Commercial airplanes are privately owned. They carry passengers and cargo (freight) on a regular schedule. These services must be paid for by the customer. The airplanes go from city to city or from country to country. They save customers time and money. If there were no airplanes passengers and cargo would have to travel by train, boat or truck, which is much slower.

The first commercial airline began in 1910 in Germany. Passengers and cargo could fly from city to city at night, during the day, on seaplanes (planes that could land in the water), planes with landing gear (wheels for landing on the ground), and even over long distances.

In the United States delivering mail was the main commerical activity. Many airline companies started business to deliver the mail. These same companies also carried passengers and other cargo. Some of these companies are still in business today.

Pan American Airways became the leader in flying across the oceans (Atlantic and Pacific) to carry passengers and cargo to other countries. They could do this because airplane engineers made many improvements, during the 1930's. Airplanes became bigger, faster and safer.

Before World War II all airplanes had propellers. After World War II many countries started building jet airplanes. By the 1960's passengers could fly in a jet airplane or in a propeller driven aircraft. Jet aircraft were being built bigger and faster. By 1976 there were jet airplanes that could carry more than 400 people. The Concorde (from Britain) could travel at 1,450 miles per hour!

Companies that owned these big, fast airplanes found out that they were losing money. The airplanes used too much fuel (gas). These companies built new airplanes that were less expensive to fly. They decided to build planes that would fly better and more safely.

To help passengers feel safer, airplanes have seat belts, oxygen masks (if the air gets too thin), escape chutes, life jackets, emergency doors and flight attendants to help. Airlines want passengers to feel comfortable. Several "comforts" have been added. Flight attendants to serve food, movies, music and public telephones.

Commercial airlines have grown and improved over the last 90 years. More than 800 million people fly every year. At one airport, Chicago International Airport, airplanes take off and land every minute, 24 hours per day! Jumbo Jets can carry hundreds of people and can fly across the Pacific Ocean in 14 hours. A long way from the one minute flight of the Wright Brothers.

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Last modified: Sat Apr 25 15:45:02 PDT 1998