History:
This flight is actually a bit unusual, in that it has a stop in Denver.
The only 2 airlines to fly this route with passengers were TWA, using
Connies and then Super Connies, and Continental, with Viscounts (they used
DC-7B's earlier). United flew the route as a cargo run with DC-3's,
and then DC-4's. You should have a nice view of the Grand Canyon!
Schedule Information
| Date | 1958 | 1963 | 1958 | 1950 | 1953 |
| Airline | TWA | TWA | Continental | United | United |
| Equip. | L-749 Sky Club Coach |
L-1049G Golden Banner Coach |
Viscount II Gold Carpet Service |
DC-3 Cargo |
DC-4 Cargo |
| Flight Number | 21 | 501 | 15 | 901 | 901 |
| Chicago Midway | 2:35p | 12:35a | 12:01p | 6:00a | 6:50a |
| Denver Stapleton Ar | 4:41p | 2:21a | 2:26p | 10:00a | 9:50a |
| Denver Stapleton Dp | 5:10p | 2:55a | 2:55p | 10:30a | 10:30a |
| Los Angeles Intl. | 8:09p | 6:29a | 5:10p | 2:20p | 2:20p |
Flight Plan:
Set any wind to blow from the West (around 250-270 deg); this is typical.
DC-3: Cruise Altitude: near 10,000 ft Cruise Speed
about: 140 KTAS
DC-4: Cruise Altitude: near 10,000 ft Cruise Speed
about: 195 KTAS
L-749: Cruise Altitude: near 18,000 ft Cruise Speed about:
250 KTAS
L-1049G: Cruise Altitude: near 18,000 ft Cruise Speed about: 260 KTAS
Viscount: Cruise Altitude: near 22,000 ft Cruise Speed about: 300 KTAS
Chicago-Midway to Denver Stapleton
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
From ID
Freq Course Distance ETE Fuel
To ID
Freq Mag-Crs Total Total Total
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
Chicago-Midway CHI
268 66.2 24.8 289.7
top of climb 18000ft
268 66.2 24.8 289.7
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
top of climb 18000ft
267 63.9 16.0 55.9
DV NDB DV
353.00 265 130.1 40.8 345.6
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
DV MDB DV
353.00 264 135.2 33.8 118.3
DES MOINES DSM 117.50
260 265.3 74.6 464.0
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
DES MOINES DSM 117.50
265 133.4 33.4 116.7
WAHOO NDB AHQ
400.00 259 398.8 108.0 580.7
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
WAHOO NDB AHQ
400.00 261 149.3 37.3 130.7
DARR (LEXINGTON) NDB RRX 326.00 254
548.1 145.3 711.4
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
DARR (LEXINGTON) NDB RRX 326.00 255
157.2 39.3 137.5
AKRON AKO
114.40 246 705.3 184.6 848.9
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
AKRON AKO
114.40 249 27.4 6.8 24.0
beginning of descent 18000ft 239
732.7 191.4 872.8
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
beginning of descent 18000ft 249
34.3 7.9 6.6
FT NDB FT
321.00 239 766.9 199.4 879.4
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
FT NDB FT
321.00 261 15.0 3.5 2.9
ALTUR LOM ALTUR 362.00 250
781.9 202.8 882.3
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
ALTUR LOM ALTUR 362.00 269
5.6 1.3 1.1
Denver Stapleton DEN Rwy 26L 259
787.5 204.1 883.4
--------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
1- After loading passengers/freight at the terminal, cleared to taxi to runway 31C, cleared to takeoff from Rwy 31C, climb runway heading to 1,000 ft before turning.
2- Turn course 268 and intercept DV NDB (tune ADF radio to 400), climb and maintain cruise altitude. Cleared direct to DV.
3- Cleared direct to AKRON.
4- Begin your descent 34 NM after passing AKRON; descend at 1000 ft/min..
5- Cleared direct to FT.
6- Cleared direct to ALTUR (LOM for runway 26L). Cross over ALTUR LOM at 7,200 ft. altitude.
7- Cleared for a visual approach to runway 26L at Stapleton airport. ILS available if needed (110.30). Cleared to land.
8- Take the first available taxiway to the right, taxi to the terminal, and unload passengers/freight.
Denver Stapleton to Los Angeles Intl
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
From ID
Freq Course Distance ETE Fuel
To ID
Freq Mag-Crs Total Total Total
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
Denver Stapleton DEN 232
48.3 18.1 211.1
top of climb 18000ft 222
48.3 18.1 211.1
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
top of climb 18000ft 232
79.5 19.9 69.6
BLUE MESA (GUNNISON) HBU 114.90 221
127.8 38.0 280.7
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
BLUE MESA (GUNNISON) HBU 114.90 244
128.9 32.2 112.8
BLANDING NDB BDG 340.00 233
267.8 72.9 401.9
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
BLANDING NDB BDG 340.00 234
158.1 39.5 138.4
GRAND CANYON GCN 113.10 222
425.9 112.5 540.3
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
GRAND CANYON GCN 113.10 252
156.1 39.0 136.6
GOFFS GFS
114.40 240 582.0 151.5 676.9
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
GOFFS GFS
114.40 252 66.4 16.6 58.1
HECTOR HEC
112.70 240 648.4 168.1 734.9
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
HECTOR HEC
112.70 242 34.3 8.6 30.0
beginning of descent 18000ft 230
682.7 176.7 765.0
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
beginning of descent 18000ft 241
70.8 16.3 13.6
OS LOM OS
278.00 228 751.2 192.4 776.5
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
OS LOM OS
278.00 263 6.6 1.5
1.3
Los Angeles Intl LAX Rwy 25R 248
757.8 194.0 777.8
-------------------- ------- ------ ------- -------- ----- -----
1- Reload passengers/freight and taxi to runway 26L, cleared to taxi, cleared to take off on runway 26L.
2- Climb to 1,000 ft AGL at runway heading, then while climbing to cruise altitude, turn right and do a circuit so as to cross Stapleton airport on a course of 222 deg on course to BLUE MESA VOR , cleared to BLUE MESA. (Don't forget to keep your climb rate high to give you plenty of height over the mountains in case of wind shear). DC-3's and DC-4's will have to thread their way between the mountains.
3- Cleared direct to HECTOR.
4- Begin your descent 34 NM after passing HECTOR; cleared direct to OS (LOM for runway 25R). Descend at 1000 ft/min.
17- You should cross over the OS LOM at 2,000 ft. Make a visual approach for landing at Los Angeles Runway 25R. ILS available if needed (111.10) . Cleared to land.
18- Take first available taxiway to the right, taxi to terminal, and unload passengers/freight.
Welcome to Los Angeles!