Post by Tom/CalClassic on Aug 24, 2020 15:04:39 GMT -5
Hi all,
I have always been interested in the "politics" of the early nonstop commercial flights across the US. For years the accepted theory was that this could not happen earlier because the greater range of the DC-7 and Super Connies was required for that. But that doesn't make any sense - United was flying DC-6Bs to Hawaii before this and that is 2217 NM, compared to 2139 NM from New York to Los Angeles. Heck, airlines were flying DC-4s from California to Hawaii! So range wasn't the factor. So the airlines could have started nonstop service right after WWII, if they really wanted to. The answer has several parts, all of which conspired to delay nonstop service.
First, the marketing departments (according to TWA's head of engineering Bob Rummel)insisted that people wanted to get out and stretch their legs. The other factor is that the current pilot contracts limited pilots to 8 hours flying time per day, and airlines were not willing to add a second crew. When TWA got their L-1049s in 1952, Rummel suggested nonstop service. This was turned down by both the marketing and operations departments for these very reasons. When American announced in 1953 that they would fly nonstop between LAX and IDL using their new DC-7s, TWA quickly negotiated a special clause in the pilot's contract to allow them to fly more than 8 hours, in return for some extra compensation and time off, but apparently only in "emergencies" (i.e. running late). With this timid step, TWA began eastbound nonstop LAX-IDL flights on October 23, 1953, taking exactly 8 hours in the schedule. Westbound flights still made a stop in Chicago.
www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/tw53/tw53-06.jpg (Flight 90 on the right hand page is the nonstop.)
www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/tw53/tw53-05.jpg (Flight 91 on the right hand page is the corresponding one stop flight.)
When American started flying their DC-7s one month later, they scheduled nonstops in both directions, supposedly under 8 hours both ways. This was later challenged by other airlines and AAL had to lengthen their westbound times to 8:35. So I assume they had a better clause in their pilot's contract which allowed them to fly longer than 8 hours in scheduled times. But TWA caught up sometime before 1955 and were flying their new Super G Connies nonstop westbound in 9:09 by August 1955. Heck, by September they were flying tourist class passengers nonstop.
That left United. They didn't even get their first DC-7s until April of 1954, but I assume started flying them nonstop soon after that. By August 1955 they matched American in their IDL/LAX nonstop times, but also added nonstops between New York and San Francisco, flying westbound in 8:45. I believe that United began these first, but TWA was not far behind with nonstops by August of 1955, flying westbound in 9:35. It appears American did not have authority to do this - they didn't start IDL-SFO nonstops until sometime around 1959. They required a stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, or Dallas before that.
That said, let's take a trip on a very early nonstop between Idlewild and San Francisco. At this point our only choice was United, and they were flying their new DC-7s before they had radar or large prop spinners. We'll take their Flight 703, which departed IDL at 9 am and arrived in SFO at 2:45 pm.
Idlewild is pretty busy this morning, as usual. There is only the "temporary terminal" in service - there is talk about new terminals to be built soon, but we will see. We step out onto the red carpet as we get ready to board the Advance Continental, flight 703. All first class, with a fare of $158.85 ($1,575.35 in today's dollars). Almost every seat is full - this nonstop stuff must be popular.
We get our seat, fasten our seat belt, and at 9 am the engines are started.
Taxiing out past lots of interesting aircraft:
We wait for a whole line of aircraft landing and taking off, but finally it's our turn. Let's go! Gear Up!
The racket begins to subside as we begin our climb. As we climb I can see La Guardia to our right:
And the New York skyline is breathtaking:
After that we climbed to 18,000 ft, according to the pilot. The power level drops again and the stewardesses begin serving a light (cold) breakfast. I had already eaten so that was perfect for me. The first landmark was Lake Erie, and here we are approaching Toledo Ohio on the western shore:
I have always been interested in the "politics" of the early nonstop commercial flights across the US. For years the accepted theory was that this could not happen earlier because the greater range of the DC-7 and Super Connies was required for that. But that doesn't make any sense - United was flying DC-6Bs to Hawaii before this and that is 2217 NM, compared to 2139 NM from New York to Los Angeles. Heck, airlines were flying DC-4s from California to Hawaii! So range wasn't the factor. So the airlines could have started nonstop service right after WWII, if they really wanted to. The answer has several parts, all of which conspired to delay nonstop service.
First, the marketing departments (according to TWA's head of engineering Bob Rummel)insisted that people wanted to get out and stretch their legs. The other factor is that the current pilot contracts limited pilots to 8 hours flying time per day, and airlines were not willing to add a second crew. When TWA got their L-1049s in 1952, Rummel suggested nonstop service. This was turned down by both the marketing and operations departments for these very reasons. When American announced in 1953 that they would fly nonstop between LAX and IDL using their new DC-7s, TWA quickly negotiated a special clause in the pilot's contract to allow them to fly more than 8 hours, in return for some extra compensation and time off, but apparently only in "emergencies" (i.e. running late). With this timid step, TWA began eastbound nonstop LAX-IDL flights on October 23, 1953, taking exactly 8 hours in the schedule. Westbound flights still made a stop in Chicago.
www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/tw53/tw53-06.jpg (Flight 90 on the right hand page is the nonstop.)
www.timetableimages.com/ttimages/complete/tw53/tw53-05.jpg (Flight 91 on the right hand page is the corresponding one stop flight.)
When American started flying their DC-7s one month later, they scheduled nonstops in both directions, supposedly under 8 hours both ways. This was later challenged by other airlines and AAL had to lengthen their westbound times to 8:35. So I assume they had a better clause in their pilot's contract which allowed them to fly longer than 8 hours in scheduled times. But TWA caught up sometime before 1955 and were flying their new Super G Connies nonstop westbound in 9:09 by August 1955. Heck, by September they were flying tourist class passengers nonstop.
That left United. They didn't even get their first DC-7s until April of 1954, but I assume started flying them nonstop soon after that. By August 1955 they matched American in their IDL/LAX nonstop times, but also added nonstops between New York and San Francisco, flying westbound in 8:45. I believe that United began these first, but TWA was not far behind with nonstops by August of 1955, flying westbound in 9:35. It appears American did not have authority to do this - they didn't start IDL-SFO nonstops until sometime around 1959. They required a stop in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, or Dallas before that.
That said, let's take a trip on a very early nonstop between Idlewild and San Francisco. At this point our only choice was United, and they were flying their new DC-7s before they had radar or large prop spinners. We'll take their Flight 703, which departed IDL at 9 am and arrived in SFO at 2:45 pm.
Idlewild is pretty busy this morning, as usual. There is only the "temporary terminal" in service - there is talk about new terminals to be built soon, but we will see. We step out onto the red carpet as we get ready to board the Advance Continental, flight 703. All first class, with a fare of $158.85 ($1,575.35 in today's dollars). Almost every seat is full - this nonstop stuff must be popular.
We get our seat, fasten our seat belt, and at 9 am the engines are started.
Taxiing out past lots of interesting aircraft:
We wait for a whole line of aircraft landing and taking off, but finally it's our turn. Let's go! Gear Up!
The racket begins to subside as we begin our climb. As we climb I can see La Guardia to our right:
And the New York skyline is breathtaking:
After that we climbed to 18,000 ft, according to the pilot. The power level drops again and the stewardesses begin serving a light (cold) breakfast. I had already eaten so that was perfect for me. The first landmark was Lake Erie, and here we are approaching Toledo Ohio on the western shore:
