Ever wonder why Southwest’s IATA identifier is WN? ⁣ ⁣ Southwest urban legend is that it’s because of Colleen Barrett’s fondness for Willie Nelson, but that’s not the case (as humorous as it is and certainly does fit Southwest’s unique history!). Another legend has it that WN stood or “We’re Nuts” (not true either). Then another legend has it that since SW was already taken, it was suggested that Southwest Airlines just take some random two letter code to which they responded “Why Not?” (also not true). ⁣ ⁣ Southwest’s original IATA code in the early 1970s when it first started was OE. But it didn’t last long. ⁣ ⁣ The SW identifier belonged to Air Namibia which at one time was named South West Air Transport and used the SW identifier since 1959. In 1978, they rebranded as Namib Air but kept the SW identifier. Herb Kelleher contacted the airline in the 1980s to see if some sort of exchange could be arranged so Southwest could get the SW identifier, but Namib Air asked for $10 million!⁣ ⁣ The closest thing that had a W in it that was available was WN. ⁣ ⁣ When Namibia became independent from South Africa in 1990, Namib Air rebranded again as Air Namibia. Southwest officials once again met with Air Namibia with offer of assistance and aircraft parts as Air Namibia also had the Boeing 737-200 in its fleet. Once again, an astronomical financial demand was put on the table and Southwest decided to stick with the WN designator.⁣ ⁣ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #Southwest #N713SW #SWApic #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/B28XLSHBF7E/?igshid=16t57c6bkuvy9

Southwest’s N713SW decelerates on 31R at Dallas Love Field- this aircraft was delivered to Southwest in June 1998 in the old “Mustard Rocket” livery and from July 2005 to January 2015 wore the Shamu colors on the Canyon Blue tail. ⁣⁣ ⁣ At one time the Curtiss-Wright company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world-formed in 1929 with the merger of Buffalo-based Curtiss Aircraft and Dayton-based Wright Aeronautical. The company had three divisions- Curtiss building aircraft, Wright building engines, and another Curtiss division building aircraft systems and propellers.⁣⁣ ⁣ Failing to transition to jet aircraft postwar, Curtiss-Wright got out aircraft production, with the USAF selecting the Northrop F-89 Scorpion over the Curtiss XF-87 Blackhawk. The XF-87 was the last gasp from Curtiss an aircraft builder. In October 1948, Curtiss shut down its aircraft division and sold its assets to North American Aviation.⁣⁣ ⁣ Wright also lost out on jet engines- the company that at one time produced thousands and thousands of piston radial engines had as its last significant aircraft power plant the J67 engine which was a license built version of the British Sapphire jet engine. Subsequent Wright derivatives of the J67 lost out to the Pratt and Whitney J57. The engine market had dried up for Curtiss Wright by the late 1950s.⁣⁣ ⁣ That left the company’s aircraft systems division to soldier on and they still do to this day despite multiple reorganizations since the end of the Second World War. Today Curtiss Wright supplies the flap tracks and the flap/slat actuation hardware for the Boeing 737NG family.⁣⁣ ⁣ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDAL #DAL #Dallas #DallasLoveField #igTexas #Texas #airport #planespotting #instaplane #Boeing #737 #Southwest #N713SW #SWApic #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation #TeamAvGeek (at Dallas Love Field) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2iU8RMhp2S/?igshid=9axv78guli6q