SECTION III
AIR
The story of the last 50 years of air travel can be told in many ways, but 1958 was the be-
ginning of the jet age. So we begin with the jets. Nothing changed the business and the
experience of flying like the transition from pistons and propellers to jets. Jets brought
quantum leaps in speed, efficiency, safety, comfort and passenger appeal. Piston-powered
DC- 7 aircraft crossed the Atlantic at 360 mph. The DC- 8 cruised at 550. This was not
merely a convenience for passengers. The 50% increase in cruising speed meant
See AIR on Page 22
TRAVEL WEEKLY’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY
JUNE
16, 2008
21
