In Contrast to 1959

Its enlightening to contrast 1959 with today. The civilian jet era had barely begun, and the skies were still ruled by DC-7s, Connies and Stratocruisers, with Convairs and DC-3s for the short hops. Airline fares were tightly regulated and four-engine airliners stopped at a surprising number of out-of-the-way places. Yet a large majority of Americans had never flown in any kind of airplane.

Editorial Staff

Monday, June 29, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

In 1959, commercial aviation was in its infancy with propeller planes dominating, fares were highly regulated, and most Americans had never flown.
General aviation aircraft were significantly more affordable in 1959 than today, though the major GA boom was still to come.
General aviation safety has drastically improved since 1959, with the fatal accident rate being much lower today, reflecting a shift from mere regulatory compliance to comprehensive risk management.

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It’s enlightening to contrast 1959 with today. The civilian jet era had barely begun, and the skies were still ruled by DC-7s, Connies and Stratocruisers, with Convairs and DC-3s for the short hops. Airline fares were tightly regulated and four-engine airliners stopped at a surprising number of out-of-the-way places. Yet a large majority of Americans had never flown in any kind of airplane.