Expansion into a national carrier History of United Airlines

united air lines route map, 1940

united s routes, formed connecting air mail routes, east-to-west new york city via chicago , salt lake city san francisco, , north-south along west coast. connections became basis of united hubs in chicago , san francisco , later in denver , washington, d.c. these remain united s principal hubs.

united introduced boeing 247 in 1933; first time passengers fly across without overnight stop or changing planes. summer fastest flight left newark @ noon (probably est) , arrived san francisco @ 0655 pst after 8 stops; fare $160 one-way, $2,868 in today s value.

on night of october 10, 1933 united boeing 247 exploded in mid-air , crashed near chesterton, indiana, killing 7 people aboard. investigation revealed explosion caused nitroglycerin bomb placed in baggage hold. united airlines chesterton crash believed first proven case of air sabotage in commercial aviation history. no suspects or motives ever found.

early 1950s 100,000 mile club award plaque (stars represent additional awards)

during world war ii united-trained ground crews modified airplanes use bombers, , transported mail, material, , passengers in support of war effort. airline quite busy covering need air transport across united states during war. fleet of fifty aircraft utilized @ rate of more thirteen hours per day 1945 (well above pre-war rate of less 9 hours per day), flying 100,000 miles per day. post-war united benefited new technologies (like pressurized cabin permitted planes fly above weather) , boom in customer demand air travel. period in pan american airways revived pacific route system later acquired united.

in 1954, united became first airline flight simulators had visual, sound , motion cues training pilots. purchased us$3 million (1954) curtiss-wright, these first modern simulators training of commercial pilots.

ual dc-6 aircraft. similar plane bombed jack graham in 1955

on november 1, 1955 united airlines flight 629, flying stapleton airport in denver portland, oregon, bombed, killing 39 passengers , 5 crew members on board douglas dc-6b. bomb planted jack graham put device in mother s luggage collect on life insurance policy. graham arrested, tried, , executed year after explosion.

united sud aviation caravelle in 1965



ual boeing 747 wearing mid-1970s friend ship scheme @ chicago o hare airport in december 1973

in late 1950s, 3 united planes lost in mid-air collisions killed on both aircraft involved. on june 30, 1956, flight 718 collided trans world airlines lockheed l-1049 super constellation on grand canyon in world s deadliest commercial airline disaster. in 1958, flight 736 crashed in southern nevada after colliding usaf f-100 super sabre fighter jet. , on december 16, 1960, flight 826 hit twa super constellation on new york city. these accidents helped pave way modern air traffic control. in 1958, united received first douglas dc-8, first jet aircraft.

united merged capital airlines on june 1, 1961, displacing rival american airlines world s second largest airline behind aeroflot of soviet union. merger capital resulted in united operating british-manufactured vickers viscount mainline turboprop aircraft ever flown airline. in 1961, united began operating french-manufactured sud aviation caravelle jetliners , u.s. airline ever operate caravelle in scheduled passenger service. in 1968 company reorganized, creating ual corporation united airlines wholly owned subsidiary.

united took delivery of first boeing 747s in august 1970, operating them on longer routes within united states. year later, united, along american, launch customers mcdonnell douglas dc-10, many years served workhorse in both airlines fleets , others around world.

united airlines airline have operated executive one, designation given civil flight carrying u.s. president. on december 23, 1973 president richard nixon flew aboard united dc-10 flight washington dulles los angeles. white house staff explained done conserve fuel not having fly usual boeing 707 aircraft used air force one. in keeping practice of having 2 aircraft available @ times during presidential travel, air force aircraft followed in case of emergency.

in august 1940 united scheduled flights 37 airports. in august 1953, 66 airports on united , 51 on capital; in may 1968 united flew 91 , in november 1978 90 airports.