The Intercontinental Airliner and the Essence of Airplane Performance, 1929-1939

By autumn of 1929, ten years had passed since first flights had been made across Atlantic, but transatlantic airplane services were nowhere in sight. Looking at matter quite cold bloodedly, wrote Edward P. Warner, editor of Aviation magazine, the fact is that there is no airplane now in existence, nor so far as can be definitely known in early prospect, which is capable of travelling nonstop for over 2000 miles with economy. By reasonable economy he meant with a payload. And he added, In setting figure at 2000 miles we are trying to be extremely generous.' He could have specified 1,000 miles and been equally correct. Nevertheless, by late 1933 Warner was able to remark that progress toward real transoceanic aviation has been more rapid than I would have dared hope a year or two ago.2 Indeed, intercontinental airliner was already under construction, it flew in 1934, and by end of 1935 Pacific Ocean was being flown per schedule

Aeronautics · Airplane · Aerospace Engineering · Aviation Industry Analysis and Trends · Engineering · International Law and Aviation

• Shakeout in the early commercial airframe industry

  Open Access•Taylor Jaworski, Andrew Smyth•The Economic History Review•2018

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