Travel Air S-6000-B
Fact Sheet
Aircraft Make & Model:	Travel Air S-6000-B
MTOW:	4,230 lb.
Range:	500 miles
Speed:	90 mph
Seats:	6
Length:	31 ft.
Wingspan:	49 ft.
Height:	9 ft.
Engines:	Wright J6 Whirlwind
HP or Thrust:	300 hp.
No. flown by DL:	3
Routes flown:	Atlanta, Georgia–Ft. Worth, Texas
Advantages:	Roomy cabin for its day, insulated walls
Drawbacks:	Limited instruments
First delivery:	1929
Reason acquired:	Delta, a crop-dusting company, wanted to expand into passenger operations.
Last retirement:	10/29/30 to Southern Air Fast Express
Reason disposed:	Delta lost Ft. Worth–Atlanta route award to American Airlines predecessor company AVCO.

Narrative:

Delta acquired two of the aircraft from Fox Flying Service and one from the manufacturer. Delta also owned a single Travel Air 2000 biplane from March 14, 1929 to Sept. 1, 1937 (used for company travel not passenger service).

At one time or another, three aviation greats were associated with the Travel Air Manufacturing Company: Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman and Clyde Cessna. For more information, see the AirVenture Museum's history of the Travel Air Co.

• Delta Air Service, later Delta Air Lines, launched its first airline service on June 17, 1929, with a Travel Air S-6000B.
• The high-wing, five-passenger, single-engine monoplane flew Delta's pioneer route from Dallas, Texas to Jackson, Mississippi (with stops in Monroe and Shreveport, Louisiana).
• Dallas-Jackson: 5 hours, 427 miles, ticket cost $47.25 ($90 roundtrip).
• These "limousines of the air" were steel frame construction covered with a "skin" of linen and epoxy. Delta's livery was a sleek black and International Orange paint job. "Deluxe" insulated, wood paneled cabins featured woven wicker seats, and hand holds rather than seat belts. Passengers could lower the Travel Air's roll-down windows for ventilation.
• Designed to carry four passengers and two pilots.  Because Delta flew with one pilot, a fifth passenger could also sit in the co-pilot seat. 
• Carried up to 150 pounds of baggage.
• Price when new:  approximately $13,500
• Description from Delta's 1930 brochure "Fly for Business and Why," written to encourage businessmen to go by plane instead of railway:

  "The 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.  Each plane seats five passengers and pilot and provides ample space for luggage, wash room and toilet.  These planes take-off, fly and land with remarkable ease and smoothness and there is a noticeable absence of minor discomforts.  Passengers up for the first time experience a feeling of absolute security, confidence and relaxation that is agreeably surprising."

A restored Curtiss-Wright 6B Sedan is at the Delta Heritage Museum in Atlanta, painted as a Travel Air S-6000-B, including the original Delta tail number NC88078

During the 1930s, the airplane carried executives of a pipeline company. The plane was then used to fight fires in Montana for 31 years (1941-1972), hauling smoke jumpers and supplies.

Delta purchased the Travel Air in 1985, from Delta Captain Doug Rounds, who did the initial restoration with family and friends (1975-1983).

In 1997-2000, the museum aircraft restoration team made further improvements: brakes replaced, engine rebuilt, instrument panel rewired and an intercom system, Becker transponder and VHF transceiver installed. New carpet, leather sidewalls, ceiling panels and interior lighting, gave the interior a 1930s vintage appearance.