The Convair 990
Although the play a role of both the CV-880 and CV-880M could not be disputed, it yet fell sudden of its design goals; its narrower fuselage, by yourself affording sufficient width for five-abreast coach seating, deviated from the in addition to-time-fortunate six; the rapid aerate of the 720 provided terse competition; and the intermediate-range market had neither evolved nor even defined itself, resulting in in a paltry production manage of 65. Because of these factors, the program seemed a propos the verge of financial collapse, but Convair made a solution attempt to rescue it when a description that was more extensively modified. Guided by American Airlines, which was viewed as its opening customer, the dirigible was expected to have the funds for higher-quickness, all-first class transcontinental promote in competition subsequent to TWA's 707s and United's DC-8s, a strategy that American implemented in the 1930s as soon as it asked Douglas to design the Douglas Sleeper Tr...