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76-584: The second conversion was called the Super Turbo-Three because it was converted from a surplus Super DC-3 . Unlike the first conversion, the Dart engines were mounted in the rear part of the engine nacelle. Due to the small diameter of the Viscount propellers, airflow was restricted by the bulky nacelles and landing gear fairings. This caused the takeoff distance to be 6000 feet, making it unappealing as

152-507: A "DC-3 replacement" over the next three decades (including the very successful Fokker F27 Friendship ), but no single type could match the versatility, rugged reliability, and economy of the DC-3. While newer airliners soon replaced it on longer high-capacity routes, it remained a significant part of air transport systems well into the 1970s as a regional airliner before being replaced by early regional jets . Perhaps unique among prewar aircraft,

228-466: A commuter aircraft. The aircraft ended up parked at Groton-New London Airport in Groton, Connecticut where on February 19, 1984 its cockpit was hit by a wing from a Trans American Lockheed L-100 Hercules . A similar conversion had been performed for British European Airways (BEA) in the 1940s when a Dakota was converted to Dart power in order to obtain turboprop experience prior to the introduction of

304-583: A decommissioned model is attached to the store. There is dine-in seating available in the plane. Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists American Airlines American Airlines is a major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas , within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex . It is the largest airline in

380-558: A direct role in the development of the DC-10 , which resulted from a specification from American Airlines to manufacturers in 1966 to offer a widebody aircraft that was smaller than the Boeing 747 , but capable of flying similar long-range routes from airports with shorter runways. McDonnell Douglas responded with the DC-10 trijet shortly after the two companies' merger. On February 19, 1968,

456-768: A direct role in the development of the Douglas DC-3 , which resulted from a marathon telephone call from American Airlines CEO C. R. Smith to Douglas Aircraft Company founder Donald Wills Douglas Sr. , when Smith persuaded a reluctant Douglas to design a sleeper aircraft based on the DC-2 to replace American's Curtiss Condor II biplanes. (The existing DC-2's cabin was 66 inches (1.7 m) wide, too narrow for side-by-side berths.) Douglas agreed to proceed with development only after Smith informed him of American Airline's intention to purchase 20 aircraft. The prototype DST ( Douglas Sleeper Transport ) first flew on December 17, 1935,

532-504: A marathon telephone call from American Airlines CEO C. R. Smith to Donald Douglas, when Smith persuaded a reluctant Douglas to design a sleeper aircraft based on the DC-2 to replace American's Curtiss Condor II biplanes. The DC-2's cabin was 66 inches (1.7 m) wide, too narrow for side-by-side berths. Douglas agreed to go ahead with development only after Smith informed him of American's intention to purchase 20 aircraft. The new aircraft

608-651: A new headquarters in Fort Worth. Groundbreaking began in the spring of 2016, and occupancy was completed in September 2019. The airline plans to house 5,000 new workers in the building. It will be located on a 41-acre (17 ha) property adjacent to the airline's flight academy and conference and training center, west of Texas State Highway 360 , 2 miles (3.2 km) west from the current headquarters. The airline will lease 300 acres (120 ha) from Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, and this area will include

684-425: A new livery. The original design called for a red, white, and blue stripe on the fuselage and a simple "AA" logo, without an eagle, on the tail; instead, Vignelli created a highly stylized eagle, which remained the company's logo until January 16, 2013. On January 17, 2013, American unveiled a new livery. Before then, American had been the only major U.S. airline to leave most of its aircraft surfaces unpainted. This

760-471: A new logo, American Airlines introduced a new livery for its fleet. The airline calls the new livery and branding "a clean and modern update". The current design features an abstract American flag on the tail, along with a silver-painted fuselage, as a throw-back to the old livery. The new design was painted by Leading Edge Aviation Services in California . Doug Parker, the incoming CEO, indicated that

836-618: A new logo, which includes elements of the 1967 logo. American Airlines faced difficulty obtaining copyright registration for their 2013 logo. On June 3, 2016, American Airlines sought to register it with the United States Copyright Office , but in October of that year, the Copyright Office ruled that the logo was ineligible for copyright protection, as it did not pass the threshold of originality , and

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912-405: A personal item. Still, American later revised their Basic Economy policies to allow for a carry-on bag. In May 2017, American announced it would add more seats to some of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets and reduce overall legroom in the basic economy class. The last three rows were to lose 2 inches (5.1 cm), going from the current 31 to 29 inches (79 to 74 cm). The remainder of the main cabin

988-490: A pitch of 34 inches (86 cm) or more. Amid financial losses, this scheme was discontinued in 2004. American also offers Basic Economy , the airline's lowest main cabin fare on many routes. Basic Economy consists of a Main Cabin ticket with numerous restrictions, including waiting until check-in for a seat assignment, no upgrades or refunds, and boarding in the last group. Originally Basic Economy passengers could only carry

1064-487: A range of 1,500 mi (2,400 km), and can operate from short runways. The DC-3 had many exceptional qualities compared to previous aircraft. It was fast, had a good range, was more reliable, and carried passengers in greater comfort. Before the World War II, it pioneered many air travel routes. It was able to cross the continental United States from New York to Los Angeles in 18 hours, with only three stops. It

1140-540: A round-trip flight between Los Angeles and Chicago. In 2011, due to a downturn in the airline industry, American Airlines' parent company, the AMR Corporation , filed for bankruptcy protection. In 2013, American Airlines merged with US Airways but kept the American Airlines name, as it was the better-recognized brand internationally; the combination of the two airlines resulted in the creation of

1216-453: A standard livery was adopted in the 1930s, featuring an eagle painted on the fuselage. The eagle became a symbol of the company and inspired the name of American Eagle Airlines . Propeller aircraft featured an international orange lightning bolt running down the length of the fuselage, which was replaced by a simpler orange stripe with the introduction of jets. In the late 1960s, American commissioned designer Massimo Vignelli to develop

1292-530: A subsidiary of Citigroup , Barclaycard , and Bilt card in the United States, by several banks including Butterfield Bank and Scotiabank in the Caribbean, and by Banco Santander in Brazil. AAdvantage allows one-way redemption, starting at 7,500 miles. The Admirals Club was conceived by AA president C.R. Smith as a marketing promotion shortly after he was made an honorary Texas Ranger . Inspired by

1368-685: A trip entailed short hops in slower and shorter-range aircraft during the day, coupled with train travel overnight . Several radial engines were offered for the DC-3. Early-production civilian aircraft used either the 9-cylinder Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 or the 14-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp , but the Twin Wasp was chosen for most military versions and was also used by most DC-3s converted from military service. Five DC-3S Super DC-3s with Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Twin Wasps were built in

1444-461: A variety of niche roles; 2,000 DC-3s and military derivatives were estimated to be still flying in 2013; by 2017 more than 300 were still flying. As of 2023 it is estimated about 150 are still flying. "DC" stands for "Douglas Commercial". The DC-3 was the culmination of a development effort that began after an inquiry from Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA) to Donald Douglas . TWA's rival in transcontinental air service, United Airlines ,

1520-506: A very large number of civil and military operators of the DC-3/C-47 and related types, which would have made it impracticable to provide a comprehensive listing of all operators. A common saying among aviation enthusiasts and pilots is "the only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3". Its ability to use grass or dirt runways makes it popular in developing countries or remote areas, where runways may be unpaved. The oldest surviving DST

1596-496: Is American's economy plus product. It is offered on all widebody aircraft. The cabin debuted on the airline's Boeing 787-9s in late 2016 and is also available on Boeing 777-200s and -300s, and Boeing 787-8s. Premium Economy seats are wider than seats in the main cabin (American's economy cabin) and provide more amenities: Premium Economy customers get two free checked bags, priority boarding, and enhanced food and drink service, including free alcohol. This product made American Airlines

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1672-851: Is American's economy product found on all mainline and regional aircraft in its fleet. Seats range from 17–18.5 inches (43–47 cm) in width and have 30–32 inches (76–81 cm) of pitch. American markets several rows within the main cabin immediately behind Main Cabin Extra as "Main Cabin Preferred", which requires an extra charge to select for those without status. American Airlines marketed increased legroom in economy class as "More Room Throughout Coach", also referred to as "MRTC", starting in February 2000. Two rows of economy class seats were removed on domestic narrowbody aircraft, resulting in more than half of all standard economy seats having

1748-399: Is N133D, the sixth Douglas Sleeper Transport built, manufactured in 1936. This aircraft was delivered to American Airlines on 12 July 1936 as NC16005. In 2011 it was at Shell Creek Airport, Punta Gorda, Florida . It has been repaired and has been flying again, with a recent flight on 25 April 2021. The oldest DC-3 still flying is the original American Airlines Flagship Detroit (c/n 1920,

1824-629: Is a low-wing metal monoplane with conventional landing gear , powered by two radial piston engines of 1,000–1,200 hp (750–890 kW). Although the DC-3s originally built for civil service had the Wright R-1820 Cyclone , later civilian DC-3s used the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engine. The DC-3 has a cruising speed of 207 mph (333 km/h), a capacity of 21 to 32 passengers or 6,000 lbs (2,700 kg) of cargo, and

1900-837: Is a conversion of the DC-3/C-47. Basler refurbishes C-47s and DC-3s at Oshkosh , Wisconsin , fitting them with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67R turboprop engines, lengthening the fuselage by 40 in (1,000 mm) with a fuselage plug ahead of the wing, and some local strengthening of the airframe. South Africa-based Braddick Specialised Air Services International (commonly referred to as BSAS International) has also performed Pratt & Whitney PT6 turboprop conversions, having performed modifications on over 50 DC-3/C-47s / 65ARTP / 67RTP / 67FTPs. American Airlines inaugurated passenger service on June 26, 1936, with simultaneous flights from Newark, New Jersey and Chicago , Illinois. Early U.S. airlines like American , United , TWA , Eastern , and Delta ordered over 400 DC-3s. These fleets paved

1976-746: Is not a part of the JV. American Airlines has a joint venture with fellow Oneworld member Japan Airlines for flights across the Pacific. Combined, the airlines offer 16 daily flights to 9 cities between Japan and the United States with connections possible on Japan Airlines beyond Japan, and on American Airlines throughout North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean. American Airlines has received approval to add additional service between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Haneda Airport in Tokyo, making it

2052-442: Is offered on all domestically configured aircraft. Seats range from 19–21 inches (48–53 cm) in width and have 37–42 inches (94–107 cm) of pitch. Dining options include complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages on all flights as well as standard economy snack offerings, enhanced snack basket selections on flights over 500 miles (800 km), and meals on flights 900 miles (1,400 km) or longer. Premium Economy

2128-446: Is one of the first airliners that could profitably carry only passengers without relying on mail subsidies. In 1939, at the peak of its dominance in the airliner market, around ninety percent of airline flights on the planet were by a DC-3 or some variant. Following the war, the airliner market was flooded with surplus transport aircraft, and the DC-3 was no longer competitive because it was smaller and slower than aircraft built during

2204-417: Is the frequent flyer program for American Airlines. It was launched on May 1, 1981, and remains the largest frequent flyer program, with over 115 million members as of 2021. Miles accumulated in the program allow members to redeem tickets, upgrade service class, or obtain free or discounted car rentals, hotel stays, merchandise, or other products and services through partners. The most active members, based on

2280-480: The Kentucky colonels and other honorary title designations, Smith decided to make particularly valued passengers "admirals" of the "Flagship fleet" (AA called its aircraft "Flagships" at the time). The list of admirals included many celebrities, politicians, and other VIPs, as well as more "ordinary" customers who had been particularly loyal to the airline. There was no physical Admirals Club until shortly after

2356-649: The 32nd anniversary of the Wright Brothers ' flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Its cabin was 92 in (2.3 m) wide, and a version with 21 seats instead of the 14–16 sleeping berths of the DST was given the designation DC-3. There was no prototype DC-3; the first DC-3 built followed seven DSTs off the production line and was delivered to American Airlines. American Airlines inaugurated passenger service on June 26, 1936, with simultaneous flights from Newark, New Jersey , and Chicago, Illinois . American also had

Conroy Turbo-Three - Misplaced Pages Continue

2432-782: The 43rd aircraft off the Santa Monica production line, delivered on 2 March 1937), which appears at airshows around the United States and is owned and operated by the Flagship Detroit Foundation. The base price of a new DC-3 in 1936 was around $ 60,000–$ 80,000, and by 1960 used aircraft were available for $ 75,000. In 2023, flying DC-3s can be bought from $ 400,000-$ 700,000. As of 2024, the Basler BT-67 with additions to handle cold weather and snow runways are used in Antarctica including regularly landing at

2508-521: The DC-2 in service from Amsterdam via Batavia (now Jakarta ) to Sydney , by far the world's longest scheduled route at the time. In total, KLM bought 23 DC-3s before the war broke out in Europe. In 1941, a China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) DC-3 pressed into wartime transportation service was bombed on the ground at Suifu Airfield in China, destroying the outer right wing. The only spare available

2584-493: The DC-3 continues to fly in active commercial and military service as of 2021, eighty-six years after the type's first flight in 1935, although the number is dwindling due to expensive maintenance and a lack of spare parts. There are small operators with DC-3s in revenue service and as cargo aircraft . Applications of the DC-3 have included passenger service, aerial spraying, freight transport, military transport, missionary flying, skydiver shuttling and sightseeing. There have been

2660-434: The DST was given the designation DC-3 . No prototype was built, and the first DC-3 built followed seven DSTs off the production line for delivery to American Airlines. The DC-3 and DST popularized air travel in the United States. Eastbound transcontinental flights could cross the U.S. in about 15 hours with three refueling stops, while westbound trips against the wind took 17 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours. A few years earlier, such

2736-629: The South Pole during the austral summer. Douglas C-47-DL serial number 41-7723 is on display at Pima Air & Space Museum near Tucson , Arizona . The aircraft was previously displayed at the United States Air Force Museum . Data from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 General characteristics Performance An attraction for the city Taupō in New Zealand , is a McDonald's outlet, where

2812-624: The Soviet Union as the Lisunov Li-2 (4,937 aircraft). After the war, thousands of cheap ex-military DC-3s became available for civilian use. Cubana de Aviación became the first Latin American airline to offer a scheduled service to Miami when it started its first scheduled international service from Havana in 1945 with a DC-3. Cubana used DC-3s on some domestic routes well into the 1960s. Douglas developed an improved version,

2888-529: The Super DC-3, with more power, greater cargo capacity, and an improved wing, but with surplus aircraft available for cheap, they failed to sell well in the civilian aviation market. Only five were delivered, three of them to Capital Airlines . The U.S. Navy had 100 of its early R4Ds converted to Super DC-3 standard during the early 1950s as the Douglas R4D-8/C-117D . The last U.S. Navy C-117

2964-629: The US Navy with the designation YC-129 alongside 100 R4Ds that had been upgraded to the Super DC-3 specifications. From the early 1950s, some DC-3s were modified to use Rolls-Royce Dart engines, as in the Conroy Turbo Three . Other conversions featured Armstrong Siddeley Mamba or Pratt & Whitney PT6 A turbines . The Greenwich Aircraft Corp DC-3-TP is a conversion with an extended fuselage and with Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65AR or PT6A-67R engines fitted. The Basler BT-67

3040-487: The United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Three of these carriers are independent, and three are subsidiaries of American Airlines Group: Envoy Air Inc. , Piedmont Airlines, Inc. , and PSA Airlines Inc. American Airlines is headquartered across several buildings in Fort Worth, Texas that it calls the "Robert L. Crandall Campus" in honor of former president and CEO Robert Crandall . The 1,700,000-square-foot (160,000 m ), five-building office complex called

3116-480: The Viscount. Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Super DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller -driven airliner manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company , which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II . It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper version of the Douglas DC-2 . It

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3192-660: The above codeshares, American Airlines has entered into three joint ventures . American Airlines is a vital member of the Oneworld Atlantic joint venture on flights across the North Atlantic with European carriers British Airways , Finnair , and Iberia . Aer Lingus , which shares ownership with British Airways and Iberia, has received regulatory approval to join this joint venture. Itineraries including flights operated by Oneworld partner Alaska Airlines are sold as part of itineraries in this JV, but Alaska

3268-557: The accumulation of Loyalty Points with American Airlines, are designated AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum, AAdvantage Platinum Pro, and AAdvantage Executive Platinum elite members, with privileges such as separate check-in, priority upgrade, and standby processing, or free upgrades. AAdvantage status corresponds with Oneworld status levels allowing elites to receive reciprocal benefits from American's Oneworld partner airlines. AAdvantage co-branded credit cards are also available and offer other benefits. The cards are issued by CitiCards,

3344-426: The aisle in each row. As with the airline's other premium cabins, Flagship First offers wider food and beverage options, larger seats, and lounge access at certain airports. American offers domestic Flagship First service on transcontinental routes between New York–JFK and Los Angeles , New York–JFK and San Francisco , New York-JFK and Santa Ana , Boston and Los Angeles, and Miami and Los Angeles, as well as on

3420-504: The financial year ending 31 December): American Airlines, Inc., is publicly traded through its parent company, American Airlines Group Inc., under NASDAQ: AAL Nasdaq :  AAL , with a market capitalization of about $ 12 billion as of 2019, and is included in the S&;P 500 index . American Eagle is a network of six regional carriers that operate under a codeshare and service agreement with American, operating flights to destinations in

3496-488: The first U.S. carrier to offer a four-cabin aircraft. Main Cabin Extra is American's enhanced economy product. It is available on all of the mainline fleet and American Eagle aircraft. Main Cabin Extra seats include greater pitch than is available in the main cabin, complimentary alcoholic beverages and boarding one group ahead of the main cabin. American retained Main Cabin Extra when the new Premium Economy product entered service in late 2016. Main Cabin (economy class)

3572-561: The headquarters. Construction of the new headquarters began after the demolition of the Sabre facility, previously on the site. The airline considered developing a new headquarters in Irving, Texas , on the old Texas Stadium site, before deciding to keep the headquarters in Fort Worth. In 1931, an American employee, Goodrich Murphy designed the AA logo as an entry in a logo contest. The eagle in

3648-545: The headquarters. The airline began leasing the facility from the airport, which owns the facility. Following the merger of US Airways and American Airlines, the new company consolidated its corporate headquarters in Fort Worth, abandoning the US Airways headquarters in Phoenix, AZ. As of 2015, American Airlines is the corporation with the most significant presence in Fort Worth. In 2015, American announced it would build

3724-573: The largest airline in the United States, and ultimately the world. In December 2023, the company was added to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index . As of September 2024 , American Airlines flies (or has flown) to the following destinations: American currently operates ten hubs. American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance and has codeshares with the following airlines: In addition to

3800-416: The largest. The airline handles more than 200 million passengers annually, with an average of more than 500,000 passengers daily. As of 2023 , the company employs 103,200 staff members. American Airlines was started in 1930 as a union of more than eighty small airlines. The two organizations from which American Airlines originated were Robertson Aircraft Corporation and Colonial Air Transport . The former

3876-533: The late 1940s, three of which entered airline service. Total production including all military variants was 16,079. More than 400 remained in commercial service in 1998. Production was: Production of DSTs ended in mid-1941 and civilian DC-3 production ended in early 1943, although dozens of the DSTs and DC-3s ordered by airlines that were produced between 1941 and 1943 were pressed into the US military service while still on

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3952-433: The logo was copied from a Scottish hotel brochure. The logo was redesigned by Massimo Vignelli in 1967. Thirty years later, in 1997, American Airlines was able to make its logo Internet-compatible by buying the domain AA.com. AA is also American's two-letter IATA airline designator . On January 17, 2013, American launched a new rebranding and marketing campaign with FutureBrand dubbed "A New American". This included

4028-470: The majority of the airline's total fleet consists of Airbus aircraft. American Airlines is the world's largest operator of the 787-8, the smallest variant of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner . Flagship First is American's international and transcontinental first class product. It is offered only on Boeing 777-300ERs and select Airbus A321s, which American designates "A321T". The seats are fully lie-flat and offer direct aisle access with only one on each side of

4104-580: The move as a "betrayal" of New York City. American moved to two leased office buildings in Grand Prairie, Texas . On January 17, 1983, the airline finished moving into a $ 150 million ($ 459,000,000 when adjusted for inflation), 550,000-square-foot (51,000 m ) facility in Fort Worth; $ 147 million (about $ 450,000,000 when adjusted for inflation) in Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport bonds financed

4180-460: The new livery could be short-lived, stating that "[the] only reason this is an issue now is that they just did it right in the middle [of the merger], which kind of makes it confusing, so that allows us, actually, to decide if we are going to do something different because we have so many airplanes to paint". The current logo and livery have had mixed criticism, with Design Shack editor Joshua Johnson writing that they "boldly and proudly communicate

4256-530: The only US airline flying between New York City and Tokyo and the joint venture the leader in frequencies offered between New York City and Tokyo's primary airport. In 2019, American Airlines received regulatory approval to enter into a joint business relationship with Qantas covering flights between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. As of September 2024 , the American Airlines fleet consists of 971 mainline aircraft, making it

4332-441: The opening of LaGuardia Airport. During the airport's construction, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia had an upper-level lounge for press conferences and business meetings. At one such press conference, he noted that the entire terminal was being offered for lease to airline tenants; after a reporter asked whether the lounge would be leased as well, LaGuardia replied that it would, and a vice president of AA immediately offered to lease

4408-560: The premises. The airline then procured a liquor license and began operating the lounge as the "Admirals Club" in 1939. The second Admirals Club opened at Washington National Airport. Because it was illegal to sell alcohol in Virginia at the time, the club contained refrigerators for the use of its members so they could store their liquor at the airport. For many years, membership in the Admirals Club (and most other airline lounges)

4484-458: The president of American Airlines, George A. Spater, and James S. McDonnell of McDonnell Douglas announced American's intention to acquire the DC-10. American Airlines ordered 25 DC-10s in its first order. The DC-10 made its first flight on August 29, 1970, and received its type certificate from the FAA on July 29, 1971. On August 5, 1971, the DC-10 entered commercial service with American Airlines on

4560-402: The production line. Military versions were produced until the end of the war in 1945. A larger, more powerful Super DC-3 was launched in 1949 to positive reviews. The civilian market was flooded with second-hand C-47s, many of which were converted to passenger and cargo versions. Only five Super DC-3s were built, and three of them were delivered for commercial use. The prototype Super DC-3 served

4636-747: The standard domestic route between New York-JFK and Boston. The airline will debut new Flagship Suite premium seats and a revamped aircraft interior for its long-haul fleet with fresh deliveries of its Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 787-9 aircraft, beginning in 2024. Flagship Business is American's international and transcontinental business class product. It is offered on all Boeing 777-200ERs, Boeing 777-300ERs, Boeing 787-8s, and Boeing 787-9s, as well as select Airbus A321s. All Flagship Business seats are fully lie-flat. The amenities in Flagship Business include complimentary alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages, multi-course meals, and lounge access. First class

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4712-559: The third-largest commercial airline fleet in the world. American Airlines operates aircraft manufactured by Boeing and Airbus . Over 80% of American's aircraft are narrow-bodies from the Airbus A320 family and the Boeing 737 family . It is the largest A320 family aircraft operator in the world, as well as the largest operator of the A319 and A321 variants. American's wide-body aircraft are all Boeing airliners; however,

4788-524: The war effort and more than 10,000 U.S. military versions of the DC-3 were built, under the designations C-47, C-53, R4D, and Dakota . Peak production was reached in 1944, with 4,853 being delivered. The armed forces of many countries used the DC-3 and its military variants for the transport of troops, cargo, and wounded. Licensed copies of the DC-3 were built in Japan as the Showa L2D (487 aircraft); and in

4864-697: The war. It was made obsolete on main routes by more advanced types such as the Douglas DC-4 and Convair 240 , but the design proved adaptable and was still useful on less commercially demanding routes. Civilian DC-3 production ended in 1943 at 607 aircraft. Military versions, including the C-47 Skytrain (the Dakota in British RAF service), and Soviet- and Japanese-built versions, brought total production to over 16,000. Many continued to be used in

4940-409: The way for the modern American air travel industry, which eventually replaced trains as the favored means of long-distance travel across the United States. A nonprofit group, Flagship Detroit Foundation, continues to operate the only original American Airlines Flagship DC-3 with air show and airport visits throughout the U.S. In 1936, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines received its first DC-3, which replaced

5016-538: The world when measured by scheduled passengers carried, revenue passenger mile, and daily flights. American, along with its regional subsidiaries and contractors operating under the brand name American Eagle , operate an extensive international and domestic network with almost 6,800 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in 48 countries. American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld alliance. American Airlines and American Eagle operate out of ten hubs, with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) being

5092-412: Was because C. R. Smith would not say he liked painted aircraft and refused to use any liveries that involved painting the entire plane. Robert "Bob" Crandall later justified the distinctive natural metal finish by noting that less paint reduced the aircraft's weight, thus saving fuel costs. In January 2013, American launched a new rebranding and marketing campaign dubbed "The New American." In addition to

5168-516: Was by the airline's invitation. After a passenger sued for discrimination, the club switched to a paid membership program in 1974. Though affiliated with the Admirals Club and staffed by many of the same employees, the Flagship Lounge is a separate lounge designed explicitly for customers flying in first class and business class on international flights and transcontinental domestic flights. The key trends for American Airlines are (as of

5244-617: Was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects . The campus is located on 300 acres, adjacent to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , American's fortress hub . Before it was headquartered in Texas, American Airlines was headquartered at 633 Third Avenue in the Murray Hill area of Midtown Manhattan , New York City. In 1979, American moved its headquarters to a site at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , which affected up to 1,300 jobs. Mayor of New York City Ed Koch described

5320-419: Was engineered by a team led by chief engineer Arthur E. Raymond over the next two years, and the prototype DST (Douglas Sleeper Transport) first flew on December 17, 1935 (the 32nd anniversary of the Wright Brothers ' flight at Kitty Hawk) with Douglas chief test pilot Carl Cover at the controls. Its cabin was 92 in (2,300 mm) wide, and a version with 21 seats instead of the 14–16 sleeping berths of

5396-593: Was first created in Missouri in 1921, with both being merged in 1929 into holding company The Aviation Corporation . This, in turn, was made in 1930 into an operating company and rebranded as American Airways . In 1934, when new laws and attrition of mail contracts forced many airlines to reorganize, the corporation redid its routes into a connected system and was renamed American Airlines. The airline fully developed its international business between 1970 and 2000. It purchased Trans World Airlines in 2001. American had

5472-523: Was retired July 12, 1976. The last U.S. Marine Corps C-117, serial 50835, was retired from active service during June 1982. Several remained in service with small airlines in North and South America in 2006. The United States Forest Service used the DC-3 for smoke jumping and general transportation until the last example was retired in December 2015. A number of aircraft companies attempted to design

5548-408: Was starting service with the Boeing 247 , and Boeing refused to sell any 247s to other airlines until United's order for 60 aircraft had been filled. TWA asked Douglas to design and build an aircraft that would allow TWA to compete with United. Douglas' design, the 1933 DC-1 , was promising, and led to the DC-2 in 1934. The DC-2 was a success, but with room for improvement. The DC-3 resulted from

5624-455: Was that of a smaller Douglas DC-2 in CNAC's workshops. The DC-2's right wing was removed, flown to Suifu under the belly of another CNAC DC-3, and bolted up to the damaged aircraft. After a single test flight, in which it was discovered that it pulled to the right due to the difference in wing sizes, the so-called DC-2½ was flown to safety. During World War II, many civilian DC-3s were drafted for

5700-429: Was thus in the public domain . American requested that the Copyright Office reconsider. Still, on January 8, 2018, the Copyright Office affirmed its initial determination. After American Airlines submitted additional materials, the Copyright Office reversed its decision on December 7, 2018, and ruled that the logo contained enough creativity to merit copyright protection. American's early liveries varied widely, but

5776-487: Was to have 30 inches (76 cm) of legroom. This "Project Oasis" seating configuration has since been expanded to all 737 MAX 8s as well as standard Boeing 737-800 and non-transcontinental Airbus A321 jets. New Airbus A321neo jets have been delivered with the same configuration. This configuration has been considered unpopular with passengers, especially American's frequent flyers, as the new seats have less padding, less legroom, and no seatback entertainment. AAdvantage

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