Regional airliner were replaced by progressively longer-range designs. In the immediate post-war era these were typically Douglas DC-3s, although even the De Havilland Dragon Rapide biplane airliner remained in service for some time. This "hand-me-down" process of supplying aircraft continued with designs like the Convair 440, Douglas DC-6 and Vickers Viscount also serving in this role while the first jets were introduced. By the mid-1950s, demand for even more economical designs led to the production of the first custom feederliners. These were almost always turboprops, which had fuel economy on par with piston engine designs, but had far lower maintenance costs. Often
Vickers Aircraft Wave Vickers Aircraft Wave The Vickers Aircraft Company Wave is a two-seat amphibious aircraft, currently under development by the Vickers Aircraft Company of Hamilton, New Zealand. It was introduced at the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida in 2014. The Wave is a two-seat, side-by-side configuration, high wing amphibious aircraft. The fuselage and wings are constructed from a combination of aluminum and carbon fibre composite materials. An automatic folding wing mechanism and ballistic parachute are planned to be integrated. The standard engine is the Continental Titan 340 four-stroke powerplant, mounted in a pusher configuration. The aircraft is intended for the US