Exactly 100 years after the first successful airplane flight, Continental
Airlines is helping to perpetuate the legacy of flight by donating its
award-winning, historic, 63-year-old DC-3 aircraft to the Lone Star Flight
Museum, Galveston, Texas.
“The DC-3 was a major stepping-stone in the development of today`s
worldwide commercial aviation system,” said Continental Chairman and CEO
Gordon Bethune. “We are proud to help preserve a bit of aviation history
on the occasion of the Centennial of Flight. And giving away this antique
aircraft helps to drive home the point that we really do have one of the
youngest fleets in the business.”

About the Aircraft
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Manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company in Santa Monica, Calif., in
1940, this aircraft has a storied history. After serving in the American
Airlines fleet for seven years, the aircraft was acquired by Trans-Texas
Airways, a predecessor of today`s Continental Airlines. The DC-3 later
flew routes in New England for Provincetown-Boston Airlines, and was
reacquired and restored in `50s-vintage colors by Continental in 1989.
Since then, the aircraft has attended many air shows, winning prizes
including “Grand Champion Antique Air Transport” at the 1997 EAA
Convention and Airshow, Oshkosh, Wisc.

About the Lone Star Flight Museum
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The Lone Star Flight Museum contains an award winning, flying collection
of over 35 historically significant aircraft. A few notable aircraft in
the collection include a B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell, P-47
Thunderbolt, P- 38 Lightning, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, SBD Dauntless and
a British MkXVI Spitfire. Since the aircraft of the Lone Star Flight
Museum are maintained to flying standards, they are in constant demand on
the airshow circuit. Lone Star aircraft take the living history lesson to
the skies and are seen by over 1.5 million people at more than 30 aviation
events each year.

The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame is located on Galveston`s west end between
Moody Gardens and the Galveston International Airport at Scholes Field.
For more information, call 409-740-7722 or visit on the web at
http://www.lsfm.org/ . Continental Airlines editorial, based on news release distributed by PR Newswire.

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