WESTERN AIR LINES
(USA)

On April 19th of 1973, Western Airlines took the step into the wide-bodied era and added its first Douglas Jet to its Boeing jet fleet of 737s 727s and 707/720s. The first four aircraft were options of an American Airlines order and during the 1970s, the fleet was increased to thirteen aircraft. Between 1981 and 1983, a fourteenth aircraft was leased from ILFC, which was mainly seen on the routes to London which Western had for a short time at the begining of the 1980s. Only nine aircraft were operated until April 1st of 1987, while three were sold to IAL for lease to American or went directly to American Airlines. One, N903WA had a heavy accident in Mexico City in 1979 when the pilot landed on a closed runway and hit several vehicles, broke into three larger parts and burnt out. Western operated DC-10s on their main routes, for example Los Angeles - Miami, which was inagurated on October 1st of 1976, and, as already mentioned, also on the routes to London. After the transatlantic flights were suspended, the DC-10-10s were "degraded" to Westerns flagship and were well known in the west coast states and Hawaii. Note the registrations and the fleet numbers: Although N910WA and N911WA were skipped, the fleet number designation was followed consequently.


Photo:
Right: Western's early morning flight climbing and retracting gear after lifting off from Miami's runway 9-left. Great airline! - BY Don Boyd (www.airliner-photos.com)
Left: Western Air Lines DC-10 - BY ANDREW ABSHIER
Following aircraft were operated by or for Western Air Lines:

RegistrationAircraftFleetnr./NameOperated from - toWhere is it now?
N821L47848/ 13695014.04.1981 - 09.1983SCRAPPED
N901WA46908/ 9590119.04.1973 - 08.04.1983SCRAPPED
N902WA46928/ 10490212.06.1973 - 01.04.1987SCRAPPED
N903WA46929/ 10790321.06.1973 - 31.10.1979WRITTEN OFF
N904WA46930/ 11290420.07.1973 - 01.06.1981FedEx
N905WA46938/ 15390514.05.1974 - 01.07.1981FedEx
N906WA46939/ 20390603.06.1975 - 01.04.1987FedEx
N907WA46946/ 22290722.06.1976 - 01.04.1987SCRAPPED
N908WA46977/ 25190813.03.1978 - 01.04.1987-stored-
N909WA46983/ 25290918.05.1979 - 01.04.1987-stored-
N912WA46645/ 28391019.07.1979 - 01.04.1987SCRAPPED
N913WA46646/ 28591128.07.1979 - 01.04.1987-stored-
N914WA47832/ 31891212.05.1980 - 01.04.1987-stored-
N915WA47833/ 32291305.06.1980 - 01.04.1987SCRAPPED


Following DC-10 aircraft have been written off during service with Western Air Lines:
N903WA, 46929/ 107


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