Trans-Texas Airways Convair 600 Metropolitan

Additional Information:

The Convair CV-240 is an American airliner that Convair manufactured from 1947 to 1954 to be a possible replacement for the popular Douglas DC-3. The aircraft featured a more modern design and had a pressurized cabin. The 240 series was accepted as a commercial airliner and had a long life that produced various civil and military variants. Though reduced in numbers, there are many various models of the “Convairliners” that continue to fly in the 21st century.

The Convair CV-600 was converted Convair 240 aircraft with Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines with four-blade propellers, in place of piston engines with three-blade propellers. The CV-600 conversions were performed by Convair and the first CV-600 flew on 30 November 1965. The plane was acquired and flew for Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) and its successor Texas International Airlines for many years.

Trans Texas Airways began in 1944 as Aviation Enterprises based in Houston and serving routes within the state of Texas. The name was changed to Trans Texas Airways (TTA) and operations officially began on October 11, 1947. Service to Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and southeastern New Mexico began on October 15, 1963 or November 6, 1963. The airline first operated all flights with 21-seat Douglas DC-3 aircraft but soon upgraded with 40-seat Convair 240’s which were later modified into Convair 600’s. By 1967 TTA introduced jet service with the 75-seat Douglas DC-9 and operated the aircraft on an Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Dallas-Houston route. The carrier’s name was changed to Texas International (TI) in 1969 and new route authority from Albuquerque to Los Angeles and nonstop to Dallas was introduced as well a larger 100-seat version of the DC-9 designated as the DC-9-30. Texas International’s parent company, Texas Air, bought out Continental Airlines and the two carriers merged on October 31, 1982 with the Continental name prevailing and ending 19 years of service for TTA/TI in New Mexico.

In October of 1968, Trans-Texas Airways repainted their aircraft with a new purple, grey, and white livery. The new livery was considered to be a more modern looking appearance. The first TTA Convair 600 aircraft with the new livery to service the Albuquerque Sunport were aircraft numbered N94236 and N17419.

A Trans Texas Airways Convair 600 is seen taxiing at the Albuquerque Sunport.

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