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We had such great promise. Selectively bred and engineered, Convair, our creators, spent untold millions and billed us as the next big thing in air travel. While our competitors, Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas, capitalized and focused on range and passenger capacity, we, the smaller Convair 880's and 990's, were designed for speed above all else. In regards to our cruising speed, we came second to none. The 707 and DC-8, our greatest rivals, were forced to respect us in that regard.

Little did we suspect that we were doomed from the beginning. Early on, the market had spoken. Airlines expressed little interest in our speed, our greatest attribute and selling feature. We 880's and 990's were overlooked due to our fuel consumption, the deafening noise of our engines, and higher cost of maintenance. Because of our model's failure, Convair would never again produce a passenger aircraft. Despite that fact, many of us lived productive lives. From our introduction in 1959, a select few of us served various purposes until the early 1990's.

I remember my first flight with American Airlines. I was young. Proud. Boastful of my speed and the power of my engines. Being a 990, I was at least somewhat comparable in size to my competitors. I learned early on that I was a stranger among other jets. Like the rest of my model and especially with the 880's, we never fit in. After I was withdrawn from passenger service in 1975, I flew as a freighter for 16 years. In 1991, I was officially out of work. No one wanted me. Fortunately, I was allowed to live my own life and marry the 990 I've been in love with for nearly 50 years, unlike many other 990's and 880's. Owned and regarded as property, they were euthanized and scrapped when deemed no longer useful.

Now, few of us still exist. Our population never exceeded 102, even at our peak. We are Convair's forgotten airliner. The speed demon that failed to attract interest. With 12 of us scattered worldwide, little stands between us and extinction. All that remains of our years of thankless service are memories, many of which have been scattered to the wind. Lost in time. I now fear that we, the 880's and 990's, will soon be gone forever. Unlike successful models that have come and gone, like the graceful L-1011 and hardy 727 and DC-9, few will remember us. Even fewer will miss us.

Description
We had such great promise. Selectively bred and engineered, Convair, our creators, spent untold millions and billed us as the next big thing in air travel. While our competitors, Boeing and McDonnell-Douglas, capitalized and focused on range and passenger capacity, we, the smaller Convair 880's and 990's, were designed for speed above all else. In regards to our cruising speed, we came second to none. The 707 and DC-8, our greatest rivals, were forced to respect us in that regard.

Little did we suspect that we were doomed from the beginning. Early on, the market had spoken. Airlines expressed little interest in our speed, our greatest attribute and selling feature. We 880's and 990's were overlooked due to our fuel consumption, the deafening noise of our engines, and higher cost of maintenance. Because of our model's failure, Convair would never again produce a passenger aircraft. Despite that fact, many of us lived productive lives. From our introduction in 1959, a select few of us served various purposes until the early 1990's.

I remember my first flight with American Airlines. I was young. Proud. Boastful of my speed and the power of my engines. Being a 990, I was at least somewhat comparable in size to my competitors. I learned early on that I was a stranger among other jets. Like the rest of my model and especially with the 880's, we never fit in. After I was withdrawn from passenger service in 1975, I flew as a freighter for 16 years. In 1991, I was officially out of work. No one wanted me. Fortunately, I was allowed to live my own life and marry the 990 I've been in love with for nearly 50 years, unlike many other 990's and 880's. Owned and regarded as property, they were euthanized and scrapped when deemed no longer useful.

Now, few of us still exist. Our population never exceeded 102, even at our peak. We are Convair's forgotten airliner. The speed demon that failed to attract interest. With 12 of us scattered worldwide, little stands between us and extinction. All that remains of our years of thankless service are memories, many of which have been scattered to the wind. Lost in time. I now fear that we, the 880's and 990's, will soon be gone forever. Unlike successful models that have come and gone, like the graceful L-1011 and hardy 727 and DC-9, few will remember us. Even fewer will miss us.