Braniff Flying Colors

BRANIFF STOPS BUYING AIRPLANE TIRES - In December 1974, Braniff announced that it had stopped buying tires for its fleet of jet airliners for the past two years. While that might seem like an impossible claim, it wasn't with the help of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company of Houston, Texas. Through an innovative program, Braniff began "leasing" all of its aircraft tires from the venerable tire manufacturer.

Instead of buying tires, Braniff began purchasing landings, one at a time, from Goodyear, which saved the airline $100,000 USD per year. Mr. Jack Ries, Goodyear's manager of the tire department of the company's Aviation Products Division, explained the program: "The program works much like a lease arrangement with Goodyear handling all aspects of provisioning." He further commented that, "Instead of purchasing tires outright, Braniff pays Goodyear only for the tires the airline uses according to the number of landings made.”

Goodyear created the unique program after an extensive research program revealed a need for it in the airline industry. Specifically, the study looked at airline tire needs and how tire costs could be reduced without damaging or hindering airline service reliability. For Braniff, the program eliminated the costs associated with procurement and inventory and freed up funds budgeted for tires.

The cost of each landing was was predetermined by Braniff's specific contract with Goodyear. Under the terms of the agreement, Goodyear agreed to deliver any tires needed by Braniff, while also removing worn tires and then reworking the treads or replacing them completely as needed.

During 1972 and 1973, Braniff jets completed over 350,000 landings. Goodyear had provided over 10,000 tires to Braniff under its landing purchase program agreement to ensure that these landings were perfect every time. Once again, Braniff International led the industry in unique cost savings programs.

Photo: These tires were made for landings! The big dual four-wheel trucks of Braniff International McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62H Intercontinental Jet registered as N801BN features long-wearing Goodyear aviation tires. The long-range Legend of South America, parked at the gate at Paris Orly Airport, France, in 1979, is painted in the 1978 Harper and George/Cars and Concepts/Halston Light Corvette Blue Ultra Color Scheme with White Lower Fuselage and Red, Light Blue and Light Corvette Blue Power Paint Stripes with Braniff Ultra Font in Light Blue.

Braniff Airways Foundation
Copyright 1926 2024

Photo: Photographer Aero World Pictures, Copyright
Braniff International Heritage Archives
Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System
Braniff Airways Public Relations Archives Endowment
Braniff International Heritage Archives Endowment

BRANIFF AND THE FIGHT FOR LONDON PART III - In December 1977, President Jimmy Carter reversed the Civil Aeronautics Board recommendation that Pan American World Airways be selected to provide nonstop service from Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport to London, England, with Braniff International Airways selected as back up carrier. In January 1978, the Civil Aeronautics Board concurred with the President's findings, with chagrin, and selected Braniff International as the new carrier to provide service from Dallas to London.

A five year fight that had begun again after several earlier attempts in September 1973, appeared to be over and the victor, Braniff International, "The Friends of the Orange 747's," would be sending their beautiful Big Orange Boeing 747 to London Gatwick Airport from Dallas every day. However, Braniff became embroiled in one final battle that delayed the planned March 1, 1978, scheduled service inaugural to March 18, 1978. The latest, and thankfully last, battle was fought over the low fare structure that Braniff wanted to charge between the two points. Basically, Braniff was stuck in the middle as the British and US Governments battled each other over a fare structure with which both could be happy.

Braniff wanted to charge discounted fares that were in line with Sir Freddie Laker's SkyTrain that operated from London to New York. Laker Airways was one of the first carriers to create an airline around a low fare no frills structure that would become the mainstay business model of successful carriers as Southwest Airlines and easyjet. The British Government did not believe that fares as low as Braniff proposed were prudent and would create fare wars that were detrimental to air service to and from England. The British Government felt that fare wars would be damaging in the long run and work against the consumer by causing a decline in standards because the low fares would be uneconomical for airline operations. However, Braniff, a pioneer in discount fares, had proved the opposite as its service levels increased as fares decreased over its domestic United States system.

In an application to the Civil Aeronautics Board, Braniff International asked for authority to charge a varied array of discount fares that included a $349 USD roundtrip Standby Fare from Dallas to London. A special "Group of 100" fare of $399 USD roundtrip was proposed as well as an Advance Purchase Excursion Fare of $479 USD roundtrip were all key parts of the Braniff application. The fare structure also asked for a reduced roundtrip fare of $784 USD compared to the current two serving airline's connecting fare of $818 USD roundtrip. Braniff also wanted to extend the Group of 100 and Standby Fares to 14 additional US cities served by Braniff, which would connect to the new London route at DFW. The carrier wanted to allow London thru passengers from these 14 cities to be able to fly to London for a $50 USD add-on to the Group of 100 or Standby Fares.

Braniff had booked thousands of advance reservations for the scheduled March 1, London inaugural. As a result of the fare squabbles between the US and Britain the carrier was forced to reroute passengers to connecting carriers through the traditional East Coast Gateway cities to Europe. In the meantime, Braniff International made its first nonstop non-paying flight from Dallas/Ft Worth to London Gatwick on February 28, 1978. The pre-inaugural flight was filled with 250 local dignitaries and media representatives who spent four days in London before returning to DFW on March 4, 1978. The event created huge publicity not only for Braniff's new service but also for the low fare structure that Braniff was hoping to offer to British travelers heading to Dallas.

Ultimately, a fare structure agreement was constructed between the two countries in mid March, 1978, that was amenable to both countries. Braniff's fare structure was basically left intact with only the Group of 100 and Standby Fares $50 USD add on to 14 Braniff US cities being removed from the final agreement. The English reciprocating carrier, British Caledonian Airways, would also be able to match Braniff's low fares, which was a win for travelers on both sides of the Atlantic. Braniff passengers from any city connecting to the new London flight would, however, be able to take advantage of Braniff's domestic low fares such as Home Free, Super Saver, and Freedom Excursion. These fares ranged in passenger savings of 20 to 50-percent and would increase during the summer peak but would still be well below the 1977 Summer Peak Transatlantic fares.

The five year plus long hard fought battle was won, thanks in no small part to the perseverance of Braniff International. Braniff's Boeing 747, lovingly dubbed Big Orange, now prepared for the first inaugural flight from Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport to London Gatwick on March 18, 1978.

Photo: Braniff International Boeing 747-127 registered as N601BN is departing London's Gatwick Airport on June 4, 1978 less than three months after the inaugural of scheduled services on March 18, 1978. Note the left side inboard engine nacelle no longer wore the white paint as the rest of the cowlings were painted. Eventually, the white engine nacelles would be stripped to bare metal by the end of 1978.

Braniff Airways Foundation
Copyright 1926 2024

Photo: Photographer Peter Cook, Copyright
Braniff International Heritage Archives
Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System
Braniff Airways Public Relations Archives Endowment
Braniff International Heritage Archives Endowment

BRANIFF AND THE FIGHT FOR LONDON PART II - On December 5, 1961, Braniff International Airways and Pan American World Airways submitted a joint application to the Civil Aeronautics Board for a proposed interchange service from Houston, Texas to Frankfurt, Germany. Braniff would operate the route from Houston to Dallas and Chicago, while Pan Am would continue nonstop to London Heathrow and Frankfurt.

The new service would be operated with Pan Am Boeing 707-321 Intercontinental Jet equipment. Braniff crews would fly the Texas Clipper from Houston to Dallas and then Chicago, and there Pan Am crews would operate the nonstop service to London Heathrow via the Great Circle Route and then continue to Frankfurt. The new authority was approved by the CAB in May 1962 and service commenced on July 1, 1962, marking the beginning of the first direct single-plane service from Dallas and the Southwest to Europe.

Dallas and the Southwest were now only 9 hours and 40 minutes flying time away from London via the new interchange but the desire by Braniff to operate its own nonstop Dallas to London flight remained a want rather than a reality until September 22, 1973, when the CAB Chairman announced at the grand opening ceremonies of the new Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport (formerly North Texas Regional Airport) that a new Transatlantic Case would be opened to review service from the interior US Mainland to Europe. Sixteen inland cities were chosen and most critically to Braniff, one of them was Dallas. Braniff was ready and resubmitted the carrier's request to provide nonstop Boeing 747 service to London as well as Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Zurich, and Rome.

Braniff had already petitioned the CAB for new interior US to Europe service on November 14, 1972, for nonstop service from Dallas Love Field to London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Rome. The request for service to Zurich was not asked for in the 1972 petition but was added to the new resubmission in September 1973. Braniff also asked that Houston, Texas, be added as a coterminal for its proposed service. The innovative and trendsetting airline had pioneered the concept of interior US flights to overseas destinations instead the traditional service that was provided from coastal or border cities.

America's airline system had been designed so that certain carriers provided domestic service within the United States and carriers such as Pan Am and TWA provided service from coastal and US border cities to international destinations. Braniff intended to change that premise and through its interchange system with Pan Am it had made a solid beginning. If Braniff could begin service between Houston and Europe it would solidly change existing policy, which could open up a vast array of new nonstop flights from within the US to cities all over the world. Braniff noted in its November 1972 petition that because it provided such a high number of flights at both Love Field and Houston that it could easily provide enough feed to support the new service to Europe.

While Braniff's November 1972 petition was largely ignored, the new petition was vastly helped by the opening of the new Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport, the first of the Jumbo Jet airports. As a result, the initial recommendation from the Civil Aeronautics Board rendered in 1974, stated that Braniff was the best choice to provide service from the Southwest and Dallas to Europe. However, the recommendation only included service to London and Frankfurt. While Braniff was pleased that they had been recommended, they vowed to continue to work to procure service to other European points.

Braniff's former Texas to Europe Interchange partner was the other airline that wanted the Dallas to London route. Braniff contended that they would be much better suited to provide the service since they had a solid feed system from all parts of the the US into Dallas/Ft Worth, whereas Pan Am had no direct feed and would rely on traffic from Braniff and other carriers. Braniff shrewdly pointed out that same airline service was better for passenger convenience and would save travel time while at the same time indicating that if Pan Am were to receive the route that it would be Braniff's choice as to which carrier it would book its Europe-bound traffic.

While Braniff was recommended for the route by the CAB's Bureau of Operating Rights it was not a guarantee that the Texas-based airline would be selected by the CAB and ultimately the President whose signature was required because of the international aspect of the new service. In the end the Civil Aeronautics Board selected Pan American World Airways to provide the new Non-Stop service from DFW to London and Frankfurt, with Braniff as a "backup" carrier in the event that Pan Am would not be able to carry out requirements of the route. Braniff officials were dumbfounded and understandably displeased with the shocking announcement.

The CAB remanded the case to the White House where President Ford promptly overruled the Board and sent it back for further review and recommendation. Meanwhile, Braniff turned up the political pressure in the State of Texas as well, and discussed the development with any Congressman that would listen to its plight. The Texas Congressional Delegation agreed with Braniff and began to lobby the White House and CAB that they should find that Braniff was the best choice for Texas air travelers.

President Ford was defeated by Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter in the November 1977 Presidential election and a new light was seen at Braniff Headquarters as far as the London Case was concerned. With a Democratic President in the White House the Texas Congressional Delegation would have a much stronger ally in the White House that might possibly overrule the CAB and chose Braniff for the route over Pan Am.

In January 1977, Braniff International filed a motion with the Civil Aeronautics Board asking for new and expedited hearings on the Transatlantic Route Case. The Braniff motion noted that case was now over three years old and further stated, "The present record is clearly inadequate to deal with the issues raised by President Ford." The motion went on to state that the entire structure of the US Flag Carrier Transatlantic service had changed fundamentally and that the case needed to take these changes into account. Braniff further reiterated that it was the best carrier to provide the new service over Pan Am.

President Ford had remanded the CAB decision back to the Board so it could be reviewed for a number of reasons. Most importantly, the President felt that less emphasis should be placed on London as a single European Gateway. The White House pointed out that a review of the economic viability of any new or renewed European route authority, the impact of any new awards on current service, and the impact of competition from foreign carriers that would be allowed to operate reciprocating service should be undertaken.

In the January 1977 motion, Braniff asked that the hearings be expedited and in the interim that Braniff be given temporary nonstop authority to operate between DFW and London until the case could be finally decided. President Carter stated that he wanted to strengthen smaller regional trunk airlines such as Braniff, and giving these carriers new interior route authorities to Europe would promulgate that policy. It appeared that the new Administration would follow along this guideline once the Transatlantic Cases were sent to the White House for approval.

During the summer of 1977, Braniff International filed a new motion that stated that evidence indicated that Houston, Texas, could also support nonstop service to London as well as Paris, Frankfurt, and Rome. Braniff noted that a new Bilateral Air Agreement recently fashioned between the US and Britain named Houston, Dallas/Ft Worth and Atlanta, as three new gateway cities and that hearings should be expedited on new service at these locations. Braniff further noted that the carrier had increased its service at DFW since the 1973 application and that it now provided 304 departures and arrivals that could feed any new awarded flights to Europe and beyond. Braniff also added the Middle East destination of Riyadh, Saudia Arabia, to its application during the summer of 1977.

On December 21, 1977, President Carter rejected the Civil Aeronautics Board's recommendation that Pan Am be awarded the nonstop service from DFW Airport to London. The President approved the bulk of the CAB recommendations in the Transatlantic Case that would provide new service to Europe for eleven American cities provided by three airlines, Braniff, Northwest and Delta. Each carrier would would begin, for the first time, their own services to the European Continent. This new interior cities concept did not bode well for the already ailing Pan American World Airways, which had surreptitiously acted as America's Chosen Instrument for international air travel.

Pan Am as well as the CAB's Chairman Alfred Kahn were irate over the decision. Chairman Kahn went so far as to threaten to resign over the decision. Pan Am immediately asked for a delay in the effective date of the case by 90-days. Pan Am reasoned that this would give it time to petition the CAB to completely review the case. Pan Am Chairman William T. Seawell felt that the White House had caved to intense political pressure, something that the President Carter had promised would not happen in his Administration. Pan Am's request for a delay would have resulted in all of the new service being delayed, if it were approved, something that none of the recipients wanted to occur.

CAB Chairman Kahn did not rule out that the CAB might not heed President Carter's order and overrule him. However, it would have been highly unlikely that the CAB would have actually tried to ignore the President's wishes. Pan Am filed an additional motion with the CAB asking that they remand the case back to the White House asking that the President approve the original CAB recommendation stating that Pan Am should be awarded the Dallas to London route. Pan Am further threatened that if neither of its motions were approved then it might consider filing a court suit.

President Carter stated that he made the changes in the Dallas recommendation strictly as a matter of Foreign Policy, which he was legally authorized to do. CAB Chairman Kahn stated that the Supreme Court had ruled that the President could nearly do anything that he saw fit in the area of Foreign Policy, which would make a Pan Am court case extremely difficult to pursue.

Meanwhile, at Exchange Park, Braniff was cautiously celebrating. On January 11, 1978, the Civil Aeronautics Board agreed with President Carter and selected Braniff International as the carrier authorized to begin nonstop service from Dallas/Ft Worth to London Gatwick Airport. However, a new dispute with Britain erupted just days before the planned March 1, 1978, inaugural flight that resulted in a further two week delay of the start of London service.

Photo: Braniff International Boeing 747SP-27 registered as N606BN is taxiing at Miami International Airport in 1980. Braniff began using the ultra-long range, medium-density Boeing 747SP over its European routes as well as from Miami to South America, beginning with Europe in late 1979 and South America in 1980.

Braniff Airways Foundation
Copyright 1926 2024

Photo: Photographer Luftfahrtarchiv Matthias Winkler, Copyright
Braniff International Heritage Archives
Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System
Braniff Airways Public Relations Archives Endowment
Braniff International Heritage Archives Endowment

BRANIFF AND THE FIGHT FOR LONDON PART I - On February 28, 1978, Braniff International Boeing 747-127 registered as N601BN, dubbed Big Orange, departed from Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport on the pre-inaugural flight to London Gatwick Airport. The event marked the beginning of the first interior United States service from Dallas and the Southwest to London and the end of a long battle to win the coveted long-haul international route.

At the September 22, 1973, dedication ceremony for the opening of the nation's largest airport, Dallas/Ft Worth Regional, Civil Aeronautics Board Chairman Robert Timm announced that a new Transatlantic Route Case would be opened to review the need for additional air service between 16 US Mainland cities, including Dallas/Ft Worth, and Europe. Chairman Timm stated that the route proceeding would be handled in an expeditious manner and that, "In view of the increased congestion at many of the East Coast Gateways and the increase in Transatlantic traffic, we believe that it is desirable that that the issues in this proceeding embrace consideration of additional US points for certification as scheduled US coterminals.”

Chairman Timm was not aware, in 1973, of the extreme interest that other carriers displayed in providing service from interior US cities to Europe. This interest lead to a five-year battle for the award of the coveted European routes. The battle at Dallas/Ft Worth between Pan American World Airways and Braniff International became the ultimate chapter in the Transatlantic Route Case. Ironically, it was Braniff and Pan Am that began an interchange service between Dallas and London in July 1962. The route operated from between Houston and Frankfurt, Germany, with intermediate stops at Dallas, Chicago, and London Heathrow using a Pan American Boeing 707-320.

Braniff Chairman Harding L. Lawrence was ready for the fight and had worked tirelessly since the late 1960s to position Braniff for an Atlantic as well as Pacific expansion. The flashy Dallas-based airline had submitted applications to the CAB in 1967, for an extensive Pacific Route System that mirrored the Military Airlift Command Routes that Braniff had been flying in the region, during the height of the Vietnam War, resulted in an award of service from the US Mainland and six US coterminals, including Dallas Love Field, to Hawaii. This new service set the precedent for interior US overseas air service. While the new Hawaii service was a prime objective at the 10th Floor Executive Suite at Exchange Park in Dallas, it was a small award compared to what Braniff had originally asked for in the filing.

This time, Chairman Lawrence turned his sights to achieving an Atlantic expansion and felt that Braniff was perfectly positioned to provide the finest service for Dallas/Ft Worth passengers to the European Continent. Braniff was well versed at flying across the Atlantic as it had also performed brilliantly for the US Government operating Atlantic Military Airift Command charters in the mid to late 1960s.

Shortly after the Transatlantic Proceeding announcement by CAB Chairman Timm in September 1973, Braniff International immediately submitted an application to provide Boeing 747 service from Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Zurich and Rome. Braniff was well known in the industry for creating US interior co-terminals into successful gateway cities such as their Dallas to Honolulu, Hawaii, service which had been operating with a single Boeing 747 since 1971. The route was realizing healthy load factors that exceeded 70-percent on average on a Breakeven Load Factor of only 32-percent.

Braniff touted in its application that the carrier was the best choice for providing service from Dallas/Ft Worth to the six popular European cities because of its strategically designed mega-hub at Dallas. Because of this hub, Braniff declared, a constant feed from every section of the country could be fed into the Dallas to Europe flights with a single stop via the DFW Gateway. Braniff reasoned that it would be far more sensible to select a carrier that had a well established and successful hub feed over a carrier that would have to rely on feed from other carriers at DFW, which would also require a change of airline. The chance of missed connections and lost luggage would be much greater than with single carrier service.

The airline also pointed out that they were already very familiar to European travelers because of the carrier's feed from the traditional East Coast Terminals and Chicago to Braniff cities such as DFW Airport. The airline had also maintained a sales office in London since January 15, 1960. This combined with Braniff's leading position in South America and the feed from the East Coast Terminals to the Braniff system from Europe to South America would clearly make Braniff International the airline of choice in any CAB Transatlantic award.

On August 15, 1974, the Civil Aeronautics Board's Bureau of Operating Rights agreed with Braniff and recommended that the airline should receive authority to operate nonstop service between Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport and London, England, and Frankfurt, Germany. Although Braniff did not receive a recommendation for service to all six points, the selection of the carrier for London and Frankfurt was a monumental achievement. Braniff Vice President of Regulatory Proceedings Thomas P. Tom Robertson stated that, "Braniff is very pleased, and will continue to vigorously pursue its full application with the hope that other important cities such as Paris would be added to the Braniff authority.”

Braniff would have to wait until 1979, for the requested additional European authorities to Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam as well as Brussels. In Braniff's 1973 Transatlantic Route Case petition the carrier had stated that it could provide 16 weekly nonstop Boeing 747 flights from Dallas/Ft Worth to London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Zurich, and Rome.

With the CAB Bureau of Operating Rights recommendation, the case went before Administrative Law Judge Ross Newmann for review. The full approval of the Civil Aeronautics Board was required after the Judge reviewed the case. Once the CAB reviewed and approved the case it would go to the White House for Presidential approval since it involved international air service. The Braniff Fight For London was just beginning and would carry on for another four years but ultimately culminated in a nonstop DFW to Europe award as well as a unique Concorde Interchange service from DFW to Washington Dulles and London and Paris.

Photo: Braniff International Boeing 747-127 registered as N601BN is receiving its daily progressive maintenance before departing London Gatwick Airport in February 1979. Braniff inaugurated daily nonstop service from Dallas/Ft Worth Regional Airport to London Gatwick, on March 18, 1978, using this Flagship Jumbo Jet.

A leased American Airlines Boeing 747-123 registered as N9666 replaced N601BN on the Dallas to Honolulu route. Ship N601BN had been operating the Dallas to HNL run since January 1971, with first Boeing 707 and then Douglas DC-8 as backup aircraft, which averaged over 13 hours of flight time each day.

Braniff Airways Foundation
Copyright 1926 2024

Photo: Photographer Charlie Varrall, Copyright
Braniff International Heritage Archives
Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System
Braniff Airways Public Relations Archives Endowment
Braniff International Heritage Archives Endowment

BRANIFF MORE JETS BETWEEN DENVER AND DALLAS - A Braniff International Boeing 727-200 is departing Denver Stapleton International Airport, Colorado, in 1981. The big jet is painted in the 1971 Red over Tan/Aztec Gold Two Tone Color Scheme with White Cheat Line and Alexander Girard Sky Font in White with Enhanced BI Tail Logo in Tan/Aztec Gold and White.

Braniff Airways Foundation
Copyright 1926 2024

Photo: Photographer Erik Simonsen, Copyright
Braniff International Heritage Archives
Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System
Braniff Airways Public Relations Archives Endowment

BRANIFF AND THE SUPER STRETCH TRIJET - Although the nation's airlines had weathered an economic downturn in 1969 and 1970, passenger traffic began to quickly recover over both domestic and international routes. Domestic traffic was especially booming and Braniff's Boeing 727 fleet was working effectively but the Dallas-based airline was already looking for additional domestic capacity but didn't want to reintroduce four-engine jets over that route system.

On June 1, 1970, Braniff took delivery of its first new type of aircraft since 1967. Braniff International's first three Boeing 727-227 Stretch Trijets arrived at the Dallas Love Field Operations and Maintenance Base. Ships N401BN, N402BN and N403BN arrived at Love Field from the Boeing Plant at Renton, Washington, and made a spectacular fly-by before they landed for the acceptance ceremony conducted by Braniff Executive Vice President R. V. Carleton and Vice President Flight Operations Herman Rumsey.

All three jets began scheduled service with Braniff on July 1, 1970. Routings for the new Stretch Jets, which seated 130 passengers and measured 20-feet longer than the 727-100 series trijet, included service to Dallas/Ft Worth, Miami/Ft Lauderdale, New Orleans, Kansas City, Omaha, and Minneapolis/St Paul. The aircraft enabled Braniff to increase capacity over its Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest route systems.

In comparison, the Boeing 727-100 seated 101 passengers in mixed configuration whereas the new Series -200 seated 20 in First Class and 110 in Coach Class. All three jets featured the Super Jet Interior option, which was a basic option featuring gold and turquoise fabrics for seating and cream wall panels. Braniff purchased the lower cost option because they already knew that the new 1971 High Wide and Handsome interiors were barely a year away.

Three powerful Pratt and Whitney JT8D-9 Turbofan engines powered the big 727 with each producing 14,500 pounds of thrust. The Stretch Boeing measured 153-feet in length and wielded a cruising range of over 2500 miles. The -200 Series aircraft would begin replacing the shorter -100 Series after 1971 when a Fleet Standardization Plan was adopted. The plan called for only three types of aircraft operating on the Braniff system with the 727 as the primary jet over Domestic and Mexico services.

With the advent of the Stretch 727, the smaller Series -100 was marked for gradual retirement over the next decade although, at times, they would be retained when additional capacity was quickly needed. Although the new Stretch Jet was a boon to Braniff's operation, the carrier already needed a jetliner with additional capacity and it did not want more than three engines for both fuel economy and maintenance savings. Braniff was quite specific in its needs and began floating to Boeing a new idea for another fuselage expansion of the now proven and highly regarded Series -200.

It was the natural progression for the great jet and Boeing was highly interested in once again stretching its bellwether airliner. The ability to stretch its pioneering 707 economically had alluded the company while McDonnell-Douglas had successfully stretched the equally pioneering DC-8 into several different models that included the heaviest and longest airliners built to date. This time, Boeing had designed the 727 so that it could be stretched relatively easy making Braniff International's Chairman of the Board of Directors, Harding L. Lawrence's push for a Super Stretch Trijet, dubbed as a Boeing 727-300, highly palatable to the Seattle jet maker.

Specifically, Braniff was looking for an airliner that could replace its less fuel efficient Boeing 727-100 fleet, especially the heavier 727C models with QC or Quick Change option for Convertible Cargo/Passenger usage. The carrier also wanted 156 seats on the new aircraft, which was 28 seats more than its Boeing 727-200s and it required that the proven Pratt and Whitney JT8D-9 engine be the guidepost for the higher output JT8D-17 engine, which produced 16,000 pounds of thrust. Boeing had also selected the new JT8D-17R, which would meet noise requirements and produce 16,400 pounds of thrust but would not be available for use until June 1976.

In addition, Braniff needed the aircraft to be able to fly 1800 miles with a full payload, while at the same time produce lower seat-mile costs than the 727-200 over a 500 nautical mile stage length, which was the Airline's average route mileage flown. Finally, the new jet must only cost 8 percent more than the Series -227 and delivery would need to begin during 1976 into 1977.

Boeing felt that these requirements could be met but additional orders from other airlines would be needed beyond Braniff's in order to put the program in full motion forward. However, while other airlines were highly interested, there was an interesting twist to their range requirements over Braniff's. Both United Airlines and Western Airlines were looking closely at the Series -300 but they wanted an aircraft with different ranges. United wanted to replace its 737-100 fleet with the new aircraft and wanted a longer range, while Western also wanted a long-range trijet that could operate its West Coast to Hawaii routes.

British Airways was also looking closely at the 727-300 for its European operations. The carrier wanted an aircraft that could fly from London to as far away as Athens, Greece nonstop with a full payload. In addition, BA wanted a Rolls Royce engined trijet that called for the RB-163-67C power plant. This was a higher spirited engine than the Pratt and Whitney JT8D offering with a maximum thrust output of 16,900 pounds. The Rolls engine featured a significantly larger inlet and fan width of 46.9 inches compared to 40.5 inches of the PW -17R power plant giving the British engine a hefty 2.0 bypass ratio over the PW engine's 1.02 figure. A significant problem with this engine was that in the summer of 1974 it was at least 42 months away from availability compared to the PW -17R's June 1976 availability, which was less than 24 months away. However, British Airways was also wanting an all-coach configuration with 195 seats and the Rolls engine would allow this requirement to be met.

Although Braniff was not the largest operator of Boeing 727 jets, it was one of Boeing's finest examples of a superb customer that knew how to operate 727s at maximum efficiency while operating with one of the highest utilization factors in the industry. Boeing was highly interested in keeping Braniff satisfied and accordingly, to accomplish this and meet the requirements of Western Airlines and one of its biggest customers, United Airlines, Boeing decided that two versions would be offered that included a Series -300A and Series -300B. Both would feature a fuselage stretch of 180 inches with 155 seats or an increase of 220 inches with 161 seats but the 727-300A would be engined with the Pratt and Whitney JT8D-17R and the 727-300B would feature the Rolls Royce powerplant.

The economics of the both versions were significantly improved compared to the highly efficient 727-200. Using Braniff's average stage length of 500 nautical miles and comparing it to its Series -227 with 128 seats, the Series -300A enjoyed with 155 seats Direct Operating Costs and using Cents Per Seat Mile was 5 percent less, while the 161 seat version's costs were 6.7 percent lower. The Series -300B version with 155 seats was somewhat less but still a savings at 1.2 percent and the 161 seat edition was forecast to be 0.6 percent less than the Series -227.

Direct Operating Costs using Dollars Per Statute Mile of the new jet were also impressive compared to the Series -227 with 128 seats over a 500 NM stage length. The Series -300A with 155 seats DOC was only 15.5 percent greater than the -227, while the -300A with 161 seats was moderately higher at 18 percent. The 727-300B with 155 seats DOC was 24.8 percent greater than the Series -227 and the 161 version was 25.2 percent higher than the -227.

The new Series -300 featured significant improvements over its sister Series -227 beyond just the 180 inch and 220 inch stretches. The 180 inch stretch featured an addition of 120 inches ahead of the wing and 60 inches behind the wing, while the 220 inch version included an additional 40 inches of fuselage increase behind the wing. Boeing's new trijet also featured the use of an improved performance wing that included the following improvements:

1. A Modified Cruise Leading Edge
2. Inboard Leading Edge Slats
3. Outboard Variable Camber Leading Edge Flaps
4. Modified Inboard Trailing Edge
5. Double - Slotted Inboard Trailing Edge Flaps

The wing modifications created significant increases in range and gross weight over the current Series -200, which featured a MGTOW of 180,000 pounds based on a standard day at 35,000 feet produced a range of 1800 miles. The new wing increased MGTOW to 209,500 pounds at 33,000 feet gave the trijet a range increase of nearly 20 percent and at 30,000 feet the increase was 10 percent. With the Pratt and Whitney and Rolls Royce engines, the still air range with ATA reserves at 33,000 feet was 1680 and 1640, respectively.

For the landing gear, a simple four wheel truck main landing gear was used compared to the sprung two wheel truck used on the Series -200. The new Pratt and Whitney JT8D-17R engine would bring new fuel efficiency along with a twelve lobe engine exhaust mixer for noise reduction and target thrust reversers, which incorporated the use of two buckets that deployed at the back of the engine to divert thrust air forward. The rear engine nacelle was increased significantly to house the mixer and thrust reverser.

The new jet's Takeoff Gross Weight was increased to 209,500 pounds and the Series -100's and -200's ventral air stairs were removed for additional weight reduction. Also, crew commonality with the 727-100 and Series -200 afforded additional cost reductions in training.

Conceived in 1973, the 727-300 was reviewed by Boeing management in January 1974 and the project was given authorization for a long lead time. In the last half of 1974, engines specifications were negotiated and then ordered, which was followed by reviews from airline managements of prospective customers. Rollout was scheduled for May 1976 with the first flight at the end of June 1976. Flight testing was schedule to be completed at the end of October with FAA certification completed at the first of December 1976.

Ultimately, the 727-300 program was canceled because of the vast improvement in engine availability at the end of the 1970s and the subsequent move toward two engine airliners with higher bypass powerplants. A new low bypass turbofan engine was in the works from Pratt and Whitney that would be used to power the upcoming McDonnell-Douglas Super 80 Twinjet and a two engine version of the 727-300 was floated that featured two side mounted engines with the familiar T-Tail configuration but without the third center engine and duct. Still another version was designed that still featured the T-Tail configuration but two high bypass engines were placed on pylons under the wings.

As the 1970s drew to a close, this 727-300 program was changed to the Boeing 757 Twinjet program, which was initially dubbed Boeing 7N7. By 1978, a 160 seat version Series -100 and 180 seat Series -200 were on the table that included the T-Tail configuration with two high-bypass engines mounted under each of the wings. However, the T-Tail design was replaced in 1979 with the standard vertical and horizontal tail configuration. The new Boeing 757 first flew in February 1982 and entered service with Eastern Airlines on New Years' Day 1983. The introduction of the new Boeing 7X7, later known as the Boeing 767, twin-engine wide body twin-aisle jetliner was just around the corner and would actually beat the 757 into service.

In March 1978, Braniff International announced just a few days before the inauguration of scheduled nonstop Boeing 747 service between Dallas/Ft Worth and London Gatwick that the Dallas-based luxury carrier had chosen the Boeing 767 aircraft for its next generation of higher capacity aircraft. Braniff's selection was a result of the carrier's ongoing search for a suitable replacement aircraft for its long haul routes and higher capacity domestic services.

Braniff President Russell Thayer made the announcement in London after he and other Braniff officials had flown from Dallas/Ft. Worth aboard the preinaugural flight, which departed on March 28, 1978. Initially, Braniff had intended to begin scheduled service between Dallas and London on March 1, but a disagreement over Braniff's low-fare proposal between the US and Great Britain delayed the new service until the middle of March. Thayer's announcement ended speculation as to what type of new aircraft the carrier would select and also eliminated both Lockheed and McDonnell-Douglas as possible contenders.

In its earlier petitions to the Civil Aeronautics Board for nonstop service between Dallas/Ft. Worth and several major European cities, Braniff had indicated, after extensive study, that it would use McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-30 Intercontinental Jets over Lockheed Tristars on any new service awarded. However, once the London route was approved, the carrier shrewdly chose to lease a Boeing 747-123 N9666 from American Airlines to cover its daily nonstop service between DFW and Honolulu, while Braniff's flagship Boeing 747-127 N601BN was assigned to exclusive duty between Dallas and London Gatwick. In the spring of 1978, Braniff extended the initial lease period for N9666 by four months until May 1979, when the carrier was scheduled to receive its first new Boeing 747-227B. American, during a routine inspection in June 1978, decreased, at Braniff's request, the number of First Class seats from 66 to 38 and increased Coach seating from 306 to 386 in a 10-abreast configuration. Ultimately, Braniff extended the lease again, and the silver Boeing flew for the carrier until June 1980.

Thayer noted that Braniff had specifically chosen the medium-range 180-passenger Boeing 767-100 for use on certain high-traffic routes that were currently being flown by Boeing 727-200 Stretch Jets. The new 767-100 was an improvement over the proposed 727-300 because of its efficient high-bypass twin-engine layout compared to the 727's low-bypass three-engine platform.

Braniff also chose the long-range 767-200 to replace its aging fleet of McDonnell-Douglas DC-8-62 Intercontinental Jets that primarily operated between the US Mainland and Latin America. The new 767-200 was perfectly suited for the long distances, such as New York to Buenos Aires, and featured a seating capacity of 200 compared to the DC-8 Super 62's 189. Braniff had also considered a high-bypass engine upgrade program for its DC-8s, which would have allowed them to meet new stringent Stage III US noise requirements while enjoying increased fuel efficiency. However, with the announcement of the 767 selection, this plan was scrapped, until 1981 when it was studied once again.

The 767-100 and Series -200 enjoyed an impressive 90 percent commonality and featured the newest in technology, both of which highly impressed Braniff. The jets featured a supercritical wing that promoted high fuel efficiency and would also employ active ailerons. Both aircraft would use the same wing structure but the Series -100 would not utilize the fuel capacity of the wing as would be the case with the long-range 767-200, which would carry fuel in all of the available tankage.

Mr. Thayer felt that several major US airlines would be announcing their decisions for purchasing the new Boeing jets in the spring of 1978, including American Airlines. Initially, Boeing projected orders would come in relatively small numbers but they felt that the first five customers would eventually trigger other orders from around the world. Braniff planned to order six new 767s but a specific number of each was not announced by Mr. Thayer during the press conference. Braniff's decision to order a new aircraft in its initial version was a departure from its philosophy of the past, which had been to delay orders for a new aircraft for a year or two until the new aircraft mechanical problems were worked out by first-time operators.

While the 727-300 would have been a magnificent aircraft and possibly might have continued in service with major air carriers well past 2001 and 2002, new engine technology and the introduction of lighter materials made the program less interesting to Boeing. However, it was the Series -300 that directly led to the development of the highly successful Boeing 757, which took many of its design cues from the Boeing 767, which was several months ahead of the 757 in development. Over 660 Boeing 757s are still in service with major airlines around the world in no small part thanks to Braniff's idea for the Boeing 727-300 Super Stretch Jet.

Braniff Airways Foundation
Copyright 1926 2024

Photo: Braniff Airways, Incorporated, Copyright
Braniff International Heritage Archives, Curator
Now Associated with The University of Texas at Dallas System
Braniff Airways Public Relations Archives Endowment
Braniff International Heritage Archives Endowment