The Palm-Jet that almost came to be...if it wasn't for the vices of deregulation...

Sentinel Chicken · 02-15-2002, 11:58 PM

In a continuing series of airframe/airline combinations that might have been, The Chicken Works presents an Air Florida 757-200. Air Florida at one point had 3 757-200s on order and they were assigned msn#s by Boeing as 22976, 22977, and 22978. The order eventually got cancelled the the 757s were never built.

Air Florida began back in 1972 with a handful of Lockheed Electras and some intrastate routes. In the days before deregulation, intrastate carriers could operate under the radar screens of the CAB (the US regulatory body at the time prior to deregulation) since they didn't cross state boundaries, they didn't fall under interstate (and therefore federal) commerce. PSA and Southwest also got their starts as intrastate carriers. By the time deregulation went into effect in the late 1970s, Air Florida had both DC-9s and 737-200s in their fleet.

With deregulation, the intrastate carriers could expand beyond their state borders, and like Southwest and PSA, Air Florida began to fly to destinations outside the Sunshine State. The first route was MIA-DCA.

In 1980 Air Florida began international service with DC-10s to serve the Miami-London Gatwick route and 727s to serve destinations in Latin America. This put them in direct competition with Pan American, which had just finalized their soon-to-be disastrous merger with fellow competitor National Airlines. The far-flung expansion of Air Florida, like that of many airlines immediately after deregulation, was to prove costly and a drain on resources.

Then, Air Florida suffered a disastrous blow when, on January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 departed Washington National in a snowstorm with icing build up on the airframe and on the all-important engine inlet pressure sensors. The aircraft failed to gain altitude after takeoff, struck the 14th Street Bridge in rush hour, and crashed into the frozen Potomac River. 74 lives were lost and only 4 passengers and 1 FA survived. The subsequent investigation revealed the crew's failure to use proper anti-ice procedures was the cause of the crash. It was a PR disaster for Air Florida and spelled the beginning of the end. By July 1984 Air Florida declared bankruptcy.

It's assets were acquired by Midway Airlines and renamed Midway Express. It was subsequently folded into Midway Airlines, which itself ceased operations in 1991.

C. Edward Acker was the head of Air Florida 1977-1981 during its expansion and is credited with his famous quote "Once you get hooked on the airline business, it's worse than dope." Acker had started out with Braniff and had also led Pan Am, BWIA (for a year) and currently is with Atlantic Coast Airlines.

The combination of blue and green on Air Florida's jets was very striking and the upper curved cheatlines make the 757 look even more sleek than it already is as the ultimate "Atari Ferrari". It's a flattering look for the 757.

Enjoy!

IFTNFS · 02-16-2002, 12:59 AM

Looks good SC! The Air Florida scheme seems to look good no matter what aircraft it's painted on.

Rick

smoothjazz · 02-16-2002, 05:46 AM

Wow... I like this one... Yea, I miss Air Florida too...

Benjamin

ironrebel · 02-16-2002, 09:55 AM

It would've been sweet....

AirDar · 02-17-2002, 05:29 AM

This is just flat out great Doc! The 757 looks fab in the old AirFlorida colors. It IS too bad this didn't happen... and it would have made better sense for AirFlorida to operate these than the DC-10.

Another wonderful and well thought out illustration from the Chicken Works. Bravo!

me737 · 02-17-2002, 09:10 PM

There's still an Air Florida virtual airlines.

02-17-2002, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by me737
There's still an Air Florida virtual airlines.

It's just not the same...

Chansen · 02-18-2002, 10:43 AM

Excellent work!

Ten cool's for your work!

AlphaSigOU · 02-22-2002, 05:29 PM

If you're a resident (current or former) of Miami, Florida (as I was), we had a little inside joke regarding Air Florida's final colors: they were a match to Metropolitan Dade County's (now Miami-Dade County) Metrobus transit system colors, so it wasn't long before Air Florida jets were dubbed 'flying Metrobuses'

HannibalHays · 02-23-2002, 05:30 AM

Chicken...

Not only excellent graphics there... but also a most elequently written article as well..... thank you!

02-23-2002, 04:20 PM

Great job.

Sentinel Chicken · 02-27-2002, 03:02 PM

Thanks for the comments, guys. One of the best things that ever came out of these sort of exercises is the history and information I've picked up along the way. Liveries and jets and all are cool, but the story behind the airframes and the liveries is every bit as interesting (if not usually more interesting).

02-15-2002, 11:58 PM	#1
Sentinel Chicken Go-Getters Go Ozark Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: DFW/THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS Posts: 4,167	The Palm-Jet that almost came to be...if it wasn't for the vices of deregulation... In a continuing series of airframe/airline combinations that might have been, The Chicken Works presents an Air Florida 757-200. Air Florida at one point had 3 757-200s on order and they were assigned msn#s by Boeing as 22976, 22977, and 22978. The order eventually got cancelled the the 757s were never built. Air Florida began back in 1972 with a handful of Lockheed Electras and some intrastate routes. In the days before deregulation, intrastate carriers could operate under the radar screens of the CAB (the US regulatory body at the time prior to deregulation) since they didn't cross state boundaries, they didn't fall under interstate (and therefore federal) commerce. PSA and Southwest also got their starts as intrastate carriers. By the time deregulation went into effect in the late 1970s, Air Florida had both DC-9s and 737-200s in their fleet. With deregulation, the intrastate carriers could expand beyond their state borders, and like Southwest and PSA, Air Florida began to fly to destinations outside the Sunshine State. The first route was MIA-DCA. In 1980 Air Florida began international service with DC-10s to serve the Miami-London Gatwick route and 727s to serve destinations in Latin America. This put them in direct competition with Pan American, which had just finalized their soon-to-be disastrous merger with fellow competitor National Airlines. The far-flung expansion of Air Florida, like that of many airlines immediately after deregulation, was to prove costly and a drain on resources. Then, Air Florida suffered a disastrous blow when, on January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 departed Washington National in a snowstorm with icing build up on the airframe and on the all-important engine inlet pressure sensors. The aircraft failed to gain altitude after takeoff, struck the 14th Street Bridge in rush hour, and crashed into the frozen Potomac River. 74 lives were lost and only 4 passengers and 1 FA survived. The subsequent investigation revealed the crew's failure to use proper anti-ice procedures was the cause of the crash. It was a PR disaster for Air Florida and spelled the beginning of the end. By July 1984 Air Florida declared bankruptcy. It's assets were acquired by Midway Airlines and renamed Midway Express. It was subsequently folded into Midway Airlines, which itself ceased operations in 1991. C. Edward Acker was the head of Air Florida 1977-1981 during its expansion and is credited with his famous quote "Once you get hooked on the airline business, it's worse than dope." Acker had started out with Braniff and had also led Pan Am, BWIA (for a year) and currently is with Atlantic Coast Airlines. The combination of blue and green on Air Florida's jets was very striking and the upper curved cheatlines make the 757 look even more sleek than it already is as the ultimate "Atari Ferrari". It's a flattering look for the 757. Enjoy! __________________ *Piss on noise abatement!*

02-16-2002, 05:46 AM	#3
smoothjazz More Korean Air in 1/200! Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: SEOUL KOREA Posts: 6,379	Wow... I like this one... Yea, I miss Air Florida too... Benjamin __________________ BENJAMIN MY COLLECTION http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/...tion-1179.html

02-17-2002, 05:29 AM	#5
AirDar I'm watching you... Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Land of BBQ & thin chips Posts: 1,787	This is just flat out great Doc! The 757 looks fab in the old AirFlorida colors. It IS too bad this didn't happen... and it would have made better sense for AirFlorida to operate these than the DC-10. Another wonderful and well thought out illustration from the Chicken Works. Bravo! __________________ Dar~ Yours is not to question why, Yours is but to BUY or DIE!

02-17-2002, 09:10 PM	#6
me737 Insane Collector Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque New Mexico, Green Chili Cheeseburger capitol of the world! Posts: 1,002	There's still an Air Florida virtual airlines. __________________ Instant message me if you want. If you don't then okay, it doesn't hurt me. AOL& MSN handle Jetsetter737. I want more planes. No, more than that. I still want more.

02-18-2002, 10:43 AM	#8
Chansen Complete Wacko! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 3,024	Doc, a busy man! Wow. Excellent work! Ten cool's for your work!

02-16-2002, 12:59 AM	#2
IFTNFS Senior Collector Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Harwich, MA, USA Age: 27 Posts: 427	Looks good SC! The Air Florida scheme seems to look good no matter what aircraft it's painted on. Rick

02-16-2002, 09:55 AM	#4
ironrebel Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Honolulu, Hawai`i Posts: 246	It would've been sweet....

02-22-2002, 05:29 PM	#9
AlphaSigOU Insane Collector Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: Wylie, Texas Age: 43 Posts: 1,419	If you're a resident (current or former) of Miami, Florida (as I was), we had a little inside joke regarding Air Florida's final colors: they were a match to Metropolitan Dade County's (now Miami-Dade County) Metrobus transit system colors, so it wasn't long before Air Florida jets were dubbed 'flying Metrobuses' __________________ *Chuck Corway (AlphaSigOU)* *Causa latet vis est notissima* -- the cause is hidden, the results are well known. James Bond: "I'll take the full odds on the ten, two hundred on the hard way, the limit on all the numbers, two hundred and fifty on the eleven, thank you very much." Plenty O'Toole: "Hey! You've played this game before!" James Bond: "Just once." *REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!! REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR!!! REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11!!!!*

02-23-2002, 05:30 AM	#10
HannibalHays Master Collector Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Valley of the Sun Posts: 841	Chicken... Not only excellent graphics there... but also a most elequently written article as well..... thank you! __________________ Scott

02-23-2002, 04:20 PM	#11
Romania is #1 Guest Posts: n/a	Great job.

02-27-2002, 03:02 PM	#12
Sentinel Chicken Go-Getters Go Ozark Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: DFW/THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS Posts: 4,167	Thanks for the comments, guys. One of the best things that ever came out of these sort of exercises is the history and information I've picked up along the way. Liveries and jets and all are cool, but the story behind the airframes and the liveries is every bit as interesting (if not usually more interesting). __________________ *Piss on noise abatement!*

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread: