Contrary to the prevailing marketing myth, it appears that Airlines may have been originally envisaged as a triple system for cross-country use, including a front derailleur and a long arm rear derailleur.

• Publisher: US Patent and Trademark Office
• Inventor: Yasushi Nakamura and Tadashi Ichida, assigned to: Shimano
• Country: USA
• Date: US application filed July 1999, Japanese applications filed from August 1996
• Derailleur brands: Shimano
• Derailleurs: Shimano Airlines