Fast old lady for sale
The first commercial jetliner ever to exceed the speed of sound has been grounded by C.P. Air of Canada after 18 years of faithful service. The airline’s DCS “Empress of Buenos Aires” is being sold to make way for newer and more fuel-efficient jets. The first supersonic speed achieved by a commercial aircraft took place when this jet was on predelivery tests over California on August 21, 1961, with a Douglas Aircraft Company pilot at the controls. It was pushed past Mach 1 (the speed of sound) at 40,350 ft while undergoing tests of an aerodynamic improvement
to the wing which gave greater range. During the same flight, the jet established an altitude record for that time ft>r commercial aircraft when it climbed to 52,090 ft. In normal operation, the DCB flies below 40,000 ft and slightly below the speed of sound. Now, with 39 million miles of service behind her, the Empress is a victim of high fuel and maintenance costs. She will be flown to Miami and stripped for parts. Newer more iuelefficient widc-body aircraft operated by C.P. Air are the Boeing 747, the McDonnell Douglas DCIO-30 and, starting in 1983, the Boeing 767.
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Press, 6 May 1980, Page 19
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201Fast old lady for sale Press, 6 May 1980, Page 19
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