This Plane Is… Pregnant?
Joe Cortez September 17, 2015
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 September 13.
September 13, 2001
After a two-day flight ban after the September 11th attacks, the Department of Transportation once again opened the American airways at 11:00 a.m. ET. However, airports were still closed to international flights completed by foreign carriers due to security concerns.
Airports re-opened with tighter security features, including the closing of curbside or off-site check-in and the closing of the boarding area to ticketed passengers only.
September 14, 1993
After a series of critical mistakes, Lufthansa Flight 2904 overshot their runway at Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW). The pilots attempted a landing that accounted for reported crosswinds, but instead landed too fast and too far onto the runway, leaving the braking system and reverse thrust systems unengaged.
Two people were killed in the accident. As a result, Airbus redesigned their A320 aircraft to engage landing gear brakes at a lower compression value.
September 15, 1974
The exact cause of what brought down Air Vietnam Flight 706 remains a mystery. A South Vietnamese soldier who had been demoted boarded the flight with two hand grenades and, after takeoff, demanded the pilots fly the aircraft to Hanoi, the in North Vietnam. Instead, the pilots attempted to land at an air base, but aborted the landing before the Boeing 727 crashed. One theory suggests that the soldier detonated his grenades, causing the aircraft to lose control and crash.
September 16, 1946
Italian flag carrier Alitalia celebrates their first day of flying in post-war Europe. Viewed as a symbol of progress and growth in the nation, Alitalia soon became one of Europe’s preferred airlines.
In less than 20 years, the airline had grown in notoriety for carrying movie stars and becoming the unofficial flag carrier of the Vatican. Today, the Italian airline is a charter member of the Etihad Airways Partner alliance.
September 17, 2013
After the tumultuous launch of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the American aircraft manufacturer made a second attempt at success with the first flight of the 787-9.
The extended version of the aircraft is capable of carrying 290 passengers (40 more than the original 787 Dreamliner), with an additional range of 300 nautical miles. The 787-9 used in the test flight would ultimately be delivered to Air New Zealand.
September 18, 1958
One of the iconic aircraft of the jet era, the four-engine Douglas DC-8 entered service with both Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. The first jet-powered aircraft for Douglas, the DC-8 was capable of flying at more than 600 miles per hour.
In the 14-year production run of the commercial aircraft, over 500 aircraft were built across seven different variations.
September 19, 1962
Before the Airbus Beluga or Boeing Dreamlifter were created, the Aero Spacelines Pregnant Guppy took to the skies. One of the first outsize cargo freight aircraft to fly across the U.S., local authorities requested police and fire personnel to be on hand in case the first flight ended in tragedy.
However, the Pregnant Guppy’s first flight was an overwhelming success and was tasked with flying parts for the NASA Space Program less than a year later.
[Photo: NASA]
