The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-02
AIR TRAVEL
TO CHANGE
Introduction OF New Planes
Expected To Improve
Comfort And Speed

Air travel soon will undergo
marked changes for the better
with the introduction of new
planes. The changes will be in
both the long-range four-engine
categories.
The postwar speed and com,
fort which thus far have been
promised more often than expert
enced, will become realities, hand.
finland with important advances
in safety.
Scheduled to begin service over
U n e d a n d American airlines
routes this week is. the 52-passen-
ger Douglas DC-6, which distin-
guished itself in Masch by setting
a 6 hour Al minute Is second rec.
ord from Los Angeles to N e w
York.
National airlines, which serve
Wilmington, are expecting four
DC-6 in May, which will be used
on the New York to New Orleans
run.
Come summer, h tWo-engine
Martin 2-0-2 will begin to be a IA
miliar sight at airports around the
country. Its manufacturer says il
will cruise at 280 mph at 10, OO0
feet. That is 100 mph better than
the Douglas DC-3, long the stand
ard tWin-engine plane, can do. The
Martin airliner carries up to 40
passengers compared with the
DC-3's 81.
Some New Features
Some of the features expected
to attract travellers to POPS are:
l. ALPHABETICALLY operated steps
Ala integral part of the plane, they
are lowered by pushing a button
thus facilitating loading and I'm.
loading. Passengers do not have
to wait until portable steps are
moved up to the plane.
2. Specially designed seats. Ar
ranged l8 to 20 on either side o.
the aisle, depending upon the air.
lines desires, they have pillow
like headrests and a 40-degree re.
clining limit. There is ample leg
room.
3. Reasonably roomy, mirror
lined Washrooms.
4. Indirect overhead lighting
and individual reading lights.
5. Circular lounges, in some yer
sions, for four persons in the rear
with magazine shelves, card table
and radio.
New Luxury Craft
Airlines purchasing POPS are
Pennsylvania : Central, North
west, Chicago and Southern
Braniff, Delta and Eastern.
The four-engine DC6 is a D.. luxur,
aircraft, 100 feet long with 1T
foot Wingspan, designed to carry
So passengers in comfort on trans
continental and long over-watel
trips, at 300 m.p.h. cruising speed
United Air Lines is buying IS O.
the planes for service domestival
ly and on its west cost-to-Hawai
route which will be inauguratec
May /.
They feature two passenger
compartments, fore and aft of thu
entry way; separate mems a n {
women's lounges, all-electric fooe
buffet, indirect cabin lighting anc
spot reading lights at each sea-
and large rectangular windows fol-
improved visibility.
Passengers Can Phone
Arrangement is made in the
DC : 6 for radio-telephone com,
munications between passenger:
and points on the ground. While
on the ground, the plane can b.
connected with land lines, en-
abling travellers to place last-min
ute calls.
Both the DC-6 and the Martin
2-0-2 have therman anti-icer sys
TENS to prevent the formation O
ice. on wings and tail surfaces
These surfaces are heated by hav
ing hot air piped into them whe,
dread icing areas are encounter
ed.
Other safety precautions include
modern electrical and radio aids
latest developments in fire pre-
vention. and improved fire eXtin
gushing equipment.