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One of the world’s most iconic airlines, combined with a reliable and timeless design. Put them together and you have the perfect combo, and here’s why we need this in IF.
About the 717
The Boeing 717-200 is a short to medium haul airliner originally designed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas under the designation MD-95. When Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, the aircraft was renamed the 717 and was produced until 2006. The 717 shared the same basic design as its DC-9 ancestors, but it was a new aircraft in every other aspect with a new glass cockpit, more efficient engines, and a modified tail and wings. The 717’s launch customer was AirTran, and the aircraft entered service in 1999.
More information can be found here:
About TWA
Trans World Airlines (commonly known as TWA), was a large U.S.-based airline operating between 1930 - 2001. In 1939, the airline was acquired by Howard Hughes, and after WWII TWA expanded across the country and into Europe, making it the second flag carrier of the United States after Pan Am, though in 1960 Hughes left the company. TWA had its main domestic hub in St. Louis, Missouri (KSTL), and their main international hub was in New York (KJFK). The good times wouldn’t last, because by the 1990’s TWA was in increasing debt, went through restructuring twice, and was stressed with the crash of TWA 800. By 2001, the airline merged with American Airlines. TWA ended up being one of the world’s most famous and iconic airlines, rivaling the likes of the legendary Pan Am. The iconic red cheatlines of TWA could by found at almost any international airport in the US throughout the entire 20th century.
Despite the tough times in the final years of TWA, the airline managed to operate 30 717’s and still had 20 on order when they went under — one of the larger operators of the aircraft. And in case you can’t count, that’s 50 total.
More information can be found here:
Why do we need this?
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The TWA 717 is something of a legend. It’s the sole survivor of the McDonnell Douglas empire, it shares the timeless design of the reliable DC-9 and the popular MD-80, and it served under the name of one of the most recognizable airlines in the world. Even just one of those should be enough to have a plane/livery added, and the TWA 717 has all three!
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If you look at other 717 liveries like Spanair, Blue1, and Quantum Air, there are multiple defunct operators with their 717 liveries in IF. And compared to TWA, those airlines were tiny and relatively unknown outside their home countries, while TWA was known around the world. We have other large, popular, and defunct airlines in IF like Northwest, Us Airways, and even Pan Am. Why not add to that list with TWA?
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In Infinite Flight, we currently don’t have a single real TWA livery. If you’re wondering, the one on the 737-800 is a special livery for American Airlines. It’s not the same livery, and it’s not even TWA. This request is for the real TWA livery, on a plane TWA actually operated in large numbers. If livery diversity is your jam, fear not! Because this would be the first TWA livery in the sim, unlike the 11 different Delta liveries or 5 different Air France liveries.
So let’s review…
- Well-known manufacturer? ✅
- Popular aircraft? ✅
- Iconic airline? ✅
- Realistic airline/aircraft combination? ✅
- New livery to make IF’s fleet more diverse? ✅
All things considered, why would you not want the TWA 717 in Infinite Flight?
Feel free to share your thoughts below, and feel free to spare a vote as well if you like. I’d love to see this beautiful bird in IF someday!
Cheers!
