The A.300 almost failed through lack of orders until Easter started using them a the rest is history

Had it failed there would be none of the Airbus types we have now

Also worth remembering that Boeing seriously considered killing off the lame duck the 737 was in the early day, but then that sort of caught on and suddenly many airlines were buying them. I can certainly remember when Boeing 737’s were rare with only Aer Lingus and Britannia likely to overfly my area and Aer Lingus perhaps once a week.

Perhaps all this can be looked at differently

If a couple of newer type are selling fewer numerically then the latest versions of well established type, far form bad that could be considered very good indeed to have sold them with such well established competition. I’m not referring specifically to this but in any event where this happens.

DHC/Bombardier, Canadair and Embraer have come from nowhere over the last few years and the British Industry has disappeared…what is now may be nothing like it was and nothing like the future with the two biggest player currently, A.320 series and Boeing 737NG both about to be relaunched would not have existed had the 737 line closed in the early 70’s or the A.300 been abandoned.

Less established types bring new blood and fresh ideas. it’s easy for big corporations to ride a success and get a bit stale. An example being the original A.350 that was basically and updated A.330 which is an updated A.300. The airlines refuse it and Airbus had to go away licking their wounds and redesign something new. Without doubt that was a good move and the A.350 starts afresh with much future potential

You could take any one of those ‘minor’ types and write about them in 20 years. It will either be…Pity they didn’t kill in then or…Just as well they stuck with it as look what it led to.

The chances are the one that becomes true is the least likely as it looks today.

All it needs is an open mind and the will to sceed with the job