DC-7 at Epic Flight Academy

This decommissioned DC-7 is on display at the Epic Flight Academy in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. From 1953 to 1958 the Douglas Aircraft Company built DC-7 planes at the behest of American Airlines. They wanted a passenger plane that could fly nonstop coast-to-coast in 8 hours. This was in response to a mandate that flight crews were restricted to only working eight hours in-flight within a 24 hour period.

Douglas delivered. About 25 planes were ordered by American Airlines, and in May 1953 the first prototype took to the air. The Douglas Aircraft Company went on to construct other DC modeled aircraft, such as the DC-7B and DC-7C, the latter of which was built for overseas travel. Few of these planes remain today—less than 400 were built by Douglas. This aviation relic is accessible to the public for anyone wanting to venture down aviation's memory lane.