F 2210 American Airlines The Mercury Douglas DC-7
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My father, Red Sutherland, was VP of the PR department and this was one of his films. This introduced the new DC-7. My sister and brother are featured.
Oh how cool!...I take it you weren't born yet?
I was in the film but cut out of the final version. Thanks, Pop...lol
Wow , what year was this film made ? I was thinking mid late 50s .
👍
Thats interesting.
My father was a captain for American he started as a mechanic
when the DC-2 arrived they decided to train some of the mechanics as copilots so on small stops if they had a problem
they also had a mechanic and copilots were also baggage handlers. We took this flight in the summer of 1958 only
due to very high head winds we were force to make a stop
for extra fuel making it almost 10 hours but still a lot smoother
and quieter than the DC-6 we had flown on the year before
which took 13 hours and 3 stops. I was 8 at the time I grew
up and flew 26 years for a major airline but it was never like
these golden days -I say it was the people- it was a different
world. The 747 changed the world in many ways not all of
them for the better.
That warbly audio on this film is a trip in itself.
I worked for Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica as a machinist in the 1960’s. Even in 1966 we were still making replacement parts for the DC-3 thru DC7. My first flight was in 1950 at three years old. We moved from New York to Los Angeles and flew one of the first non stop flights from Idyllwild on a Super Constellation.
My first airplane ride on this very flight, Idlewild (now JFK) to LA, 12 yrs old, 1959. I got to ride in the cockpit for a while, and even helped the stewardesses serve breakfast to the passengers! I recall there was some turbulence so I had to return to my seat. 60 years ago, and I remember it like it was 5 minutes ago.
Always had sweet spot for AA as a result.
philip ... thanks for sharing that! Cool that you got to ride in the cockpit, and helped the stewardess's. I wanted to be a stewardess, same dream my mother had, unfortunately, we were too short. I was on the dividing line tho...I remember researching Pan Am and American Airlines the most, although TWA was another. Such a shame so many are now defunct. I think today's kids are missing out on so many things, like getting to see the cockpit and how that stirs up dreams of their future occupation. Too bad 9/11 ruined so much. Life was so cool back in the 50's and 60's....I really miss it!! Take care!
When you say this very flight you mean you saw the film crew?
No, I could have written more clearly. I meant took a trip on a AA DC-7 from Idlewild (now JFK) to Los Angeles. It's the flight described in the film. Summer of 1959.
Such a differentworld then.
And these fly boys were all ex WW 2. Tremendous flight experience and courage. They really flew the plane.
I flew on one of these from Toronto to Chicago, to Omaha, to Denver, and then had to switch to a DC-6 due to a gear failure in the DC-7, for the remaining flight to SFO. I remember that the DC-6 felt "old" in comparison to the DC-7. I was 8 years old in the spring of 1960, at that time. What a memory. Thanks.
Some definitions from back then. "DC-6: A four engine aircraft with three bladed props." "DC-7: A three engine aircraft with four bladed props." There was a reason that the DC-6s were still flying after the last DC-7 went to the boneyard.
Richard Latshaw What was the reason?
Fairfaxcat
I think he’s saying the 7’s engines weren’t reliable. Thus a three engined airplane. Lol To many engine failures
@@joeblogh2340 Yes the Wright 3350 (as fitted to the B29) was uprated substantially for the DC7 and Super Constellation resulting in a less reliable but more complex engine. The PW 2800 in the DC6 was simpler and well engineered.
@@garethonthetube ditto
Fantastic video!My first plane trip was on a Braniff DC7C Newark to Dallas,1957.This brought back many memories.
7C! I grew up to the sound of runaway turbocompounds! :'-(
Oh my gosh, does this ever bring back memories. I was 4 years old in 1958, first time I flew on one of these with my parents. The stewardesses were drop dead gorgeous, I was in love at 4 years old. What I remember is the noise and the smoke from the engines when they first started up. But the stewardesses were so good at making sure everyone stayed calm; lots of chewing gum in a silver tray took care of that back then. And airsickness!
Not nearly as much smoke as that from the Lockheed Constellation engines. They were scary.
@@vincesbardella3838 Vince, i think they both used Wright turbo compound 3350 engines. Wouldn't they both be about the same? thanks.
It would seem so, Darrell but, back in the 60s, when I was witnessing many start-ups of of Eastern Shuttle Connies, at LGA, the difference was noticeable from previous observations of DC-7s. Maybe my imagination.
@@vincesbardella3838 I guess first start in the morning produced a lot of smoke when oil had seeped into the cylinders during the night. After a one hour stopover they wouldn't give off so much smoke since oil wouldn't had time to seep in so much.
Great memories. Probably more smoke inside the cabin when the No Smoking sign went off!
Growing up in the 40's and 50's I lived under the southern approach to KPIT. I'd see dozens of airliners flying over every day - Douglass, Lochkeed, Martin - plus military C-119's. They were so commonplace that we didn't even react to the drone of them passing over. Then, when the jet age began and we began hearing the 707's and F-106's going over it was an occasion worthy of running outside to see them. Eventually the day came when the big radials were no more except for the occasional cargo DC-3 or 404. Now, the only props we hear are the big C-130's, or private aircraft going to KAGC where we're on the downwind approach, or takeoff paths.
The DC-7's and Super Constellations were the last of the great piston airliners. Never flew on the DC-7 but had several flights on the DC-6's. This was an age before computers (especially in airplanes). I'll bet that captain was an ex-bomber pilot from WWII. Weather forecasting and reporting was a bigger operational problem back then. I'm a retired pilot (1960-2000).
Cool! What types did you fly? Greetings from Norway! My first jump seat ride was in 1979. My father worked for a Norwegian airline named Braathens SAFE (South American & Far East) The F/C was a WW 2 veteran, and my father told me; Do not speak unless spoken to. I was 9. Some of these men thought they were God.
Imagine the work-load on the pilots. Hand plotting.
I remember the meals they served on airplanes in the 50s and 60s. People joked and complained about them even then. Still, on a plane is one of the few places where your food isn’t served by someone with rings through their noses, lips or tongues. My hat is off to hard working flight attendants everywhere. They are the true company representatives.
My, how times have changed! That lamb chop DID look good!
What a fascinating video. You can see why it was the golden age of airline travel.
When I was very young we would fly the eastern shuttle from friendship ( now BWI) to visit relatives in NYC on constellations. I remember bumpy rides and being fascinated by the triple tail. After that it was 707s, 727s and so on. The prop planes are classics. Glad I flew a few times on those Connies.
Did you ever fly Eastern's Shuttle using Lockheed L-188 Electras ?
As a young kid I flew from Hawaii to California in a Lockheed Super Constillation, and back to Hawaii in a Douglas DC-7. Yes, the flights took twice as long but the seats were wide, comfortable, and the food was restaurant quality. I remember the meal going back was a nice tender steak. Strange how one remembers things like that. Today, there are no passenger dress codes, the seats are narrow and uncomfortable, and the meal service is gone unless you're in First Class paying double what economy class passengers are paying. I miss those older prop planes. The better comfort made up for the longer trip.
Douglas Rodrigues totally agree
But an economy class ticket then would probably buy you first class today.
Do you remember the ticket price just curious,
thank you.
The Route @ 15:54 NY -> Mars, PA -> Lafayette, IN -> Kirksville, MO -> Concordia, KS -> Pueblo, CO -> (then he says Flag / Mesa, Arizona)??? Does he mean Flagstaff? They are way to north of Mesa, AZ and tracking they are flying near 4 Corners and the only Mesa I found was Red Mesa, AZ -> Lake Mohave, NV -> Daggett, CA -> LA Had to post the ROUTE!!! AWESOME.
Good memories, For this film the AA sales reps were hauling around those big 16mm projectors, screen and speakers for travel agent or activities promoting AA back in the day and they weren’t bashful promoting their Love Field training centers or Sky Chefs their inflight kitchens either. All the AA staff with few exceptions were extremely proud of their company, top notch and a pleasure to deal with.
Forgot to say Thanks for uploading this.
Dang that receptionist is georgous with that red lipstick.
Yup! Gorgeous 😍 when women were really WOMEN..I'd love to fly back..lol in a time machine and date one of those gals!❤😘👧
Wow! Air travel has gone a long ways in the 70 yrs since this video was made! This era was also the beginning of the end for piston powered airlines and the last great decade of ocean Liners!
What rather surprises me is that air travel hasn't improved at all since the 1970s! It actually takes longer to get around now, mainly because one spends a huge amount of time at airports, especially on international flights.
I especially enjoyed the fuzzball at the bottom left of the screen. Nothing like some authentic debris in these old films!
I was a Flight Operations Agent at JFK in 1966 and recognized that Flight Dispatcher with the pipe but don't recall his name.
That is a great memory and coincidence of all the video’s on this channel...
I think that dispatcher's first name was Harry. He worked with my dad Sam Senetto at idlewild.
Only 8 hours! From New York to L. A. !
Before the Trans-continental Railroad, imagine the same trip, via a Conestoga wagon, pulled by 6 or 8 oxen! Less then 90 years earlier!!!!!!
About a 5 or 6 months journey.
The last prop engined plane before the introduction of the DC-8. This model was just about the last drop of technology that could be squeezed out of prop shaft cylinder engines. 365 mph is not bad for this technology. But the travel time was nearly cut in half with the Jet DC-8. From 8 hrs to a bit over 4.
Good old days when an actual meteorologist personally briefed you and your crew
DC6B was the best prop liner ever made
Yes it was
I watch the reruns of the original version of THE PRICE IS RIGHT, and Don Pardo touts the Mercury in the plug for AA, who brought returning contestants to New York.
Educated in a BS in Aerospace. Flew for the airlines. Couldn’t wait to fly bigger and bigger jets during my career. Now, at 76, I look back fondly on the old low and slow props. Sometimes I wonder if higher, and faster ruined aviation. lol
Love the names the airlines gave their services...
When people dressed up to fly and the food was actually good. That was cool to see this. Fairly high tech for it’s day.
Just watch out for that Constellation when you are over the Grand Canyon. OK ?
Bad things happened.
was a UA 7 both were heading westbound
David Harris sorry incorrect. TWA 2 and UA 718. Both eastbound flights that started in Los Angeles.
The History Guy does a good job explaining what happened in that mid-air. Only it was a United Airlines DC-7.
Poor Bob Shirley.
When people dressed to fly, no one wearing pajamas on that flight.
Indeed, and the passengers knew how to hold a knife and fork !!
Took words right out of my mouth!
I stopped flying a few years ago because of this and the fact that parents don’t discipline there children anymore and having to listen to a kid screaming for 6 hours straight and kicking my seat the entire way I said enough enough!! I literally stopped flying! I’ll drive!
Oh and let’s not forget the food or lack there of food. You are lucky to get a bag of peanuts and who wants to pay extra for microwave frozen garbage!
Air travel these days is like a flying circus 🎪.
@@ChristopherF_1971 , that's why so many people have 'discovered' long distance train travel, so much more comfortable and civilized, mush shorter distances to walk, no TSA searches, you don't need to be at the train station hours before your flight, you can get out of your seat at any time, no waiting for bathrooms or when you can use them, better food, much more comfort and leg room, even Coach seating is more comfortable than most airplanes' first class seating, and thee views are much more scenic. It just takes longer to get there, and it can be more costly, but not necessarily.
@@ChristopherF_1971 Not to mention that an aircraft cabin is a large Corona Virus incubation chamber. I don't believe the airlines for a second when they say they "thoroughly clean and sanitize" their cabins. I know how businesses work. Cut corners is their primary concern, not the health and welfare of their patrons.
It really was an age of elegance. wasn’t it? To be fair, it was very expensive, more than a first class ticket would cost today.
But if I had a choice, I’d take the old days over the new ones.
The airline pilots of the day were gods---now just bus drivers.
VFR in class A airspace. What a thing!
Incredible, it took so many more hours to fly coast to coast back in the 1950's
Cayetano Tirado yes it is amazing. Folks back then had way more patience
Yes, Mister Finchley, you, too may be ground to pieces in this machinery, as was your reservation. Thank you for flying American Airlines!
Look at that. They're actually washing down the plane prior to flight and preparing real food!
They mopped up the oil the engines leaked on the wings so as to not scare the passengers!
Peter Mann The DC series leaked oil. The Connie’s bled hydraulic fluid. 😂
Beautiful video and what an amazing landing, thanks for the upload. How long did the flight take coast to coast?
Six hours. My father made that film. Always included how things were done behind the scenes. He was brilliant at PR
How well I remember what flying used to be Sad now
There is just no way that thing should ever get up in the air! So many tons of metal, fuel, baggage and people!
this was really flying! a crew actually flew the plane!
no fly by wire..
flying was an adventure then it had class,and style, people actually got dressed up to fly, unlike today, it's a city bus in the air. I grew up with pan American, I remember these days.
I don't fly anymore.
You can fly dressed up any time you want to dress up. Nobody will ever stop you. You can also fly cheaper than the prices back then and have a better 1st Class experience, for less costs than back then....it is your choice. Flying is cheaper and better today in 1st Class.
The smell of cigarette smoke was heavy in this enclosed aluminum tube
ShakespeareCafe yes but we didn’t have snowflakes like we do nowadays the whine and cry about everything. The me generation is ruining our country
Danm good that's not allowed to smoke on planes any more....
The reason is safety...
@@ChristopherF_1971 The best thing that has happened in the last 30 years is the banning of smoking from public places. I don't want someone literally putting something in my body that makes me ill.
@@ChristopherF_1971 progress happens,
Those were the days, when sensitive snowflakes didn't exist and whine about everything.
"One GIRL-and her quick (little) Reservisor". They were not even called "computers" then. They were "a battery of BUSINESS MACHINES" . Like looking at another planet in a galaxy far- far away. Lived a 1/2 hour drive from IDLEWILD AIRPORT, Queens, NYC. Been there -did that...
I liked the Idlewild name. Didn’t it become JFK?
Bring back the Super Chief!
No way. I spent four and a half days on a train once. Once was enough!
When we had wx dlys at our station the popular phrase
we used was: “The people with trains take the trains”
My dad haunts my old house, he's still alive, but still somehow haunts it
@reverse thrust not exactly.....
They could cancel IFR back then.
Insane.
Its amazing how much has changed... 7 minutes to get off the ground in JFK! Cancelling IFR when you get on top of the clouds! 6 tracks across the country!
You could tell a non stop coast to coast flight was still a 'big deal'...at 24:00, with the Mercury sign, they have New York, U. S. and California flags.
8 Hours coast to coast on a DC7; 6 hours on a Boeing 777. A $200 million dollar airplane saves 2 hours of flight time? If you factor in traffic, parking, security and baggage, there's probably no time savings at all
It gets more exaggerated east to west. Add 2 more long hours.
A DC7 would be flat out to do it in under 8 hours but they had to schedule it that way because of the crew's time limit. Regular engine failures as a result. A 777 would be taking it easy at 6 hours, probably to save fuel.
It's true that airlines have not gotten any faster in the past 60yrs! Super Sonic airliners came and went and proven to be cost expensive! But I'll take 6hours vs 48hrs by rail or 3 days by road any time!
That DC-7 was either scrapped, or sitting in a flight museum somewhere.
VFR at FL220 that was the time of freedom of flight!
6:55: Every seat a first class seat. They way it should be.
Anyone else notice how easily that couple swapped seats around 18'40? No standing into the passageway first then back in! Lots of leg room.
That was a surprise, now you feel choked if the seat ahead of you reclines even a little
Looked kinda overcast for the engine run-up, then the sun came out for take off, but then overcast again half way down the runway! Lol
This was just before the 707 JETS took over AND THEY ACTUALLY FLEW VFR LIKE A SMALL PRIVATE PLANE CAN DO NOW.
Nice dinner they were served!
All things considered, things were much better back then
When America Could Fly With No Worries!
When America was still America..land of the free and home of the brave..God help our Country! 🙏🇺🇸
Cool video. I guess this was in the 50's or early 60's? Interesting to see how atc work back then. No radar on route. Is there full radar coverage today all across the USA? Also nice to see the VOR station also from the inside!
The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 changed the whole ATC system, adding radars nationwide because of 3 major mid-air collisions with passenger planes, 1 in 1956 (Grand Canyon: DC-7 & Connie) & 2 in 1958.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aviation_Act_of_1958
My sister and brother are the teenagers being served. They were born in the mid 40s. This is one of my father’s films so it would be late 50s or 60s
@@ejmeans5159 Ok, really? Thanks to your father we can still enjoy these films!
They mention DC-7 planes at the end of lots of WHAT'S MY LINE video here on TH-cam from around 1958 shows!
Ramp agents in trench coats and gold braid with epaulettes, definitely was a different time.
What year was this produced?
Oh, the good o’l fashion VOR system..now that’s X/C flying..😊
Amazing how ATC used “computers” super advanced typewriter to track the flight.
Smoke em if you got em!
When did they drop the bombs? I didn't notice.
This video reminds me of a 1950s film entitled "Three Guys Named Mike" staring Jane Wyman as a stewardess. That was the start of the "golden age of air travel"
Fire up those Lucky Strikes 13:51
People dressed so well back then.
No tempo em que a Douglas dava as cartas em matéria de aeronaves civis.
Flew Flt 1 many times, either in a DC-10 or a 767.
Starting around 21:27 - when the flight crew deployed the "speed brakes", the main landing gears came down to slow the DC-7 down.. instead of the modern control surfaces on top of the wings (spoilers) :-)
Surprised me ,too that the gear doors could withstand the high speed
Well, I almost had the dubious distinction of posting the 767th post for this promo film. I'm sure I don't have to bring up the fact that an American Airlines 767 was the very first to fly into Manhattan that horrible day.....
Routing was by "track". One would think these were old railroaders! Also, note that the luaggage compartment door was right in front of the prop arc, so the tugs had to practically drive under the props. There was likely no risk of an engine turning over during baggage loading, but these big blades hangin gdown had to hurt of someone ran into them.
We still use the term Track today. We have Atlantic and Pacfic track systems. Over the USA we call them Airways or Jet routes.
There was a risk, a major one with DC7's and it's "diseling " after engine shut-down. More than once engine #3 would send a baggage cart or ramp staff on an unexpected trip to the junk yard or hospital!
Can anyone tell me why the pilot or co-pilot counted by twos?
Radial ac engines require a visual "blade count" to lubricate critical bearings etc before hitting the ignition... The DC-7 looks like a speedy crank speed thus counting by two's. I know on DC-3's it's a 7 blade count before start.
He is counting the blades behind turned over by the starter. At some point he flips on the magnetos and the engine fires up.
We have the same number of landings as takeoff's. Well that is a concept.
Wow. 360mph.
Let's see, no TCAS, Weather Radar, laptop, 100% analogue instruments. And yet, you flew in style,.
And no factory made food either!
And crashed catastrophically.
The probability of dying in style was much higher too.✈🌐
similar benchmarks sometimes don't equal this video!
I wonder what year this was. I believe the DC 7 was introduced in 1953. Any experts out there ? I’m guessing 1953 to 1955.
They don’t give the date. I could look up the DC-7 date but I suspect about 1955. All passengers were virtually first-class back then. Flew on a DC-4 or something, Jacksonville about 1954.
Midway - these were all electro-mechanical machines. I miss the mechanical typewriter feel.
Que diferencia hay entre un dc6 y un dc7.
Year ?
No date given, but circa 1955 is a good guess
@@sdasmarchives Thanks
That foood looked good.... Not like the crap today
@61gisele Good point! Commercial airline flying was a lot more expensive back in the 1950s when you factor in inflation.
Kind of strange watching the landing at LAX when the 405 didn't exist.
How About A Cold Budweiser 2 Enjoy With The Good Meal?
Wow....cancel IFR and go VFR in a passenger DC7. Couldn’t do that today.
Flyerbob 1 this is BEFORE the Grand Canyon collision in 1956.
Huge diffeenceetween dc7 and dc8
There is probably not many similarities between the two which includes the obvious exceptions...4 engines,speed,weight,capacity etc
And then Boeing changed everything with the 707.
That's a lot of food for lunch!
Looks like a crushed insect in the lower left in the external cuts!
Before smokers were told to sit in back.
In 1950s and 60s did runways have to be 150 feet wide and taxi way 75 feet wide
No MCAS on this airplane. The pilot flew, not a computer or angle of attack vane.
When the pilot flew the plane not computers
Falou a pura verdade meu amigo ooo parabéns! !! Hoje só fábricam porcarias lixos !!
And along came computers... And all those jobs, GONE!
How many passengers could the three versions on DC-7 carry?
"Delta's DC-7 and DC-7B initially held 69 passengers in all first-class seating, except for four DC-7B which were delivered in 1957 with all-coach configuration for 90 passengers." The DC-7C could hold up to 111.
8700 meal a day for AA probably lots less today Gate agent without ear protection & boarding the flt from the ticket counter
Look at those big roasted turkeys!!!! Was it an all business class?
Now they give you attitude of you ask for more of their stale nasty peanuts.
@@baritonebynight 😁😁😁😁👍🏿
Yes, the Mercury was an all-first class flight. Back then planes were mostly one class. Older, slower planes were all-coach. By the time I got to fly on a DC-7 (United, LAX-SAC) seating was crammed in five across and jet DC-8's were the deluxe long haul "Mainliners".
@@jimandmandy wooaw! Thanks for sharing your experience.
You wouldn't want to pay as much as they did in today's dollars their tickets would probably be in the thousands but hey you'd get a turkey dinner and be able to check your bag "free"! No TSA since the world still thought of the USA as the "good guys". See all the people lining the 4' chain link fence waiting for pops to get home. That fence was to keep out the stray dogs and gophers not terrorists.