Commercial Aviation—An Insider’S Story

By LeRoy Paine

Why do we have airlines? How were they created? Was TWA Flight 800 an accident? How safe are airplanes, and why are they safe? What jobs are there in commercial aviation? This book provides answers to these questions and many more. Understanding how and why an airline is started, structured, and regulated provides the flying public with the answers to why you are safe when you fly. For those interested in becoming an airline employee, jobs are listed that can be pursued. Job descriptions are included not only for those interested in working in aviation but those employees working in the industry desiring to be promoted. The book offers insight as to why the government regulates and controls airlines with references to the legislations that prompted these controls and regulations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Nov 11, 2013
• ISBN: 9781489700476

LeRoy Paine

LeRoy Paine is a forty-three-year veteran of working in commercial aviation. His experiences include major airlines (TWA), international (Saudi Arabian Airlines), mid-major (America West Airlines), and regional airlines (Allegiant Air). Experienced in parts handling, maintenance, engineering, station operations, planning, training, publications, programs, and administration, he retired in 2009 as Director of Technical Services for Allegiant Air.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

History of Airplanes

T HE FASCINATION OF manned flight goes back in time for centuries; It wasn’t until December 17 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina where Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first controlled manned flight of an aircraft that it was realized. While the flight only covered 120 feet to 10 feet in the air, it ushered in an industry that has become the largest mode of transportation in history. While others had flown aircraft before them, none had been successful that made fixed wing powered flight possible. The key for the Wrights was the development of a three axis control a device that allowed control of flight surfaces. While there were companies working on flight, this control opened the door for the full scale manufacture of aircraft.

Commercial aircraft includes types designed for scheduled and charter flights, carrying passengers and cargo. Airliner is the name given to the larger aircraft utilized for passengers. In early aviation history, airlines had minimal choices for airplanes. Originally, airliners were small and carried as few as one passenger or only cargo.

The first airline was Chalks International, Chalk’s, started service on 1 January 1914, and operated until 2008 when it closed. It began service with a bi-wing flying boat. In 1918 the Postal Service started flying mail throughout the United States private operators were initially tasked with flying the mail until numerous accidents forced the Postal service to change to use the US Army. By the mid 1920’s, the need had increased to the point that these operators were again brought into service to fly mail. Numerous small carriers through mergers and acquisitions became Pan Am, TWA, Delta, Braniff, Northwest, American, Eastern and United (part of Boeing Aircraft) being granted contracts to service specific assigned routes.

Following World War II, military aircraft that was converted to carry passengers became a prime source for airliners. As the need for air travel increased, airliners grew in size. An emphasis was placed on speed ultimately leading to the creation of a supersonic aircraft the Concorde. Determining what airplanes an airline will fly vary according to what the airline feels will provide them with the best plan for success.

From 1920 to 1938, the primary aircraft manufacturers for commercial aviation were Ford, Curtiss, de Havilland, Boeing, Douglas, Fokker, Handley Page, and Junkers.

Following is a brief history of each:

Ford was active during World War II creating the first aircraft assembly line and the historic B-24 bomber along with engines. In 1925, Ford’s motor company bought a small aircraft manufacturer Stout aviation and built the Ford Tri-motor a metal three engine aircraft with a capacity to carry 12 passengers. Ford Air Transport Service carried freight from Detroit to Chicago as the first commercial airline. This aircraft started a trend for the early mail carriers to become passenger airlines. After the war, Ford returned to auto production with its aviation activity focused on support systems. Ford remained in aviation until 1990, when it sold its division, Ford Aerospace to Loral Corporation, which was then purchased by Lockheed Martin.

Curtiss aircraft was built initially for military use and was the largest aircraft manufacturer at the end of World War II. In 1929, Curtiss merged with Wright Aeronautical and became Curtiss-Wright. Curtiss-Wright shut down in 1948, and sold its assets to North American Aviation. At this time North American Aviation became a part of Boeing.

De Havilland, a British manufacturer was founded in 1920. De Havilland built both military and civilian aircraft. In 1952, they produced the first commercial jet engine aircraft the Comet. Unfortunately, in two years the aircraft suffered three fatal accidents due to structural issues. In 1954, the Comet was pulled from service. In 1958, it attempted a remake of the Comet version 4. Boeings 707 and Douglas aircraft DC-8, however, were faster and more economical to operate. When they could not sell the aircraft, De Havilland was sold in 1960 to Hawker-Siddeley where the focus on developing missiles was its priority. In 1962, they produced a three engine jet aircraft called the Trident. The Trident was only utilized by one airline, British European Airlines. Unfortunately, Boeing had developed the 727 which was the favorite of all the other existing airlines. Two subsidiaries de Havilland of Canada and de Havilland of Australia were opened to support training of pilots and the war efforts. Both became a part of Boeing, with the Canadian subsidiary eventually becoming a part of Bombardier.

Handley Page, a British Company was formed in 1909, and built bi-planes and monoplanes, World War I created a need for bombers where it produced the Q/100 and the Q/400. After World War I, the Q/400 was converted for passenger use. In 1924, the company merged with two regional airlines to become Imperial Airways, the United Kingdom’s first International airline. It built several bi-plane airliners for use on routes to Africa and India. With World War II, the company returned to producing bombers and provided support to aircraft. In 1947, Handley Page bought bankrupt Miles Aircraft Company which led to the creation of several research supersonic aircraft and commercial airliners. Unable to compete with larger manufacturing companies and resistant to merging, Handley Page produced its last aircraft in the 60’s. The Jetstream was a turboprop pressurized aircraft for 12 to 18 passengers. The company was liquidated in 1970, with its Jetstream design being sold to Scottish Aviation, and then to British Aerospace in 1977.

Junkers Aircraft was founded in 1895, and built the first all-metal aircraft. After the start of World War I in 1915, it produced the first all metal mono-plane the Jl. In 1917, it formed an agreement with Fokker to produce several more aircraft. Junkers built the first all-metal airliner in 1919, the F-13. It was a four passenger mono-plane sold primarily in Europe, although 25 were sold in United States as mail carriers. During World War 1 (1914-1919), the company concentrated on building military aircraft. Following the war, Junkers was prohibited from building any aircraft by The Treaty of Versailles. After the restrictions were lifted in 1926, civilian aircraft came into focus producing the W33 and W34. These two aircraft were used for passenger and freight. They set records for duration of flight, as well as, altitude and distance between 1926 and 1930. In 1924, Junkers designed the J-1000 or Super Duck, aircraft intended for use in the United States. It was to carry 80 passengers, with seating outboard of the wing and in the hull of the aircraft. While this four engine aircraft design was not successful, part of the concepts were built into a following aircraft, the G-38 that carried 34 passengers and seven crew members. In 1931, due to financial problems, the founder, Hugo Junker was forced out of the company. Junker held numerous patents for engines that were to be sold to the succeeding company Junkers Motoren-Patentstelle GmbH. Before the patents could be transferred in 1932 the consortium failed and Junkers Thermo Thechnik GmbH was sold to Robert Bosch, who still retains their rights and title. In 1928, the company designed the JU-52 as a single engine aircraft but migrated to a tri-motor commercial aircraft that was sold worldwide to 400 different airlines. In 1933, the Nazi party took control of all aviation activities, and Hugo Junker lost all patents and freedom. All work focused on military aircraft at this point. After World War II, ended Junkers GmbH was reconstituted and merged with a consortium led by Messerschmitt. In 1965, Messerschmitt ended the venture and in 1967 Junkers was absorbed into Messerschmitt.

Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer founded in 1912 in Germany. Building mono-plane military aircraft to the German government it developed a synchronizing system for using an aircraft mounted machine gun firing through the propeller. This made the German aircraft the most feared aircraft during World War I. In 1919, the company moved to the Netherlands where it concentrated on military aircraft. In the 1920s it became the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world. It produced a tri-motor aircraft that was sold to 54 airlines during its peak. It dominated the American market until Ford produced its tri-motor. Fokker merged with General Motors in 1930, However, in 1931 one of its aircraft crashed in Kansas with famed football coach Knute Rockne on board. The union with GM ended in 1948; with GM’s aviation group merging with North American Aviation without Fokker. During World War II, the companies German factories were taken over by the Nazi government. After the war, Fokker converted several military transport aircraft to airliners. It wasn’t until 1958, it produced successful airliners the F-27 and F-28 that sold successfully until production ceased in 1986. While it attempted to work with McDonnell Douglas in 1981, it did not prove fruitful. The company produced a turbo-prop airliner, the F-50 and then the jet engine powered F-100 that had some success. However, the F-100 and a smaller jet engine aircraft the F-70 could not compete with Boeing or Airbus aircraft. In 1991, Fokker received support from Daimler-Benz that continued until 1996 when Daimler-Benz withdrew support forcing Fokker into bankruptcy. Fokker aircraft still exist and are flying in commercial service.

Douglas was founded in 1921, and built military aircraft producing the DC-2 in 1934 as a transport and then the DC-3. These aircraft were later converted for commercial use as airliners. The DC-3 was a remarkable aircraft and is still flying today. While Douglas was a major aircraft manufacturer during World War II, it was not as successful after the war. While it continued to produce commercial aircraft, the last of the propeller driven airplanes produced being the DC-6 in 1946 and the DC-7 in 1953. It produced a four-engine jet aircraft the DC-8 in 1958 to compete with Boeings 707. The DC-9 a two engine aircraft was produced in 1965 as a short range airliner. Due to quality, cash flow problems in developing the three engine DC-10 airliner and the Vietnam War. In 1967, the company merged with McDonnell Aircraft to become McDonnell Douglas. McDonnell Douglas then merged with Boeing in 1997.

Boeing Aircraft was founded as the result of building an aircraft the BW-1 floatplane designed by William Boeing and George Westervelt, a former navy engineer. Having traveled on a Curtiss Seaplane, they believed they could build a better aircraft. They built the BW-1 floatplane and after a successful flight in 1916 it became their first aircraft. In 1917, the company became Boeing Airplane Company. When World War I began it started building seaplanes for the US Navy. In 1918, after the war ended, demand for aircraft came to a halt forcing Boeing to look for other endeavors. Boeing started building furniture, boats, and other products to supplement its aircraft business.

In 1925, Boeing built the model-40 aircraft that eventually progressed to the 40A that was successful to the point the company was awarded a mail contract in 1927 from the US Postal Service. The aircraft not only carried mail, but had room for two passengers. Boeing created the airline Boeing Air Transport