Classic Jetliners: The Convair 990 Coronado

As a child of the 80s and 90s, one of my fondest memories was playing with Trump Cards (shoutout to fellow 80s and 90s kids!) One of my card sets featured various commercial planes, where we compared their speeds, ranges, ceilings, and other specifications. A standout aircraft in that deck was the Convair 990, known for its impressive speed. Reminiscing about this plane takes me back to my childhood days, which is why I’d like to share some insights on this lesser-known, yet remarkable aircraft: the Convair 990 Coronado.

Though not as renowned as the Boeing 707 or the Douglas DC-8, the Convair 990 still holds a legendary status as the fastest subsonic commercial plane of its era.

The Convair 990 Coronado

The Convair 990 Coronado, a narrow-body four-engined jet airliner produced between 1961 and 1963, was a symbol of luxury, speed, and innovation in early jet travel. Built by the Convair division of General Dynamics, the 990 was designed as a high-speed commercial aircraft capable of flying from New York to Los Angeles 45 minutes faster than its competitors.

At the time, speed was a premium in air travel, and American Airlines was looking for a faster alternative to the Convair 880. Boeing engineers knew the 707 was at or near the limit of subsonic speed, so Convair needed a new approach. They gave the 990 more powerful engines by adding a separate fan system into the engine’s exhaust, creating the world’s first turbofan airliner.

Design Highlights

The 990 was a stretched version of the 880, with a 10-foot increase in length, allowing it to carry between 96 and 121 passengers compared to the 88 to 110 in the 880. Although this was still fewer passengers than the contemporary Boeing 707 or Douglas DC-8, the 990 was 25-35 mph faster in cruise. This focus on speed was a premium feature during that time, as it allowed passengers to travel between destinations in much shorter periods.

One of the major design changes from the 880 was the large anti-shock bodies on the upper trailing edge of the wings, which increased the critical Mach by reducing transonic drag. The inboard shock bodies, which were larger, were also used for additional fuel tankage. The engines were changed to the uprated General Electric CJ-805-23s, a unique design that used a fan stage at the rear of the engines.

To counter the increased drag experienced in the transonic speed regime, Convair designed a new 39-degree swept wing and large anti-shock bodies, which also provided additional fuel storage. This innovative design made the Convair 990 the fastest commercial jet airliner of its time.

• Stretched version of the 880, with a 10-foot increase in length
• Passenger capacity between 96 and 121
• Faster than contemporary Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 by 25-35 mph in cruise
• Large anti-shock bodies on the upper trailing edge of wings to reduce transonic drag
• Inboard shock bodies for additional fuel tankage
• Uprated General Electric CJ-805-23 engines with rear fan stage design
• New 39-degree swept wing to counter transonic drag
• Fastest commercial jet airliner of its time

Variants and History

The Convair 990 initially came in two variants: the original 990 and the 990A, which offered a higher cruising speed and longer range. However, even with its impressive speed and luxury, the 990 did not meet the specifications promised to American Airlines, which led to a reduced order.

1. 990: The initial production version of the aircraft.
2. 990A: An improved version with a higher cruising speed and longer range compared to the original 990. The 990A also featured additional design modifications, such as fairings added to the engine nacelles.

Specification	Convair 990A
Crew	4 (+ cabin crew)
Capacity	Up to 149 passengers
Length	139 ft 9 in (42.60 m)
Wingspan	120 ft (37 m)
Height	39 ft 6 in (12.04 m)
Wing area	2,250 sq ft (209 m2)
Empty weight	133,000 lb (60,328 kg)
Maximum zero-fuel weight	160,000 lb (72,575 kg)
Max takeoff weight	253,000 lb (114,759 kg)
Maximum landing weight	202,000 lb (91,626 kg)
Powerplant	4 × General Electric CJ805-23B turbofan engines
Engine thrust	16,050 lbf (71.4 kN) each
Maximum speed (20,000 ft)	540 kn (620 mph, 1,000 km/h) / Mach 0.871
Maximum permissible diving speed	M0.91
Cruise speed (35,000 ft)	484 kn (557 mph, 896 km/h) / M0.84
Range	3,302 nmi (3,800 mi, 6,115 km)
Service ceiling	41,000 ft (12,000 m)

A Legend Despite Its Shortcomings

Swissair and Scandinavian Airlines were among the major airlines to operate the 990A, using them on long-distance routes to South America, West Africa, the Middle and Far East, and heavy-traffic European routes. However, the 990’s niche was soon captured by the Boeing 720, Boeing 720B, and later by the Boeing 727.

By the time the assembly line shut down in 1963, only 37 990s had been produced. The failure of airlines to broadly accept the Convair 880 and 990 led General Dynamics to suffer one of the largest corporate losses in history, causing Convair to exit the jet airliner business.

When the major airlines retired their Convair 990s, they found a second life on charter airlines, with Spantax of Spain and Denver Ports of Call operating large fleets until the mid-1980s. The Convair 990 Coronado remains a fascinating piece of aviation history, showcasing the development of high-speed commercial jet airliners in the early 1960s.

The Convair 990’s speed and comfort were not enough to compete with the emerging demand for fuel-efficient, long-range jets that could carry hundreds of passengers over thousands of miles. As a result, Convair’s parent company, General Dynamics, suffered one of the largest corporate losses in history, and Convair never produced another civilian passenger plane.

However, the Convair 990 Coronado still earned legendary status, partly because it was rare and not in operation for long. The aircraft remains an iconic symbol of early jet travel, showcasing the innovation, speed, and luxury of a time when flying was a glamorous affair.