travel air s 6000 b

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Narrative:   Travel Air S-6000-B 1929-1930

"Delta Air Service ships are the safe, swift Travel Air enclosed cabin planes, equipped with 300 horsepower Wright Whirlwind motors. They bring a new luxury and comfort to air travel, undreamed of even five years ago."  Delta brochure "Fly for Business and Why"

Aircraft Features Travel Air S-6000-B was a high wing, six place, single engine monoplane. Travel Air advertisements p romoted the new plane as the "limousine of the air." Painted in sleek black and International Orange. The insulated, wood-paneled cabin featured woven wicker seats and hand holds rather than seat belts. Passengers could lower the roll-down windows for ventilation.   

Designed to carry four passengers and two pilots. Because Delta flew with one pilot, a fifth passenger could sit in the co-pilot seat.

Delta's General Manager C.E. Woolman  described its Travel Air amenities, as "accommodations for five passengers and pilot, toilet facilities, and space for hand luggage. In cold weather the cabins are warm and comfortable and with the interesting feature of scenic observation of the surrounding country, afford the ideal means of modern travel."

Delta Service Delta acquired two Travel Airs by purchase from Fox Flying Service and one directly from the manufacturer. Price when new: approximately $13,500. 

Registration numbers and manufacturer's serial numbers:

• C8878 (MSN 988)
• C9905 (MSN 1072)
• C9930 (MSN 1081)

Delta also owned a Travel Air 2000  biplane (NC4316, MSN 369) from March 14, 1929 to Sept. 1, 1937, that was used for flying lessons, charters and company travel, and three Travel Air 4000 planes used for crop-dusting services.

C8878 Carries First Passengers Delta Air Service, later Delta Air Lines, launched its first airline service  on June 17, 1929, with the Travel Air registered as C8878. 

• Learn more about Delta's first flights .
• See Delta's  Restored Travel Air NC8878  at the Delta Flight Museum.

Radio Installed In January 1930, The Monroe News-Star announced "Radio sets will be installed on Delta airplanes." A test flight on January 8, took off from Delta's headquarters at Selman Field in Monroe, Louisiana, and circled the city for about a half hour, receiving messages from the field and "from points as far distant as New York city."

More Information

• 1930 Delta "Fly for Business and Why" Brochure : Promotes the advantages of flying and Delta's aircraft, services and in-flight amenities.
• Kansapedia : History of Travel Air Manufacturing Company

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Travel Air 6000

Project description.

Role:  Civil Utility Aircraft

National Origin: United States

Manufacturer: Travel Air, Curtiss-Wright

First Flight: 1928

Primary User: Private Owners

Number Built: 150

The Travel Air 6000 (later known as the Curtiss-Wright 6B when Travel Air was purchased by Curtiss-Wright) was a six-seat utility aircraft manufactured in the United States in the late 1920s.

It was developed as a luxury version of the Travel Air 5000 marketed principally as an executive aircraft, although its size proved popular with regional airlines, which purchased most of the roughly 150 machines built.

The 6000 was a high-wing braced monoplane with a fuselage constructed of steel tube and covered in fabric. In keeping with its intended luxury market, the fully enclosed cabin was insulated and soundproofed, and included wind-down windows. The basic model was priced at $12,000, but numerous options were offered that could nearly double that price; actor Wallace Beery’s aircraft cost him $20,000 and was the most expensive Model 6000 built.

NC8112 was purchased new by Pittsburgh Airways in 1929 and flew scheduled passenger service connecting Pittsburgh • Philadelphia • New York City.

The Travel Air 6000 was later purchased by Johnson Flying Service in Missoula, MT. Records indicate that SN 844 was the first airplane that carried “smoke jumpers”.

The restoration crew and volunteers at Mid America Flight Museum North in Urbana, Ohio restored the Travel Air 6000 with it returning to flight in 2021. It was awarded Grand Champion Antique at Airventure Oshkosh 2021. For more on the restoration visit www.travelair6000.com

General characteristics

• Capacity:  3 passengers
• Length:  29 ft 0 in ( m)
• Wingspan:  41 ft 8 in ( m)
• Height:  8 ft 3 in ( m)
• Wing area:  236 ft2 ( m2)
• Empty weight:  2,169 lb ( kg)
• Gross weight:  3,229 lb ( kg)
• Powerplant:  1 × Wright Whirlwind J6-7 nine-cylinder radial air-cooled, 225 hp ( kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed:  130 mph (209 km/h)
• Range:  550 miles (885 km)
• Service ceiling:  16,000 ft (4,880 m)
• Rate of climb:  800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)

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TRAVEL AIR 6000

By Plane and Pilot Updated February 6, 2016 Save Article

Travel Air Manufacturing Co., of which Walter H. Beech was an officer, introduced the Travel Air 6000 in 1928. It was a six-seat commercial-cabin monoplane and a more recent development of the Travel Air 5000. The airplane housed either a 220-hp Wright Whirlwind, a 300-hp Whirlwind, or a 410-hp Pratt & Whitney. The 220-hp Whirlwind was the original powerplant. When Travel Air merged with the Curtiss-Robertson Division of Curtiss-Wright, the aircraft’s designation was changed to Travel Air Model 6. Construction was mixed: fabric-covered wooden wings and a welded steel-tube fuselage covered by fabric. The wings utilized box spars with spruce flanges, plywood sides, and built-up Warren- truss-type ribs.

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Simple Flying

When did delta air lines operate its first flight.

Born nearly a century ago, Delta Air Lines has become one of the world's powerhouses in the aviation industry.

• Delta Air Lines took its inaugural flight on June 17th, 1929, from Dallas, Texas, to Jackson, Mississippi.
• The first flight was conducted by pilot J. D. "Johnny" Howe, with only one passenger onboard.
• Delta's early success was attributed to its focus on business travelers.

On June 17th, 2029, Delta Air Lines will celebrate a century of operating commercial flights in the United States. On that date in 1929, the airline took off from Dallas, Texas, en route to Jackson, Mississippi, while stopping at Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana, along the way. Since then, Delta has become a powerhouse in aviation globally, with a fleet of 966 aircraft operating in 57 countries and 301 destinations on 954 routes.

High ambitions

According to Delta Flight Museum, the Travel Air S-6000-B departed at 08:00 and took five hours to complete the historic 427-mile journey. The total time also includes a 30-minute layover in Monroe for lunch .

The S-6000-B was a high-wing, single-engine monoplane. Delta acquired a unit with registration number C8878 and serial number 988. Former Delta general manager C.E Woolman highlighted that the aircraft could accommodate five passengers, a pilot, toilet facilities, and space for hand luggage. Furthermore, the cabins remained warm in cold weather, but fliers could still see the natural wonders below.

Previously, the company was a crop-dusting company named Huff Daland Dusters. In fact, it was the first commercial agricultural flying company in the United States. However, Woolman took over the company in 1928 and had grander visions. Along with relaunching the business as Delta Air Service, he planned to venture into passenger operations. Therefore, he took on the S-6000-B for this purpose.

Before Delta's incorporation, his team had some experience flying passengers in Peru. Woolman was determined to venture into regular passenger services with his new operation.

This pioneering route meant Delta became the first airline to offer an air service between Dallas and Jackson. This first flight was conducted by Arkansas airman J. D. "Johnny" Howe.

Howe had six years of experience in the air and had previously worked as an agent for the Travel Air Company. Moreover, he was one of the first people in the country to earn a commercial pilot's license, making him the perfect man for the job.

Delta’s first passenger flight only had one passenger onboard, John S. Fox, who worked as the airline’s operation manager. He was alone onboard the flight because Delta did not publicly announce the new service until June 16th, when all facilities were equipped and ready. The airline's competitors were rumored to be venturing into flights between Atlanta, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama, over the same route to Dallas. So, Delta quickly snapped at the launch to gain an edge within the industry.

The sole passenger received a warm welcome from Jackson Mayor Walter A. Scott. Later that evening, the two met with community leaders at a banquet in the city. It was on the return journey that more passengers were hosted onboard. On June 18th, 1929, a group of Jackson officials took the chance to be part of Delta's new project.

Paul Chambers, president of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, A.F. “Gus” Hawkins, Jackson city commissioner of aeronautics, and L.E. Foster, executive vice president of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, joined Fox.

The westward trip had a layover once again in Monroe. This time, the travelers were welcomed by city, parish, and chamber of commerce figures. They had lunch at improvised tables in the field's hangar before heading to Dallas.

These guests apparently had an excellent experience, mainly flying at approximately 5,000 feet. After arriving at their destination in Texas, the Jackson officials sent the following telegram, as shared by the Delta Flight Museum.

“First westward trip Delta Airways big success. Arrived at three-forty, twenty minutes ahead of schedule after four hours flying time. I had wonderful receptions at Monroe, Shreveport, and Dallas. I believe the establishment of this line will mean much to Jackson in a commercial way. Had delightful trip, this being the only real way to travel.”

Compared to other current US airlines

Just a quick comparison. When did other US airlines have their first flights?

• United Airlines - April 6, 1926, between Pasco, Washington and Boise, Idaho
• American Airlines - 1926 between St. Louis and Chicago, operated by the one and only Charles A. Lindbergh.
• Southwest Airlines - June 18, 1971, between Dallas Love Field and Houston Intercontinental Airport

Growing the market

The next day, this group returned to Mississippi on the same aircraft. Monroe would once again play a part in the experience of Delta's new passenger service. While taking a break in northern Louisiana, the carrier picked up its first-ever paying customer. This passenger was W.C. Walsh, a factory representative for Dodge Brothers' motor cars.

Altogether, fares from Dallas to Jackson were $47.25 ($844 as of September 2023) for a single flight or $90.00 ($1,609 as of September 2023) for a round trip. This tri-weekly service consisted of three eastbound flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and three westbound flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Most of these early passengers of the carrier were businessmen needing to get across the country quickly. Leisure trips were rare during the time, as flying was still very much a luxury. Woolman shared that 80% of the firm's customers were men with briefcases that were flying in an attempt to speed up their business.

Delta retiree Wallace Harmon shared that the company had no marketing department at the time. Despite this, the airline managed to make do with what it had. It placed adverts in local newspapers and participated in events such as air shows. Additionally, top salesman C.E Woolman built excellent links in local and national communities along with government officials.

Also, there was a traffic manager in larger cities from the middle of the 1930s. This employee would go to hotels and check the brochure racks to ensure the airline's timetables were there. They would also make calls on the hotel porter as that was the contact that guests would call to get airline reservations.

Growth ever since

Delta Air Lines has evolved ever since to become one of the world's most widely recognized airline brands. The company is a powerhouse, with nearly a thousand aircraft on its fleet (and many more to come, as you can see in the video below).

As of September 2023, Delta markets 33,036 weekly flights and offers over 4.5 million weekly seats in flights, according to data from Cirium. Unfortunately, Delta Air Lines no longer operates its first route, Dallas-Jackson. This service is currently only served by American Airlines through its subsidiaries Envoy Air, PSA Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines, which operate the route 44 times a week.

What do you think about Delta Air Line’s inaugural flight? Do you have any curious information you would like to share with us? Let us know in the comments below.

• Aircraft Types
• Travel Air 6000

Travel Air S-6000B

There are 10 photos of Version Travel Air S-6000B for Aircraft Generic Type Travel Air 6000 in the Airliners.net database.

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The Travel Air 6000

Travel air 6000 specifications, travel air a-6000 specifications, travel air sa-6000a specifications, travel air b-6000 specifications.

Base Price in 1929 $12,000

150 Manufactured & 6 Flyable Aircraft Remaining

This airplane was purchased new by Pittsburgh Airways in 1929 and flew scheduled passenger service connecting Pittsburgh • Philadelphia • New York City

The Travel Air 6000 was later purchased by Johnson Flying Service in Missoula, MT. Records indicate that SN 844 was the first airplane that carried “smoke jumpers”.

Owned & Operated by Mid American Flight Museum with locations in Texas and Ohio.

Restored by a talented team of volunteers led by award-winning, master craftsmen, Doug Smith and Bill Knisley.

Specifications

Model 6000 Serial Number 884/NC8112

Pilot + 6 Passengers Cruise Speed 90 mph Maximum Speed 130 mph Stall Speed 60-70 mph Service Ceiling 16,000 ft Empty Weight 2788 lbs Gross Weight 4420 lbs Useful Load 1632 lbs Fuel Capacity 74 gallons Wing Span 48′ 7 “ Length 30′ 10″ Engine Wright 9 Cylinder 975 cu in/440 HP

How it all began…

First Flight • Urbana, OH

At approximately 11:30 AM on Thursday, July 15th, Kelly Mahon piloted the first flight of the Travel Air 6000 post restoration!

res•to•ra•tion {rès•tuh•ráy•shun} verb

The process of removing countless layers of dirt, grease, paint, corrosion, and other foreign matter in order to discover that what you really need is a new part.

-West Pac Restorations –

Mid-America Flight Museum

The goals of MAFM are simple: honoring this nation’s veterans, promoting both aviation and History to our youth, and preserving the uniquely individual histories of our aircraft. Scrol through to see just a few of the amazing aircraft owned by the museum located in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

Veterans unselfishly gave their service, and sometimes their lives, so that we could enjoy all the freedoms that we do today. Recognizing and providing aviation experiences to Veterans and their families is our way of showing our appreciation for their sacrifices. Money cannot buy the kind of joy you see in their eyes when flying in one of these historic planes. Here at Mid America Flight Museum, we are dedicated to preserving the memory of these Veterans and the planes they flew to defend our freedom. Visit MAFM to see our entire collection.

Our team has the resources, the know-how, but most importantly, the heart to keep these historic aircraft flying. We believe this sets Mid America Flight Museum apart from most other aviation museums. Multiple factors, including the expense of maintaining these historic airplanes, have caused many aviation museums to have only static aircraft. It is our belief that airplanes were built to fly! Taking an old airplane that most everyone else has given up on and restoring it back to flying condition is extremely rewarding.

I flew in business class for the first time. It cost $6,000 and was the best flight of my life, but I wouldn't do it again for 5 reasons.

Posted: March 25, 2024 | Last updated: March 26, 2024

• I took a 12-hour, business-class flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand.
• Air New Zealand's business-class seats on this route typically cost $6,000.
• It was the most luxurious flight of my life, but I can't justify paying that much anytime soon.

Every time I book a flight, I eye the first-class and business-class seats. 

The extra space, the delicious food , and the endless bubbly seem like pure luxury. Just as I'm tempted to turn my daydream into reality and switch from economy class to first , my brain reminds me that I don't have an endless budget.

Things changed during the summer of 2021 when Air New Zealand invited me to its headquarters to cover the airline's redesigned cabins . For the 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, I'd sit in business class for the first time . 

It was easily the most glamorous ride of my entire life, and I disembarked knowing that I likely wouldn't do it again anytime soon.

Minutes after settling into business class on an Air New Zealand flight, I had the realization that this plane ride was going to be unlike any other flight I'd taken.

Before I found seat 1A on the Boeing 787-9 aircraft, I was already being treated like royalty. 

One flight attendant was pouring me a glass of sparkling wine. Another one was helping lift my carry-on bag into the overhead bins . A third soon followed to introduce herself and welcome me on the Air New Zealand flight. 

If those first few minutes were any indicator of the rest of my ride, I knew I was in for a glamorous time. 

I also knew that business-class passengers around me had likely dropped around $6,000 for their one-way ticket, according to Air New Zealand's website . Round-trip tickets are often priced closer to $10,000. 

Before this flight, I'd never spent more than $1,400 on a plane ticket. Most vacations involve free campsites and nights spent in a $20 tent I bought off Facebook Marketplace. 

I was appreciative of the indulgent flight — years later, I'm still thinking about the chocolate tart served for dessert. But even after all the perks, I'm convinced flying business class isn't worth the splurge. 

Every expectation of business class was met, but I'd ultimately never shell out $10,000 for a round-trip ticket. It's not like the plane will get there faster than it would if I were sitting in coach.

Every part of the 12-hour flight was filled with luxury .

I was handed a warm towel before a three-course dinner. I received a turndown service, and flight attendants converted my seat into a lie-flat bed. I slept better than I had on any flight and woke up to a fruit smoothie and warm coffee.

Even with those perks, it was hard to ignore the fact that the flight was the same 12 hours as it was in coach. 

No amount of wine could distract me from the fact that I was still confined to a tight space. No number of free toiletries could make me ignore the fact that I was about to spend days jet-lagged. 

Ultimately, I would feel cramped and jet-lagged whether I sat in the front or the back of the plane for 12 hours.

Now if my business-class ticket came with turbo speed that could transport me to New Zealand in fewer hours than an economy ticket could, perhaps I'd think twice about the cost. 

For the same price as a round-trip flight, in theory, I could've paid for another three weeks in New Zealand, covered months of rent, or put a down payment on a new car.

When it comes to traveling, I'm typically willing to sacrifice comfort for the experience. For example, I'd much rather pay money to go skydiving or bungee jumping than stay in a five-star hotel .

And $10,000 could fund a lot of life experiences. The cost of my business-class seat on the same route could buy another vacation, pay for multiple months of rent, or be used as a down payment on a new car that could take me on adventures across the US . 

I could also replicate my entire 21-day trip to New Zealand and Australia for less than the cost of a round-trip ticket to New Zealand since the trip cost closer to $9,000. 

While I loved the business-class experience, I'd trade it in a heartbeat to go diving in the Great Barrier Reef again , stay in more magical tiny homes , and continue exploring the two epic countries. 

The flight also taught me that I don't truly embrace the motto: "It's about the journey, not the destination." To me, flights are all about getting from point A to point B.

I've probably reiterated the phrase dozens of times. To a degree, I stand by the concept that life is often about the journey. 

I've embarked on plenty of road trips where the best memories happened in the passenger seat of the car — not the destinations we were driving to. 

But when I look at the highlights of past trips, plane rides never stand out.

I think that's because the entire experience — regardless of your cabin class — still has challenges. Between possible delays, dry air, cabin pressure, limited space, and potential jet lag, I've never been all that eager to board a plane.

I absolutely love the rush when the plane lifts off the ground, and I savor the views and conversations with strangers on each flight.

But the excitement I experience is more about where I'm going. It's not about being cramped on a plane. 

I previously never considered the environmental toll of sitting in business class.

Before my trip, I knew that flying was one of the more carbon-intensive transportation options. Aviation makes up about 2% of global carbon emissions, according to the International Energy Agency .

Two months after my business-class flight, I was chatting with sustainability experts about how to make trips and vacations more sustainable . They told me that a large part of a vacation's carbon footprint will likely come from the flight, and if I do need to fly to my destination, it's more responsible to sit in economy class. 

That's because a business-class seat takes up significantly more space on a plane. This means that fewer passengers can fit onto the aircraft and, therefore, there's a larger carbon footprint.

For example, a business-class row of seats on Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 fits three people. Meanwhile, a row in economy on the same plane fits nine passengers. Those nine people have a much smaller personal carbon footprint than the three sitting in business class. 

As someone who never had the chance to sit in premium economy, much less business class, before this trip, I hadn't considered the different carbon footprints each cabin class has on planes.

As I continue searching for more sustainable ways to travel, like train travel, I'm also booking economy for future flights.

I am privileged to be able to sit in an economy cabin as an able-bodied person, and I plan to do so for as long as possible.

I'm young and able-bodied. And while sitting in economy is never a blast, especially on long-haul flights, I am fortunate that I can. Planes aren't designed for everyone.

As BuzzFeed reported, flying as a plus-sized passenger is both stigmatized and challenging. Some airlines like Southwest at one point had "customer of size" policies that stated passengers "who are unable to lower both armrests when seated should book another seat because of complaints."

As Business Insider previously reported, a Qatar Airways passenger said she was denied boarding and asked to buy a first-class ticket because of her size. 

It's not just plus-sized passengers who face flying struggles. Planes are not often a comfortable experience for many people with disabilities. Rebekah Taussig, a wheelchair user, wrote for Time that "flying has always felt disempowering." And a survey by Disability Horizons reported that 43% of surveyed wheelchair users who've attempted to fly now avoid it. 

Flying — especially in economy class — isn't something everyone has the privilege to do. I'm fortunate that I can fit into and relax in an economy seat on a long-haul flight. For me, wanting the luxury of a business-class seat doesn't seem necessary at this point in my life. 

Ultimately, I'm at a point in my life where every dollar and every day of exploring matters to me. For now, I'll skip paying for a business-class seat.

There are a few circumstances where I'd consider splurging on a premium-economy ticket, such as a monumental birthday trip or a honeymoon. But I can't envision an instance where I would pay $10,000 for a regular long-haul, business-class flight.

From the environmental toll to extra time in a destination, I would rather use that money elsewhere, and I plan to stick with economy class for future flights. 

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Just over nine decades ago, Delta Air Lines performed its first-ever passenger flight . The plane that conducted this milestone service was the Travel Air S-6000-B propellor plane, which the carrier took on in 1929. Here is a look at the veteran aircraft.

Plenty to offer

The monoplane was recognizable with its high wings. It could hold six people altogether, and the Wichita, Kansas-based Travel Air expected airlines to place two pilots at the front and four passengers behind. However, according to the Delta Flight Museum , Delta only deployed a single pilot. Therefore, another passenger could sit beside the aviator to allow for five customers on board.

A Wright J6 Whirlwind engine powered the plane to offer a range of 500 miles at a speed of up to 90 mph. However, it wasn’t the only the technical capabilities of the Travel Air S-6000-B that appealed to the airline and its customers.

The aircraft was billed as a flying limousine when it was introduced. It was painted in black and international orange livery while passengers inside were kept warm in the insulated, wood-paneled cabin.

Moreover, passengers sat in woven wicker seats and relied on hand holds instead of seatbelts. They could even roll down the windows for a breath of fresh air.

Best for business

A brochure titled Fly for Business and Why promoted flights on these planes for those looking to travel for business purposes. The company highlighted the comfortable experience that could be had if passengers would hit the skies on the aircraft.

The brochure said the following, according to the Delta Flight Museum .

“Delta Air Service ships are the safe, swift Travel Air enclosed cabin planes, equipped with 300 horsepower Wright Whirlwind motors. They bring a new luxury and comfort to air travel, undreamed of even five years ago,”

Delta legend C.E. Woolman, who was the company’s general manager at the time, spoke highly of the abilities of the plane. There was undoubtedly plenty on offer for those on board the aircraft.

Woolman said the following, as shared by the museum.

“[The planes have] accommodations for five passengers and pilot, toilet facilities, and space for hand luggage. In cold weather the cabins are warm and comfortable and with the interesting feature of scenic observation of the surrounding country, afford the ideal means of modern travel.”

Time to hit the skies

Altogether, Delta flew with three S-6000-Bs. Two units were acquired from Fox Flying Service, while one was purchased directly from the manufacturer. The cost of buying a new edition of the plane was $13,500, which is approximately $205,200 today. Registrations C8878 (MSN 988), C9905 (MSN 1072), and C9930 (MSN 1081) all subsequently joined the operator’s fleet.

It was C8878 that conducted the first-ever passenger flight for Delta. Previously, the airline was focused on crop-dusting operations to help protect the cotton fields of the southern states in the US against the boll weevil insect. This creature was proving to be a significant pest.

Nonetheless, the operator was now ready to take services to the next level. The first route was a flight between Dallas, Texas and Jackson with stops in Shreveport and Monroe, Mississippi. Operations started on June 17th, 1929.

The 427-mile flight took five hours to complete, including stoppage and lunch breaks. Subsequently, the S-6000-B helped Delta become the first carrier to offer an air service between Dallas and Jackson. 

J. D. “Johnny” Howe was the pilot of this inaugural flight, and he was the perfect person for the job. He had six years of experience in the skies and previously worked as an agent for the Travel Air Company. Notably, he was also one of the first people in the US to gain a commercial pilot’s license.

There was only one passenger on this first trip, Delta’s operations manager, John S. Fox. However, he was welcomed with joy from Jackson Mayor Walter A. Scott on his arrival to the city.

On the way back, there were more passengers on the plane. As Cox returned after an overnight stay in Jackson, he was joined by a group of Jackson officials.

Return on investment

Notably, this return trip saw Delta’s first-ever paying passenger. While the fliers took a break in Monroe, they picked up W.C. Walsh, a factory representative for the motor car powerhouse, Dodge Brothers. He joined the traveling party to head to Dallas.

Fares on the route between Dallas and Jackson were $47.25 ($708 today) one away. The price was $90.00 ($1,349 today) for a return. The aircraft made the round trip three times a week. It headed to Jackson on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and traveled west on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. 

During the same year that Delta first purchased S-6000-B, it also took on the Travel Air 2000. However, this biplane was in use for flying lessons, charter operations, and company travel.

Delta installed radio sets on the S-6000-B at the beginning of 1930, with a test flight on January 8th. The operation departed Monroe and circled the city while receiving messages from as far as New York. This move was a significant achievement for the time.

Despite the groundbreaking adventures of the S-6000-B, Delta only flew it for just over a year. With tight competition and the arrival of the Great Depression, the carrier suspended passenger operations until 1934. Therefore the plane was retired by the end of October 1930. Nonetheless, this aircraft helped the airline on its way to becoming one of the most recognizable brands in aviation .

What are your thoughts about the Travel Air S-6000-B? What do you imagine it was like to fly on such an aircraft? Let us know what you think of the plane in the comment section.

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2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

In Transit: Notes from the Underground

Jun 06 2018.

Spend some time in one of Moscow’s finest museums.

Subterranean commuting might not be anyone’s idea of a good time, but even in a city packing the war-games treasures and priceless bejeweled eggs of the Kremlin Armoury and the colossal Soviet pavilions of the VDNKh , the Metro holds up as one of Moscow’s finest museums. Just avoid rush hour.

The Metro is stunning and provides an unrivaled insight into the city’s psyche, past and present, but it also happens to be the best way to get around. Moscow has Uber, and the Russian version called Yandex Taxi , but also some nasty traffic. Metro trains come around every 90 seconds or so, at a more than 99 percent on-time rate. It’s also reasonably priced, with a single ride at 55 cents (and cheaper in bulk). From history to tickets to rules — official and not — here’s what you need to know to get started.

A Brief Introduction Buying Tickets Know Before You Go (Down) Rules An Easy Tour

A Brief Introduction

Moscow’s Metro was a long time coming. Plans for rapid transit to relieve the city’s beleaguered tram system date back to the Imperial era, but a couple of wars and a revolution held up its development. Stalin revived it as part of his grand plan to modernize the Soviet Union in the 1920s and 30s. The first lines and tunnels were constructed with help from engineers from the London Underground, although Stalin’s secret police decided that they had learned too much about Moscow’s layout and had them arrested on espionage charges and deported.

The beauty of its stations (if not its trains) is well-documented, and certainly no accident. In its illustrious first phases and particularly after the Second World War, the greatest architects of Soviet era were recruited to create gleaming temples celebrating the Revolution, the USSR, and the war triumph. No two stations are exactly alike, and each of the classic showpieces has a theme. There are world-famous shrines to Futurist architecture, a celebration of electricity, tributes to individuals and regions of the former Soviet Union. Each marble slab, mosaic tile, or light fixture was placed with intent, all in service to a station’s aesthetic; each element, f rom the smallest brass ear of corn to a large blood-spattered sword on a World War II mural, is an essential part of the whole.

The Metro is a monument to the Soviet propaganda project it was intended to be when it opened in 1935 with the slogan “Building a Palace for the People”. It brought the grand interiors of Imperial Russia to ordinary Muscovites, celebrated the Soviet Union’s past achievements while promising its citizens a bright Soviet future, and of course, it was a show-piece for the world to witness the might and sophistication of life in the Soviet Union.

It may be a museum, but it’s no relic. U p to nine million people use it daily, more than the London Underground and New York Subway combined. (Along with, at one time, about 20 stray dogs that learned to commute on the Metro.)

In its 80+ year history, the Metro has expanded in phases and fits and starts, in step with the fortunes of Moscow and Russia. Now, partly in preparation for the World Cup 2018, it’s also modernizing. New trains allow passengers to walk the entire length of the train without having to change carriages. The system is becoming more visitor-friendly. (There are helpful stickers on the floor marking out the best selfie spots .) But there’s a price to modernity: it’s phasing out one of its beloved institutions, the escalator attendants. Often they are middle-aged or elderly women—“ escalator grandmas ” in news accounts—who have held the post for decades, sitting in their tiny kiosks, scolding commuters for bad escalator etiquette or even bad posture, or telling jokes . They are slated to be replaced, when at all, by members of the escalator maintenance staff.

For all its achievements, the Metro lags behind Moscow’s above-ground growth, as Russia’s capital sprawls ever outwards, generating some of the world’s worst traffic jams . But since 2011, the Metro has been in the middle of an ambitious and long-overdue enlargement; 60 new stations are opening by 2020. If all goes to plan, the 2011-2020 period will have brought 125 miles of new tracks and over 100 new stations — a 40 percent increase — the fastest and largest expansion phase in any period in the Metro’s history.

Facts: 14 lines Opening hours: 5 a.m-1 a.m. Rush hour(s): 8-10 a.m, 4-8 p.m. Single ride: 55₽ (about 85 cents) Wi-Fi network-wide

Buying Tickets

• Ticket machines have a button to switch to English.
• You can buy specific numbers of rides: 1, 2, 5, 11, 20, or 60. Hold up fingers to show how many rides you want to buy.
• There is also a 90-minute ticket , which gets you 1 trip on the metro plus an unlimited number of transfers on other transport (bus, tram, etc) within 90 minutes.
• Or, you can buy day tickets with unlimited rides: one day (218₽/ US$4), three days (415₽/US$7) or seven days (830₽/US$15). Check the rates here to stay up-to-date.
• If you’re going to be using the Metro regularly over a few days, it’s worth getting a Troika card , a contactless, refillable card you can use on all public transport. Using the Metro is cheaper with one of these: a single ride is 36₽, not 55₽. Buy them and refill them in the Metro stations, and they’re valid for 5 years, so you can keep it for next time. Or, if you have a lot of cash left on it when you leave, you can get it refunded at the Metro Service Centers at Ulitsa 1905 Goda, 25 or at Staraya Basmannaya 20, Building 1.
• You can also buy silicone bracelets and keychains with built-in transport chips that you can use as a Troika card. (A Moscow Metro Fitbit!) So far, you can only get these at the Pushkinskaya metro station Live Helpdesk and souvenir shops in the Mayakovskaya and Trubnaya metro stations. The fare is the same as for the Troika card.
• You can also use Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

Rules, spoken and unspoken

No smoking, no drinking, no filming, no littering. Photography is allowed, although it used to be banned.

Stand to the right on the escalator. Break this rule and you risk the wrath of the legendary escalator attendants. (No shenanigans on the escalators in general.)

Get out of the way. Find an empty corner to hide in when you get off a train and need to stare at your phone. Watch out getting out of the train in general; when your train doors open, people tend to appear from nowhere or from behind ornate marble columns, walking full-speed.

Always offer your seat to elderly ladies (what are you, a monster?).

An Easy Tour

This is no Metro Marathon ( 199 stations in 20 hours ). It’s an easy tour, taking in most—though not all—of the notable stations, the bulk of it going clockwise along the Circle line, with a couple of short detours. These stations are within minutes of one another, and the whole tour should take about 1-2 hours.

Start at Mayakovskaya Metro station , at the corner of Tverskaya and Garden Ring,  Triumfalnaya Square, Moskva, Russia, 125047.

1. Mayakovskaya.  Named for Russian Futurist Movement poet Vladimir Mayakovsky and an attempt to bring to life the future he imagined in his poems. (The Futurist Movement, natch, was all about a rejecting the past and celebrating all things speed, industry, modern machines, youth, modernity.) The result: an Art Deco masterpiece that won the National Grand Prix for architecture at the New York World’s Fair in 1939. It’s all smooth, rounded shine and light, and gentle arches supported by columns of dark pink marble and stainless aircraft steel. Each of its 34 ceiling niches has a mosaic. During World War II, the station was used as an air-raid shelter and, at one point, a bunker for Stalin. He gave a subdued but rousing speech here in Nov. 6, 1941 as the Nazis bombed the city above.

Take the 3/Green line one station to:

2. Belorusskaya. Opened in 1952, named after the connected Belarussky Rail Terminal, which runs trains between Moscow and Belarus. This is a light marble affair with a white, cake-like ceiling, lined with Belorussian patterns and 12 Florentine ceiling mosaics depicting life in Belarussia when it was built.

Transfer onto the 1/Brown line. Then, one stop (clockwise) t o:

3. Novoslobodskaya.  This station was designed around the stained-glass panels, which were made in Latvia, because Alexey Dushkin, the Soviet starchitect who dreamed it up (and also designed Mayakovskaya station) couldn’t find the glass and craft locally. The stained glass is the same used for Riga’s Cathedral, and the panels feature plants, flowers, members of the Soviet intelligentsia (musician, artist, architect) and geometric shapes.

Go two stops east on the 1/Circle line to:

4. Komsomolskaya. Named after the Komsomol, or the Young Communist League, this might just be peak Stalin Metro style. Underneath the hub for three regional railways, it was intended to be a grand gateway to Moscow and is today its busiest station. It has chandeliers; a yellow ceiling with Baroque embellishments; and in the main hall, a colossal red star overlaid on golden, shimmering tiles. Designer Alexey Shchusev designed it as an homage to the speech Stalin gave at Red Square on Nov. 7, 1941, in which he invoked Russia’s illustrious military leaders as a pep talk to Soviet soldiers through the first catastrophic year of the war.   The station’s eight large mosaics are of the leaders referenced in the speech, such as Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century prince and military commander who bested German and Swedish invading armies.

One more stop clockwise to Kurskaya station,  and change onto the 3/Blue  line, and go one stop to:

5. Baumanskaya.   Opened in 1944. Named for the Bolshevik Revolutionary Nikolai Bauman , whose monument and namesake district are aboveground here. Though he seemed like a nasty piece of work (he apparently once publicly mocked a woman he had impregnated, who later hung herself), he became a Revolutionary martyr when he was killed in 1905 in a skirmish with a monarchist, who hit him on the head with part of a steel pipe. The station is in Art Deco style with atmospherically dim lighting, and a series of bronze sculptures of soldiers and homefront heroes during the War. At one end, there is a large mosaic portrait of Lenin.

Stay on that train direction one more east to:

6. Elektrozavodskaya. As you may have guessed from the name, this station is the Metro’s tribute to all thing electrical, built in 1944 and named after a nearby lightbulb factory. It has marble bas-relief sculptures of important figures in electrical engineering, and others illustrating the Soviet Union’s war-time struggles at home. The ceiling’s recurring rows of circular lamps give the station’s main tunnel a comforting glow, and a pleasing visual effect.

Double back two stops to Kurskaya station , and change back to the 1/Circle line. Sit tight for six stations to:

7. Kiyevskaya. This was the last station on the Circle line to be built, in 1954, completed under Nikita Khrushchev’ s guidance, as a tribute to his homeland, Ukraine. Its three large station halls feature images celebrating Ukraine’s contributions to the Soviet Union and Russo-Ukrainian unity, depicting musicians, textile-working, soldiers, farmers. (One hall has frescoes, one mosaics, and the third murals.) Shortly after it was completed, Khrushchev condemned the architectural excesses and unnecessary luxury of the Stalin era, which ushered in an epoch of more austere Metro stations. According to the legend at least, he timed the policy in part to ensure no Metro station built after could outshine Kiyevskaya.

Change to the 3/Blue line and go one stop west.

8. Park Pobedy. This is the deepest station on the Metro, with one of the world’s longest escalators, at 413 feet. If you stand still, the escalator ride to the surface takes about three minutes .) Opened in 2003 at Victory Park, the station celebrates two of Russia’s great military victories. Each end has a mural by Georgian artist Zurab Tsereteli, who also designed the “ Good Defeats Evil ” statue at the UN headquarters in New York. One mural depicts the Russian generals’ victory over the French in 1812 and the other, the German surrender of 1945. The latter is particularly striking; equal parts dramatic, triumphant, and gruesome. To the side, Red Army soldiers trample Nazi flags, and if you look closely there’s some blood spatter among the detail. Still, the biggest impressions here are the marble shine of the chessboard floor pattern and the pleasingly geometric effect if you view from one end to the other.

Keep going one more stop west to:

9. Slavyansky Bulvar.  One of the Metro’s youngest stations, it opened in 2008. With far higher ceilings than many other stations—which tend to have covered central tunnels on the platforms—it has an “open-air” feel (or as close to it as you can get, one hundred feet under). It’s an homage to French architect Hector Guimard, he of the Art Nouveau entrances for the Paris M é tro, and that’s precisely what this looks like: A Moscow homage to the Paris M é tro, with an additional forest theme. A Cyrillic twist on Guimard’s Metro-style lettering over the benches, furnished with t rees and branch motifs, including creeping vines as towering lamp-posts.

Stay on the 3/Blue line and double back four stations to:

10. Arbatskaya. Its first iteration, Arbatskaya-Smolenskaya station, was damaged by German bombs in 1941. It was rebuilt in 1953, and designed to double as a bomb shelter in the event of nuclear war, although unusually for stations built in the post-war phase, this one doesn’t have a war theme. It may also be one of the system’s most elegant: Baroque, but toned down a little, with red marble floors and white ceilings with gilded bronze c handeliers.

Jump back on the 3/Blue line  in the same direction and take it one more stop:

11. Ploshchad Revolyutsii (Revolution Square). Opened in 1938, and serving Red Square and the Kremlin . Its renowned central hall has marble columns flanked by 76 bronze statues of Soviet heroes: soldiers, students, farmers, athletes, writers, parents. Some of these statues’ appendages have a yellow sheen from decades of Moscow’s commuters rubbing them for good luck. Among the most popular for a superstitious walk-by rub: the snout of a frontier guard’s dog, a soldier’s gun (where the touch of millions of human hands have tapered the gun barrel into a fine, pointy blade), a baby’s foot, and a woman’s knee. (A brass rooster also sports the telltale gold sheen, though I am told that rubbing the rooster is thought to bring bad luck. )

Now take the escalator up, and get some fresh air.

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21 Things to Know Before You Go to Moscow

Featured city guides.

Most Beautiful Metro Stations in Moscow

Visiting Moscow? Get yourself a metro card and explore Moscow’s beautiful metro stations. Moscow’s world-famous metro system is efficient and a great way to get from A to B. But there is more to it; Soviet mosaic decorations, exuberant halls with chandeliers, colourful paintings and immense statues. Moscow’s metro is an attraction itself, so take half a day and dive into Moscow’s underground!

The best thing to do is to get on the brown circle (number 5) line since the most beautiful metro stations are situated on this line. The only exception is the metro stop Mayakovskaya one the green line (number 2). My suggestion is to get a map, mark these metro stops on there and hop on the metro. It helps to get an English > Russian map to better understand the names of the stops. At some of the metro stops, the microphone voice speaks Russian and English so it’s not difficult at all.

Another thing we found out, is that it’s worth taking the escalator and explore the other corridors to discover how beautiful the full station is.

Quick hotel suggestion for Moscow is the amazing Brick Design Hotel .

These are my favourite metro stations in Moscow, in order of my personal preference:

1. Mayakovskaya Station

The metro station of Mayakovskaya looks like a ballroom! Wide arches, huge domes with lamps and mosaic works make your exit of the metro overwhelming. Look up and you will see the many colourful mosaics with typical Soviet pictures. Mayakovskaya is my personal favourite and is the only stop not on the brown line but on the green line.

2. Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya metro station is famous for its yellow ceiling. An average museum is nothing compared to this stop. Splendour all over the place, black and gold, mosaic – again – and enormous chandeliers that made my lamp at home look like a toy.

3. Novoslobodskaya Station

The pillars in the main hall of Novoslobodskaya metro station have the most colourful stained glass decorations. The golden arches and the golden mosaic with a naked lady holding a baby in front of the Soviet hammer and sickle, make the drama complete.

4. Prospect Mira Station

The beautiful chandeliers and the lines in the ceiling, make Prospekt Mira an architectural masterpiece.

5. Belorusskaya Station

Prestigious arches, octagonal shapes of Socialistic Soviet Republic mosaics. The eyecatcher of Belorusskaya metro station, however, is the enormous statue of three men with long coats, holding guns and a flag.

6. Kiyevskaya Station

The metro station of Kiyevskaya is a bit more romantic than Belorusskaya and Prospect Mira. Beautiful paintings with classical decorations.

7. Taganskaya Station

At the main hall Taganskaya metro station you will find triangle light blue and white decorations that are an ode to various Russians that – I assume – are important for Russian history and victory. There is no need to explore others halls of Taganskaya, this is it.

8. Paveletskaya Station

Another and most definitely the less beautiful outrageous huge golden mosaic covers one of the walls of Paveletskaya. I would recommend taking the escalator to the exit upstairs to admire the turquoise dome and a painting of the St Basil’s Cathedral in a wooden frame.

Travelling with Moscow’s metro is inexpensive. You can have a lot of joy for just a few Rubbles.

• 1 single journey: RMB 50 – € 0,70
• 1 day ticket: RMB 210 – € 2,95

Like to know about Moscow, travelling in Russia or the Transsiberian Train journey ? Read my other articles about Russia .

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Wow! It is beautiful. I am still dreaming of Moscow one day.

It’s absolutely beautiful! Moscow is a great city trip destination and really surprised me in many ways.

My partner and I did a self guided Moscow Metro tour when we were there 2 years ago. So many breathtaking platforms…I highly recommend it! Most of my favorites were along the Brown 5 line, as well. I also loved Mayakovskaya, Arbatskaya, Aleksandrovski Sad and Ploshchad Revolyutsii. We’re heading back in a few weeks and plan to do Metro Tour-Part 2. We hope to see the #5 stations we missed before, as well as explore some of the Dark Blue #3 (Park Pobedy and Slavyansky Bul’var, for sure), Yellow #8 and Olive #10 platforms.

That’s exciting Julia! Curious to see your Metro Tour-Part 2 experience and the stations you discovered.

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