jlemon

Correct! Here's the sched.....

NW 25: New York (JFK) 11:35a - 12:46p Chicago (ORD) 1:30p - 3:33p Seattle (SEA) 4:20p - 4:57p Portland (PDX) 5:50p - 9:12p Honolulu (HNL)
Op: Daily
Equip: 720B FAN-JET - Royal Aloha Jet
Note: "IMPERIAL SERVICE ....complimentary champagne, or imported wine, is served to passengers traveling at first class fares" (after departure from those airports so indicated which were JFK, ORD and PDX on NW 25).

However, I'm not so sure about "the overwater segment be as short as possible" as I believe the Boeing 720B was used in transatlantic operations. And, of course, Western also operated the 720B between the U.S. mainland and Hawaii.

jrl767

"as short as possible" within NW's route authority at the time ...Ii'm not sure that they ever operated the 720B on the slightly longer SEA<-->HNL segment

Seat 2A

I think they did. When I get back home I'll have to check my schedules.

BTW - howdy from sunny Needles, California!

jlemon

Well, something to consider here....

The one way distance between Seattle and Honolulu is about 2,675 miles.

Meantime, the one way distance between Montreal Dorval and Paris Orly is 3,466 miles.

And in the early 1960's, Lufthansa was operating Boeing 720B equipment nonstop between Paris and Montreal as part of a Frankfurt-Paris-Montreal-San Francisco route.

I also seem to recall that Avianca may have operated the 720B on a transatlantic route that included a nonstop leg between San Juan and Madrid, although I'm not completely sure they did. BTW, the one way distance between SJU and MAD is 3,978 miles.

Seat 2A

They did. I recall WHBM referencing this route a couple thousand posts back, and I also saw it referenced in Jon Proctor's book about the 720. Perhaps WHBM can regale us with an encore recall on this subject... Also, we recently discussed El Al's run between Tel Aviv and Johannesburg via Teheran.

WHBM

Good morning all. WHBM stuck in the dreariest of Holiday Inns in Birmingham here, afraid it will have to wait a while.

Only +8C/+46F outside here (and cold wind), almost feels winter is here again.

Seat 2A

Since I am about to call it a night, I am reminded of the title of an old Junior Brown song "Gotta Get Up Every Morning" (Just to Say Goodnight to You) This ditty has probably never been played across the pond, thus my link to the lyrics


The forecast calls for +89F/+32C here tomorrow. I am off along Route 66 over Sitgreaves Pass to Kingman, Arizona for a visit to the airliner boneyard at Kingman Airport (Once known as Kingman Army Air Field). Dinner and adult beverages with an old friend in Lake Havasu, then back to Alaska on Thursday and back to work on Friday.

jlemon

Time for a hot toddy!

Meantime, it's a delightful spring day in New Orleans today. We conducted a business lunch meeting at a Thai restaurant located downtown between Canal and Poydras and the cuisine was delightful as well.

Seat 2A

Greetings from sunny Kingman, Arizona! It's a breezy 78 degrees - perfect for viewing what may be the world's largest collection of stored regional jets.

It appears the entire fleet of Comair CRJ-200s were dropped off here, as well most or all of the ERJ-145s wearing the liveries of Delta Connection and United Express. Additional ERJ-135/145s from American Eagle are abundant and there is a sprinkling of AeroMexico ERJ-145s as well. Bright yellow A300s and DC-8-73s from DHL add a splash of color to the assemblage.

So then, while I await my luncheon order, now would seem a good time to close out this question...

NP 1. A little bit of research has revealed twelve U.S. National Parks where the closest commercial airport was served by Convair 580s from Frontier Airlines. Since Frontier retired the 580, three more National Parks have been created where – had Frontier still been flying the 580 today – it would serve the closest airport to those parks as well.

Identify the fifteen National Parks where the closest commercial airport was served by Frontier’s 580 – or would have been had the park been established back then. While you’re at it, identify the airport closest to each National Park you identify.

Grand Teton National Park – Jackson, WY 4.5 miles
Arches National Park – Moab, UT 14 miles
Badlands National Park – Rapid City, SD 38 miles
Rocky Mountain National Park – Denver, CO 74 miles
Wind Cave National Park – Rapid City, SD 59 miles
Mesa Verde National Park – Cortez, CO 20 miles
Canyonlands National Park – Moab, UT 27 miles
Grand Canyon National Park – Flagstaff, AZ 85 miles
Hot Springs National Park – Hot Springs, AR 1 mile
Petrified Forest National Park – Holbrook, AZ 11 miles
Yellowstone National Park - West Yellowstone, MT 3 miles
Glacier National Park - Cattle Smell, MT 24 miles
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – Montrose, CO 15 miles
Great Sand Dunes National Park – Alamosa, CO 38 miles
Saguaro National Park – Tucson, AZ 15 miles

jlemon

Ah....Seat 2A.

Perhaps the desert sun has created some kind of bovine psychic mirage for you with regard to the above answer.

Or perhaps FCA actually stands for "Fine Cattle Aroma"......

Of course, this engenders not one, not two but three bonus quiz items.....

BQI #1: In 1976, two airlines were operating jet service into FCA. Name both and also identify the jet equipment each flew into the airport. And here's a hint: one of the air carriers only flew one type of jet into FCA while the other airline operated two different types. ANSWERED

BQI #2: What was the most distant destination that had direct, no change of plane jet service to FCA in 1976? Also identify the airline and the aircraft type that flew the service. Hint: there were no less than four intermediate stops made en route from this city to FCA (which was also the terminating airport for this specific flight). So for bonus points, name not only this originating destination but all four stops as well. ANSWERED

BQI #3: What was the second most distant destination that had direct, no change of plane jet service to FCA in 1976? Also identify the air carrier and the and equipment used to operate the service. Hint: there were four intermediate stops made en route from this airport to FCA. So once again for bonus points, name all four stops in addition to the originating airport for this flight. ANSWERED

jrl767

let's say Frontier with a 737-200 and Hughes Airwest with DC-9s (-10 and -30)

Seat 2A

Re. Cattle Smell, Montana - Airport Code: FCA

I was wondering if anyone would catch that. Good on ya, JL!

jlemon

Correct! FL and RW were the only two air carriers serving Kalispell at this time and all flights were operated with jet equipment.

Seat 2A

Oops! Make that fourteen National Parks. The Grand Canyon's airport was served by Hughes Airwest's DC-9s. Even the airport at Page, AZ (Airwest F27s) was closer.

jlemon

Plus Republic with DC9s (continuation of RW service) followed by TriStar with BAe 146s on the jet side of the house. America West also ran Dash 8s in there before they got out of the turboprop business and had Mesa operate the America West Express service.

And a whole bunch of commuter and tour operators as well, flying BAe Jetstream 31s, Beech 18s, Beech 99s, Beechcraft 1900C/Ds, Cessna 402s, Convair 580s, DHC-6 Twin Otters, Douglas DC-3s, Embraer EMB-110s, Fairchild F-27s, Fokker F27-500s, Grumman G Ones, Martin 4-0-4s, Piper Chieftains, Swearingen Metro IIs (the latter equipped with JATO!), etc.

Interesting airport, GCN.