The Convair 880 is a retired American narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller but faster, a niche that failed to create demand.

Designed to contest with narrow body airliners such as Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, the Convair 880 is an American single-aisle jetliner manufactured by Convair. It is compact in size but flies faster compared to other competing aircraft of its kind.

Sep 19, 2022 · The Convair 880 was the fastest of the first-generation jet airliners. I thought the ride was great. But never, in my wildest dreams could I have imagined, that I would be flying one of these in a matter of months! My first job with TWA was as a Chicago-based “jet second officer.”

Jun 14, 2024 · The Convair 880 was a narrowbody jetliner produced to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 in the mid-1950s. The aircraft performed its first flight in January 1959 and entered commercial service with Delta Air Lines in May 1960.

The Convair 880, built with a narrow, short fuselage, was the fastest four-engine commercial jet until the Boeing 747. Delta's first Convair 880 set a new coast-to-coast commercial speed record during its delivery flight from San Diego to Miami, on February 10, 1962 (3 …

Jun 27, 2020 · Delta Air Lines chose the Douglas DC-8 as its first-ever jet-powered aircraft. However, with the Atlanta-based carrier looking to ramp up its fleet as it entered a new era, it was also the first carrier to take delivery of the Convair 880. The Convair 880 spent 14 years in Delta's fleet. Photo: Delta Flight Museum.

Dec 16, 2008 · Powered by four General Electric engines, an advanced version of the engine used on the supersonic B-58 "Hustler" bomber, the 880 cruises at 615 mph. The combined power of the engines permits an airline operation at 89% of the speed of sound.

Delta launched the world's first Convair 880 service on May 15, 1960, between Houston and New York City. Initial service was to Atlanta, Houston and New Orleans, each city served nonstop from New York-Idlewild (now JFK airport).

The Convair 880 was a narrow-body jet airliner produced by the Convair division of General Dynamics. It was designed to compete with the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by being smaller and faster, a niche that failed to create demand.

The 880 was conceived by Convair as a smaller, faster complement to the 707 and DC-8. Aimed at transcontinental US routes on which speed was key, the type was initially known as the Skylark 600 to emphasise the aircraft’s anticipated cruise speed of 600 mph.