American Airlines put a big bet this week on the future of air freight. To Douglas Aircraft went a $4,250,000 contract to turn ten of American's piston-engined DC-7B airliners into air freighters. All passenger fittings will be ripped out; the relatively new (four years or less) luxury planes will get heavy-duty floors, stronger fuselages, two huge cargo doors. When the last of the freighter 73 goes into service next year, it will give American a 20-plane cargo fleet with more than twice the line's current capacity.
The deal serves a double purpose for American by finding a use for...
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