The Airchive-Eastern

		May 1, 1936 Eddie Rickenbacker had just taken over Eastern and deliveries of the Douglas DC-3s which would serve through the early 1950s began. In 1936, it took 14 hours to fly from Miami to New York.
		January 1, 1948 Under Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, Eastern was the dominant airline up and down the Eastern seaboard in the 1940s. From a profit and operational point of view, these were the airline's goldent years.
		December 14, 1959 The Great Silver Fleet was a critical 1 year late introducing jets. It’s first DC-8 services didn’t begin until the following month, a DC-8-21 from New York to Miami. Eastern’s technically savvy, but frugal chief, didn’t want the original underpowered DC-8-11s. The route map extended south to Mexico and east to Bermuda.
		July 10, 1961 1961 was a year of innovation at Eastern. In March, it introduced the first modern quick reference timetable. On April 30 the Shuttle launched between LaGuardia, Washington National, and Boston with L-1049 Connies. The Shuttle offered every hour on the air service with guaranteed space between 8AM and 10PM. During these bleak times where Eastern’s cheapness and austerity had cost it business, the Shuttle was a bright spot. Eastern was late introducing jets with it’s first DC-8 not joining the fleet until January 1960. The Shuttle was eventually sold to Trump and then US Airways in 1989. Captain Rickenbacker was in his final days at the helm, before the Floyd Hall Rennaisance began.
		August 1961 - Eastern Shuttle timetable insert
		June 1, 1965 This was the launch schedule for Eastern's new "Hockey Stick" image which would last 26 years until the airline's 1991 demise.
		April 1, 1968 Eastern retired the last 4 engine piston Connies in 1968, the same year it began accepting deliveries of the stretch DC-8. Eastern purchased Mackey in 1969, gaining its Bahamian routes.
		December 1, 1970 Eastern introduced 4 747’s in late 1970 to Miami, Chicago, New York, and San Juan. The 747’s were sold to TWA before they were delivered and leased back in the interim before the arrival of the L-1011 in 1972. Just a year before, Eastern who was never a favorite of the CAB, finally received permission to fly to Los Angeles and Dallas from Atlanta. EA proposed in this year taking over Caribair which was finally approved in 1973, granting it many Caribbean destinations beyond San Juan.
		December 1, 1970 - Shuttle Schedule By 1970, Boeing 727s were the main airliner on the Shuttle with Lockheed Electras in a back-up role (until 1977). The Connie's had only been retired in 1967.
		April 25, 1971
		May 1, 1973
		January 31, 1981 In 1981, Eastern continued it’s expansion westward to Reno, Denver, Tucson, and Albuquerque. The fleet consisted of Electra’s on the Shuttle, DC-9s, 727s, L-1011s, DC-8s, and A-300B4s which it launched in the U.S. in 1977.
		August 1, 1982 Eastern took over Braniff’s Latin American routes on mid-May 1982. The routes were initially designed to be a long-term lease, but Braniff’s future led EA officials to believe these would be permanent. Eastern was supposed to begin services on June 1st but due to Braniff’s bankruptcy, it took over early. Eastern transferred the routs to American in 1990 prior to it’s own bankruptcy in 1991. Eastern operated 727s and Tri-Stars through Latin America. Delta and Eastern had near parity at the Atlanta hub. The airline was the dominant carrier at Miami.
		Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		August 31, 1982 Eastern took over Braniff’s Latin American routes on mid-May 1982. The routes were initially designed to be a long-term lease, but Braniff’s future led EA officials to believe these would be permanent. Eastern was supposed to begin services on June 1st but due to Braniff’s bankruptcy, it took over early. Eastern transferred the routs to American in 1990 prior to it’s own bankruptcy in 1991. Eastern operated 727s and Tri-Stars through Latin America. Delta and Eastern had near parity at the Atlanta hub. The airline was the dominant carrier at Miami. By the end of the year, Eastern, along with BA, would be the launch carrier for the Rolls Royce powered 757.
		November 1, 1985 Eastern inagurated "Golden Wings" service to London Gatwick from Miami in July, 1985 with leased DC-10s. This service would be discontinued by late 1988 and transferred to sister Texas Air carrier Continental.
		March 1, 1986 Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com
		May 1, 1986
		November 1, 1988 Eastern was authorized Golden Wings service to Madrid using DC-10s but never operated it. Shortly after this the DC-10s and the London flights would be transferred to Continental. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com

		September 7, 1989 "The New Eastern" signaled the a relaunch following the ouster of Frank Lorenzo from the airline, which was largely a result from a devastating strike. Unfortunately, the airline would never recover and would be extinct in less than fifteen months.
		October 1, 1990 Shortly before its January, 1991 shutdown Eastern sold off its Latin American flights to its major competitor at its Miami hub, American. American was well on its way to becoming the dominant carrier in Miami. Special Thanks to: Chris Cummings chris@irisreg.com

		January 1, 1991 15 days later the Gulf War would begin and 16 days later Eastern would be gone. Mired in bankruptcy and under control of Frank Lorenzo, this once valiant carrier shutdown for good on January 16, 1991. American Airlines quickly absorbed the Miami hub, the Caribbean and South American routes. Delta then had the Atlanta hub to itself and gained many L-1011s in the process. Texas Air sibling Continental received many planes, including the A-300s, and the CRS.
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