PAN AM AIRLINES

PAN AM started life in 1927 as Pan American Airways flying air mail. Flying boats were used to link the US with South America and then over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans using Martin 130 and Boeing 314 flying boats. Douglas DC-6Bs, DC-7s and Boeing 377 Stratocruisers were used on the post-war London Heathrow services.
These were replaced in 1958 when Pan American World Airways took delivery of the new Boeing 707-120 long-range jets. These proved inadequate to long-haul flights and were quickly replaced by 707-320Cs and DC8-30s.
In 1967 Boeing 727-100s were introduced and later used on the London-Germany route. A large fleet of Boeing 747s were introduced by the 1970s, the first flight into Heathrow by PAN AM 'Jumbo' happening on 22 January 1970. The late 1970s saw the Boeing 737 on the London route along with L1011 Tristars and 727-200ADVs. DC10-10s from the US carrier, National Airlines were used mainly on charter flights into London Gatwick. Airbus A310s were used between Heathrow and the US mainland during the mid/late 1980s.

In the early 1980s a new livery was introduced with a large PAN AM title across the side of the aircraft. Some 747s also experimented with the old cheatline but the cheatline was finally lost with the A310 aircraft having an all white fusalage. The age-old PAN AM globe logo was kept on the fin throughout it's history and was enlarged with the new livery.
Toward the end of it's existence PAN AM tried several different liveries, mainly on their 747 fleet, standardizing on one with a huge PAN AM title with no cheatline and a larger PAN AM globe logo on the fin. In 1991 the airline went into liquidation after years of financial problems and it's Heathrow routes were aquired by United Airlines and Delta Airlines ending an era at Heathrow as Pan American were at Heathrow at it's opening after the war.
PAN AM restarted operations but that failed. A third airline using the PAN AM logo and identity is now about to start flights using Boeing 727-200 jets with winglets. PAN AM has been one of the world's great airlines.

BOEING 717 AIRCRAFT

The Boeing 717 is a twin-engine, single-aisle jet airliner, developed for the 100-seat market. The airliner was designed and marketed by McDonnell Douglas as the MD-95, a third-generation derivative of the DC-9.
The first order was placed in October 1995; however, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing merged in 1997 prior to production. The first planes entered service in 1999 as the Boeing 717. Production ceased in May 2006 after 156 units were produced.
Development
BackgroundDouglas Aircraft developed the DC-9 to be a short-range companion to their larger four engined DC-8 in the early 1960s. The DC-9 was an all-new design, using two rear fuselage-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines, a small, highly efficient wing, and a T-tail. The DC-9 first flew in 1965 and entered airline service later that year. When production ended in 1982 a total of 976 DC-9s had been produced.
The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series was introduced into airline service in 1980. The design was second generation of the DC-9. It was a lengthened DC-9-50 with a higher maximum take-off weight (MTOW) and higher fuel capacity, as well as next-generation Pratt and Whitney JT8D-200 series engines. Nearly 1,200 MD-80s were delivered from 1980 to 1999.
The MD-90 was developed from the MD-80 series. It was launched in 1989 and first flew in 1993. The MD-90 was longer, and featured a glass cockpit and more powerful, quieter, fuel efficient V2525-D5 engines, with the option of upgrading that to a V2528 engine. However, the MD-90 was not considered a success with only 117 aircraft sold.
MD-95The MD-95 was initially announced in 1991, as the MD-87-105, a shortened, 105-seat version of the MD-80 series. It was developed to satisfy the market need to replace early DC-9 models, then approaching 30 years old. The MD-95 project was a complete overhaul of the system, going back to the original DC-9-30 design and reinventing it for modern transport with new engines, cockpit and other more modern systems. Historically, aircraft shrinks have sold poorly, examples of such aircraft in addition to the MD-87 include the Boeing 747SP, Boeing 737-600, Airbus A318, and Airbus A340-200. The MD-95 is not a shrink of the MD-80/MD-90 series, but a modernized version of the DC-9-30.
The "MD-95" name was selected to reflect the anticipated launch year, but McDonnell Douglas could not find a willing launch customer. Longtime McDonnell Douglas customer Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) chose the Boeing 737-600 for its 100-seater over the MD-95 in March 1995. Then in October 1995, US discount carrier ValuJet signed an order for 50 MD-95s, plus 50 options. Generally, new aircraft have one or more large, well-established airlines as launch customers. Launching MD-95 production on the basis of a single order from a two-year-old start-up company was highly optimistic, and was seen as a reflection of the difficulty McDonnell Douglas was having selling their aircraft.
RebrandingAfter McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in August 1997, most industry observers expected that Boeing would cancel development of the MD-95. However, Boeing would go forward with the design under a new name, Boeing 717. Some believed Boeing had apparently skipped the 717 model designation when the 720 and then the 727 followed the 707. The 717 name had been used within the company to refer to the KC-135 Stratotanker. 717 had also been used to promote an early design of the 720 to airlines before it was modified to meet market demands. A Boeing historian notes that the air force plane had the designation "717-100" and the commercial airliner had the designation "717-200". The lack of a widespread use of the 717 name left it available to rebrand the MD-95.
At first Boeing had no more success selling the 717 than McDonnell Douglas. Even the original order for 50 was no certainty in the chaotic post-deregulation US airline market. In the end, ValuJet, now part of AirTran Airways, would meet with considerable success and operate a fleet of 717-200 aircraft.
Boeing's decision to go ahead with the 717 slowly began to pay off. Early 717 operators were delighted with the reliability and passenger appeal of the type and ordered more. The small Australian regional airline Impulse took a long-term lease on five 717s in early 2000 to begin an expansion into mainline routes. The ambitious move could not be sustained in competition with the majors, and Impulse sold out to Qantas in May 2001. This left Qantas with a more-or-less unwanted handful of "warmed-over DC-9s" to spoil the efficiency of its fleet of large Boeing and small BAe 146 jets.
Within a few months, however, the abilities of the 717 became clear. It is roomier and faster than the BAe 146, cheaper to operate, and achieved a higher dispatch reliability than competing aircraft at over 99%. Maintenance costs are very low: a C check inspection, for example, takes three days and is required once in 6,000 flying hours. (For comparison, its predecessor, the DC-9 needed 21 days for a C check.) The new Rolls-Royce BR715 engine design is highly modular: none of the line-replaceable units takes more than an hour to exchange, and about a third of them can be changed in under 15 minutes.
The result has been that many 717 operators, even accidental ones like Qantas, have become converts to the plane. Qantas bought more 717s, bringing its fleet up to 14. Other significant orders have come from Hawaiian Airlines, Midwest Airlines, and Pembroke Leasing. Bangkok Airways operates 717s — the Thai regional carrier's first foray into jet aircraft.
Boeing actively marketed the 717 to a number of large airlines, including Lufthansa and Northwest (who already operated a large fleet of DC-9 aircraft). Boeing also studied a stretched, higher-capacity version of the 717, to have been called 717-300, but decided against proceeding with the new model, fearing that it would encroach on the company's 737-700 model. Production of the original 717 continued. Boeing continued to believe that the 100-passenger market would be lucrative enough to support both the 717 and the 737-600, the smallest of the Next-Generation 737 series. While the aircraft were similar in overall size, the 737-600 was better suited to long-distance routes, while the lighter 717 was more efficient on shorter, regional routes.
The 100-seat market was overcrowded until 2001, but several potential competitors disappeared. BAe canceled its Avro RJX (an updated BAe 146 with modern engines); Fairchild Dornier closed its doors, taking the 728/928 project with it, and Bombardier canceled its new BRJ in favor of a less ambitious stretched 90-seat CRJ900. The remaining players are Boeing, Airbus with the A318, and Embraer with the E-195. The worldwide fleet was then largely made up of aging twinjets with relatively high operating costs, notably the DC-9, early model 737s, and the Fokker 100, plus the newer four-engined BAe 146, which is a prime prospect for refurbishment.
In 2001, Boeing began implementing a moving assembly line for production of the 717 and 737. The moving line greatly reduced production time, which was to lead to lower production costs.
Following the slump in airline traffic caused by reaction to the September 11, 2001 attacks in the USA, Boeing announced a review of the type's future. After much deliberation, it was decided to continue with production. Despite the lack of orders, Boeing had confidence in the 717's fundamental suitability to the 100-seat market, and in the long-term size of that market. After 19 worldwide 717 sales in 2000, and just 6 in 2001, Boeing took 32 orders for the 717 in 2002, despite the massive industry downturn. Additionally, the former Douglas facility at Long Beach was producing only 717s and C-17s at this time.
End of productionIncreased competition from regional jets manufactured by Bombardier and Embraer took a heavy toll on sales during the airline slump after 2001. The beginning of the end came in December 2003 when Boeing lost a US$ 2.7 billion contract from Air Canada, who chose the Embraer ERJ and Canadair CRJ over the 717.
In January 2005, Boeing announced that it planned to end production of the 717 after it had met all its outstanding orders. Boeing officials cited slow sales for the aircraft's demise.
A major difficulty with the 717 model was its lack of commonality with other Boeing aircraft. The trend with aircraft manufacturers, particularly Airbus, was to make a "family" of aircraft with similar cockpits and systems, which would require only one "type-rating" for a crew. That way, whatever size of aircraft that was required on a particular route -- even changing down to the day if necessary -- could be used with any of the crew type-rated for the family.
Airbus used a commonality approach starting with their A320 narrow-body family (including A318, A319, and A321), and Boeing embraced this concept with their Next-Generation 737-600, -700, -800, and -900 models. Embraer, in their new E-Jet family, also took this approach, offering four regional aircraft in a common family, the largest of which had operational capabilities very close to the 717.
The 717 had no commonality with other aircraft, even prior MD-80 and DC-9 aircraft upon which it was based. Although the 717 had operating costs 10% lower than the A318, airlines considering the 717 could not take advantage of the cost savings gained through commonality.
The 156th and final 717 rolled off the assembly line in April 2006 for AirTran Airways. The final two Boeing 717 airplanes were delivered to customers AirTran and Midwest Airlines on May 23, 2006. AirTran was the 717's final customer as well as its launch customer.
The 717 was the last commercial airplane produced at Boeing's Long Beach facility in Southern California.
DesignThe 717 features a two-crew cockpit that incorporates six interchangeable liquid-crystal-display units and advanced Honeywell VIA 2000 computers. The cockpit design is called Advanced Common Flightdeck (ACF) and is shared with the MD-11. Flight deck features include an Electronic Instrument System, a dual Flight Management System, a Central Fault Display System, and Global Positioning System. Category IIIb automatic landing capability for bad-weather operations and Future Air Navigation Systems are available. The 717 shares the same type rating as the DC-9 such that FAA approved transition courses for DC-9 and analog MD-80 pilots can be completed in 11 days.
In conjunction with Parker Hannifin, MPC Products of Skokie, Illinois designed a fly-by-wire technology mechanical control suite for the 717 flight deck. The modules replaced much cumbersome rigging that had occurred in previous DC-9/MD-80 aircraft. The Rolls-Royce BR715 engines are completely controlled by an electronic engine system (FADEC — Full Authority Digital Engine Control) developed by BAE Systems offering improved controllability and optimization over its predecessors.
Like its DC-9/MD-80/MD-90 predecessors, the 717 has a 2+3 seating arrangement in coach providing only one middle seat per row, whereas other single-aisle twin jets often have 3+3 arrangement with two middle seats per row. Unlike its larger predecessors, McDonnell Douglas decided not to offer the 717 with the boarding flexibility of aft airstairs, with the goal of maximizing fuel efficiency through the reduction and simplification of as much auxiliary equipment as possible.
Certain design characteristics have been retained from as early as the DC-8. For example, the flight deck window arrangement is identical to that of the DC-8, with a center windshield, a fixed left and right windshield, an openable left and right clearview window, and a fixed left and right rear window. Both models have an overhead eyebrow window. Also, the wing of the 717 is identical to that of the DC-9-30.

TRANS WORLD AIRLINES

Trans World Airlines, commonly known as TWA, was an American airline which merged with American Airlines in April 2001. For many years its headquarters was at the Kansas City Downtown Airport. At the time of its demise, it was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and used the airport nearby, Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport, as its major hub.
The airline was founded 13 July 1925 as Western Air Express. In 1930 it merged with Transcontinental Air Transport to become Transcontinental and Western Air (T&WA).
Howard Hughes purchased T&WA in 1939. The airline expanded dramatically under the leadership of Hughes and CEO Jack Frye, beginning transatlantic service in 1946 using new Lockheed Constellation aircraft. T&WA was a major helper in the foundation of Saudi Arabian Airlines. In 1950, the airline changed its name to Trans World Airlines (TWA).
From the mid-1940s to the early 1970s, TWA was one of only two U.S. airlines that flew to Europe (the other was Pan American World Airways). It established routes from Europe to Asia during the 1950s and 1960s, flying its aircraft as far east as Hong Kong. In the Transpacific Route Case of 1969, TWA was given authority to extend its route network across the Pacific Ocean as well.
Hughes' growing eccentricities caused TWA to sue for his removal as chairman in 1961. Under new corporate management, the TWA Corporation expanded to purchase the overseas operations of Hilton Hotels. By 1969, TWA's transatlantic operation was larger than Pan Am's.

TWA AIRLINES CONSTELLATION PROP AIRCRAFT
TWA's landmark Terminal 5 at New York City 's JFK Airport, designed by Eero Saarinen, is one of the world's most famous buildings: a lyrical expression of the unified sculptural forms that could be created in reinforced concrete, before the age of computers.
However, airline deregulation hit TWA hard. The holding company, Trans World Corporation , spun off the airline. The airline briefly considered selling itself to corporate raider Frank Lorenzo in the 1980s, but ended up selling to Carl Icahn in 1985. Later, in 1992, the airline filed for bankruptcy.
After reorganizing as a primarily domestic carrier, with routes centered around hubs at St. Louis and New York, TWA announced a major fleet renewal in 1998, ordering 125 aircraft. However, financial problems began to resurface shortly afterward, and the company merged with American Airlines in April of 2001. Trans World Airlines flew its last flight on December 1, 2001. The ceremonial last flight was Flight 220 from Kansas City, Missouri to St. Louis, Missouri. However, the final flight before TWA officially became part of American Airlines was completed between St. Louis, Missouri and Las Vegas, Nevada, also on December 1st, 2001. At 10:00 PM CST on December 1st, 2001, employees began removing all TWA signs and placards from airports around the country, replacing them with American Airlines signs. At midnight, all TWA flights officially became listed as American Airlines flights. Some aircraft carried hybrid American/TWA livery during the transition, with American's tricolor stripe on the fuselage and TWA's name on the tail.
Since the merger, American has significantly scaled down operations at TWA's bases, moving its focus in St. Louis to regional jet service and downsizing its maintenance staff in Kansas City. Although American obtained many aircraft from TWA (of types that were already common in American's fleet), many analysts believe that the fleet expansion and St. Louis hub were not worth the additional debt and large number of veteran employees inherited from TWA.

BOEING 727 AIRCRAFT

The versatility and reliability of the Boeing 727 -- first trijet introduced into commercial service -- made it the best-selling airliner in the world during the first 30 years of jet transport service. The jet age essentially began in 1952 with the introduction of the British-designed de Havilland Comet. Several jetliners, including the Boeing 707, were developed before the 727, but none came close to its sales record.
Production of the 727 extended from the early 1960s to August 1984 -- a remarkable length of time, considering the original market forecast was for 250 airplanes. As it turned out, 1,831 were delivered. Twenty years later, when the last 727 was delivered, this versatile fleet was carrying 13 million passengers each month. As of January 2001, nearly 1,300 of the reliable aircraft were still in service.
On Jan. 13, 1991, the first 727 built -- which had been in continual service with United Airlines since 1964 -- finally made its last commercial flight and was donated to the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
Introduced into service in February 1964, the 727 trijet became an immediate hit with flight crews and passengers alike. With a fuselage width the same as the 707 (and the later 737 and 757), it provided jet luxury on shorter routes. With sophisticated, triple-slotted trailing edge flaps and new leading-edge slats, the 727 had unprecedented low-speed landing and takeoff performance for a commercial jet and could be accommodated by smaller airports than the 707 required.
The 727, like all Boeing jetliners, was continually modified to fit the changing market. It began with the -100 series, of which 407 were sold. This was followed by the -100C convertible that featured a main-deck side cargo door, allowing it to carry either cargo pallets or passengers -- or a combination of both -- on the main deck. Boeing built 164 of these.
The 727-200, introduced in December 1967, had increased gross weight and a 20-foot longer fuselage that could accommodate as many as 189 passengers in an all-tourist configuration. In all its variations, 1,245 of the -200s were sold. The last version, the 727-200F, had a 58,000-pound, 11-pallet cargo capability. Fifteen of these were sold to Federal Express.
Structural improvements, a more powerful engine and greater fuel capacity led to the Advanced 727-200 in May 1971. This advanced series had improved payload/range capability, better runway performance and a completely restyled "widebody look" as standard equipment
Lufthansa German Airlines and Air Algerie put 727s with the new interior into service in April 1971. Passenger response was enthusiastic, and by November 1972, this spacious interior was standard equipment on all production 707, 727 and 737 aircraft, and was offered for retrofit as well.
Later performance improvements for the 727 included another gross weight boost, from a maximum 170,000 pounds (77,122 kg) to 191,000 pounds (86,600 kg) for the Advanced version. On February 3, 1972, another increase to 208,000 pounds (94,348 kg) was announced, together with the purchase of three of the "heavyweights" by Sterling Airways of Denmark. The 727's highest gross weight was eventually raised to 210,000 pounds (95,300 kg).
The 727 became the best-selling airliner in history when orders passed the 1,000 mark in September 1972. By January 1983, orders reached 1,831. One Boeing-owned test airplane brought the grand total to 1,832. Today, the Boeing 737 has surpassed that total, but the 727 holds a permanent place in the annals of aviation as one of the most significant airplanes in the development of the world's jet transportation system.
On Dec. 5, 1977, the worldwide 727 fleet carried its one billionth (1,000,000,000) passenger -- a mark never attained before by a commercial aircraft. Today, the number has reached well over 4 billion.
One hundred and one customers purchased new 727s from Boeing, although dozens more have placed the airplane type into service as "second tier" operators. More than 300 727s built as passenger airplanes have been converted to freighters, a process that continues today.

BOEING 767 AIRCRAFT

The Boeing 767 is a commercial passenger airplane manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
The Boeing 767, a widebody jet, was introduced at around the same time as the 757 , its narrowbody sister. The 767 has a seat-to-aisle ratio in economy class of 3.5 seats per aisle, making for quicker food service and quicker exit of the plane than many other jetliners, which typically have between four and six seats per aisle in economy class.
The 767 is to be replaced in the Boeing lineup by the 787.
767-200 - The first model of the 767, launched in 1978 and produced from 1981 to 1994. It entered service with United Airlines in 1982.
767-200ER - An extended-range variant first delivered to El Al in 1984. It became the first 767 to complete a nonstop transatlantic journey, and broke the flying distance record for twinjet airliners several times.
767-300 - A lengthened 767 ordered by Japan Airlines in 1983 . It first flew on January 14 , 1986 , and was delivered to JAL on that September 25.
767-300ER - An extended-range variant of the -300. It flew for the first time in 1986, but received no commercial orders until American Airlines purchased several in 1987. The aircraft entered service with AA in 1988. In 1995, EVA Air used a 767-300ER to inaugurate the first transpacific 767 service.
767-300F - A highly-automated air freight version of the 767-300ER, ordered by United Parcel Service in 1993 and delivered in 1995.
767-400ER - Another extended long-range variant, made as a niche aircraft for Delta Air Lines and Continental Airlines to replace their L-1011 and DC-10 fleets. It is the only 767 model to feature "raked" wingtips, which increase fuel efficiency. The first production 767-400ER was delivered in 2000.
E-767 - AWACS platform used by the military of Japan. Essentially the E-3 Sentry mission package on a 767 platform.
KC-767 Tanker Transport - aerial refueling platform currently used by the Italian Air Force and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. The United States Air Force has expressed interest in the aircraft, with a contract for the lease of 100 aircraft under review. The KC-767 has lost out to the Airbus A330 in two recent contests, for the RAF and Royal Australian Air Force, more than likely due to delays in the USAF 's own procurement of these aircraft. It has won in Japan and Italy, however.
E-10 MC2A - Replacement for the Boeing 707 - based E-3 Sentry AWACS, the E-8 Joint STARS aircraft, and EC-135 ELINT aircraft. This is an all-new system, and not based upon the Japanese AWACS aircraft.
The Boeing 767 family is a complete family of airplanes providing maximum market versatility in the 200- to 300-seat market. The Boeing 767 family includes three passenger models -- the 767-200ER, 767-300ER and 767-400ER -- and a freighter, which is based on the 767-300ER fuselage.
The twin-engine 767 -- sized between the single-aisle 757 and the larger, twin-aisle 777 -- has built a reputation among airlines for its profitability and comfort.
The 767-400ER brings significant improvements in operating economics over competing airplanes in the 240- to 300-seat market. The payload capability, intercontinental range, passenger comfort and commonality with other Boeing jetliners give this airplane strong market appeal.
The 767 Freighter is a derivative of the popular 767-300ER (extended range) passenger twinjet. All the advancements in avionics, aerodynamics, materials and propulsion that were developed for passenger versions of the 767 are incorporated in the freighter. Its design provides excellent fuel efficiency, operational flexibility, low-noise levels and an all-digital flight deck.
You can breathe easy with the 767 family. 767s produce less pollutant emissions per pound of fuel than any comparably sized jetliner, including the A330-200. When combined with the fact that the 767 also burns significantly less fuel, the 767 is truly the "clear" winner. The 767 family is cleaner than industry standards for all categories of emissions -- nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, smoke and carbon monoxide.
Did you know: The air flowing through a 767-400ER engine at takeoff power could inflate the Goodyear Blimp in seven seconds.
Also browse the 767 program milestones, take a quick look at the 767 Program important dates or read about the changes in flight deck design. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 767 (PDF file) and check out the 767 as a tanker transport.

BOEING 797 AIRCRAFT

Boeing is preparing a 1000 passenger jet that could reshape the Air travel industry for the next 100 years.The radical Blended Wing design has been developed by Boeing in cooperation with the NASA Langley Research Centre. The mammoth plane will have a wing span of 265 feet compared to the 747's 211 feet, and is designed to fit within the newly created terminals used for the 555 seat Airbus A380, which is 262 feet wide.The new 797 is in direct response to the Airbus A380 which has racked up 159 orders, but has not yet flown any passengers. Boeing decided to kill its 747X stretched super jumbo in 2003 after little interest was shown by airline companies, but has continued to develop the ultimate Airbus crusher 797 for years at its Phantom Works research facility in Long Beach, Calif.
The Airbus A380 has been in the works since 1999 and has accumulated $13 billion in development costs, which gives Boeing a huge advantage now that Airbus has committed to the older style tubular aircraft for decades to come. There are several big advantages to the blended wing design, the most important being the lift to drag ratio which is expected to increase by an amazing 50%, with overall weight reduced by 25%, making it an estimated 33% more efficient than the A380, and making Airbus's $13 billion dollar investment look pretty shaky.
High body rigidity is another key factor in blended wing aircraft, It reduces turbulence and creates less stress on the air frame which adds to efficiency, giving the 797 a tremendous 8800 nautical mile range with its 1000 passengers flying comfortably at mach .88 or 654 mph (+-1046km/h) cruising speed another advantage over the Airbus tube-and-wing designed A380's 570 mph (912 km/h) The exact date for introduction is unclear, yet the battle lines are clearly drawn in the high-stakes war for civilian air supremacy.
Boeing may someday introduce a commercial airliner designated with the number 797, and although the company's The image is a conceptual picture from an article about the future of aviation proclaiming it to be Boeing's response to competition from the Airbus A380 in the commercial airliner business.

AIRBUS A300 AIRCRAFT

The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody aircraft. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of the Airbus consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS. The A300 ceased production in July 2007, along with the smaller A310. Freighter sales for which the A300 competed are to be fulfilled by a new A330-200F derivative.
Development historyThe mission requirements were given in 1966 by Frank Kolk, an American Airlines executive, for a Boeing 727 replacement on busy short- to medium-range routes such as US transcontinental flights. His brief included a passenger capacity of 250 to 300 seated in a twin-aisle configuration and fitted with two engines, with the capability of carrying full passengers without penalty from high-altitude airports like Denver. American manufacturers responded with widebody trijets, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar, as twinjets were banned from many routes by the FAA.
French president Charles de Gaulle resented the US domination of civil aviation and wanted a European airliner that could compete with American designs.[citation needed] Concorde was part of the answer, designed for intercontinental routes; the other was the A300, designed to meet Kolk's US domestic requirements.
In September 1967, the British, French, and German governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start development of the 300-seat Airbus A300. An earlier announcement had been made in July 1967, but at that time the announcement had been clouded by the British Government's support for the Airbus, which coincided with its refusal to back British Aircraft Corporation's (BAC) proposed competitor, a development of the BAC 1-11 — despite a preference for the latter expressed by British European Airways (BEA).
In the months following this agreement, both the French and British governments expressed doubts about the aircraft. Another problem was the requirement for a new engine to be developed by Rolls-Royce, the RB207. In December 1968, the French and British partner companies (Sud Aviation and Hawker Siddeley) proposed a revised configuration, the 250-seat Airbus A250. Renamed the A300B, the aircraft would not require new engines, reducing development costs. To attract potential US customers, American General Electric CF6-50 engines powered the A300 instead of the British RB207. The British government was upset and withdrew from the venture; however, the British firm Hawker-Siddeley stayed on as a contractor, developing the wings for the A300, which were pivotal in later versions' impressive performance from short domestic to long intercontinental flights.[citation needed] (Years later, through British Aerospace, the UK re-entered the consortium.)
Airbus Industrie was formally set up in 1970 following an agreement between Aérospatiale (France), the antecedents to Deutsche Aerospace (Germany) . They were to be joined by the Spanish CASA in 1971. Each company would deliver its sections as fully equipped, ready-to-fly items.
In 1972 the A300 made its maiden flight. The first production model, the A300B2, entered service in 1974. Initially the success of the consortium was poor, but by 1979 there were 81 aircraft in service. It was the launch of the A320 in 1981 that established Airbus as a major player in the aircraft market — the aircraft had over 400 orders before it first flew, compared to 15 for the A300 in 1972.
The A300 was the first airliner to use just-in-time manufacturing techniques. Complete aircraft sections were manufactured by consortium partners all over Europe. These were airlifted to the final assembly line at Toulouse-Blagnac by a fleet of Boeing 377-derived Aero Spacelines Super Guppy aircraft. Originally devised as a way to share the work among Airbus's partners without the expense of two assembly lines, it turned out to be a more efficient way of building airplanes (more flexible and reduced costs) as opposed to building the whole airplane at one site. This fact was not lost on Boeing, which, over thirty years later, decided to manufacture the Boeing 787 in this manner, using outsized 747s to ferry wings and other parts from Japan.
The A300 cemented European cooperation in aviation. Its first flight was commemorated on a French three franc stamp.
Airbus partners employed the latest technology, some derived from the Concorde. On entry into service in 1974, the A300 was very advanced and influenced later subsonic airliner designs. The technological highlights include:
Advanced wings by de Havilland (later BAE Systems) with: supercritical airfoil section for economical performance advanced aerodynamically efficient flight controls 222-inch diameter circular fuselage section for 8-abreast passenger seating and wide enough for 2 LD3 cargo containers side-by-side Structures made from metal billets, reducing weight First airliner to be fitted with wind shear protection Advanced autopilots capable of flying the aircraft from climb-out to landing Electrically controlled braking system Later A300s incorporate other advanced features such as
2-man crew by automating the flight engineer's functions, an industry first Glass cockpit flight instruments Extensive use of composites for an aircraft of its era Center-of-gravity control by shifting around fuel The first airliner to use wingtip fences for better aerodynamics All these made the A300 a substitute for the widebody trijets such as McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 for short to medium routes. On the early versions, Airbus used the same engines and similar major systems as the DC-10.
After the launch, sales of the A300 were weak for some years, with most orders going to airlines that had an obligation to favor the domestically made product — notably Air France and Lufthansa. At one stage, Airbus had 16 "whitetail" A300s – completed but unsold aircraft – sitting on the tarmac. Indian Airlines was the world's first domestic airline to purchase the A300. These have now been retired.
In 1977, U.S. carrier Eastern Air Lines leased four A300s as an in-service trial. Frank Borman, ex-astronaut and the then CEO, was impressed that the A300 consumed 30% less fuel than his fleet of Tristars and then ordered 23 of the type. This was followed by an order from Pan Am. From then on, the A300 family sold rather well, eventually reaching the current total of 858 on order or delivered.
The aircraft found particular favour with Asian airlines, being bought by Japan Air System, Korean Air, Thai Airways International, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Garuda Indonesia, China Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, Indian Airlines, Trans Australia Airlines and many others. As Asia did not have restrictions similar to the FAA 60-minutes rule for twin-engine airliners which existed at the time, Asian airlines used A300s for routes across Bay of Bengal and South China Sea.
In 1977, the A300B4 became the first “ETOPS compliant” aircraft – its high performance and safety standards qualified it for Extended Twin Engine Operations over water, providing operators with more versatility in routing. By 1981, Airbus was growing rapidly, with over 300 aircraft sold and options for 200 more planes for over forty airlines. Alarmed by the success of the A300, Boeing responded with the new Boeing 767.
The A300 provided Airbus the experience of manufacturing and selling airliners competitively. The basic fuselage of the A300 was later stretched (A330 and A340), shrunk (A310), or modified into derivatives (A300-600ST Beluga Super Transporter).
The A300 has reached the end of production, and the last A300 freighter has been completed and delivered. The largest freight operator of the A300 is FedEx, which, as of January 2006, had 95 A300/310 aircraft. United Parcel Service (UPS) also operates freighter versions of the A300. The final version was the A300-600R and is rated for 180-minute ETOPS. The A300 has enjoyed renewed interest in the secondhand market for conversion to freighters. The freighter versions – either new-build A300-600s or converted ex-passenger A300-600s, A300B2s and B4s – account for most of the world freighter fleet after the Boeing 747 freighter.
In March 2006 Airbus announced the closure of the A300/A310 line making them the first Airbus aircraft to be discontinued. The final production A300 made its initial flight on 18 April 2007[3] and was delivered on 12 July 2007. It was an A300F freighter for FedEx. Airbus has announced a support package to keep A300s flying commercially until at least 2025.
A300B1 Only two were built: the first prototype, and a second aircraft which was later sold for airline service (to Air Algérie) and has now been scrapped. It has accommodation for 259 passengers with a maximum weight of 132,000 kg and two General Electric CF6-50A engines of 220 kN thrust. A300B2 The first production version. Powered by CF6 or Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines of between 227 and 236 kN thrust, it entered service with Air France in May 1974. A300B2-100: 137 Metric Ton MTOW A300B2-200: 142 Metric Ton MTOW, with Kruger flaps A300B2-300: increased Maximum Landing Weight/Maximum Zero Fuel Weight A300B4 The major production version. Features a center fuel tank for increased fuel capacity (47,500 kg). Production of the B2 and B4 totaled 248. A300B4-100: 157.5 Metric Ton MTOW A300B4-200: 165 Metric Ton MTOW A300B4-200FF: An A300 with a "forward-facing" crew compartment. The world's first 2-crew widebody airliner. Includes some of the A310's and A300-600's digital avionics. First saw service with Garuda in 1982, further customers were VASP, Tunisair and Kar-Air/Finnair. A300B4-600: Referred to as the A300-600. See Below. A300C4: Convertible freighter version, with a large cargo door on the port side. First delivered to South African Airways in October 1982. A300F4-203: Freighter version of the A300B4-200. First delivery occurred in 1986, but only very few were built as the A300F4-200 was soon replaced by the more capable A300-600F (official designation: A300F4-600F). A300-600: Officially designated A300B4-600, this version is the same length as the B2 and B4 but has increased space because it uses the A310 rear fuselage and tail. It has higher power CF6-80 or Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines and entered service in 1983 with Saudi Arabian Airlines. A total of 313 A300-600s (all versions) have been sold. A300-600: (Official designation: A300B4-600) The baseline model of the -600 series. A300-620C: (Official designation: A300C4-620) A convertible freighter version. First delivery December 1985. A300-600F: (Official designation: A300F4-600) The freighter version of the baseline -600. A300-600R: (Official designation: A300B4-600R) The increased range -600, achieved by an additional trim fuel tank in the tail. First delivery in 1988 to American Airlines; all A300s built since 1989 (freighters included) are -600Rs. Japan Airlines took delivery of the last new-built passenger A300, an A300-622R, in November 2002. A300-600RF: (Official designation: A300F4-600R) The freighter version of the -600R. All A300s delivered between November 2002 and July 12 2007 (last ever A300 delivery) were A300-600RFs. A300-600ST: Commonly referred to as the Beluga or "Airbus Super Transporter," these five airframes are used by Airbus to ferry parts between the company's disparate manufacturing facilities, thus enabling workshare distribution. They replaced the four Aero Spacelines Super Guppys previously used by Airbus. A300B10 (A310) Introduced a shorter fuselage, a new, higher aspect ratio wing, smaller tail and two crew operation. It is available in standard -200 and the Extended range -300 with 9,600 km range in both passenger and full cargo versions. It is also available as a military tanker/transport serving the Canadian Forces and Luftwaffe. Sales total 260, although five of these (ordered by Iraqi Airways) were never built.