‘The New American’ Is Here, but Do You Remember the OLD American? — #TBT Week of January 25

In the spirit of #TBT (“Throwback Thursday,” not Brazil’s Tabatinga Airport) FlyerTalk takes a look back at the events that helped shape modern aviation. Here are just a few moments from history that changed the face of the industry during the week of January 25.

January 25, 1930

Happy birthday to American Airways — the airline that would someday become the modern American Airlines. Incorporated as a common brand used by a group of independent air operators, the young airline would celebrate serving one million passengers in just over seven years. In the 85-year history of the airline, American became involved in a number of aviation innovations, including transcontinental jet service, the formation of SABRE and the first major frequent flyer program with American AAdvantage.

January 26, 1990

Replacing two Boeing 707s, two Boeing 747 aircraft were delivered to the U.S. Air Force for use as Air Force One. Designated Special Air Mission 28000 and 29000, the two aircraft have served four presidents as the official state aircraft. Fifteen years and two days later, the White House announced that the original 747s would be replaced by a new variant of the Boeing aircraft — the 747-8.

January 27, 2002

After nearly 40 years in operation, the Boeing 737 became history’s first commercial aircraft to log over 100 million flying hours. Four years later, the Guinness Book of World Records would officially acknowledge the 737 as the most popular commercial aircraft in the world by aircraft in operation. Today, more than 300 airlines across 112 countries commercially operate some version of the 737.

January 28, 1986

Americans were gripped in sadness and mourning as the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God,” as U.S. President Ronald Reagan phrased it. All seven souls on the Challenger were lost as a result of an explosion that destroyed the shuttle during launch. Instead of going through with the State of the Union address scheduled for that evening, Reagan addressed the country with a message of comfort, reassuring his commitment to the Space Program.

January 29, 1988

In a very special flight dedicated to raising money for children’s charities, a Boeing 747-SP borrowed from United Airlines departed on this day with the goal of setting a speed record for flying around the world. The flight, chartered by The Friendship Foundation, sold tickets on the record-setting flight for $5,000 per person. Departing from and eventually returning to Boeing Field in Seattle, the flight made stops in Athens and Taipei, en route to a world record of 36 hours, 54 minutes and 15 seconds. The flight raised a total of $500,000.

January 30, 1948

Credited as a publisher, bicyclist, inventor of the aircraft and possibly the world’s first pilot, Orville Wright passed away in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio after suffering a heart attack. Following the famous first flight, Wright spent his days as an international businessman and statesman, serving on the board of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Thanks in part to the Wright Brothers’ contributions, Ohio is known as the Birthplace of Aviation.

January 31, 2000

Alaska Airlines Flight 261, with regular service from Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) via San Francisco International Airport (SFO), crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Point Mugu, Calif. All 88 souls on board the McDonnell Douglas MD-83, including the flight crew, perished. During the investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board determined that a failure of the horizontal stabilizer trim system and jackscrew assembly was to blame. The tragic flight would go on to “loosely inspire” the aircraft crash depicted in the major motion picture Flight.

 

[Video: Travel Film Archive Youtube]