This Week's Meaningless Topic (#206)(August 14)

[Rodger Pettichord]

Hi all. My first airliner flight was a Pan American Boeing 707 to Japan. Best airliner and premier airline. I felt like I was living in a legend. Since then, there have been other planes and other carriers, but that first thrill still was still the best. And that leads to this week's topic.

 

THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC:  What was your first airliner experience?

[wain71]

first long flight in a proper plane was an RAF flight from the UK to Nairobi, it was in a Tristar, loved it, watched a film on a big screen, but the thing I remember most was 3 months later flying back on the same Tristar and being given an in flight meal that was a typical British roast in a tin foil tray, that was heaven...previously I had only flown twice before, that was in a Hercules to Gibraltar and back....

[stiletto2]

The first airline flight I remember was in early '71 on a Northwest Airlines DC-9 flight from KORD to KDTW for work. I really thought it was great that I got to fly and my new company paid for the ticket!

 

Rod

[Ken Q]

United Airlines DC 3 from LaGuardia to Omaha.  About 1954, I was a little tyke going with my mother to visit my paternal grandfather.  I got air sick and threw up.  Too much chocolate milk, combined with the motion and vibration of the plane.

 

Next time was a year or two later, LaGuardia to Chicago Midway.  DC 6 both ways.

 

We flew home in a United DC 6.  

 

Ken

Edited August 14 by Ken Q

[larryisenor]

First flight in a commercial airliner was the day after we were married. Calgary to Vancouver on an Air Canada DC-9. About a 1 hour flight with complete hot breakfast service.

How airline service has changed. We went to Vancouver about 3 weeks ago and had a choice of pretzels or cookies.

Larry

[Nick Cooper]

I first flew from Geneva to Heathrow on a BAC 111, probably around 1970.
My abiding memory is of looking out of the window and seeing the dome of filthy air over London
and thinking that I would have to be breathing that soon.
Since then, I have been on only four airline flights, to and from Kenya once and Gambia once.
They were both Boeing 767s, I think.

[gumbypickett]

I was 12yo, it was a TAA B727-200 VH-TBO.

A 6.00 am flight from YMLT to YMML, with rear stair entry, 

a window seat and breakfast service. Best experience ever.

And that's where the love all began.

cheers

Gumby

[carlosqr]

My first flight was on a A320 Costa Rica- Mexico

Then CR- Guatemala

Also CR-Nicaragua

And finally a 737 to the USA. Had a couple of those long and thin planes that do domestic flights (NY-Vermont) these CRJ type

But I'd love to fly on a 747, it's getting late for achieving it

I would have to fly to Miami and then to Frankfurt just to enjoy one, as my understanding is that only Lufthansa is operating the queen. There no much time, I guess, same as well as with money 😣

 

Cheers

Carlos

[John Heaton]

From Southend to Nicosia in Cyprus - via Luqa in Malta in a DC 4 - courtesy of the British government as a

National Service Army soldier in 1956

Flight took 13 hours in total today's aircraft do it in 4

Still have the photo I took in Southend on a wet English morning - I had the 3rd window seat over the engines

Can anyone identify the other aircraft in the pic

Edited August 15 by John Heaton

[Rodger Pettichord]

Tail-dragger, low-wing, two-engine, four-blade prop, single-stick landing gear. You got me, John. The nearest I can get is a Boeing 247, but the landing gear doesn't quite fit. 

[John Heaton]

1 hour ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

Tail-dragger, low-wing, two-engine, four-blade prop, single-stick landing gear. You got me, John. The nearest I can get is a Boeing 247, but the landing gear doesn't quite fit. 

I would be pretty sure - the Englishmen on here will recognise it

here's a pic of its cockpit

[Rodger Pettichord]

10 hours ago, John Heaton said:

I would be pretty sure - the Englishmen on here will recognise it

here's a pic of its cockpit

Vikers Viking? You're driving me nuts, John! 🤪

[Stillwater]

On 8/14/2024 at 8:46 PM, larryisenor said:

We went to Vancouver about 3 weeks ago and had a choice of pretzels or cookies.

Larry

With Lufthansa such a choice is only given in Business…🙈

[pilot100]

I flew to Canada as a child, I remember a transatlantic jet trip but all I can recall is that the cabin walls had hot air balloons as it decoration - no idea what jet it was. Later once in Canada we flew by DC3 - I remember because it was a tail drager and we had to walk up hill to the seats. I was very young then.....

[Rob Abernathy]

Oct 1967, a flight from San Francisco to San Diego, CA.   I was heading to military boot camp during the Vietnam War and was so nervous I have no idea what type of aircraft I was flying in.

[Stillwater]

My first flight was in a propliner with my parents to Bulgaria. I was 5 years, so I neither took photos nor made proper recording of the type - sorry.

We did 2 other holiday trips in the 70´s by plane, and in the 1980´s I did not fly at all. That changed a bit from the 1990´s on.

[John Heaton]

13 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

Vikers Viking? You're driving me nuts, John! 🤪

simple -google air charter London - you could take your car with you - as the English would say - "in a Bristol Fashion"😉

[Rodger Pettichord]

20 minutes ago, John Heaton said:

simple -google air charter London - you could take your car with you - as the English would say - "in a Bristol Fashion"😉

A Bristol 170 Freighter? Thanks for spoon-feeding me, John. 😁

[boetie]

Same as Gumby, a B727 via the rear stairs. It was a South African Airways flight from Salisbury to Johannesburg to connect with my first 747 from Jo'burg to London. As Grant said, it ignited my interest. I totally relate! It was 1972, I was 6yo. It was epic! Tomorrow going to my son's beachfront hotel to watch the Pacific Airshow at Surfers Paradise and Wifey is even pretending to be interested!!

[John Heaton]

1 hour ago, boetie said:

Same as Gumby, a B727 via the rear stairs. It was a South African Airways flight from Salisbury to Johannesburg to connect with my first 747 from Jo'burg to London. As Grant said, it ignited my interest. I totally relate! It was 1972, I was 6yo. It was epic! Tomorrow going to my son's beachfront hotel to watch the Pacific Airshow at Surfers Paradise and Wifey is even pretending to be interested!!

enjoy Graeme - the first day looked good

[Stillwater]

2 hours ago, boetie said:

Wifey is even pretending to be interested

If that becomes true, you´re a lucky one! That is a good intro to upgrading your computer...

[wain71]

9 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

A Bristol 170 Freighter? Thanks for spoon-feeding me, John. 😁

google tells me it's a Bristol Freighter but I am to young to confirm this...

[Nick Cooper]

I used to own one, just like this:
Airfix Bristol Type 170 Mk.32 Superfreighter 1:72 - build review - Scale Modelling Now

[John Heaton]

8 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

I used to own one, just like this:
Airfix Bristol Type 170 Mk.32 Superfreighter 1:72 - build review - Scale Modelling Now

Did you get a Dinky car in it afterwards ?😉

[wain71]

8 minutes ago, Nick Cooper said:

I used to own one, just like this:
Airfix Bristol Type 170 Mk.32 Superfreighter 1:72 - build review - Scale Modelling Now

now I know it, a few months back they did a write up about these in Airline World and their car ferry flights which I found really interesting....

[boetie]

On 8/11/2024 at 6:42 PM, jean marc said:

thank you Graeme 😃Great roots !! Have you ever been back by there ? Of course it is very far from Australia...

 

10 hours ago, John Heaton said:

enjoy Graeme - the first day looked good

Here now John, what a top day for it!!

[adambar]

I was mostly a GA guy like i said before, but i think my very first was a 737 from SeaTac to Portland.