A glorious chapter in the history of commercial aviation was closed today, when Boeing announced the end of 717 airliner production at its Long Beach, California facility. The 717 is the successor model to the DC—9 series, later rechristened the MD—80 series when McDonnell acquired Douglas Aircraft, and then called the Boeing 717, when McDonnell proved too small to survive on its own, and was absorbed into Boeing.

Douglas Aircraft, more than any other company, created the modern airline industry when it developed the DC—3 airplane. An all metal high speed (for the time) airliner, it became a mandatory purchase for every self—respecting airline in the world. The Russians even produced it under license.

The DC—3 was one of those magic designs that transforms our very concept of a product. It was so versatile, so reliable, and so useful that it dominated commercial aviation from the 1930s well into the 1950s. It was also a splendid example of art deco design principles. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in World War II, called the C—47, the military variant of the DC—3, the most important single tool in the Allied victory. My first airliner ride in the 1950s was in a DC—3. A few of them still fly today, in the remoter areas of the third world, hauling cargo and even some passengers. The last time I flew on one was in the 1970s, in Laos.

The DC—3 was originally produced at the Douglas facility at Santa Monica Airport, but wartime demand forced Douglas to open a massive assembly operation at Long Beach Airport, where subsequent Douglas DC—series aircraft like the piston DC—4, —6, and —7 aircraft, and the jet —8, —9, and —10 series were produced, along with the MD—11.

Douglas was the unquestioned leader in the production of piston—powered airliners, but when Boeing got the jump on it in producing jetliners, Douglas never caught up. Its subsequent models never dominated their niches, although the DC—9 series did quite well.

The Douglas lineage is now over. Long Beach will continue to produce military airlift craft, but a long and proud history, vital to the emergence of a safe and reliable airline industry is now over. Creative destruction has its melancholy aspects.

Thomas Lifson   1 14 05