Convair 990
Encyclopedia
The Convair 990 Coronado was a narrow-body
jet airliner
produced by the Convair
division of General Dynamics
, a "stretched" version of their earlier Convair 880
produced in response to a request from American Airlines
. The 990 was lengthened by 10 feet, which increased the number of passengers from between 88 and 110 in the 880, to between 96 and 121 (depending on the interior). This was still considerably fewer than the contemporary Boeing 707
(110 to 189) or Douglas DC-8
(105 to 173), although the 990 remained some 25 to 35 mph faster than either in cruise.
One change from 880 was the addition of large anti-shock bodies
on the upper wings to increase their critical Mach and reduce transonic drag. This allowed the heavier 990 to go slightly faster than the 880, cruising at about Mach 0.91
, making it the fastest passenger jet when it was built. Originally, there were plans to use the bulges as fuel tanks, but during test flights the extra weight caused the tanks to vibrate excessively. Instead, the inner set of bumps also served a secondary role as fuel dump for the fuel tanks in the fuselage.
The engines were also changed to the uprated General Electric CJ-805-23s
, which were unique in that they used a fan stage at the rear of the engines, compared to the fan stage at the front of the engine as found in the Pratt & Whitney JT3D
that powered the 990's competitors. The engine was a simplified, non afterburning civilian version of the J79, used in military fighters. Like the J79, the CJ805 was very smoky.
Like the 880, 990s were later modified with a dorsal "raceway" added to the top of fuselage to hold the wiring for additional instrumentation.
Swissair
bought eight 990As from 1962 onwards, operating them on long distance routes to South America, West Africa, the Middle and Far East, as well as on European routes with heavy traffic. Their fleet was withdrawn from service in 1975. Scandinavian Airlines also operated Coronados on their long haul schedules to Tokyo and other points in the Far East.
The 990's market niche was soon to be captured entirely by the Boeing 727
and the Boeing 720 (a derivative of the 707), and by the time the line was shut down in 1963, only 37 990s had been produced, bringing General Dynamics' entire production of commercial jet airliners to 102 airframes. The failure of the Convair 880 and 990 to be accepted by the airlines led Convair to suffer what at the time were the largest corporate losses in history.
When the major airlines retired their Convair 990s, they found a second life operating for charter airlines. Spantax
of Spain had a large fleet until they were gradually retired in the mid 1980s.
Several 990s have survived. A former Swissair Convair 990 is on display in the Swiss transportation museum, the Verkehrshaus
in Luzern, while two are owned by the Mojave Spaceport
. Of these, one is on display at the airport's entrance, and the other is used for movie and television filming projects.
Narrow-body aircraft
A narrow-body aircraft is an airliner with a fuselage aircraft cabin width typically of 3 to 4 metres , and airline seat arranged 2 to 6 abreast along a single aisle...
jet airliner
Jet airliner
A jet airliner is an airliner that is powered by jet engines. This term is sometimes contracted to jetliner or jet.In contrast to today's relatively fuel-efficient, turbofan-powered air travel, first generation jet airliner travel was noisy and fuel inefficient...
produced by the Convair
Convair
Convair was an American aircraft manufacturing company which later expanded into rockets and spacecraft. The company was formed in 1943 by the merger of Vultee Aircraft and Consolidated Aircraft, and went on to produce a number of pioneering aircraft, such as the Convair B-36 bomber, and the F-102...
division of General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
, a "stretched" version of their earlier Convair 880
Convair 880
The Convair 880 was a narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand...
produced in response to a request from American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. The 990 was lengthened by 10 feet, which increased the number of passengers from between 88 and 110 in the 880, to between 96 and 121 (depending on the interior). This was still considerably fewer than the contemporary Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
(110 to 189) or Douglas DC-8
Douglas DC-8
The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
(105 to 173), although the 990 remained some 25 to 35 mph faster than either in cruise.
Design and development
American Airlines requested that Convair design an aircraft for coast-to-coast flights, able to fly nonstop New York to Los Angeles against westerly winds. They wanted somewhat larger passenger capacity than the 880, which was the smallest of the first-generation U.S. jet airliners. The 990 entered production in 1961.One change from 880 was the addition of large anti-shock bodies
Anti-shock body
An Anti-shock body is a pod positioned on the leading or trailing edge of an aircraft's aerodynamic surface to reduce wave drag at transonic speeds .-Wing trailing edge:...
on the upper wings to increase their critical Mach and reduce transonic drag. This allowed the heavier 990 to go slightly faster than the 880, cruising at about Mach 0.91
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
, making it the fastest passenger jet when it was built. Originally, there were plans to use the bulges as fuel tanks, but during test flights the extra weight caused the tanks to vibrate excessively. Instead, the inner set of bumps also served a secondary role as fuel dump for the fuel tanks in the fuselage.
The engines were also changed to the uprated General Electric CJ-805-23s
General Electric CJ805
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
, which were unique in that they used a fan stage at the rear of the engines, compared to the fan stage at the front of the engine as found in the Pratt & Whitney JT3D
Pratt & Whitney JT3D
|-See also:-External links:*...
that powered the 990's competitors. The engine was a simplified, non afterburning civilian version of the J79, used in military fighters. Like the J79, the CJ805 was very smoky.
Like the 880, 990s were later modified with a dorsal "raceway" added to the top of fuselage to hold the wiring for additional instrumentation.
Operational history
Early versions of the 990 did not meet the specifications promised to American Airlines, which reduced its order as a result. As a result, the 990A was developed by adding fairings to the engine nacelles, pylons and the lower surface of the wing. Convair and GE aerodynamicists designed these modifications using a local area rule. The resulting modifications significantly delayed the high-speed drag rise of the aircraft. Despite these modifications, the aircraft never did live up to its promise of coast to coast non stop capability westbound from JFK to LAX. American Airlines timetables show little or no difference in scheduled time between 707 and 990A flights; AA began to dispose of its 990As in 1967, having found the 707 and 720 more suited to its routes in spite of their larger capacity.Swissair
Swissair
Swissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
bought eight 990As from 1962 onwards, operating them on long distance routes to South America, West Africa, the Middle and Far East, as well as on European routes with heavy traffic. Their fleet was withdrawn from service in 1975. Scandinavian Airlines also operated Coronados on their long haul schedules to Tokyo and other points in the Far East.
The 990's market niche was soon to be captured entirely by the Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
and the Boeing 720 (a derivative of the 707), and by the time the line was shut down in 1963, only 37 990s had been produced, bringing General Dynamics' entire production of commercial jet airliners to 102 airframes. The failure of the Convair 880 and 990 to be accepted by the airlines led Convair to suffer what at the time were the largest corporate losses in history.
When the major airlines retired their Convair 990s, they found a second life operating for charter airlines. Spantax
Spantax
Spantax S.A. was a Spanish airline that operated from 1959 to 1988. Its head office was located in Madrid.-Formative years:Spanish Air Taxi Líneas Aéreas S.A. was founded on 6 October 1959 by ex-Iberia pilot Rodolfo Bay Wright and ex-Iberia flight attendant Marta Estades Sáez...
of Spain had a large fleet until they were gradually retired in the mid 1980s.
Several 990s have survived. A former Swissair Convair 990 is on display in the Swiss transportation museum, the Verkehrshaus
Swiss Transport Museum
The Swiss Transport Museum or Verkehrshaus der Schweiz, in Lucerne, is a museum, opened in July 1959 and exhibiting all forms of transport as well as communications...
in Luzern, while two are owned by the Mojave Spaceport
Mojave Spaceport
thumb|right|235px|A retired [[Boeing 767-200]] that flew for [[Ansett Australia]] being cut open for scrap at Mojave AirportThe Mojave Air and Space Port , also known as the Civilian Aerospace Test Center, is located in Mojave, California, at an elevation of...
. Of these, one is on display at the airport's entrance, and the other is used for movie and television filming projects.
Variants
- 990 : Initial production version.
- 990A : Faster cruising speed and longer range.
Operators
- Aerolíneas Peruanas S.A.
- Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
- Alaska AirlinesAlaska AirlinesAlaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
- American AirlinesAmerican AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
- AREA Ecuador
- Cathay PacificCathay PacificCathay Pacific is the flag carrier of Hong Kong, with its head office and main hub located at Hong Kong International Airport, although the airline's registered office is on the 33rd floor of One Pacific Place...
- Ciskei International Airways
- Denver Ports of CallDenver Ports of CallDenver Ports of Call is a defunct United States private airline which operated flights for the Denver-based Ports of Call Travel Club from 1967 to 1986. In its heyday, Ports of Call was the largest travel club in the United States, with 29,000 members....
- Garuda Indonesian Airways
- Internord
- Lebanese International AirwaysLebanese International AirwaysLebanese International Airways was a Lebanese airline based in Beirut. Formed with help from Pan Am, it began scheduled flights in January 1956, and by 1958 had expanded its network through agreements with Sabena of Belgium. By the mid-1960s, LIA's destinations included Tehran, Kuwait City,...
- Middle East AirlinesMiddle East AirlinesMiddle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. , more commonly known as Middle East Airlines , is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport...
- Modern Air TransportModern Air TransportModern Air Transport, Inc. was a United States-based non-scheduled and supplemental carrierUS non-scheduled airlines as classified by the United States Congress in 1963 founded in 1946. At different stages in its history it was headquartered in Newark and Trenton, New Jersey, Baltimore, and Miami...
- NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
- Nomads Travel Club
- NordairNordairNordair is a defunct Quebec-based regional airline founded in 1947 from the merger of Boreal Airways and Mont Laurier Aviation. The airline operated from the 1950s to the 1980s. Most of its business was international and transatlantic passenger and freight charters and other contracts. It also...
- NortheastNortheast AirlinesNortheast Airlines was an American airline based in Boston, Massachusetts. They began as Boston-Maine Airways, which was founded as a Pan Am contract carrier on July 20, 1931, by the Boston and Maine Railroad and Maine Central Railroad offering service from Boston to Bangor via Portland...
- SASScandinavian Airlines SystemScandinavian Airlines or SAS, previously Scandinavian Airlines System, is the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and the largest airline in Scandinavia....
- SpantaxSpantaxSpantax S.A. was a Spanish airline that operated from 1959 to 1988. Its head office was located in Madrid.-Formative years:Spanish Air Taxi Líneas Aéreas S.A. was founded on 6 October 1959 by ex-Iberia pilot Rodolfo Bay Wright and ex-Iberia flight attendant Marta Estades Sáez...
- SwissairSwissairSwissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
- Thai Airways InternationalThai Airways InternationalThai Airways International Public Company Limited is the national flag carrier and largest airline of Thailand. Formed in 1988, the airline's headquarters are located in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, and operates out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai is a founding member of the Star Alliance. Thai is a...
- VarigVarigVARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
/ Real-AeroviasReal Transportes AéreosReal Transportes Aéreos was a Brazilian airline founded in 1945. It was merged into Varig in 1961, when Varig bought the Consórcio Real-Aerovias-Nacional, of which Real was the main carrier....
Accidents and incidents
- May 30, 1963 — A American AirlinesAmerican AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
Convair 990 was destroyed by fire at Newark International Airport, NJNjNj or NJ may stand for:*New Jersey*Nanojoule , an International System of Units unit of energy equal to 10−9 joules*Nj *Narva-Jõesuu, Estonia*Nordjyske Jernbaner, a Danish railway...
, USA. - May 28, 1968 — A Garuda Indonesia Airways Convair 990 crashed in a nearly vertical attitude, some 4,5 minutes after take-off from Bombay-Santacruz Airport outside Mumbay, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, killing all 14 crew and 15 passengers. - January 5, 1970 — A SpantaxSpantaxSpantax S.A. was a Spanish airline that operated from 1959 to 1988. Its head office was located in Madrid.-Formative years:Spanish Air Taxi Líneas Aéreas S.A. was founded on 6 October 1959 by ex-Iberia pilot Rodolfo Bay Wright and ex-Iberia flight attendant Marta Estades Sáez...
Convair 990 crashed near Stockholm-Arlanda AirportStockholm-Arlanda AirportStockholm Arlanda Airport , is an international airport located in the Sigtuna Municipality of Sweden, near the town of Märsta, north of Stockholm and nearly , by road, south-east of Uppsala....
outside StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
while taking off on a three-engine ferry flight to ZürichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
,SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, killing 5 passengers. - February 21, 1970 — A SwissairSwissairSwissair AG was the former national airline of Switzerland.It was formed from a merger between Balair and Ad Astra Aero , in 1931...
Convair 990 crashed near Würelingen,SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
while trying to return to the airport after an explosion in the aft of the plane, killing all 9 crew and 38 passengers. - August 8, 1970 — A Modern Air TransportModern Air TransportModern Air Transport, Inc. was a United States-based non-scheduled and supplemental carrierUS non-scheduled airlines as classified by the United States Congress in 1963 founded in 1946. At different stages in its history it was headquartered in Newark and Trenton, New Jersey, Baltimore, and Miami...
Convair 990 crashed on approach to Acapulco-Alvarez International Airport,MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Killing 1 crew. - December 3, 1972 — A SpantaxSpantaxSpantax S.A. was a Spanish airline that operated from 1959 to 1988. Its head office was located in Madrid.-Formative years:Spanish Air Taxi Líneas Aéreas S.A. was founded on 6 October 1959 by ex-Iberia pilot Rodolfo Bay Wright and ex-Iberia flight attendant Marta Estades Sáez...
Convair 990 crashed at Los Rodeos AirportLos Rodeos Airport-Statistics:-Accidents and incidents:Tenerife North Airport was the scene of the Tenerife airport disaster, to date the worst accident in aviation history. The accident took place on 27 March 1977, when, during take-off, the Boeing 747 of KLM Flight 4805 crashed into the Boeing 747 of Pan Am Flight...
on the island of TenerifeTenerifeTenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
while taking off in almost zero visibility, killing all 7 crew and 148 passengers. - April 12, 1973 — A U.S. Navy Lockheed P-3C (157332) operating from NAS Moffett FieldMoffett Federal AirfieldMoffett Federal Airfield , also known as Moffett Field, is a joint civil-military airport located between northern Mountain View and northern Sunnyvale, California, USA. The airport is near the south end of San Francisco Bay, northwest of San Jose. Formerly a United States Navy facility, the former...
in Sunnyvale, CaliforniaSunnyvale, CaliforniaSunnyvale is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is one of the major cities that make up the Silicon Valley located in the San Francisco Bay Area...
collided with a Convair CV-990 (N711NA) operated by NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
during approach to runway 32R. The aircraft crashed on the Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course, half a mile short of the runway, resulting in the destruction of both aircraft and the deaths of all aboard except for one Navy crewman. - September 10, 1973 — A California Airmotive Corp. Convair 990 veered to the left and collided with a GCA unit after landing in heavy rain on Guam-Agana airport, GuamGuamGuam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. - July 17, 1985 — A NASANASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
Convair 990 suffered a blown tire during take-off and caught fire at Riverside-March AFB, CACAThe term CA commonly means:* California, a U.S. state* Canada, a nation on the North American continent* Chartered Accountant* Compressed Air, such as "CA Piping"...
, USA