June 2004 - Issue 6

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The History of Commercial Aviation

Early Planes

Modern Airliners

Jet Age

Jumbo Jets

Douglas DC-3

The DC-3's design has proven so dependable that more than 2,000 of the planes are still flying today.

The Douglas DC-3 is widely recognized as the most successful passenger plane ever flown. Its origin can be traced back to a 1932 letter written by TWA president Jack Frye to Donald Douglas, outlining the specifications for a plane that could compete against the industry-leading Boeing 247, which was produced exclusively for United Airlines. Douglas responded by producing a prototype DC-1 in 1933, and then a small fleet of the DC-2 in 1934. Desiring a slightly larger aircraft, American Airlines President C. R. Smith pitched his own specifications during a two-hour long distance phone call. The resulting DC-3 (or Douglas Commercial 3) was put into service by American Airlines in June of 1936.

Designed by the legendary aeronautical engineer Arthur Raymond, the DC-3 featured innovative approaches to retractable landing gear, wing flaps, variable-pitch propellers, stressed-skin structure and flush riveting. Legend has it that the cantilevered wing was so strong that even steamrollers driven over them could not cause significant damage. The DC-3 could fly above most bad weather at its altitude ceiling of over 20,000 feet. Its range of nearly 1,500 miles more than doubled that of the Boeing 247.

During flight, passengers enjoyed such amenities as an on-board dining service and plush, soft seats. The roomy cabin offered space for up to 24 passenger seats or 14 sleeping berths. Engine noise was significantly softened by the use of noise-absorbing fabric, as well as carpet on the cabin floor. To reduce noise even further, the engines were mounted on rubber insulators.

During a time when government air mail subsidies were required just to keep planes in the air, the DC-3 proved that passenger travel alone could sustain the airline industry. The DC-3 was the first plane to turn a profit exclusively from passenger fares. When President Franklin Roosevelt cancelled all government air mail contracts in 1934, TWA's Jack Frye took to the sky to demonstrate the commercial industry's advancements. Frye flew the Douglas transport across the country - loaded with both mail and passengers - in a record-setting 13 hours and 4 minutes.

During World War II, the Allied military used the DC-3 to great success, thanks in large part to its ability to take-off and land on short, rough runways. President Dwight Eisenhower cited the military version of the DC-3, known as the C-47, as among the equipment "most vital to our success" during the war.

By the time production came to an end in 1944, over 10,000 DC-3s had been produced by Douglas Aircraft, accounting for over 90% of the world's commercial aircraft. An additional 8,000 were produced around the world under license agreements. The legacy of the DC-3 lives on. The plane is so reliable that an estimated 2,000 are still flying to this day, many in commercial service.

Plane Specifications
Manufacturer	Douglas
First Flight:	December 17, 1935
Wingspan:	95 feet
Length:	64 feet, 5.5 inches
Height:	16 feet, 3.6 inches
Weight:	30, 000 lbs
Top Speed:	216 mph
Cruising Speed:	192 mph
Flight Altitude:	20, 800 feet
Range:	1, 495 feet
Engines:	Two 1, 200 horsepower Wright Cyclone radial engines
Passenger Accommodations:	3 crew and 14 sleeper passenger, or 21 to 28 day