am employees met weekly at the Spirit, adding to the wonderment of the
place. Oh, and the excellent cuisine was anything but “airplane
food”.
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Seats
The Spirit has a vast collection of seats, 70s and 80s vintage first
class and coach, scattered around the restaurant. You do eat off tables,
not trays.
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  Luggage
Tag Tables
Many of the tables have wonderful collages under glass. It’s not uncommon
for people to walk around staring at the tables. |
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Eastern DC-8 Series
61
Eastern was the launch customer for the stretch DC-8-61 in 1966/67. EA flew
them until they began to be replaced in the early 80’s by A-300’s.
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Eastern DC-3
Captain Eddie ordered the venerable DC-3 which flew from 1936-51 for the
airline. |
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Eastern DC-10
For a short time, EA operated the DC-10 in the mid 80s for it’s “Golden
Falcon” service from Miami to London. |
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Eastern 747
Eastern operated 4 747-100s, leased from TWA, from 1970-73. The Jumbos were
bought direct from Boeing, immediately sold to TWA, and leased back to EA.
Like fellow TriStar launch customer Delta, Eastern operated 747s until the
arrival of the delayed Tri-Star in 1973. The 747s mainly served JFK-Miami
and JFK-San Juan. |
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 Eastern
L-1011
Up until it’s demise in 1991, Eastern was the largest L-1011 operator
in the world. EA was the first operator of this advanced widebody, launching
service in 1973. |
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  Eastern
727-100
Eastern was the world’s first operator of the Boeing 727, in February
1964. The airline was also the first to begin retiring them in favor of
the Boeing 757. |
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Eastern 757-200
In January 1983, Eastern became the launch customer for the Boeing 757.
Early examples off the line featured the “757” logo on the tail.
EA was an equipment trendsetter at the time, launching the L-1011, 727,
757, and Airbus A300 in the U.S. |
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 Eastern
Boeing SST
This is an ultra rare model of the U.S. SST which was cancelled in 1971
after only a wood mach-up was built. The SST was much longer than the
Concorde and was designed to fly much higher and faster than the Concorde.
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Eastern Curtis Mail
Wing
Eastern started in 1927 with the Curtis Mail Wing under the banner of Picairn
Aviation. |
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Eastern L-649 Constellation
This late 1940’s vintage shows a Connie cruising over the downtown
Miami skyline. Note the backlit windows and glowing red beacon of the Miami
Court House. |
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Captain Eddie Rickenbacker
A company commissioned painting
of the curmudgeonly yet legendary founder of Eastern Airlines surrounded
by ads, memorabilia, and stock certificates. |
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Aeroflot L-1011
Aeroflot never flew Tri-Stars making this oddly obscure model a standout. |
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Pan Am / National Upstairs
Bar
Miami’s other hometown airlines, National and Pan Am, are honored
in the upstairs bar with models, posters, seats, and memorabilia. |
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