Pacific Southwest Airlines
Encyclopedia
Pacific Southwest Airlines was a United States airline
headquartered in San Diego, California
, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was one of the first large discount airlines
in the United States and is considered a precursor to Southwest Airlines
. PSA was known by its slogan "The World's Friendliest Airline" and for the iconic smile painted on the nose of its airplanes, the PSA Grinningbirds... Opinion L.A. of the Los Angeles Times
stated that PSA was "practically California's unofficial in-state airline for almost 40 years."
PSA is one of the four heritage airlines that form US Airways
, the other airlines being America West Airlines
, Piedmont Airlines
and Allegheny Airlines
.
Its Boeing
customer number was 14. Following the merger with USAir, the PSA name was given to Jetstream International Airlines
in order to preserve the PSA name and trademarks.
founded the airline in 1949 with a $1,000-a-month leased Douglas DC-3
. Friedkin obtained information from a travel agent upon starting the airline due to lessons learned from the failed precursor airline (Friedkin Airlines
). That aircraft inaugurated a weekly round trip from San Diego to Oakland
via Burbank
. Reservations were initially taken from a World War II surplus latrine refitted as a ticket office. In 1951 PSA crossed the San Francisco Bay
and began flying to San Francisco
. In 1955 PSA purchased two Douglas DC-4
aircraft from Capital Airlines
and painted boxes around the windows to make the planes resemble the more advanced Douglas DC-6
. In January 1958 they scheduled 37 DC-4s a week Burbank to San Francisco (29 of which originated in San Diego) and four nonstops SAN-SFO; at the time United, Western and TWA scheduled 226 nonstops a week LAX-SFO and 49 a week BUR-SFO. Later that year PSA shifted some schedules from Burbank to LAX.
PSA started flying the Electra
in 1959; they were replaced with Boeing 727-114s, Boeing 727-214s and Boeing 737-214s by 1970. The May 1965 OAG shows 103 Electras a week LAX-SFO, 32/week LAX-OAK, 34/week BUR-SFO and 5/week SAN-SFO. LAX-SFO was scheduled 60 minutes, BUR-SFO was 55. In 1966 PSA started flying to San Jose, and in 1967 to Sacramento (SAC
, that is; later that year they and everyone else moved to SMF.) They added Ontario in 1968 and Long Beach, Fresno and Stockton in 1971-72. Starting 1974 PSA briefly operated Lockheed L-1011
aircraft before deeming them unprofitable and selling them; PSA's L-1011-1's were unique in having lower deck seating.
After airline deregulation
California
's major intrastate airlines (PSA, Air California
(later rebranded AirCal), Western Airlines
and United Airlines
) became embroiled in intense airfare wars. PSA attempted to extend its route network beyond California with flights to Reno
, Las Vegas
, Salt Lake City, Phoenix
, Tucson, and Albuquerque. The airline also introduced automated ticketing and check-in machines at several major airports, and briefly operated flights to Cabo San Lucas
, Mexico. When PSA's plan to buy out the assets of Dallas/Fort Worth-based Braniff International Airways
fell flat, the airline expanded its route network north to Washington, Oregon
and Idaho
. PSA used a new fleet of BAe 146
regional jets to serve smaller airports on the West Coast, such as Eureka, California
and Concord, California
. PSA held a contest, publicized in full-page newspaper ads, to name the fleet. The winning entry was Smiliner.
In 1986 Western and AirCal were purchased by out-of-state airlines (Delta Air Lines
and American Airlines
respectively). Some believe USAir was actually pursuing AirCal because of fleet commonality (Boeing 737-300s) but that American Airlines spoiled the deal and PSA was its second choice. Upon hearing that USAir was interested in AirCal, American Airlines aggressively courted the AirCal Board of Directors. It made more sense for American Airlines to purchase PSA due to fleet commonality, but American Airlines was determined not to concede market share. Therefore, many believe the American–AirCal deal was essentially an attempt to impede USAir's expansion. However, this plan did not work.
An hour after the AirCal deal was announced, PSA agreed to merge with USAir, which was completed in 1987. PSA's last flight took place on April 8, 1988. The PSA route network slowly disintegrated within USAir and was completely gone by 1994: most of the former airline's assets were scrapped or moved to USAir's hubs on the East Coast. PSA's operations base at San Diego International Airport
was gutted and now serves as that airport's commuter terminal. PSA had planned from the start to become a nationwide carrier, but this never came to fruition. By the time of the merger, PSA's route system covered only the western United States, extending only as far east as Colorado and New Mexico. Southwest Airlines
has since duplicated many of PSA's former San Diego routes.
In the San Diego Aerospace Museum
, there is a display showcasing PSA, the city's hometown airline.
PSA was one of the sponsors of the original The Dating Game
TV show on ABC
from 1965 to 1973.
Following the 2005 merger of US Airways and America West, a US Airways Airbus A319 was repainted in PSA's livery
as one of four heritage aircraft
commemorating the airlines that merged to form the present-day US Airways. The aircraft was dedicated at San Diego International Airport's commuter terminal (PSA's former operations base) on March 30, 2006, and flew similar flight patterns to the ones actually operated by PSA, as another commemorative bonus.
During the 1960s, PSA was also known for the brightly-colored flight attendant
uniforms that included miniskirt
s. In the early 1970s, the fashion changed to hotpants. One PSA flight attendant, Marilyn Tritt, wrote a book about her tenure at the company titled, Long Legs and Short Nights (ISBN 0-9649577-0-1).
Throughout PSA's lifetime as an airline, the flight attendants, with their humor, over-the-top passenger service, and sense of duty, helped create a loyal passenger following. One flight attendant, Sandy Daniels, with the help of a frequent flyer, started the "Precious Stewardess Association". Frequent fliers would bring tasty treats to the crew, particularly on morning flights. In turn, PSA started the "Precious Passenger Association", with certificates and free drinks given to friendly and helpful passengers.
Ken Friedkin's son Tom was a PSA pilot in 1962 when the elder Friedkin died abruptly of a stroke
. He was 47 years old. A year later, Tom Friedkin's mother died, making him the largest shareholder of PSA. Tom had a seat on the Board of Directors, but continued working as a full-time pilot for the airline.
Southwest Airlines
founder Herb Kelleher
studied PSA extensively and used many of the airline's ideas to form the corporate culture at Southwest, and even on early flights used the same "Long Legs And Short Nights" theme for stewardesses on board typical Southwest Airlines flights.
PSA actually helped train the first class of mechanics for Southwest Airlines and lent the fledgling carrier flight manuals and other needed items.
. Currently, the building serves as San Diego International Airport's commuter terminal.
California
Arizona
Colorado
Idaho
New Mexico
Nevada
Oregon
Utah
Washington
Mexico
Historic PSA fleet details:
Historic List Of Aircraft PSA used for training:
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
headquartered in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, that operated from 1949 to 1988. It was one of the first large discount airlines
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
in the United States and is considered a precursor to Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
. PSA was known by its slogan "The World's Friendliest Airline" and for the iconic smile painted on the nose of its airplanes, the PSA Grinningbirds... Opinion L.A. of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
stated that PSA was "practically California's unofficial in-state airline for almost 40 years."
PSA is one of the four heritage airlines that form US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
, the other airlines being America West Airlines
America West Airlines
America West Airlines corporate offices were in Tempe, Arizona and the main hub was at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The airline became part of the US Airways Group after a merger in 2005....
, Piedmont Airlines
Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989)
Piedmont Airlines was a major airline in the United States which operated from 1948 until its operations were merged into USAir in 1989. Its headquarters were located at One Piedmont Plaza in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a building which is now part of Wake Forest University.As of April 1989,...
and Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
.
Its Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
customer number was 14. Following the merger with USAir, the PSA name was given to Jetstream International Airlines
PSA Airlines
PSA Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered at Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio, that flies under US Airways Express brand for US Airways. PSA is wholly owned by US Airways Group. PSA has crew bases in Knoxville, Tennessee, Charlotte, North Carolina and Dayton, Ohio...
in order to preserve the PSA name and trademarks.
History
Kenny FriedkinKenny Friedkin
Kenneth Giles Friedkin was born in New York City during World War I. He had a wife and one child . He and his parents moved to Kansas, and later San Diego, California. Friedkin got interested in aviation after he saw an air show in San Diego at the age of 8. Friedkin obtained his pilot license at...
founded the airline in 1949 with a $1,000-a-month leased Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
. Friedkin obtained information from a travel agent upon starting the airline due to lessons learned from the failed precursor airline (Friedkin Airlines
Friedkin Airlines
Friedkin Airlines was an unsuccessful charter airline created by the ambitious businessman and aviator, Kenneth Giles Friedkin. The airline flew between El Centro and San Diego, California....
). That aircraft inaugurated a weekly round trip from San Diego to Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
via Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
. Reservations were initially taken from a World War II surplus latrine refitted as a ticket office. In 1951 PSA crossed the San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
and began flying to San Francisco
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
. In 1955 PSA purchased two Douglas DC-4
Douglas DC-4
The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
aircraft from Capital Airlines
Capital Airlines
Capital Airlines was an airline serving the eastern United States that merged into United Airlines in 1961. Its primary hubs were National Airport near Washington, DC, and Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh. In the 1950s it was the largest US domestic carrier after the Big Four . Its...
and painted boxes around the windows to make the planes resemble the more advanced Douglas DC-6
Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
. In January 1958 they scheduled 37 DC-4s a week Burbank to San Francisco (29 of which originated in San Diego) and four nonstops SAN-SFO; at the time United, Western and TWA scheduled 226 nonstops a week LAX-SFO and 49 a week BUR-SFO. Later that year PSA shifted some schedules from Burbank to LAX.
Lockheed L-188 Electra
The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
in 1959; they were replaced with Boeing 727-114s, Boeing 727-214s and Boeing 737-214s by 1970. The May 1965 OAG shows 103 Electras a week LAX-SFO, 32/week LAX-OAK, 34/week BUR-SFO and 5/week SAN-SFO. LAX-SFO was scheduled 60 minutes, BUR-SFO was 55. In 1966 PSA started flying to San Jose, and in 1967 to Sacramento (SAC
Sacramento Executive Airport
Sacramento Executive Airport , also known as simply Executive Airport, is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Sacramento, a city in Sacramento County, California, USA...
, that is; later that year they and everyone else moved to SMF.) They added Ontario in 1968 and Long Beach, Fresno and Stockton in 1971-72. Starting 1974 PSA briefly operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
aircraft before deeming them unprofitable and selling them; PSA's L-1011-1's were unique in having lower deck seating.
After airline deregulation
Airline deregulation
Airline deregulation is the process of removing entry and price restrictions on airlines affecting, in particular, the carriers permitted to serve specific routes. In the United States, the term usually applies to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's major intrastate airlines (PSA, Air California
Air California
Air California, later AirCal, was a regional airline using mainline equipment and serving different points in the state of California and some neighboring western U.S. states. It was founded by a partnership of Orange County businessmen as an alternative to other airlines and what was left of the...
(later rebranded AirCal), Western Airlines
Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
) became embroiled in intense airfare wars. PSA attempted to extend its route network beyond California with flights to Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Salt Lake City, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Tucson, and Albuquerque. The airline also introduced automated ticketing and check-in machines at several major airports, and briefly operated flights to Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people...
, Mexico. When PSA's plan to buy out the assets of Dallas/Fort Worth-based Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways
Braniff International Airways was an American airline that operated from 1928 until 1982, primarily in the midwestern and southwestern U.S., South America, Panama, and in its later years also Asia and Europe...
fell flat, the airline expanded its route network north to Washington, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
and Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. PSA used a new fleet of BAe 146
BAe 146
The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992...
regional jets to serve smaller airports on the West Coast, such as Eureka, California
Eureka, California
Eureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census....
and Concord, California
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
. PSA held a contest, publicized in full-page newspaper ads, to name the fleet. The winning entry was Smiliner.
In 1986 Western and AirCal were purchased by out-of-state airlines (Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
respectively). Some believe USAir was actually pursuing AirCal because of fleet commonality (Boeing 737-300s) but that American Airlines spoiled the deal and PSA was its second choice. Upon hearing that USAir was interested in AirCal, American Airlines aggressively courted the AirCal Board of Directors. It made more sense for American Airlines to purchase PSA due to fleet commonality, but American Airlines was determined not to concede market share. Therefore, many believe the American–AirCal deal was essentially an attempt to impede USAir's expansion. However, this plan did not work.
An hour after the AirCal deal was announced, PSA agreed to merge with USAir, which was completed in 1987. PSA's last flight took place on April 8, 1988. The PSA route network slowly disintegrated within USAir and was completely gone by 1994: most of the former airline's assets were scrapped or moved to USAir's hubs on the East Coast. PSA's operations base at San Diego International Airport
San Diego International Airport
San Diego International Airport , sometimes referred to as Lindbergh Field, is a public airport located northwest of the central business district of San Diego, California and from the Mexico – United States border at Tijuana, Mexico...
was gutted and now serves as that airport's commuter terminal. PSA had planned from the start to become a nationwide carrier, but this never came to fruition. By the time of the merger, PSA's route system covered only the western United States, extending only as far east as Colorado and New Mexico. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
has since duplicated many of PSA's former San Diego routes.
In the San Diego Aerospace Museum
San Diego Aerospace Museum
San Diego Air & Space Museum is an aviation and space exploration museum in San Diego, California, USA...
, there is a display showcasing PSA, the city's hometown airline.
PSA was one of the sponsors of the original The Dating Game
The Dating Game
The Dating Game is an ABC television show that first aired on December 20, 1965 and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s...
TV show on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from 1965 to 1973.
Following the 2005 merger of US Airways and America West, a US Airways Airbus A319 was repainted in PSA's livery
Aircraft livery
Aircraft livery is a paint scheme applied to an aircraft, generally to fuselage, wings, empennage , or jet engines. Most airlines have a standard paint scheme for their aircraft fleet, usually prominently displaying the airline logo or name. From time to time special liveries are introduced, for...
as one of four heritage aircraft
Heritage aircraft
Heritage aircraft is a term applied to both old aircraft from preceding generations with correct period aircraft livery and currently in-service aircraft painted in a historic livery ....
commemorating the airlines that merged to form the present-day US Airways. The aircraft was dedicated at San Diego International Airport's commuter terminal (PSA's former operations base) on March 30, 2006, and flew similar flight patterns to the ones actually operated by PSA, as another commemorative bonus.
Corporate culture
At the time, PSA was known for its sense of humor. Founder Ken Friedkin wore Hawaiian shirts and encouraged his pilots and stewardesses to joke around with passengers. Its slogan was "The World's Friendliest Airline", and its recognizable trademark was a smile painted on the nose of each plane and an accompanying ad campaign declaring "Catch Our Smile." Because of the major San Diego flight schedule and because of the discount fares, military personnel nicknamed PSA the "Poor Sailor's Airline." After PSA was bought by USAir, ex-PSA mechanics would occasionally paint smiles on USAir planes as a joke.During the 1960s, PSA was also known for the brightly-colored flight attendant
Flight attendant
Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...
uniforms that included miniskirt
Miniskirt
A miniskirt, sometimes hyphenated as mini-skirt, is a skirt with a hemline well above the knees – generally no longer than below the buttocks; and a minidress is a dress with a similar meaning...
s. In the early 1970s, the fashion changed to hotpants. One PSA flight attendant, Marilyn Tritt, wrote a book about her tenure at the company titled, Long Legs and Short Nights (ISBN 0-9649577-0-1).
Throughout PSA's lifetime as an airline, the flight attendants, with their humor, over-the-top passenger service, and sense of duty, helped create a loyal passenger following. One flight attendant, Sandy Daniels, with the help of a frequent flyer, started the "Precious Stewardess Association". Frequent fliers would bring tasty treats to the crew, particularly on morning flights. In turn, PSA started the "Precious Passenger Association", with certificates and free drinks given to friendly and helpful passengers.
Ken Friedkin's son Tom was a PSA pilot in 1962 when the elder Friedkin died abruptly of a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
. He was 47 years old. A year later, Tom Friedkin's mother died, making him the largest shareholder of PSA. Tom had a seat on the Board of Directors, but continued working as a full-time pilot for the airline.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
founder Herb Kelleher
Herb Kelleher
Herbert D. Kelleher is the co-founder, Chairman Emeritus, and former CEO of Southwest Airlines .-Life and career:...
studied PSA extensively and used many of the airline's ideas to form the corporate culture at Southwest, and even on early flights used the same "Long Legs And Short Nights" theme for stewardesses on board typical Southwest Airlines flights.
PSA actually helped train the first class of mechanics for Southwest Airlines and lent the fledgling carrier flight manuals and other needed items.
Headquarters
The PSA headquarters were located in a windowless gray-brown building along Harbor Drive in San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Currently, the building serves as San Diego International Airport's commuter terminal.
Incidents and accidents
- On March 5, 1974, a PSA NAMC YS-11NAMC YS-11The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In...
training aircraft's engines failed, resulting in the aircraft crashing in the desert near Borrego Springs, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The plane was doing a simulated landing stall. All of the four crew members survived the crash. The aircraft was written off.
- On September 25, 1978, PSA Flight 182PSA Flight 182Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 182, registration N533PS, was a Boeing 727-214 commercial airliner that collided with a private Cessna 172 over San Diego, California on September 25, 1978. Pacific Southwest Airlines' first accident involving fatalities, the death toll of 144 makes it the...
, a Boeing 727-200, crashed in San Diego while trying to land at Lindbergh Field (San Diego International Airport), CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, after colliding with a Cessna 172Cessna 172The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...
operated by Gibbs Flite Center. The 727 crashed at the intersection of Dwight and Nile. The Cessna fell a few blocks away. All 135 on board the PSA were killed as well as the two on the Cessna, and 7 on the ground. At the time, it was the worst plane crash in the United States. A lawsuit argued by Gary AguirreGary J. AguirreGary J. Aguirre is an American lawyer, former investigator with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and whistleblower. After working in a law firm briefly, he became a public defender, then worked as a trial lawyer in California. Having reached his professional and financial...
resulted in PSA being found liable for damages.
- On December 7, 1987, PSA Flight 1771PSA Flight 1771Pacific Southwest Airlines Flight 1771 was a commercial flight that crashed near Cayucos, California, United States, on December 7, 1987, as a result of a murder-suicide scheme by one of the passengers. All 43 people on board the aircraft died...
, a BAe 146, bound for San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
from Los Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, was cruising above the central California coast when it suddenly entered a high-speed nosedive and crashed on a cattle ranch near the small town of Cayucos. Investigations determined that an angry USAir employee, Dave Burke, recently fired for theft, had armed himself and boarded the flight, which was carrying his former manager. After writing a suicide note on an air sickness bag, Burke shot his ex-manager, both pilots and then himself, causing the airplane to crash. All 43 aboard the jetliner—38 passengers and 5 crew members—perished.
Hijackings
There were several attempted hijackings which resulted in no injuries and the surrender of the often lone hijacker. These incidents are not included. The following are notable hijackings because of fatalities or success in forcing the aircraft to fly to another country- On January 7, 1972, PSA 902, a Boeing 727-200 flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles was hijacked to Cuba. The captain negotiated release of the passengers in Los Angeles and the hijackers, armed with a shotgun and other arms, were taken to Cuba with a fueling stop in Tampa where they released custody of the aircraft back to the captain. Three flight attendants and three off-duty flight attendants were not released with the passengers and accompanied the flight to Cuba.
- On July 5, 1972, PSA 710, a Boeing 737-200 flight from Sacramento, California to San Francisco was hijacked with demands to fly to the Soviet Union. The plane was stormed, resulting in the death of one passenger and the two hijackers. One of the passengers of this flight, who was injured by being shot in the back, was actor Victor Sen YungVictor Sen YungVictor Sen Yung was an American character actor. He was given billing under a variety of names, including Sen Yung, Sen Young, Victor Sen Young, and Victor Young.- Career :...
, best known as Hop Sing from the BonanzaBonanzaBonanza is an American western television series that both ran on and was a production of NBC from September 12, 1959 to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 430 episodes, it ranks as the second longest running western series and still continues to air in syndication. It centers on the...
television series. There was one other passenger who was shot who survived.
Destinations
PSA served many destinations, though not all at the same time. The following is a list of known PSA destinations.California
- Arcata-Eureka AirportArcata-Eureka AirportArcata/Eureka Airport , also known as Arcata Airport, is an airport located north of Eureka in the unincorporated town of McKinleyville, California. This regional airport serves Humboldt County, including the two primary regional cities that compose its name: Arcata and Eureka. The airport is a...
, ArcataArcata, California-Demographics:-2010 Census data:The 2010 United States Census reported that Arcata had a population of 17,231. The population density was 1,567.4 people per square mile...
/EurekaEureka, CaliforniaEureka is the principal city and the county seat of Humboldt County, California, United States. Its population was 27,191 at the 2010 census, up from 26,128 at the 2000 census.... - Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena AirportBob Hope AirportBob Hope Airport is a public airport located 3 miles northwest of the central business district of Burbank, a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
, BurbankBurbank, CaliforniaBurbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340.... - Buchanan Field AirportBuchanan Field AirportFor the other uses, see Concord Airport .Buchanan Field Airport is located in Concord and Pacheco, California, USA, 27 nautical miles northeast of San Francisco International Airport, in Contra Costa County...
, ConcordConcord, CaliforniaConcord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months... - Fresno Air TerminalFresno Yosemite International AirportFresno Yosemite International Airport , formerly known as Fresno Air Terminal, is a joint civil-military public airport located in eastern Fresno, in Fresno County, California. The airport is more than south of Yosemite National Park on California State Route 41. The airport covers and has two...
, FresnoFresno, CaliforniaFresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation... - Lake Tahoe AirportLake Tahoe AirportLake Tahoe Airport is a public airport located three miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe, serving El Dorado County, California, USA. This general aviation airport covers and has one runway. The airport is sometimes called Tahoe Valley Airport.The airport formerly offered commercial to several...
, Lake TahoeLake TahoeLake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest... - Long Beach Airport, Long BeachLong Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
- Los Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... - Monterey Peninsula AirportMonterey Peninsula AirportMonterey Peninsula Airport is a regional airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Monterey, a city in Monterey County, California, USA. It was created in 1936....
, MontereyMonterey, CaliforniaThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of... - Oakland International AirportOakland International AirportOakland International Airport , also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is a public airport located south of the central business district of Oakland, a city in Alameda County, California, United States...
, OaklandOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724... - Ontario International Airport, OntarioOntario, CaliforniaOntario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
- Palm Springs International AirportPalm Springs International AirportPalm Springs International Airport is a public airport located two miles east of the central business district of Palm Springs, California, serving the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area of Southern California. The airport covers and utilizes two runways...
, Palm SpringsPalm Springs, CaliforniaPalm Springs is a desert city in Riverside County, California, within the Coachella Valley. It is located approximately 37 miles east of San Bernardino, 111 miles east of Los Angeles and 136 miles northeast of San Diego... - Sacramento Executive AirportSacramento Executive AirportSacramento Executive Airport , also known as simply Executive Airport, is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Sacramento, a city in Sacramento County, California, USA...
- Sacramento Metropolitan AirportSacramento International AirportSacramento International Airport is a public airport located 10 miles northwest of the central business district of Sacramento, in Sacramento County, California, USA. It is run by Sacramento County...
, SacramentoSacramento, CaliforniaSacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,... - San Diego International AirportSan Diego International AirportSan Diego International Airport , sometimes referred to as Lindbergh Field, is a public airport located northwest of the central business district of San Diego, California and from the Mexico – United States border at Tijuana, Mexico...
, San Diego - San Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International AirportSan Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
, San Francisco - San Jose International AirportSan Jose International AirportNorman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...
, San JoseSan Jose, CaliforniaSan Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay... - John Wayne AirportJohn Wayne AirportJohn Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...
, Santa AnaSanta Ana, CaliforniaSanta Ana is the county seat and second most populous city in Orange County, California, and with a population of 324,528 at the 2010 census, Santa Ana is the 57th-most populous city in the United States.... - Stockton Metropolitan AirportStockton Metropolitan AirportStockton Metropolitan Airport is a public airport located three miles southeast of the central business district of Stockton, a city in San Joaquin County, California, US-History:...
, StocktonStockton, CaliforniaStockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
Arizona
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International AirportPhoenix Sky Harbor International AirportPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
, PhoenixPhoenix, ArizonaPhoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data... - Tucson International AirportTucson International AirportTucson International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located six miles south of the central business district of Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States, and is the second largest and busiest airport in Arizona, after Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix.- Overview...
, TucsonTucson, ArizonaTucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
Colorado
- Yampa Valley AirportYampa Valley AirportYampa Valley Airport , also known as Yampa Valley Regional Airport, is a public airport located east of Hayden and approximately west of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, Colorado, USA. The airport covers and has one runway...
, Steamboat SpringsSteamboat Springs, ColoradoThe city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
Idaho
- Boise International Airport, BoiseBoise, IdahoBoise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
New Mexico
- Albuquerque International SunportAlbuquerque International SunportAlbuquerque International Sunport is a public airport located 3 miles southeast of the central business district of Albuquerque, a city in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States. It is the largest commercial airport in the state, handling 5,888,811 passengers in 2009...
, AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
Nevada
- McCarran International AirportMcCarran International AirportMcCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...
, Las VegasLas Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous... - Reno-Tahoe International Airport, RenoReno, NevadaReno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
Oregon
- Roberts FieldRoberts FieldRoberts Field , also known as Redmond Municipal Airport, is a public airport in the city of Redmond, Oregon, United States. Consisting of two runways, the airport is the primary commercial airport serving Central Oregon, offering commercial flights on regional airlines and a low-cost carrier to...
, BendBend, OregonBend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
/RedmondRedmond, OregonRedmond is a city in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated on July 6, 1910, the city is located on the eastern side of Oregon's Cascade Range, in the High Desert, and is considered the geographical heart of Central Oregon... - Eugene AirportEugene AirportEugene Airport , also known as Mahlon Sweet Field, is a public airport located 7 miles northwest of Eugene, in Lane County, Oregon. Owned and operated by the City of Eugene, it is the fifth-largest airport in the Pacific Northwest, providing commercial air service to a six-county region in...
, EugeneEugene, OregonEugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... - Rogue Valley International-Medford AirportRogue Valley International-Medford AirportRogue Valley International-Medford Airport is a public airport located 3 miles north of downtown Medford in Jackson County, Oregon, USA. In addition to Jackson County, the airport serves seven nearby counties in southwest Oregon. It is owned and operated by Jackson County's Aviation Authority...
, MedfordMedford, OregonMedford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon... - Portland International AirportPortland International AirportPortland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
, PortlandPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
Utah
- Salt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International AirportSalt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district...
, Salt Lake City
Washington
- Bellingham International AirportBellingham International AirportBellingham International Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of Bellingham, in Whatcom County, Washington, USA. The airport has a single runway. Due to the close proximity to British Columbia, the Bellingham International Airport functions somewhat as a reliever airport to...
, BellinghamBellingham, WashingtonBellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia... - Tri-Cities AirportTri-Cities Airport (Washington)Tri-Cities Airport is a public airport located 2 miles northwest of Pasco, in Franklin County, Washington, USA. It is the third largest commercial airport in the State of Washington, and has three runways.-History:...
, PascoPasco, WashingtonPasco is a city in and the county seat of Franklin County, Washington, United States.Pasco is one of three cities that make up the Tri-Cities region of the state of Washington... - Seattle-Tacoma International AirportSeattle-Tacoma International AirportThe Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5...
, Seattle - Spokane International AirportSpokane International AirportSpokane International Airport is a commercial airport located about west of downtown Spokane in Spokane County, Washington. It is the primary airport for Spokane, eastern Washington, Coeur d'Alene, and northern Idaho...
, SpokaneSpokane, WashingtonSpokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... - Yakima Air TerminalYakima Air Terminal-External links:* , official site* at WSDOT Aviation...
, YakimaYakima, WashingtonYakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
Mexico
- Los Cabos International AirportLos Cabos International AirportLos Cabos International Airport is the seventh busiest airport in Mexico, located at San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The airport serves Los Cabos area: San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. This airport has three terminals with 4 concourses...
, Los CabosLos CabosLos Cabos is a municipality located at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, in the state of Baja California Sur. It encompasses the towns of Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo , as well as the Resort Corridor that lies between the two...
Final fleet
PSA fleet details at the time of its merger shutdown into USAir:| Aircraft | Total | Passengers |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas DC-9-31 | 3 | 107 |
| Douglas DC-9-32 | 1 | 107 |
| BAe 146-200 BAe 146 The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992... |
24 | 85 |
| BAe 146-100 BAe 146 The British Aerospace 146 is a medium-sized commercial airliner formerly manufactured in the United Kingdom by British Aerospace, later part of BAE Systems. Production ran from 1983 until 2002. Manufacture of an improved version known as the Avro RJ began in 1992... |
1 | |
| McDonnell-Douglas MD-81 | 23 | 150 |
| McDonnell-Douglas MD-82 | 12 | 150 |
Historic fleet
Historic PSA fleet:| 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... /C-47 Skytrain C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and... 1949-1955 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Douglas DC-4 Douglas DC-4 The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role... /C-54 Skymaster C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff... 1954–1959 |
McDonnell Douglas MD-80 1980–1988 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lockheed L-188 Electra Lockheed L-188 Electra The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design... 1958-1969 |
Lockheed TriStar Lockheed L-1011 The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed... 1974-1975 |
Lockheed L-188 Electra 1975-1979 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DC-6 Douglas DC-6 The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range... 1960-1961 |
Boeing 727 Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced... 1964-1982 |
BAe-146 1984-1988 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boeing 737 Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers... 1968-1976 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Douglas DC-9 1967-1969 |
Douglas DC-9 1983-1988 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- PSA continued to operate the DC-4Douglas DC-4The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
/C-54C-54 SkymasterThe Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
equipment for charter flights until 1961.
- The L-1011 "Mother Grinningbirds" were held on for leasing to other airlines and companies until they were sold in 1985 to Worldways CanadaWorldways CanadaWorldways Canada was a Canadian charter airline that started in 1973 and ceased its operations on October 11, 1990 which went out of business in 1991. Their fleet consisted of McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Boeing 707, Boeing 727, Convair 640 and Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar.It was created and run by...
.
- PSA operated a single DC-6BDouglas DC-6The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
between 1960-1961 to Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, CaliforniaOakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, while awaiting the delivery of an ElectraLockheed L-188 ElectraThe Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
to take its place.
Historic PSA fleet details:
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | PSA name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas DC-3 Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made... /C-47 Skytrain C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and... |
9 | ||
| Douglas DC-4 Douglas DC-4 The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role... /C-54 Skymaster C-54 Skymaster The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff... |
4 | ||
| Lockheed L-188 Electra Lockheed L-188 Electra The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design... |
9 | Super Electra Jet/Electrode/Trode | |
| Douglas DC-6B Douglas DC-6 The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range... |
1 | ||
| Boeing 727-14 Boeing 727 The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced... |
9 | ||
| Boeing 727-114 | 1 | ||
| Boeing 727-173C | 2 | ||
| Boeing 727-51 | 5 | ||
| Boeing 727-81 | 1 | ||
| Boeing 727-214 | 18 | ||
| Boeing 727-2J7A | 2 | ||
| Boeing 727-214A | 7 | ||
| Boeing 727-254 | 5 | ||
| Boeing 727-2QA | 1 | ||
| Bell 206 Bell 206 The Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed as the Bell YOH-4 for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected... |
1 | ||
| Boeing 737-214 Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers... |
12 | Fat Albert or FA | |
| Boeing 737-293 | 2 | Fat Albert or FA | |
| Douglas DC-9-31 | 4 | 107 | |
| Douglas DC-9-32 | 2 | 107 | |
| Lockheed L-1011-1 TriStar Lockheed L-1011 The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed... |
2 | Mother Grinningbird | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-81 | 21 | 156-150 | |
| McDonnell Douglas MD-82 | 17 | 156-150 | |
| BAe 146-100 | 1 | Smiliner | |
| BAe 146-100A | 2 | Smiliner | |
| BAe 146-200 | 5 | 100-85 | Smiliner |
| BAe 146-200A | 19 | 100-85 | Smiliner |
Training PSA Fleet
These aircraft were used for training only. They never saw actual passenger service.Historic List Of Aircraft PSA used for training:
| Aircraft | Total |
|---|---|
| Piper Aztec 28R-180 Piper Aztec -Accidents and incidents:*On 18 April 1974, Aztec G-AYDE was involved in a ground collision with BAC One-Eleven G-AXMJ at London Luton Airport after the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without clearance. He was killed and his passenger was injured... |
1 |
| Bell 47-G4A Bell 47 The Bell 47 is a two-bladed, single engine, light helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. Based on the third Model 30 prototype, Bell's first helicopter designed by Arthur M. Young, the Bell 47 became the first helicopter certified for civilian use on 8 March 1946... |
1 |
| Beech Bonanza F33-A | 7 |
| Piper Aztec 23-350 Piper Aztec -Accidents and incidents:*On 18 April 1974, Aztec G-AYDE was involved in a ground collision with BAC One-Eleven G-AXMJ at London Luton Airport after the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without clearance. He was killed and his passenger was injured... |
9 |
| Piper Commanche 24-260 | 5 |
| Learjet 24 Learjet 24 |-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3.-External links:**... |
1 |
| Piper Aztec 23-250 Piper Aztec -Accidents and incidents:*On 18 April 1974, Aztec G-AYDE was involved in a ground collision with BAC One-Eleven G-AXMJ at London Luton Airport after the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without clearance. He was killed and his passenger was injured... |
5 |
| NAMC YS-11A-202 NAMC YS-11 The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In... |
1 |
| NAMC YS-11A-212 NAMC YS-11 The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In... |
1 |
| Brantly B-2 Brantly B-2 -See also:-References:Bibliography*Taylor, John W.R.. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. ISBN 0-354-00538-3.-Further reading:... |
1 |
| Beech 99 | 1 |
External links
- The PSA History Museum - Dedicated to preserving the history of PSA
- PSA-history.org - History of PSA
- Catch Our Smile - Extensive history and images of PSA
- http://www.amazon.com/dp/1888962186 - Poor sailors' airline: A history of Pacific Southwest Airlines